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JOHANNESBURG – When flights started being cancelled across the Gulf at the end of February, hundreds of thousands of travellers were stranded, exposing how dependent travel – particularly from South Africa – is on a handful of hubs. Among them were business travellers: senior teams on their way to close deals, inspect sites and run critical projects. High-stakes trips, suddenly on hold.

If one of those travellers had been yours, the price your company paid for the trip would have been less important than answering where they are, how safe they feel, and what the knock-on ramifications might be of delaying the trip. At times like these, companies experience the limits of a travel programme that is focussed solely on price, not impact.

Mummy Mafojane, General Manager at FCM South Africa, says unmanaged or purely price‑driven travel quickly becomes more expensive overall, once you factor in last‑minute changes, missed connections and poor routing. “We see clients who fixate on the cheapest fare, but by the time you add in longer routings, extra nights, changes and reissues, the real cost of the trip is far higher,” she says.

“The companies that cope best are the ones that treat travel as a managed investment, with clear policy, preferred partners and access to data to back their decisions.”

The payoff is measurable. A recent study by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) found that every 1% rise in managed travel spend corresponds with a 0.20% increase in revenue, and companies with strategically managed travel programmes outperform their peers by as much as 30%. Yet most lack the data infrastructure to prove the link between travel investment and performance.

That matters because business travel spend is growing, and scrutiny is growing with it.

Global business travel spend is forecast to reach around $1.7 trillion in 2026, up from $1.57 trillion last year, according to the GBTA. In addition, FCM’s State of the Market report showed that 45% of FCM customers planned to increase travel spend in FY26, with EMEA leading at 46%, up from 39% in 2025. Companies are spending more, but are they spending well?

Measuring what really matters

FCM Consulting’s Travel Impact Index is a structured assessment tool that helps companies and travel managers evaluate and clearly explain the value of their managed travel programme in business terms, not just in savings.

It scores programmes across six pillars, including governance, risk management, data visibility, supplier strategy, stakeholder engagement and traveller experience, and benchmarks those scores against similar organisations. The result shows where a programme is strong, where the gaps are, and where investment will have the greatest impact.

Financial impact is where the business case lives. Most programmes measure direct spend but miss the time lost to cumbersome booking processes, the cost of badly routed itineraries and the carbon exposure that sustainability reporting now requires. Without those numbers, a programme cannot give the business an honest account of what travel actually costs.

Risk management has become an operational priority. The International SOS Risk Outlook 2026, surveying 830 senior decision-makers, found 57% say new risks are emerging faster than they can manage. That was evident at the end of February, when more than 27,000 flights were grounded across nine countries in just a few days. Companies with access to real-time traveller tracking and predefined response protocols moved their people swiftly; those that didn’t were left scrambling.

Governance is what converts insight into action, through benchmarked processes, defined mandates and empowered teams that can respond when needed.

Alongside those three sit the pillars that make the programme work day-to-day, including stakeholder engagement and the traveller experience. Arguably one of the most important, because if the booking process is difficult, people book outside the programme and the company loses sight of spend, risk exposure and supplier commitments.

“Sort out your bookings, sort out the data, and sort out compliance,” says Mafojane. “After that, the numbers speak for themselves, including on the days when flights stop and your people need to come home.” FCM Consulting’s Travel Impact Index is available at fcmtravel.com.

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JOHANNESBURG – For decades, South African corporate travel was ruled by a single metric: cost. If a route via the Middle East saved R5,000 on a trip to London, it was booked. But as we approach the 2026-2030 commitment period of the Climate Change Act, that logic is breaking down.

Today, that same indirect flight presents a boardroom-level dilemma. It might be cheaper, but does the extended flight path blow the carbon budget? And given current geopolitical volatility, does the layover expose the employee to unacceptable security risks?

Travel has shifted from a procurement line item to a complex governance challenge. While South African businesses remain budget-conscious, the convergence of stricter ESG reporting and heightened Duty of Care means the “cheapest fare” is often no longer the viable option.

The regulatory wake-up call

The catalyst for this shift is regulatory. In March last year, the Climate Change Act came partially into effect, fundamentally changing how large companies view their operations. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s technical guidelines for carbon budgets set up the first commitment period (2026 to 2030). This pushes companies from merely “preparing” to proving exactly what they emit and how they will cut it.

Crucially, business travel is explicitly listed in the JSE’s climate disclosure guidance as a Scope 3 emissions source.

