Business events
Technology is being used to make events more seamless
B usiness travel is evolving as once-peripheral forces shift from the margins to the core of how organisations move people and convene them at scale. The result is a near-total redesign, where a new architecture of business travel and events prioritises efficiency, accountability and impact. According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), international business travel spending was projected to reach a new historical high of $1.57 trillion in 2025. This compares to $1.48 trillion in 2024, already surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Predictions of business events moving online have not come to pass, instead proved wrong with renewed value placed on face-to-face meetings. And the meetings themselves have metamorphosised, becoming more curated and purposeful, whether that’s making new business connections, increasing brand awareness or boosting profits. “Organisations are continuing to adapt to evolving traveller expectations, with a greater emphasis on creating experiences that deliver value while also improving their programmes, processes and efficiencies,” explains Catherine Logan, GBTA Executive Vice President, Global Operations. GBTA’s latest Business Travel Index Report reveals several
I NS I GHT
As technology accelerates and expectations rise, organisations are redesigning the systems behind smarter, greener and more seamless ways of bringing people together The new architecture of business travel and events
BY EMILY EASTMAN
110 | ITB GLOBAL TRAVEL COLLECTION
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker