Business travel is back — but the itinerary has changed

Video calls replaced a great deal of routine travel. What they did not replace is the meeting that closes a deal, the site visit that reassures an investor or the event where a market comes together.

Fewer trips, longer stays

Travellers increasingly combine several objectives in one journey — client meetings, a conference, a site visit — and extend stays rather than flying in and out. Hubs with strong connectivity benefit most.

Events as the anchor

Conferences and exhibitions have become the reason to travel, with everything else organised around them. Destinations that host credible events capture spending far beyond the venue.

• Hotels redesign around work and meeting space, not just rooms.
• Airlines compete on reliability and connections as much as price.
• Corporate policies shift from cost control to trip value.

“The question has moved from 'can we avoid this trip?' to 'what must this trip achieve?'”