Up in the air...
Air travel has long been the darling of business travel, possessing the glamour and prestige associated with travelling to far-flung destinations and the signing of big business deals. But it is also a key area of focus for many corporates for the somewhat prosaic reason that it is frequently the largest area of business travel spend. And that’s why you’ll find a 24-page guide to the subject in this issue (p61-84), with topics ranging from spend management and onboard products to innovative tools, low-cost carriers and even private jets. It's a feature which, by the way, might challenge common perceptions of executive aviation.
Car hire, meanwhile, often lies further down the list of priorities, but change in the sector is accelerating and car clubs, sharing pools and even driverless vehicles need careful consideration. Rob Gill, who received a journalism award for his coverage of the topic in this magazine last year, brings things up to date (p28-30).
The future of the business travel industry may in fact lie in, well, not travelling so much. Co-working and living spaces are finding favour among workers and Jenny Southan shares her experience of alternative working practices on pages 16-17.
The last of our main features in this edition provides an update on the latest distribution developments and NDC. The topic is not going to go away any time soon, and many commentators believe 2018 will be a watershed year for NDC. It's certain to be high on the agenda at the forthcoming Business Travel Show, an event that also provides an opportunity for visitors to come and meet The Business Travel Magazine team on stand B602 – see you there.