Data remains the industry’s lodestar In a 2021 – hopefully post-COVID – world, we can expect data to become ‘the old answer to new questions in travel’. The uncertainty faced by the entire sector in COVID’s wake has given rise to many ‘new questions’, particularly around the nature and length of the industry’s recovery, but also around consumer behaviour, booking trends and necessary changes to travel policies. Bonnie Smith, GM of FCM, Flight Centre’s global travel management company, believes that data has been at the heart of advancements in the travel industry over the last few years – and that data will continue to guide travel management companies (TMCs) and travel managers as they navigate a post-COVID landscape: “TMCs use data to get a really good overview of a company’s travel needs, preferences, expenses, spend and return on investment. But equally important, data helps us analyse risk – and track behaviour and trends.” For Smith, data is a powerful tool which can: Inform future-focussed travel management solutions Through the use of automation, blended technology, and advanced data analytics, TMCs are going to play a critical role in a company’s future travel decisions. ADVERTISEMENT “There’s no doubt,” says Smith, “that concerns around COVID health and safety are going to put corporate travel under a critical lens for the foreseeable future, especially when it comes to the necessity of travel and the need for safe, considered travel solutions.” A TMC can look at your company’s travel history, the current environment and data-backed…
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