Introducing the latest myCWT product and service enhancements
Building on our digital, omnichannel myCWT platform, our new products and services will simplify travel management for you and your employees – anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
Note: Featured services may not be available in your country at this time. Please reach out to your CWT representative for more details.
Hear from Chief Product Officer, Erica Antony as she shares the key product highlights of 2024, along with the key areas driving innovation.
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2040: Baseline, Boom or Bust
As we enter an era of rapid transformation and unprecedented challenges, it is essential for travel managers, meeting & event planners, and corporate decision-makers to look ahead and frame our current strategic thinking with a clear vision of the future. Business travel and meetings and events (M&E) are poised for significant change over the next decade and a half, driven by a complex interplay of sustainability goals, technological advancements, evolving work models, and geopolitical dynamics.
In this paper to mark the 10th anniversary of our Global Business Travel Forecast, we explore, for the first time, a long-term vision of the future and potential trajectories through three distinct scenarios, each offering insights into how these forces should affect policy-making, budgeting and priorities. By examining these scenarios, we can better understand the diverse possibilities that lie ahead and the strategic imperatives required to thrive in each potential future.
Based on trajectory data analysis and interviews with industry leaders, behaviorists and climate tech founders, this forward-looking approach enables us to anticipate changes, strengthen our strategies, and make informed decisions that align long-term objectives. It is through this lens of foresight and adaptability that we can build resilience, seize opportunities, and navigate the complexities of the future.
We invite you to reflect on the insights presented, and consider how your organization can prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Together we can ensure that travel and meetings remain catalysts for growth, scalability and sustainable practices.
- Scenario development is both an art and a science
- Megatrends Shaping the Future of Business Travel, Meetings and Events
- Sustainability goals the new crux of corporate policy
- Technology Revolutionizes Travel Management
- Modern work models spark new travel patterns
- Changing demographics open doors to new opportunities
- Three Scenarios: Base case, boom and bust
- Future-proofing strategies
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CWT GBTA Global business travel forecast 2025
When it comes to pricing, global business travel has finally reached an enduring, higher baseline. Prices will continue to rise in 2025, but only moderately, so expect a period of normalized growth.
However, this pricing environment, one of marginal gains and price regularity, is fragile. Global leisure travel has now realized a lot of its pent-up demand, while corporate travel has been resurgent, with 2024 edging at preCovid levels.
There are many factors at play, whether its volatile oil prices, labor costs and constraints, inflationary pressures, and geopolitical factors. As this elevated baseline edges upwards, albeit marginally, travel budgets will come under increased scrutiny, especially as travel patterns and attitudes change.
It’s why business travel can’t be viewed in a silo, and the true value to an organization must be fully realized. This forecast can help with those calculations.
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Capitalize on emerging technologies in corporate travel
Technological advancements are accelerating at an unprecedented pace. How will emerging innovations like Generative AI, blockchain, and self-sovereign identity (SSI) transform corporate travel?
BTN and CWT probed global CEOs, travel managers, industry consultants and tech experts on the promises, questions, and expectations these innovations raise and how they are set to reshape traveler experience, cost control and service delivery in corporate travel and events.
Download and discover
- The technologies that will have the greatest impact on corporate travel in the next 2-5 years
- How these emerging technologies are poised to control costs, enhance service and security, and boost efficiency
- The critical challenges, opportunities, risks and roadblocks each innovation raises
- What travel managers, buyers and experts anticipate from these innovations
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Podcast: Let’s chat about AI and chatbots
How do we teach computers human language in all its complexity and context to the point where business travelers can book each element of their trip via messenger or chat? Ziv Baum, an A.I specialist in Tel Aviv, discusses the ABCs of artificial intelligence and chatbots and how they’re being used in business travel.
[buzzsprout episode=’2497540′ player=’true’]
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CWT Energy, Resources & Marine Enters into Partnership with The Visa Team to Help Clients Simplify Visa Management For Crew Travel
CWT, the B2B4E travel management platform, and its Energy, Resources and Marine (ERM) division, have signed a preferred global agreement with The Visa Team, a specialist in visa-handling services for the oil and gas, mining, and marine industries. The partnership creates an innovative technology and services platform for the CWT ERM customers to leverage during the design and optimization of its business and crew travel visa/document management process.
“Travelers in the energy, resources and marine sectors — particularly crew & seafarers — have very different visa requirements from the business traveler,” said Raphaël Pasdeloup, Senior VP and Global Head of CWT Energy, Resources & Marine. “Crew coordinators managing their company’s mobility operations often have a complex array of emails and spreadsheets to facilitate the various visa needs of its crew. Our new partnership will see us integrate technologies to help simplify this process, through advanced features including automated trip assessments, live status updates and expiration alerts.” Pasdeloup concluded; “This Partnership not only is a natural fit within CWT ERM’s mobility ecosystem, but also directly benefits our clients by simplifying a high touch and very critical process.”
“Today’s ERM clients need innovative thinking, global scale and specialized expertise,” said Tracy Ramsey, Co-Founder, The Visa Team.
Erika Licon, The Visa Team’s other co-founder, added, “The Visa Team’s aim is to compliment CWT ERM services by providing compliant, positive, and seamless visa solutions to their clients, allowing peace of mind for both their travelers and managers.”
The global partnership agreement is available in the USA now, with Europe and Asia Pacific progressively rolling out over the coming months.
CWT is a leading global partner in business travel, meetings, and events. Operating across six continents, we deliver sustainable, tailored solutions that help organizations connect, engage, and thrive in an evolving world. Our myCWT platform integrates advanced technology with human expertise to simplify travel and enhance traveler and attendee experiences. Extensive global coverage, seamless data integration, AI-driven analytics, and carbon-conscious travel tools enable businesses to optimize their travel and meetings programs while delivering measurable value.
With 150 years of industry experience and a deep commitment to partnership, CWT collaborates with clients to shape the future of business travel and events, making them more efficient, responsible, and impactful.
CWT Energy, Resources & Marine
With 40 years of experience, CWT Energy, Resources & Marine (ERM) provides specialist travel management solutions for many of the world’s leading companies in the oil & gas, mining, offshore, marine and alternative energies industries. Operating in some of the most remote and inaccessible parts of the world, as well as more mainstream locations, ERM works to make the complex easy when it comes to getting people safely and efficiently to their place of work. We facilitate the movement of thousands of travelers every day, including 900 crew rotators, across 150 countries, using innovative technology along with accurate, reliable and simple solutions from flight bookings and crew rotations, to ground transportation and accommodation. -
NDC: Why consumer-driven content is king
This is the second of a three-part blog series on NDC. In the first, we talked about the future of how airlines and the industry will distribute content via New Distribution Capabilities, or NDC.
In today’s offering, we’ll look at why consumer-driven content is the key to driving NDC adoption, and lay out the steps needed to ensure that the promise of a truly rich and differentiated NDC content that benefits business travelers is realized.
Let’s start with the obvious: Massive investments are currently being made by all industry players to make NDC a reality. It is therefore only prudent to ensure that this capital is put to its intended use, which begins and ends with delivering content that the customer not only needs and wants, but also benefits from seeing.
So what does this rich new content look like?
To date, the enhancements being considered revolve around providing a consumer-grade user experience, access to new bundling opportunities and ancillaries, such as early boarding, preferred seating, and special meals, and adding personalized content.
These are the types of services that can be enabled through NDC, and the benefits can only be realized through industry-wide collaboration that puts consumers’ interests at the center.
Using a test and learn approach, driven by corporate traveler feedback, ensures that the industry is building a product and capability that consumers want and can use – every step of the way.
After all, only the consumer can really certify the value of NDC-enabled content, based on its ability to address the cost, convenience, choice, and service objectives that are lacking in the current distribution model.
When the industry solves these objectives with the end traveler in mind, it will naturally result in the kind of demand that will lead to the mass adoption necessary to make NDC succeed – not only for the industry, but also (and most importantly), for the benefit of business travelers.
So, let’s assume that we now have the ability to distribute content that meets a clear and compelling need of the corporate travel community. There is still one final step to realize the potential of this industry-transforming technology standard – and that’s display.
We’ll cover modernizing the way business travelers and agents consume this rich content to make an informed purchasing decision in the third and last blog in this three-part series.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on NDC overall, and, in the meantime – remember: content will always reign supreme.
Image credits: Adobe Stock
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CWT launches first open API-based global travel management platform for China
CWT, the global B2B4E travel management specialist, announces the launch of its flagship platform, myCWT, in China – marking the latest milestone in its journey to simplify business travel for companies and their employees around the world. The launch makes CWT the first global travel management provider to deploy an omni-channel, open API-based platform that has been tailored for the specific needs of the China market.
“Our focus globally is to deliver the leading employee-grade business travel experience, and we have made significant investments in our myCWT platform to create a best-in-class proposition,” said Kurt Ekert, CWT’s President and CEO. “Given China’s high-tech, mobile-oriented pace of life, we are excited to launch a digitally-driven customer experience here that helps clients and employees in this dynamic market achieve their true potential.”
Working with several specialized Chinese travel, technology and e-commerce partners, CWT has specifically adapted myCWT for deployment in China. It addresses the unique needs and nuances of the market – from content, to payments and integration capabilities – while maintaining a consistent user experience with CWT’s global offer. Its open API architecture facilitates easy integration with third party applications and clients’ internal systems, allowing CWT to provide a broad selection of products, services and content.
“The myCWT platform in China has been purpose-built for this market, keeping in mind the priorities and expectations of our customers and their employees,” said Albert Zhong, General Manager, China, CWT. “We want to ensure that we’re offering a digital experience that is second to none. Combined with the deep expertise and servicing capabilities we have around the world, it makes us the perfect partner for fast-growing Chinese companies who are expanding their footprint overseas, and for global multinationals who need help managing their travel in China.”
“In 1996, CAS and CWT worked together to introduce the concept of managed corporate travel in China,” said Qu Li, Board Chairman at China Air Service (CAS), CWT’s joint venture partner in China. “Since then, we have continued to pioneer together, delivering several ‘industry firsts’. The launch of the myCWT platform in China further reinforces our partnership and our commitment to elevating the business travel experience in this market.”
Highlights of myCWT in China include:
(1)A truly omni-channel experience – In China, travelers and travel arrangers will be able to connect with CWT through multiple channels, including an H5 website[1], a mobile app, messaging (i.e. live chat), email and phone calls. They can initiate a booking through one touchpoint, and then pick up where they left off on another.
They can also manage all aspects of their trip – from re-booking or making changes to cancelations and refunds, online check-in, seat selection for trains and flights, hotel room preferences and visa consultation services – or reach out for support, through any channel.
In particular, special focus has been placed on creating an industry-leading digital experience, as a significant and growing percentage of bookings by CWT’s customers in China are made using online and mobile channels.
(2)More choices for travelers – The platform will offer extensive domestic and international travel content including flights, rail, hotels and ground transportation. In addition to using the global distribution systems (GDSs) like TravelSky, it will incorporate content from other sources such as aggregators by using API connections, giving travelers far more choices than was previously possible.
For example, travelers will be able to book low-cost carriers (LCCs), ride-hailing services such as Didi, and even amenities like security fast-tracking and lounge access in airports and train stations.
They will also have more than 800,000 business-appropriate accommodation options in 73,000 locations around the world, including 100,000 properties in China, via RoomIt, CWT’s hotel distribution division.
(3)A simplified booking process, from search to approvals and payments – The rapid expansion of China’s high-speed rail network is making it an attractive option for business travelers. myCWT will allow travelers to compare flight and rail options for domestic journeys in a single view, including the cost and travel time, to make more informed decisions.
Travel approvals, a common requirement by companies in China, can be requested via email, SMS, the mobile app or through API integration with companies’ own internal approval systems.
Multiple payment methods will be supported including WeChat Pay and AliPay, the two third-party payment providers which account for over 90% of mobile payments in the market, as well as credit cards and UATP lodge cards.
(4)Integration with companies’ internal systems – Using API connections, myCWT can be integrated with organizations’ own internal management systems including expense and approvals, office automation (OA), business process management, HR and finance, and intranet, for greater efficiency and automatic synchronization.
CWT is currently piloting myCWT with a few clients in China. A full roll-out will commence in Q2 2020, progressively replacing CWT Online, the current online booking tool and mobile app used by CWT’s customers in China since 2012.
[1] An H5 – or HTML 5 – website is one that is mobile-friendly and enables myCWT to be integrated into applications like WeChat, as well as clients’ internal systems.
