The future of Corporate Travel

AS WE make a start to the new year, it is always a good time to start looking into a crystal ball to take a guess at the future. Here are the top three trends Amadeus believes will have a significant impact on corporate travel over the next 12 months.

1. Voice is the next frontier There’s a major shift happening between human and computer interaction, particularly with voice technology. As travel companies continue to invest in voice technology, corporations will have quicker access to the traveller’s profile, real-time alerts and in-flight amenities checks within a single natural sentence. This means consultants and travellers can achieve the same goal using voice.

2. Feeling the impact of 5G

Faster networks through 5G are now being deployed across Asia Pacific and are enabling other technologies to take off, changing the way that we move around our own cities and travel to others. Thanks to the increased speed and amount of data, there will be more advanced connected devices – from smart homes to self-driving cars and increased

personalisation through Artificial Intelligence.

This greater connectivity will allow travel companies to provide a seamless travel experience in which a business traveller can go door-to-door from their home to a hotel with little hassle and a truly personalised service. Corporations need to be ready for this and ensure they best equip their employees to take advantage of this 5G hyperconnectivity.

3. A seamless travel experience

Maximum security doesn’t always mean a smooth travel experience. One trend to look out for in the future is how the travel industry will master security alongside a seamless travel experience. Innovation in this space is well underway and biometrics are playing a huge role in making this happen. Long queues and scanning passports will become a thing of the past as travel becomes frictionless.

Amadeus is already working with several airports in line with IATA’s One ID vision to use biometrics to reduce wait times and move towards a remotely-hosted biometrics solution for the industry.

“As travel companies continue to invest in voice technology, corporations will have quicker access to the traveller’s profile, real time alerts and in-flight amenities checks within a single natural sentence “

Ingrid Picard is the Head of Corporate IT Solutions at Amadeus IT Pacific where she is responsible for the commercial strategy of Amadeus’ portfolio of products for corporations. She works across a range of sectors, including energy & resources, banking, pharmaceutical, consultancy, construction & FMCG.