For those outside the sustainability office, the distinction between the different scopes is an important one. Scope 1 covers direct emissions (like fuel for company cars), and Scope 2 covers indirect energy (like electricity for the head office). Scope 3 is the catch-all for the wider value chain, including every flight, hotel night, and Uber ride taken by staff. Because these emissions happen outside the company’s direct control, they are the hardest to measure, yet for many service-based companies, they make up the bulk of their carbon footprint.

“Before, boards considered travel expenditure purely as a finance issue. Now, it’s about how business travel fits into the carbon budget,” says Mummy Mafojane, GM FCM South Africa. “Boards want to know: what did we emit, where did it come from, and what are we doing differently next quarter? If companies are expected to report emissions properly, travel has to be counted and managed like any other source of carbon.”

Leading by example

We are already seeing this shift among South Africa’s major players. Leading financial group Discovery has committed to eliminating its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2028. In practice, this means decarbonising their physical operations, shifting their buildings to renewable energy and eliminating emissions from company-owned fleets.

But the bigger challenge lies in Scope 3, where they have committed to cutting business-travel emissions by a further 30% by 2030. This requires a fundamental change in behaviour: replacing non-essential flights with digital alternatives, enforcing stricter approval flows, and selecting travel partners based on carbon efficiency rather than just price.

Similarly, energy and chemicals giant Sasol already measures and reports its global business-travel footprint under Scope 3. Unlike companies that simply estimate this, Sasol uses granular data to calculate the exact impact, using that information to purchase verified carbon credits to offset the emissions they cannot yet eliminate.

However, many companies struggle to match this precision because complete, auditable travel data is notoriously difficult to collate. When employees book directly with airlines, use consumer sites, or pay with personal cards, the data fragments. Without details on cabin class, routing, or ground transport, calculations rely on averages and assumptions, and those are methods that auditors are increasingly rejecting.

When disruption becomes a data problem

Here’s where South Africa’s recent travel chaos becomes more than just an operational headache and becomes an ESG compliance issue.

When jet-fuel shortages at OR Tambo and Cape Town forced flight cancellations and diversions recently, employees scrambled to rebook. Some used personal credit cards. Others booked last-minute alternatives through consumer sites. Fuel had to be sourced from Durban and Mozambique, creating extended ground transport and unplanned routing changes.

Similarly, when severe weather repeatedly flooded roads and disrupted flights across coastal and inland regions, itineraries were rewritten on the fly, often outside the official travel management channel.

The result? Every disruption creates a data gap. Those emergency re-bookings, alternative routes, and last-minute hotel stays rarely get captured in the company’s emissions tracking system. When audit season arrives, the carbon calculation is incomplete, and the auditor flags it.

“Emissions reporting is only as good as the supplier inputs behind it,” notes Mafojane. “But when a crisis forces employees off-programme, even the best suppliers can’t help you. You end up with gaps in your Scope 3 data, and that becomes a regulatory risk, not just a travel risk.”

This is why resilience planning is now an ESG imperative. Companies that build contingency into their travel programmes, including preferred backup routes, pre-vetted alternative carriers, clear escalation protocols, don’t just protect their people. They protect their data integrity. And in a world where incomplete emissions reporting can trigger audit findings or regulatory scrutiny, that matters.

Even when travel goes according to plan, supplier quality determines whether your emissions data holds up under scrutiny. If an airline, hotel group, or car-rental partner can’t provide usable emissions data, the company ends up relying on proxies, and those numbers get interrogated later by auditors, assurance teams and, in some cases, regulators.

That’s why preferred supplier lists will increasingly favour providers that can deliver consistent emissions information and show credible progress on their own footprint. It lowers reporting risk as much as it lowers emissions.

Duty of care meets carbon accountability

This is where ESG and Duty of Care fully converge. More companies are aligning travel risk management to ISO 31030, moving beyond ad-hoc approvals to structured frameworks with clear escalation paths and contingency plans that don’t hinge on a single airport, corridor, or carrier.

This complexity changes the mandate for the Travel Management Company (TMC). It’s no longer enough to simply issue a ticket. The TMC must ensure that every booking – and every rebooking – flows through channels that capture the data needed for compliance.

“Boards don’t like surprises – on carbon, on cost, or on disruption – and they expect their TMC to flag those issues before they happen,” Mafojane adds.

The Climate Change Act puts business travel inside the same reporting rules as the rest of a company’s emissions. If the information is incomplete, an auditor will pull it apart. If there’s no backup plan, a fuel shortage or storm doesn’t just strand people, but can creates holes in your carbon reporting that you’ll have to defend later. As we head into 2026, the companies that will succeed are those that can provide evidence of controls, supplier vetting, and data integrity. Those that can’t will find themselves defending carbon budget overruns to the regulator, and explaining to the board why their teams were stranded halfway across the world instead of in front of clients.

“We’ve decided to have a close look at traveller behaviour, booking patterns, airfares and preferred destinations in January this year as an indication of what the rest of the year will bring us. We’ve noticed for example that advance booking behaviour has very much remained on par with 2022. Businesses are booking on average 15 days before travelling. What has changed, however, is the top 5 international and regional business destinations and the airfares to get to these destinations,” says Bonnie Smith, GM Corporate Traveller.  

London (UK) is a firm favourite for South African business travellers and will remain so in the year to come. It is also one of the only destinations where airfares have remained the same for 2023 as compared to 2022. Smith explains Heathrow is one of the top international airports for corporate traffic originating from South Africa with many South African businesses having headquarters in the UK or being listed on the London Stock Exchange. “We are therefore not surprised to see London in top position once again this year,” says Smith.

Hot on London’s heels and in second place is Dubai. “A newcomer in our top three international business destinations, interest in Dubai is definitely picking up,” says Smith. Part of the reason for this increased interest is the fact that Emirates has considerably upped the number of flights to South Africa. From March onward, the total frequency of Emirates flights into South Africa will be 42 weekly flights. That does not mean airfares have decreased. To the contrary. The price for an Economy Class ticket has increased 53% in 2023 as compared to 2022.

Inbound tourism to Dubai has flourished in 2022 with the hotels seeing 15-year occupancy highs, according to KPMG. The UAE now hosts one of the richest hospitality markets in the world; with an expected 25% growth in the industry by 2030 and 40 million new visitors staying at hotels in Dubai by 2031.

In third position is Paris, followed by Amsterdam and Mauritius. “With conferences and events picking up, it is not surprising to see Paris, Amsterdam and Mauritius in the top 5,” explains Smith. Airfares to Paris are currently affordable and have decreased by 14% as compared to 2022. Meanwhile, Economy Class fares to Amsterdam has increased by 45% and fares to Mauritius by 24%.

Regionally, Corporate Traveller’s figures also revealed a few surprises. The top regional destination for 2023 is Entebbe/Kampala in Uganda. According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Uganda has been identified as an anchor state for South Africa, particularly given its geo-political position within the East African region; its relative economic size and importance for trade with South Africa and as a destination for South African investment. Airfares to Entebbe are up by 18% as compared to last year.

Nairobi (Kenya) is the second most popular destination for South African business travellers with airfares having only increased slightly by 5%. “Last year, Nairobi was named Africa’s leading business travel destination at the World Travel Awards, while the KICC was named ‘Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre’. What’s more is that leaders of Kenya and South Africa have been actively collaborating in the past few weeks to address any trade barriers,” says Smith.

In third place is Antananarivo (Madagascar). Now that restrictions have been lifted, South Africans can once again enjoy regular scheduled services to Madagascar, explains Smith. South Africa has always been an important source market and supply-chain link for Madagascar’s business and leisure tourism sector. Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport is well positioned for Madagascar-based businesses and travellers to access destinations within Southern Africa.

Bamako (Mali)  and Lusaka (Zambia) make up number 4 and 5 in the top 5 regional destinations for South Africans. Fares to these destinations have increased by 15%.

“Corporate Traveller has seen strong recovery in terms of business travel with figures in line with – and even exceeding – 2019 levels. And with MICE travel, in particular conferences and events, back with a bang we can expect an exciting year ahead,” concludes Smith.

For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Bonnie Smith, call Dorine Reinstein on 083 278 8994 or email dorine@bigambitions.co.za.

This return to the front of the plane might be a boon for airlines, but it also raises several questions. Why has preference shifted to business class? Is it limited to the C-suite? Is it sustainable? What’s the business impact? A recent report by Corporate Traveller addressed these and more.

Strictly business?

As business travel is becoming more intentional and considered, it’s often only the higher tiers of the company travelling. This goes against early predictions, which expected C-level execs to remain in their offices while lower-level corporates would be flying. The shift brought along with it new expectations: business class tickets, which come with their own set of pros and cons. More room and comfort means travellers can be more productive during transit and arrive rested and refreshed. On the other hand, there are the obvious financial implications as well as sustainability concerns.

With the benefit of hindsight, the move to the front of the plane is not all that surprising. Execs tend to be the individuals with the most sway and decision-making power, and it follows that companies would stand to gain the most by putting them first.

Now that younger recruits are also taking back to the skies, the question remains whether the demand for business class tickets will remain as high as it is currently. “We expect the demand for business class will slightly diminish as more layers of the company are going back to travel,” says Bonnie Smith, GM Corporate Traveller. “However, important to note is that health and wellness have become a huge focus area for many companies. The effects of the pandemic and subsequent return to work revealed the many shortcomings in the system and have led both employees and companies to rethink their approach to wellbeing. Business travel presents a unique opportunity to offer employees health-centric benefits – premium-class bookings for longer flights, serviced apartments for extended stays, and various upgrades and perks. As such, we could just see more junior employees flying premium class and above for long-haul flights.”   

What about sustainability?

When it comes to sustainability, the onus is split between the airline and the traveller, and both have several ways to tackle the issue.

Airlines are taking a multifaceted approach which includes investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and focusing on specific elements like optimising flight times and weight reduction. For travellers, it’s partly a balancing act influenced by several factors. And unfortunately, business class is taking its toll on the environment. The ICCT compiled a report analysing carbon dioxide emissions from commercial aviation from 2013, 2018 and 2019. The findings were eye-opening.

Passengers seated in business class are responsible for 2.6 to 4.3 times more emissions than if they fly in coach. The results are based on the floor space taken up by each passenger, along with weight considerations and other factors.

Dan Rutherford, the director of aviation and shipping-related research at the International Council on Clean Transportation, put it perfectly when he said: “If you turn right and go to economy class, it’s like you’re choosing a hybrid car. If you get on a plane and turn left into business class, it’s like choosing an SUV.”

Luckily, there are ways to offset your carbon footprint, even if you decide to travel in the front of the plane. “Today, TMCs are able to calculate your carbon footprint per leg, per flight. You can track your emissions against sustainability goals – and offset your impact through verified carbon offset projects. This is really important if you have frequent travellers – or travellers turning left on the plane,” says Smith. “Corporate travel is in a constant state of flux and that has a significant impact on decision-making. We’ve become experts in anticipating these changes and making quick adjustments to best serve our clients. By staying on top of the latest developments we’re able to offer real-time expertise that saves you time and money without compromising your needs.”

Is it worth it?

The ROI of business travel is not the same for every company, but when executed with consideration and precision it’s benefits can be exponential. Market dynamics drive airfares and until COVID has been eradicated they will remain unpredictable. But consider the financial implications of a new intentional client – or the loss of one. This is where your TMC comes in.

“Lean on your travel partner, and don’t be afraid to mix things up,” says Smith. “Your TMC will be able to use their own buying power to negotiate and secure special rates on your behalf wherever possible. Take their advice when it comes to booking ahead, booking out of peak times, or exploring new accommodation options.” 

Read the full SME Travel Trends for 2023 report here.

However, for companies concerned about the costs associated with travel and lodging, there are ways to reduce business travel expenses without sacrificing comfort or reliability.

Follow these tips from the pros:

1. Enforce your travel policy (or create one quickly!)

With a travel policy in place, companies can ensure that their employees follow best practices and use company resources wisely. But what good is a policy if no one follows it? A travel management company (TMC) can help you create a policy but also enforce it because your travellers can only book with approved service providers.

“A travel policy isn’t something that needs to be imposed on your team. Ask your employees for their ideas on how to save on business travel expenses. You’ll be surprised at the creative, cost-saving solutions they come up with,” says Bonnie Smith, GM Corporate Traveller. “A great policy is one that is customised, taking into account the unique needs of both your company and travellers.”

2. Get access to the best deals

If you want to save on travel costs, one of the best things you can do is get access to a better flight inventory. A TMC provides a streamlined way to book corporate fares by integrating hundreds of travel networks, helping you find the best deals without spending hours researching online.

3. Book tickets in advance

A travel policy can help you determine not only the price but also the flexibility of tickets. Encourage your employees to plan trips at least 15-20 days in advance. While last-minute travel may be necessary, they can ensure the trip is well-planned (and necessary, too) before booking anything.

4. …but also encourage flexibility

Do they really need to leave on a Monday? Mid-week flights tend to be cheaper. When booking, ask your travellers for options on arrival and departure times. This leeway can give you significant savings on flights and hotels. Even better, allow your employees to book their travel through a corporate booking tool to optimise their schedules and save money.

5. Schedule meetings outside of peak holiday season

You can cut costs without sacrificing quality by being strategic about scheduling your events. Talk to your teams or event organisers to plan events and sales trips during the off-peak season to avoid expensive peak holiday times.

6. Work with prices, not stars

Remember that a 3-star hotel can cost just as much as a 4-star hotel. Regarding hotels, be clear about the maximum amount your employees can spend in your travel policy.

7. Ask your provider for value adds

It is worth committing to a single hotel chain so you can negotiate a lower price and take advantage of additional benefits. A large TMC usually has access to great negotiated rates with major airlines and hoteliers, so it’s worth checking out what they have to offer. “From free upgrades to early check-in and complimentary breakfast, TMCs are often able to negotiate quite a bit on your behalf,” says Smith.

8. Put self-catering options into the mix

For longer hotel stays, offer your team the option of booking a room with a kitchenette. This way, travellers can sometimes prepare (healthier) meals themselves or heat ready-made meals.

9. Encourage your employees to share

We don’t mean rooms; we mean cars! It’s often more economical and environmentally friendly to carpool. Talk to your team about the benefits of carpooling instead of booking their own cars or taxis.

10. Set a realistic daily allowance

Budgeting for a business trip can be tricky. There are many incidentals to consider, from meals to Wi-Fi charges to luggage fees. It’s easy to underestimate something that can add up quickly. That’s why accessing data from a travel booking tool is helpful. That way, you can determine which cities and trips require a lower budget and which warrant more spending. “Per diems can be a tricky,” says Smith. “You don’t want to break the bank, but you don’t want your travellers to feel hard done by either. Ask your travel expert to calculate appropriate per diems for both the destination and the nature of the trip.”

12. Eliminate foreign transaction fees

You can offset the high costs associated with international transactions by using credit cards and bank accounts that do not incur foreign transaction fees. Researching partner banks before travelling can help you avoid expensive ATM fees.

12. Outsource your travel bookings

Do you know who in your company is travelling and how much it’s costing you? If your executives and sales team are booking their travel, then the time spent on travel management alone costs you money. Let an expert TMC handle the travel so your team can focus on what they do best.

Imagine this scenario: your company sends you overseas to complete a project. During your stay, you use your company business card at an ATM – nothing unusual about that. But, once you return home, your employer notices massive cash withdrawals from the bank – withdrawals you’re at a loss to explain.

For one small consulting firm, this was no imaginary situation. Reported by the National Cybersecurity Alliance, the incident saw the 10-man consultancy lose a total of $15 000 – the business’s entire cash reserve – after the credit card details were recorded by a skimmer device that criminals had installed on the ATM used by the employee.

“This incident shows just how devastating the effects of cybercrime can be,” says Bonnie Smith, General Manager FCM Travel. “And it’s just one example of a cyberattack. There are so many more ways criminals can target travellers – so it’s important to be aware while you’re out on the road. Don’t let your guard slip, which is often challenging when you’re focussed on meetings, exploring new places or enjoying your trip.”

According to a study conducted by IEEE Innovation At Work, the travel and transportation industry was the second most targeted industry for cybercriminals in 2018. The same study reports that one in seven travellers has fallen victim to information theft.

Why are travellers such soft targets?

One reason may be their lackadaisical attitude. A somewhat concerning report by IBM shows that although 40% of travellers acknowledge that they could be at risk of cybercrime, only 30% guard against the threat.

Don’t judge the other 70% of travellers too harshly, though. Smith points out that travel leaves people in a highly vulnerable position. For a start, travellers typically have, out of necessity, a large volume of valuable data on their person, from their passports to travel itineraries and payment information. All of this is gold for the cybercriminal who can sell the information or use it for identity theft or phishing attacks.

The traveller’s state of mind doesn’t help, either. When you’re feeling tired after a long trip, it’s normal to opt for the quickest connectivity solution – like public Wi-Fi – to download a mail or make a fast transaction instead of opting for the safest option.

