The vast majority of organizations have maintained restrictions on business travel, according to the Global Business Travel Association's most recent member survey, but many members believe at least domestic travel levels will return at a significant level in 2020. About 88 percent of respondents expect employees will be willing to travel once restrictions are lifted.
GBTA surveyed 1,557 members between April 17 and April 22. About 44 percent of the respondents were travel managers or buyers and 7 percent were procurement professionals.
Most business travel remains at a halt, with most respondents banning business travel regardless of destination. About 95 percent of GBTA members have restricted international travel; about 93 percent have restricted domestic travel.
About 74 percent of GBTA Europe members and 58 percent expect domestic business travel will return in two to three months. About one-third percent of European members expect international business travel will resume in two to three months, while 47 percent expect it to resume in six to nine months.
According to the survey, 63 percent of buyers expect some of their travelers will be unwilling to travel for the first six months after governments lift travel restrictions, while 25 percent expect "a few" will be and 12 percent said "most" of their travelers would be.
Among the GBTA members that reported their organizations have canceled at least some domestic travel, 62 percent said they expect it to resume in the next two to three months. About 18 percent report they expect such travel to resume in the next six to eight months and 19 percent are unsure.
Compared with a week ago, 49 percent of suppliers said their bookings from corporate customers have decreased, and 41 percent said they have stayed the same.
With regard to flight cancellations, 77 percent believe the worst has already happened, and 15 percent believe the worst has yet to come. Regarding suspended hotel operations, 62 percent believe the worst has already happened, and 26 percent believe the worst has yet to come.
About 19 percent of suppliers are more optimistic than last week about the industry's path to recovery, with 24 percent more pessimistic and the remainder offering no change.
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GBTA members said the following is very important to making their employees comfortable to travel again:
- Decline in infection rates (92 percent)
- Governments lifting travel restrictions or advisories (91 percent)
- Guidelines or statements from public health agencies such as the CDC (90 percent)
- Effective anti-viral treatments (89 percent)
- Removing stay-at-home lockdowns (88 percent)
- New vaccine developed and available to employees (85 percent)
- Advice from a risk management firm/consultant (60 percent)
- Other companies allowing travel (49 percent)
Looking into the weeks ahead, 42 percent of GBTA members believe the worst of layoffs and furloughs have already happened, while 41 percent said the worst has yet to come.
The survey found 21 percent of buyers work at organizations that have reduced staff as a result of Covid-19, with 21 percent noting their organization has furloughed employees and 20 percent citing employee pay cuts.
For travel agencies, 56 percent of GBTA members believe the worst of revenue losses has yet to come, and 29 percent believe the worst has already happened.