Climate concerns leading to ‘significant changes’ in travel policies

The majority of UK travel managers (61%) report that environmental concerns are leading to major changes in policies as demand for business travel increases.

The new research, from Uber for Business, suggests that travel is a growing business priority in 2024, with 89% of respondents anticipating a growing demand driven by return-to-office policies.

Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) reporting is becoming increasingly vital to corporate travel, with organisations seeking to align travel practices with broader sustainability goals.

However, more than half (51%) of the 250 corporate travel managers surveyed said that they expected ESG requirements for more sustainable travel to increase costs.   

A similar amount (53%) also indicated that inflation is expected to contribute to higher travel budgets in 2024, while 52% believe that evolving work habits, like hybrid working and return-to-office mandates, will increase costs.

Jenna Brown, head of Uber for Business UK, said: “As UK travel managers prepare for an increase in business travel, it’s important for the industry to focus on sustainability and efficiency.

“Businesses tell us that they want to reduce their carbon footprint without compromising on the transport options.”

More than a third (39%) also said that they consider ESG reporting a high priority when selecting vendors or partners, insisting that all partners offer green reporting, while 78% expressed satisfaction with the ESG reporting capabilities of their current provider.

Furthermore, a third (33%) of respondents cited evolving travel restrictions as a top concern, while 29% highlighted the importance of adapting to traveller preferences, such as combining personal trips with business travel. 

In response, travel managers are setting clear priorities for the year ahead, emphasising flexibility in travel choices and gathering employee feedback to respond effectively to real-time insights, says Uber for Business.

Impact of technology including AI 

There is a clear call among UK travel managers for new technology and solutions in response to the rapidly changing travel landscape, it suggests.

However, it says that the sheer variety of tools available, each claiming to optimise different travel management aspects, poses a challenge in choosing the most effective and appropriate solutions.

Some 97% of respondents plan to prioritise the adoption of new tech to keep pace with evolving demands, with 44% describing their approach to tech adoption as proactive and rapid, actively and swiftly integrating the latest innovations. 

Four out of five respondents (79%) also agreed that the abundance of tech resources can be overwhelming, underscoring the complexity and vastness of the tech landscape in the sector.

The potential impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on corporate travel is also gaining attention, highlighting significant trends and perspectives among UK travel managers.

For example, three-quarters (77%) feel the influence of generative AI in their work, indicating its growing presence in the sector and 92% anticipate this impact to escalate over the next five years.

Almost a third (31%) also believe that AI will make their job more interesting, while 26% believe that AI might compete with their job