What’s more, because of the interconnectivity of devices, any seemingly small breach of security may have massive ramifications.

Guard against being a victim

The good news, says Smith, is that while the threat might be significant, there are several steps travellers can use to avoid an attack.

Some of these actions should be taken before leaving home, like brushing up on your rights and local laws. This is important because different countries may exert different rights to your data. For example, border guards may ask to see the contents of your laptop, and if you know that this is likely, you can plan ahead.

It’s also a good idea to change all your frequently used passwords. You may even wish to set up a temporary email account if you know that you’re likely to use a public computer. In fact, this is advisable if you plan to work from your hotel’s business centre, as these centres are a natural target for cybercriminals.

If your personal data is stored on the cloud, consider deleting the local copy from your laptop and disabling the sync feature. While you’re at it, download software that encrypts information and protects copied data. Update your anti-virus protection, host intrusion and host-based firewall software.

This is also the time to pay any bills that may fall due while you are away, a step that will lessen your exposure while you are travelling. If you foresee the need to download software, do so before you leave.

Your final action, before you land, should be to disable the auto-connect function on your phone – connecting to the Internet manually for a few days isn’t much of a hassle, especially if it keeps your data safe. You should disable Bluetooth connectivity, too.

In transit? Chances are you’re using your time to catch up on mails – but refrain from plugging into the public WI-FI network. Instead, set up a WI-FI hotspot on your phone and encrypt your data using a Virtual Private Network.

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, keep your device on you at all times. It sounds obvious, especially for crime-wary South Africans, but a request to borrow your phone or tablet for one second may not be quite as innocent as it seems. By the same token, don’t use anyone else’s device. And don’t consider taking ‘backup’ devices with you just in case – the fewer devices you have to worry about, the better.

Use public equipment with care, and exercise caution if you need to charge your USB in public. If you need to charge, a good tip is to switch off your device before plugging it into a charging station. Finally, if you have been asked by border guards to screen your device, treat it as if it has been compromised.

The bottom line? “It’s important to stay alert and aware when you’re travelling,” says Smith. “This is always good advice, and now in terms of cybercrime too. Follow the tips and advice shared above, and chat to your travel expert about any destination-specific alerts or information.”

Companies that have taken a wait-and-see approach to their business travels are now actively starting to re-evaluate their international travel programmes. This in turn can lead to some difficult decisions, and one burning question: when can one safely resume your international travel programme?

Oz Desai, General Manager Corporate Traveller, explains the most pressing question South African companies are asking is how they will know the time is right.

“Travel managers want to know whether it is safe to send out their travellers internationally. They are also actively exploring what kind of technology is important for these travellers during these times – and how they should change their approach to business travel.”

According to Desai, a recently conducted Corporate Traveller survey shows that the majority of companies are ready to resume business travels as soon as their employees are fully vaccinated. However, the question remains as to how travellers feel about this.

Says Desai: “Some may be worried about travelling until certain measures are in place. Others might not even want a vaccine. It’s important to know what the expectation of employees is in each company as every workforce is different.”

To answer the most pressing questions around business travel, Corporate Traveller has released an insightful white paper with tips and advice. In a nutshell, however, companies need to assess the following elements within their own company:

1. Traveller Readiness

Survey employees to gauge what they want from travel in the future and how comfortable they are. Your travel management company can help sculpt your survey and advise on the how, when and what to send out.

2. Travel Policy

Travel has changed, so your policy needs to as well. Chat to everyone in your company: HR, teams, security, procurement and gather important feedback. Once you have finalised details such as approval processes, reasons for travel and COVID conduct, make sure you share the changes with your travellers.

3. Supplier Choices

Once you have a good understanding of what is important for your travellers and your company, your choice of suppliers will be easier to make. You can now suggest that travellers book a particular hotel chain or airline that has the measures in place they expect – and can trust. 

4. Savings

While safety is important, it’s clear saving money is still a priority as well. Your TMC can help you recognise changes in your programme and opportunities to save money, such as flexible airfares and hotel negotiations. Even spotting patterns in your travel data creates a chance to save some cash.

5. Support and Technology

Evaluate what’s important to you when it comes to support and technology. What sticks in your memory from your TMC experience in the last year? It might be a team or tool that has brought some comfort or peace of mind. Or something that has saved you a bunch of time.

