Safer and more responsible travel is on the way, marked by new technologies

?How will travel be this year? SAP Concur experts are optimistic that it will be marked by innovation, recovery and renewal. Travel will resume, but in a more sustainable and responsible manner. New technologies will have more weight each year, and longer stays will prevail.

SAP Concur experts point out what the outlook and predictions are for the new year. Some remind us that out of difficult times often come new ideas that can benefit the world in the future. Business travel will resume, but responsibly:

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 Responsible travel. An alliance of stakeholders from across the industry will step up efforts to regain customer trust by demonstrating that travel can be safe. Business travel will begin to resume in earnest in 2021. Travel providers (hotels, airlines, car rental services...) may require travelers to have a PCR until the population is widely vaccinated. Some companies are already considering such policies.

 Health precautions. As border policies change with the rise or fall of covid-19 case numbers, companies will require employees to comply with government guidelines, such as quarantine requirements before and after travel. The use of face masks will also be maintained, along with documentation during travel demonstrating compliance with all regulations. These protocols will address what the SAP Concur study identifies as the top concerns of employees globally: infecting their families (55%) or themselves (53%) during a business trip. If travelers extend these health and safety habits they have adopted into their daily lives, business travel will undoubtedly become more feasible.

Sustainability. Health and safety is not the only form of responsible travel that appeals to travelers. Environmental research is forcing you to add new environmentally sustainable practices to your corporate travel programs. Travelers are increasingly demanding that any travel recovery be rebuilt sustainably, from more efficient seating arrangements to sustainable, low-carbon aviation fuel. 

• Digital change. Many companies were in the early to mid-stages of digital transformation when the pandemic hit. They had to manage and accelerate that transformation to address unprecedented global disruption and customer needs, and are now expected to continue to operate within this new context.

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 Automation.It will be essential, not an extra. As companies maintain traditional remote work models and anticipate other potential disruptions in 2021 and beyond, the role of automation and AI use cases in the workplace will grow. This may include adapting efficient daily communications between employees performing work from home and automating billing and expenses.

More and more businesses will rely on AI algorithms to make quick decisions backed by real-time financial transparency in order to meet pandemic-driven business needs. This includes managing expenses in near real-time to improve budget and cash management, increase compliance and eliminate errors, and maximize profitability.

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•Security. 

It won't just fall to HR. It will involve more representatives throughout the organization, including travel departments that are under more pressure than ever to ensure the health and safety of traveling employees. SAP Concur's research identifies safety and harassment issues for women and LGBTQ travelers and, potentially, those of Asian descent to address as travel resumes. Some legacy travel policies, such as prioritizing lower fares, will change to address more security-focused measures.

• Longer stays. Fast travel is no longer going to be as accessible to business travelers the way it was before the pandemic. TripIt data shows an increase in trip length, which encompasses flights, accommodations and car rentals. This indicates that travelers are already planning trips. Without the face-to-face limits at companies, longer stays will be a practical option.

Health Passports. Travel corridors will become more prevalent in 2021, especially in the spring. Vaccines will have arrived, increasing traveler, travel provider and government confidence around the world, although there are likely to be global disparities in the speed with which vaccine is deployed. Travel from highly vaccinated countries to countries with lower immunity could be problematic. Rapid testing is expected to be more accurate and prevalent. Digital health passports, showing a traveler's vaccination or negative test status, along with travel corridors, will emerge as a new normal settles in.

• Cost cutting.

Medium and small businesses will continue to cut nonessential expenses. Many will leverage their ability to create and support demand, backed by investments in technology solutions that help save costs. These solutions will automate and digitize the processes essential to running businesses with tighter budgets. SMEs will be looking for suppliers and partners that can withstand economic uncertainty and extend value beyond their traditional services, such as lower-interest credit card offers from their preferred bank.