5 Keys to a Better Business Travel Experience

Business travel can be a complex balancing act. At its best, it's a seamless experience that drives business growth and employee satisfaction. At its worst, it's a tangle of booking frustrations, policy conflicts, and support delays.

But business travel isn't going away. It's the second-highest category of spending — and nearly half of business travelers expect their employers to have policies that make it easier.

So how do you balance business travel costs with its incentives? Here's a quick guide for bringing the ease of the consumer travel booking experience to business travel programs.

The Resurgence of Business Travel

In recent years, many business functions have gone remote. But business travel hasn't been replaced by Zoom meetings. Instead, we're seeing a renewed emphasis on face-to-face interactions:

Conference travel is booming, with the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry expecting record revenues in 2024.

Over 80% of North American businesses report the same or increased conference activity in 2024.

Deloitte's 2024 survey projects an 8-12% increase in corporate travel spending, setting a new high-water mark.

Importantly, this growth trend shows no signs of slowing. While the rate may decrease slightly in 2025, it's still expected to outpace U.S. GDP growth significantly.

Navigating the Challenges

Amid this business travel resurgence, a few challenges remain:

A recent survey from GBTA + Spotnana found that 47% of travelers and managers cite changes and cancellations as a significant problem. In fact, travel managers spend 62% of their time addressing traveler inquiries.

Another recent Center survey of 200+ U.S. full-time employees who travel for work reveals nearly 60% of travelers are dissatisfied with the ease of booking and modifying business travel plans.

These challenges, coupled with longer wait times for support, leave travelers craving better experiences. The good news? It doesn't have to be this difficult.

Changing Business Travel for the Better

Both travelers and financial managers benefit from improving the business travel experience. In fact, according to the GBTA + Spotnana survey, nearly 40% of travel managers prioritize travel experience when evaluating program success. As employees increasingly seek self-service options to reduce dependence on travel support, there's a clear path forward for businesses:

Balance cost and support: Implement systems that manage expenses while providing robust traveler assistance.
Embrace modern solutions: Use AI and data analytics to personalize travel experiences and boost satisfaction.
Offer self-service options: Empower employees with user-friendly booking and change tools.
Implement flexible policies: Align travel policies with broader workplace flexibility to improve engagement and mental health.
Prioritize feedback: Continuously refine your travel platform based on real-world user experiences.

Travel Your Way with Center

Center reimagines business travel by streamlining processes that benefit both the traveler and the business. Our platform provides flexibility, control, and ease to make informed travel decisions that comply with company policies and meet personal preferences.

Discover how Center can transform your company’s travel management. Connect with a Center expert today and start managing smarter business travel.

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