CWT is a leading global partner in business travel, meetings, and events. Operating across six continents, we deliver sustainable, tailored solutions that help organizations connect, engage, and thrive in an evolving world. Our myCWT platform integrates advanced technology with human expertise to simplify travel and enhance traveler and attendee experiences. Extensive global coverage, seamless data integration, AI-driven analytics, and carbon-conscious travel tools enable businesses to optimize their travel and meetings programs while delivering measurable value.
With 150 years of industry experience and a deep commitment to partnership, CWT collaborates with clients to shape the future of business travel and events, making them more efficient, responsible, and impactful.
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CWT Appoints Dale Eastlund to VP, Supply Chain Partners
CWT, the B2B4E travel management platform, has named Dale Eastlund Vice President, Supply Chain Partners. A 20-year veteran of CWT, Dale oversees CWT’s strategy and commercial relationships with supply chain partners. He reports to Vincent Chirico, SVP, Global Supply Chain Partners, at CWT.
In his new role, Dale and his team will work closely with online booking tools (OBTs) and other third party platforms to further enhance the online booking experience for travelers and travel managers.
“We are incredibly pleased to have Dale at the helm of CWT’s supply chain partners’ strategy, which will benefit greatly from his experience in the industry and his extensive knowledge of the company,” said Vince Chirico. “OBTs are becoming increasingly important as more customers are choosing to book online, globally. Our OBT partners book more transactions than all other channels combined. By strengthening our content aggregator partnerships, Dale and his team will ensure that clients will have access to all relevant content, which, in turn, will lead to a virtuous cycle of greater online adoption.”
Prior to his new role, Dale laid the groundwork for CWT’s strategy to effectively respond to the challenges and opportunities of the airline industry’s New Distribution Capability (NDC), in his role as Senior Director for Third Party Aggregators and, prior to that, Senior Director for Online Booking Tools. Dale was also instrumental in setting up CWT’s Solutions Group, the data analytics and consulting arm of CWT, in January 2000, and led CWT Solutions Group for the Americas. Dale spent four years with CWT’s Customer Organization team where he successfully managed the company’s largest commercial account.
Dale began his career in the pricing area at Northwest Airlines. He holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.
CWT is a leading global partner in business travel, meetings, and events. Operating across six continents, we deliver sustainable, tailored solutions that help organizations connect, engage, and thrive in an evolving world. Our myCWT platform integrates advanced technology with human expertise to simplify travel and enhance traveler and attendee experiences. Extensive global coverage, seamless data integration, AI-driven analytics, and carbon-conscious travel tools enable businesses to optimize their travel and meetings programs while delivering measurable value.
With 150 years of industry experience and a deep commitment to partnership, CWT collaborates with clients to shape the future of business travel and events, making them more efficient, responsible, and impactful.
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CWT Names Scott Hace as VP for Enterprise Strategy
CWT, the B2B4E travel management platform, has appointed Scott Hace Vice President, Enterprise Strategy. In his new role, Scott and his team will be responsible for developing and delivering key strategic projects, as well as providing material support to CWT’s board.
Scott reports to Julia Kou, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Strategy & Corporate Development, at CWT.
“We’re excited to welcome Scott to the Enterprise Strategy team, where his extensive experience in both strategic consulting and travel operations will be an asset in developing critical program priorities to deliver growth in key markets and clearly differentiate CWT from other players in the industry,” said Julia Kou.
Scott and his team will partner with key leaders across the business to accelerate strategic projects around growth strategies, operational efficiencies, and competitive differentiation. Additionally, the Enterprise Strategy team works closely with CWT’s leadership team to define near and mid-term program priorities while evaluating corporate development opportunities for CWT.
This is not Scott’s first foray with Enterprise Strategy, having joined the company as Director of Enterprise Strategy in 2015. From there, Scott was promoted to Senior Director, Global Supply Chain Partners in 2017, overseeing CWT’s relationship with online booking tools (OBTs).
Prior to joining CWT, Scott spent 15 years doing consulting in the high-tech and communications industries with companies like Avaya, Comcast, Cognizant, and Accenture where he managed large IT transformations, along with developing new sales and go-to-market strategies.
He holds an MBA from the University of Colorado Denver and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University.
CWT is a leading global partner in business travel, meetings, and events. Operating across six continents, we deliver sustainable, tailored solutions that help organizations connect, engage, and thrive in an evolving world. Our myCWT platform integrates advanced technology with human expertise to simplify travel and enhance traveler and attendee experiences. Extensive global coverage, seamless data integration, AI-driven analytics, and carbon-conscious travel tools enable businesses to optimize their travel and meetings programs while delivering measurable value.
