At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, many wondered if we’d ever travel for business in the same way as we did pre-pandemic.
A white paper released by Corporate Traveller reveals that, by the end of 2022, business travel in the country had exceeded 2019 levels.
Knowing that, what can we learn from the bounce-back? And what trends are likely to dominate business travel in 2023 and beyond?
SMEs lead the way
According to the Corporate Traveller white paper, much of South Africa’s business travel recovery was led by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The report attributes this to the fact that they don’t have the same rigid guidelines as corporates do and were able to return to travel quicker.
But there may be other reasons for SMEs leading the way too. Some, for instance, may have given up their offices to go fully remote. Their employees may also have joined the semigration trend and moved to smaller towns for a better quality of life and lower property prices.
But even the team members from fully remote companies need to get together from time to time. And when they do, they want the experience to be as memorable and productive as possible.
Quality over quantity
SMEs are also likely to opt for quality business travel experiences over quantity, and as corporates start to open up their travel budgets again, they’re likely to follow suit.
Anton Gillis, CEO of the Kruger Gate Hotel, revealed that the hotel has definitely seen a growth in business travellers looking for something a little more special.
“It makes sense too. If you’re only getting together or organising big face-to-face events a few times a year, instead of every month, then why not go for somewhere where everyone can get an amazing experience instead of an airport hotel or an urban conference centre?” said Gillis.
Searching for sustainability
As impressive as the bounce back in business travel’s been, there are still obstacles it will have to overcome in order to keep growing.
According to a report by Deloitte, one of the biggest of those obstacles is sustainability.
“As travel climbs back up from its pandemic lows, it will soon begin to push against companies’ sustainability priorities,” the report says.
It’s, therefore, critical that business travel destinations do everything they can to ensure that they’re as sustainable as possible. That doesn’t just apply to the environment but to the communities surrounding them too.
Adaptability is critical
Ultimately, what all of these trends show is that while South African business travel may be back to pre-pandemic levels, it doesn’t mean that players in the space can revert to a business-as-usual approach.
Today’s business travellers are more forward-looking and are seeking out unique experiences that minimise their impact on the planet. It’s up to the business travel destinations and operators to adapt and meet those expectations while also keeping an eye on where the sector’s next evolutionary leap is likely to come from.
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