The state of business Travel is often a strong indicator of the overall U.S. economy. In 2016 we saw a decrease in business travel, but in 2017 things are starting to look promising once again.

A poll, conducted for Airlines Reporting Corporation by the Business Travel News Group, reported the following business travel outlooks for 2017:

• About 70 percent of those polled expect their organization’s air spending to increase, while 30 percent expect spending to decrease.
• About one-third of those polled expect air spending in their managed travel programs to increase by 2 to 5 percent this year, while 11 percent expect less than a 2 percent rise.
• More than 20 percent of respondents expect air spending increases of 8.1 percent or more in 2017.
• Of those who expect spending declines in their travel programs, most predicted modest reductions of less than 5 percent.

Source: ARC/The BTN Group online survey of 63 travel manager respondents

With both business travel and costs set to rise this year, Travel Managers will become more lenient on spending — and getting back to business per usual.  This also means, that more than ever, Travel Managers need to be aware of the current 2017 Travel Trends.

A Few 2017 Travel Trends

Digital Wallets:

Digital wallets like Apple Pay reported a growth of one million new users per week. For Travelers, Digital wallets mean the convenience they need in a sometimes inconvenient setting — business travel. With digital wallets, travelers can pay for in-flight movies, lunch at the airport and request a Smart Cars ride to your hotel or anywhere else, with the touch of a finger.

Sharing Economy:

As part of our new “Sharing Economy” travel companies are integrating more of a tech-savvy approach for their users convenience. Like many other touch and go apps, Smart Cars servicing 500+ cities nationwide has an online and mobile reservations system. Other tech-based firms like Airbnb and TaskRabbit are making business travel easier than ever!

Digital Keys:

A recent partnership between Google Maps and the Hilton brand have made choosing a room with a view easy as pie. Google maps even displays street views of each room.

Smartphones will also be apart of your digital key experience. Your smartphone can now lock and unlock your hotel room doors.

These 2017 Travel Trends are just among a few that the new year will roll out. While travelers can expect more personalized experiences, Travel Managers can expect proliferation of technology innovation to offer to their employees, clients, and even themselves!

Which 2017 Travel Trend are you most excited about? Share in the comments below!

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