With 150 years of industry experience and a deep commitment to partnership, CWT collaborates with clients to shape the future of business travel and events, making them more efficient, responsible, and impactful.
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World Citizen: 3 Ps of sustainable business travel
The headlines detailing extreme weather seem to be a daily occurrence. 2020 has only just begun and we’ve already witnessed heart-breaking wildfires and flooding.
These events have contributed to the phenomenon of ‘eco-anxiety’ Psychology Today calls it, “a fairly recent psychological disorder afflicting an increasing number of individuals who worry about the environmental crisis”.
Understandably, business travelers want to know how to continue to conduct business while minimizing their impact on the environment and even contributing to positive change. When it comes to making your business travel more sustainable, think of these three cues: ‘policy,’ ‘planning’ and ‘personal.’
Policy
Ask your company to prioritize sustainable travel. “A lot of companies include more generic travel policy statements and instructions about environmental travel, while some clients even steer employees towards more earth-friendly alternatives,” says Chris Bowen, Managing Director EMEA, “examples of this might include, changing from flights to trains, stating a certain kilometer or time limit, under which you cannot fly, or encouraging travelers to use suppliers that use modern and fuel-efficient fleets”
Planning
There are several things you can do when planning your journey like booking a direct flight or choosing airlines and hotels with eco-credentials. Taking off and landing burns more fuel than cruising so having a trip with multiple stops may be more harmful than flying direct. Newer aircraft generally tend to be more fuel efficient so it may be worth checking the aircraft.
Personal
Individual changes go a long way. Carry reusable drinks containers, clean up after yourself and use sustainable transport such as carpooling with colleagues or hopping on the train. Cut out meat completely or reduce your consumption, and make donations to local causes that contribute to environmental preservation.
A responsible approach to business travel. It only takes 5 steps.
Image credits: Adobe Stock
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CWTSatoTravel Partners with US Defense Department’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)
CWTSatoTravel, the military and government division of B2B4E travel management platform, CWT, today announces the company’s induction into the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), an organization within the US Department of Defense that connects military spouses with hundreds of partner employers who have committed to recruit, hire, promote, and retain military spouses.
“We are proud to contribute in our own way to our men and women in uniform who do so much for our country,” said Nicholas Vournakis, President, US Military & Government Markets, CWTSatoTravel. “By helping military spouses find employment at CWT, we are doing our share in fostering military readiness and retention. I am confident that CWT will be a terrific employer to military spouses, while also helping us create a more robust pipeline of candidates even in non-US locations as the US military deploys service members all over the world.”
CWTSatoTravel serves the many branches of the US military and government globally, and is uniquely suited to offer employment at specific military locations in the US and around the world, with options to work from home and flexible hours. Partnering with MSEP also allows CWT to tap into a great and underutilized resource.
There are currently around one million military spouses, 85% of whom have a four-year college degree, and half of whom are under the age of 30. The current unemployment rate among military spouses is 24% — almost seven times the national average. Given that US military men and women move around frequently, sometimes every two to three years, and are away from the support of extended families, it becomes challenging for spouses, who are the sole caretaker of their children, to stay employed or to advance their careers. By partnering with MSEP, companies like CWT are able to provide opportunities to military spouses wherever they may be.
CWT’s induction makes it one of only 42 new employers to partner with MSEP this year. MSEP now works with 400 companies, federal agencies, and organizations to find meaningful employment for military spouses.
CWT is a leading global partner in business travel, meetings, and events. Operating across six continents, we deliver sustainable, tailored solutions that help organizations connect, engage, and thrive in an evolving world. Our myCWT platform integrates advanced technology with human expertise to simplify travel and enhance traveler and attendee experiences. Extensive global coverage, seamless data integration, AI-driven analytics, and carbon-conscious travel tools enable businesses to optimize their travel and meetings programs while delivering measurable value.
With 150 years of industry experience and a deep commitment to partnership, CWT collaborates with clients to shape the future of business travel and events, making them more efficient, responsible, and impactful.