Desai concludes: “Business travel has always been more complex than leisure travel. And in a post-COVID world, it is more complex than ever before. By evaluating what’s important to your company and your travellers and having open and honest conversations, you’ll be able to answer most questions on travel. For all the other questions – turn to your travel management company and remember that no question is a stupid question.”

Greater than the sum of all its parts, Giltedge will have a renewed focus, integrating its travel offering previously operated as separate divisions into one Giltedge, co-owned by its directors Sean Kritzinger and Murray Gardiner, and Accor, one of the leading hotel groups in the world listed in the CAC 40 index in Paris.

Says Sean: “We have used the year to rethink, restrategise and bring our brands into one more streamlined and agile Giltedge. Our guests will now be exposed to the full suite of Giltedge travel businesses, from safari and golf to incentives and corporate travel.”

Retaining the professional expertise of these teams, Murray adds that the integrated travel offering will continue to be supported by seamless communication, leading technology, an agile team and a strengthened commitment to clients.

“Our brands and specialist teams will continue to enrich lives through innovative and sustainable travel experiences. This integrated travel offering is leveraged through a culture of high-performance people and high-touch technology,” he says.

This is the important next step in the journey of Giltedge, which was born 20 years ago and has evolved into a group comprising Giltedge DMC, Giltedge Africa, Giltedge Golf, Giltedge Incentives, Giltedge International, Giltedge Ocean Islands – leading experts in holidays and safaris to Southern and East Africa as well as the Indian Ocean Islands, FITs, group, outbound corporate and leisure, MICE and golf travel.

Strong partnerships have been instrumental in Giltedge’s success and will continue to be, says Murray. “The incredible growth we have experienced these past two decades is a feather in the cap of our incredible extended team, including both valued suppliers and our global travel trade partners who share Giltedge’s commitment to our guests.”

“With our deep family values and focus on working even harder to create a smarter future in travel, we look forward as one strong brand to inviting our customers to be our guest no matter where they wish to travel, for what purpose and how. Here’s to another 20 years of enriching lives,” concludes Sean.

Bonnie Smith, GM at FCM, said: “While traveller safety will of course be a key component of any of the changes to travel policies going forward, this could also be an opportunity for travel managers to hit the reset button on their programme’s sustainability efforts.”

In a survey of its own members, the Climate Action for Corporate Travel Urgent Sustainability Summit (CACTUS) found that 93% ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ that COVID-19 has given travel managers an opportunity to fast track the creation of “a more sustainable and viable future for the planet”.

Further to this, a 2020 survey of ITM’s buyer members found that 56% believed the focus on sustainable business travel would remain the same when things pick up after COVID, while a further 40% believed it would become of even higher importance.

Smith added, “We have a unique opportunity to make climate action the focus of our post COVID-19 recovery efforts. It is important that we act now.”

COVID lessons make sustainable travel integration easy

Smith said that for many South African businesses, the challenge of implementing a sustainable travel programme used to loom large, but with the lessons learnt during the Covid-19 pandemic it no longer has to.

“Businesses now have a practical understanding of where and how they can cut down on unrequired travel, this frees them up to ensure that their essential travel is environmentally conscious without concerns about breaking the bank. The whole system will be better streamlined,” said Smith.

Pierre-Emanuel Tetaz, EMEA SVP and GM at SAP Concur, said during a recent webinar on the company’s 2020 Corporate Travel Sustainability Index: “We have to acknowledge the fact that the economic situation is not necessarily great, and many organisations are suffering, so overall travel spend will be under pressure. This could mean that people will travel less but might be willing to spend a bit more per trip – unit cost may change slightly and part of that will be because people are going to want to make more sustainable choices.”

Research data backs this claim as almost all the companies surveyed by SAP Concur (98%) are prepared to allocate additional spend towards sustainability programmes over and above the current travel management budget. 

We have to act now

However, market predictions indicate that without focussed intervention business travel emissions will return to previous levels. Hospitality giant Accor for example, recently published a study showing that business travel would return to pre-COVID levels within six months, led by domestic travel.

Jonathan Pettifer, Director of Corporate Sales and TMC Partners at Accor UK & Ireland, said, “The hotel industry will be gratified to hear that corporates believe their business travel programmes will recover within 12 months, with many anticipating it will happen much quicker. Face-to-face interactions with clients and business partners are vital in many industries and we know there is significant pent-up demand from corporates wanting to get their executives back engaging directly with key contacts.”

