John Elieson, COO of Travelport gave an overview of 2022 and prediction for the year ahead. He said: “The travel industry worked hard to get ‘back to business’ in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic. This year has been defined by the return to big cities, the power of flexibility, the need for reconnection and the desire to splurge.

Although we’ve seen confidence in the industry bounce back, and international bookings outpace domestic, business travel has been slower to recover. With a tough economic environment, there are now even more factors to consider in the decision-making process. But even with those uncertainties, many believe this is the best time for business travel, so that they can reconnect with colleagues and customers, after the long, pandemic-induced hiatus in travel.

People now are booking smarter business travel – combining more meetings into one trip and being intentional with when to travel vs. when to video conference, in order to mitigate these concerns. However, there is no substitute to being together in person. On a professional level, it improves connections, conversations and collaboration. On a personal level, it promotes open-mindedness and truly enriches life.

Sustainability will also deservedly come to the forefront in 2023. We will see more businesses take ESG policies seriously and reconsider their business habits accordingly. The travel industry needs transparency in order to do our part for a more sustainable future. Without it, travellers will lose trust and adopt a wait-and-see mentality rather than embracing sustainable solutions. We’re committed to creating a smarter and greener global travel industry.”