CWTSatoTravel
For over 70 years, CWTSatoTravel has served as the largest provider of global corporate travel services for the U.S. military and government agencies. As a division of CWT, we have access to resources that help our customers travel more efficiently and economically, while still providing an enjoyable experience.
We issue more than 6.3 million transactions annually to U.S. military and government travelers, in nearly 187 sites worldwide, and handle more than $2.6 billion in annual sales. And we do all this while staying compliant with each agency’s policies and procedures to help them achieve their specific mission requirements. -
NDC: A 2020 reality check
This is the first in a series of three blog posts in which I look at what is actually happening in the way that airlines make their content – i.e. fares and services – available to the customer (known in industry-speak as “airline distribution”), and why it matters to the business traveler and travel manager.
Each post will take on one of three primary areas (distribution, content, and display), that I see as being disruptive in our attempt to demystify New Distribution Capabilities (NDC) and its impact, specifically, for business travel.
For this first post, we’ll focus on distribution. Today, airline content provided through travel management companies (TMCs), such as CWT, are predominantly acquired through third-party distributors such as Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and content aggregators for certain low-cost carriers.
How does NDC impact the current dynamic?
NDC is a travel industry-supported program, launched in 2012 by IATA, the trade association for the world’s airlines, for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard (the NDC Standard). XML enhances the communications capability between airlines and their distribution partners to deliver rich content and ancillaries, such as lounge access, seat upgrades, and amenities icons. Essentially, it provides indirect distribution channels, such as GDSs, the building blocks to match the capabilities of an airline’s website.
Taken as a whole, this is a good thing, and, if acted on collaboratively, offers opportunities across the travel ecosystem to improve the corporate traveler experience.
In reality, however, it is going to take years to achieve the goals of NDC – as airlines and technology partners adopt the standard and improve servicing capabilities to benefit business travelers to the point where it can be universally implemented by others in the industry.
So you might ask: Why all the press and excitement around NDC if it’s still years in the making?
It’s because some airlines have, quite frankly, co-opted the term NDC for their own purpose of changing the distribution economics by removing content from existing channels and making them available only through NDC-enabled channels that can be accessed by connecting directly to the airline. This move, however, has nothing to do with any shortcomings of existing technology or data transmission standard, but is simply a strategy being employed to re-engineer the underlying distribution economics in certain regions, using NDC as a convenient foil.
While the airlines’ strategy is their own to make, the heedless use of the term NDC in this context has simply added to the confusion and skepticism, and has led to unrealistic expectations of what NDC can do in the near term.
So what does this all mean for the business traveler or manager?
In reality, very little of the content that was removed from the GDS channel was applicable to a business traveler as they are highly restrictive fares. Nonetheless, the aim is to provide business travelers access to the broadest range of fares and services, and the removal of these types of content affects that goal.
Content that truly leverages NDC capabilities, has only been released as pilots and proof of concepts in 2019, but they are still valuable in the sense that they have enabled the industry to test and learn what works and what doesn’t. This iterative process will go on for several years – that’s just the reality.
Creating a viable end product that is differentiated, relevant, tested, and, above all, scalable, will depend on this process and the significant capital investments that all players in the ecosystem – airlines, GDS, aggregators, TMCs, OBTs, technology providers – should commit to making to upgrade their technology infrastructure to be able to handle NDC in all its realized promise.
But all this will be for naught if NDC does not provide value to the end customer – you, the business traveler – who will be the one driving adoption.
So why is content king? On our next blog, find out why the focus of NDC should be in providing relevant and scalable content. We hope this has been helpful, and we welcome your comments and questions on NDC.
Image credits: Adobe Stock
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Podcast: Improving the shopping experience for business travelers
Why is booking personal travel a lot more fun than booking business travel? It’s not just because the former means vacation and the latter work. Erik Magnuson, VP of Air Distribution Capabilities at CWT, breaks down for us how airlines and the industry are working to improve the shopping experience for business travelers.
[buzzsprout episode=’2497531′ player=’true’]
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Travel Light: 3 ways to turn January blues into passion
We’re back from the festive period with a jolt. The sparkly decorations have been put away, the recycling from the New Year’s Eve party taken out and the resolutions that inspired you last month are beginning to feel like additions to a harrowing ‘to-do’ list.
For some frequent travelers, the prospect of upcoming business trips away from the bosom of friends and family can feel daunting. Planes, trains and automobiles: Here’s how to use them as anchors for positive gains in 2020.