Smith urges buyers not to let the unique sustainability opportunity offered by COVID-19 slip through their fingers, “Integrating sustainable business practices into your travel programme can be seamless if you have the right information. Multiple airlines, hotels, and car hire companies have made huge changes to their business models to ensure that travel is more sustainable, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of this. FCM has the knowledge of how best to incorporate these businesses in your programme and can help.”

FCM’s sustainable travel tips

Corporate travel policies can be oriented to favour: direct flights over indirect routes, as well as the use of closer-in regional airports and rail over car where it’s logical on domestic routes, or at the very least those car hire companies with an electric fleet. Those hotels which pay attention to food miles and other sustainable practices can also become preferred suppliers.

Additional ways to travel sustainably include:

• Choosing an airline that offers a carbon offset option.
• Packing as light as possible.
• Traveling without paper by using more digital tools and technology for tickets, hotel confirmations and itineraries. Try FCM’s app SAM.
• Choosing a hotel near your business meeting or event, so you catch public transport, use a share bike/electric scooter program, or walk.
• Being an environmentally responsible guest; reuse towels, turn lights/air-con off when you’re out, take short showers and avoid dry cleaning clothes.
• Packing your own toiletries in reusable containers, BYO toothbrush and a reusable razor.

Bonnie Smith, General Manager FCM, says: “This year many businesses have implemented an interim travel policy to cope with the disruption of COVID, however as things start to stabilise, now is a good time to review your travel policy program for 2021.”

Smith shares five ways you can adapt your corporate travel programmes to the ‘new normal’.

1. Know how to prioritise travel

There are several motivations for corporate travel—from closing deals and networking to attending conferences and meetings with colleagues, clients, and suppliers. But not all corporate travel is created equal. Withh the global switch to video calls and virtual engagement along with decreased travel budgets, many are examining the prioritisation of travel within their business.  The question to be asked is what meetings can continue to be conducted effectively online vs what meetings are truly enhanced or reliant on face-to-face.

2. Lean into consumerisation

Self-service technology and mobile-friendly applications have typically dominated the leisure travel space, leaving corporate travellers restricted by rigid platforms and tedious company processes.

But that is now changing at a rapid pace due to traveller demand and advancements in technology. An additional outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic is also that travellers across the board are seeking intuitive, instantaneous, and autonomous tools to help them feel in control and free of travel friction. Solutions like FCM’s Sam (Smart Assistant for Mobile) ensure that travellers have access to accurate information on changing travel regulations across countries.

3. Keep duty of care a top priority

Even before COVID-19, duty of care was one of the most important considerations for a corporate travel programme, and the delivery of information pertaining to safety and travel alerts a top priority for travellers. The pandemic has made many businesses reassess and adapt their duty of care policies to keep travellers safe, reassured, and informed of changing travel regulations on the ground, all in real-time.

Firm up your duty of care policies by first drafting a risk management strategy. Understanding the fears and anxieties around travel, coupled with communicating the existing risk protocols and support services, is essential to building a successful risk management programme. And through technology and automation, such as real-time risk reports and GPS tracking systems, your customers can pre-empt and mitigate risks at every step of the journey.

4. Enable personalisation for changing needs

Everyone’s behaviour has changed in times of COVID. People have become more risk-averse: they are afraid and in need of more support. To be successful, business travel policies must identify and address the varying needs of corporate travellers accordingly. 

Fortunately, smarter technology can present individual travellers with personalised, relevant results and insights, while remaining within the boundaries of the company policy.

5. Get the best of both worlds with blended technology

Technology, on its own, can only do so much. Even the smartest machines will always be lacking that very human-specific trait: empathy. A human end-to-end support strategy is required to answer for all corporate travellers’ needs. Today’s most forward-thinking corporate travel booking solutions provide a healthy balance of both in what is referred to as a blended technology approach. Implementing a seamless, blended technology approach requires evaluating the various components within a corporate travel programme—from its internal, back-end office to its customer-facing services.

“It’s important to question whether your Travel Management Company is helping you achieve the goals you have set out for your travel programme,” says Smith. “The right TMC has the insight and knowledge to guide you to make the right choices because they have a holistic view of your company, as well as the market at large. If you’re not getting this value from your TMC, it may be time to move on.”

Smith explains that during these difficult times, speed and flexibility are critical. If you’re making the switch from your current TMC provider, FCM has launched a simple and smooth implementation process that will support you and takes the pain out of change management.