There were some interesting observations from speakers at World
Travel Market 2023 in London, including this from Patricia
Page-Champion, Hilton’s senior vice president and global commercial
director, who said, “85% now of business travel is through small to
medium businesses.”
She added there was also an upturn in ‘bleisure’ – people combining
business and leisure, with one in four people now bringing a loved one
with them as part of a trip in 2024, partly enabled by the rise in
flexible working.
Popular post-pandemic add-ons requests from Hilton’s customers
include pet friendly hotels, confirmed connecting rooms and EV charging,
with sustainability increasing requested, including for events.
“Experience is the new luxury,” said Peter Krueger, chief strategy
officer and CEO holiday experiences for tour operator TUI, explaining
that although customers were buying the same package holiday components
of hotel, flight and transfers, “It’s the experience that triggers the
sale, it’s no longer sun and beach.”
This view echoed those expressed in the WTM Global Travel Report.
“Traditional activities such as sunbathing were less important in
travellers’ motivations compared with 2019,” says the report.
It also notes how people “crave more opportunities to reconnect” in
an increasingly digital world, with more meaningful in-person
experiences “fast becoming the raison d’etre for travel”.