- Get on the ‘No train’ – Speaker and author Marie Forleo uses this phrase in her book, ‘Everything is Figureoutable.’ Being discerning with your time and attention is critical to success and contentment in your personal and professional lives. Declining a request can make you more of a team player than the other away around. Consider whether or not the request fits your overall goal. If it doesn’t, explain why clearly and gracefully. In a work context, sit with your team and review priorities together or explain that you may need to pause other projects to take on a task and do it well. Then align priorities together. In the day-to-day, ask about the goal or outcome of a meeting or call before accepting.
- Prepare for take-off – As you pack for business trips and delegate tasks to colleagues, consider how to apply the same level or organization to your daily life. For example, start using an hour on a Friday Afternoon to plan the week ahead, as you would plan for a trip.
- Stay with your vision – Create a vision statement for your life and link it to your business trips. Your vision statement is a declaration of your values, who you are becoming and describes the future you are aiming for. Examples include ‘I hold a vision of being a mentor to new start-ups in my field,’ or ‘My vision is to create meaningful connections with people.’
Knowing your vision for life gives your business trips purpose. Take it one step further and choose the accommodation that aligns with your values. Do you want to reduce your impact on the planet? Consider an eco-hotel. Do you want to meet new people? Choose a boutique hotel with a dynamic communal space.
Image credits: Adobe Stock
- Get on the ‘No train’ – Speaker and author Marie Forleo uses this phrase in her book, ‘Everything is Figureoutable.’ Being discerning with your time and attention is critical to success and contentment in your personal and professional lives. Declining a request can make you more of a team player than the other away around. Consider whether or not the request fits your overall goal. If it doesn’t, explain why clearly and gracefully. In a work context, sit with your team and review priorities together or explain that you may need to pause other projects to take on a task and do it well. Then align priorities together. In the day-to-day, ask about the goal or outcome of a meeting or call before accepting.
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The Blog Log: Our top five posts of 2019
2019: The year that kept us glued to our screens for news of trade wars, Brexit and climate change. It was also the year that gave us incredible breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things, making our experience of business travel easier, more enjoyable and, hopefully, productive.
As business travel evolves, innovations emerge and the world of work continues to change faster than we upgrade our smartphones, over the past twelve months we’ve striven to inform, advise and enlighten traveling employees and travel managers.
We published 113 blogs (including this one) this year on topics ranging from predictive analytics to the great hotel breakfast conundrum. So, without further ado, here are top five most popular blogs of 2019 and what we learned from their popularity:
- It was a big year for hotel sourcing
Some companies made headlines by declaring traditional sourcing models dead. Travel buyers in the thick of RFP – or bidding – season weren’t all convinced. We delved into what will change and what will stay the same in: Hotel Sourcing in 2020: What’s really changing? - We’re looking for better balance
CWT research revealed that 22% of frequent business travelers believe their business travel commitments erode the quality of their relationships and home life. We are juggling more than ever, and frequent travel –with its propensity to throw delicate routines into disarray – is ripe for disharmony if not handled with care. Readers wanted to know how to do just that in: Home and Away – Three ways to make business travel easier on your family - Health is our top priority
Our research shows that awareness among business travelers of maintaining healthy habits is growing momentum. The popularity of this post proves the same: Fit for Work: Can you stay healthy on a business trip? - Happiness matters
It is clear that delivering a great traveler experience will become a key factor in attracting, engaging and retaining employees in the future. But, how can you evolve your travel program to better meet your traveler’s expectations? Perks of the Job: 7 ways to boost employee satisfaction - It’s time to shift our focus
Travelers are more than just travelers: they are employees. And while on the road, they need to be productive, engaged, and looked after. This post on our new proposition gained momentum in 2019 as companies understand the return on investment in putting their people at the core of their travel program: B2B or B2B4E – That is the question
In 2020, we wish all of our readers business trips and events that bring new connections and projects to make the world a better place. We’ll join you on your travels with regular blog content to keep you informed, inspired and entertained. Watch this space, and do please let us know what you want to know from our experts, in the comments below and on our social channels – blogging is, after all, nothing without you and your engagement.
Farewell old decade and Happy New Year one and all, with our best wishes for 2020 and beyond.
Image credits: Adobe Stock
- It was a big year for hotel sourcing