Travel Managers speak out: 4 business travel topics post-pandemic

Despite the global pandemic controlling business travel headlines for the past twelve months, there are quite a few other topics top of mind for travel managers in the United Kingdom.

Egencia^® has taken a dive into the other important topics that are weighing on the minds of travel managers, and we’ve taken a look at what’s creating a buzz in the industry and within the Egencia travel manager Connect Community.

Here are the three topics in the United Kingdom that are impacting business travel and beyond the pandemic.

1. Brexit: While the Brexit “transition period” ended on the last day of 2020, travel within the new Brexit world has been limited due to the global pandemic. As travel recovers, travel managers have a lot to think about when it comes to how European Union travelers will enter the United Kingdom, how companies can “sponsor” European Union nationals to work in the United Kingdom, and what activities are permitted under visa-free business entry and likewise for United Kingdom travelers to the European Union. Within the Connect Community a FAQ document exists for you to find more specific information.
2. Business travel payment: Differing payment options with different rationale for when to use them can be challenging for a travel manager. Egencia has put together a list of the different payment options available to help you sort out the options. As well as this we’ve added performance data for each including policy compliance and reconciliation to help select the best option. Check out the considerations here when choosing the best payment method for your programme.
3. Going Green: We often hear requests from travel managers for ideas to help support sustainability efforts within corporate travel. Below are some simple ways you can achieve some quick sustainability wins:
   1. Shifting Air to Rail (for domestic routes, by analyzing top domestic routes per country e.g. Newcastle › Edinburgh or London > Edinburgh),
   2. Share-shifting to sustainable suppliers (e.g. Egencia can tag specific hotels as sustainable/preferred or specific airlines (like AirFrance KLM who is leading a project with SAF), or the use of hybrid/electric vehicles
   3. Identifying routes where only direct flights are allowed vs stopovers by using analyzed data
   4. Cabin class shifts: Why not try flying economy only instead of business?

For more tips and to find out how Egencia has built sustainability measures right inside our booking tool explore our sustainability page.

4. Traveling in times of restrictions: Flexibility and safety remain a top priority as we navigate the new world of business travel. As more travel managers get their programmes back online, many are picking up on the ‘Egencia of tomorrow’ enhancements launched in the last twelve months. This video shares what’s new from Savings finder for hotel on GDS rates, to Analytics studio reporting (including CO2 data), to Egencia chat tool, and Egencia Travel Advisor tool.

For more beyond this quick snapshot of topics making their reprise with travel managers in the United Kingdom, you can search through the latest news topics in the Egencia Connect Community. The Community is your trusted source for peer discussion, product updates, and more!

^{The information provided is for general guidance and may be updated from time to time in light of official travel guidelines.
Please note that the information provided is not a substitute for and does not constitute legal advice.}