As companies increasingly recognise the value of face-to-face meetings and with prospective talent seeing business travel as a significant draw, travel management company ATPI predicts another year of big change in travel management.
ATPI reports 2024 saw a steady growth in business and responsible travel, with hotel bookings rising by 15.87% and 10.6% more business travellers opting for rail travel.
From measurable sustainable practices to culturally immersive itineraries and integrated DE&I strategies, 2025 will challenge businesses to embrace innovation and create more purposeful travel experiences for their team. Here’s what ATPI forecasts for the year ahead:
Sustainable solutions will be more targeted and readily available
Louisa Toure, sustainability officer, has predicted that in 2025, generic sustainability advice such as “take a reusable water bottle” or “opt out of hotel room cleaning” will no longer suffice.
Toure said: “I expect to see corporate travel programmes more frequently adopting comprehensive, data-driven ‘corporate-focused solutions’ to address their Scope 3 emissions effectively.
“With technology and data enabling measurable outcomes, next year the industry should focus on leveraging these tools – not only to report on carbon emissions but also to enhance other critical aspects such as traveller wellbeing.”
A rise in ‘soft brands’ in hospitality
With the changing needs and demographics of business travellers, 2024 saw a rise in ‘soft brands’, as large global hotel chains look to grow their footprints into the rapidly expanding mid-scale sector.
Alwyn Burrage, global hotel programme director, said: “This strategy signs up independent hotels and chains in a quick and less expensive way, offering distribution, global marketing, loyalty, as well as revenue and property management systems in return for licensing fees to the large chains.
“We expect to see more of this happening in 2025, especially in the budget and extended stay sectors.”
Accurate emissions reporting will be critical
Pippa Ganderton (pictured), director of ATPI Halo – Responsible Travel & Events Solutions, has predicted that accurate emissions reporting will be a cornerstone of responsible travel and events programmes.
This will lay the groundwork for effective reduction and compensation strategies aligned with carbon-neutral and net-zero goals.
Ganderton said: “With the EU’s CSRD law coming into force, there will be more urgency to obtain complete transparent and auditable data.
Itineraries focusing on cultural immersion
John Nixon, director of global customer experience, predicts that next year the demand among business travellers for culturally immersive and personalised experiences will continue to grow.
He said: “Travellers are no longer satisfied with generic itineraries that revolve solely around meetings and instead are looking to combine professional commitments with meaningful cultural experiences.
“Travel managers will need to bear this in mind when constructing travel itineraries in 2025.
Increased focus on DE&I policies
Amanda Killick, head of HR said: “We can expect DE&I to evolve beyond HR policies and become fully integrated into all aspects of corporate culture and operations, including travel programmes.
“There is a real opportunity for HR managers to update travel policies and best practices.” This can be done by ensuring the company’s duty-of-care practices cover employees in the office and on the road.
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