< PreviousNEWS + NOTES // 8 April/May 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com RENOVATIONS Atlantis Paradise Island Announces Groundbreaking Enhancements PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS — Atlantis Paradise Island is going big- ger and bolder in 2022 by announc- ing multimillion-dollar renovations and exciting new partnerships at the iconic resort located on 5 miles of white-sand beaches in The Bahamas. The resort is embarking upon a new chapter with an array of massive up- grades and striking enhancements that include the redevelopment of The Beach Tower and all Royal Tower guest rooms and suites, a reimagined Atlantis Casino, and the addition of another Michelin-starred chef to its already impressive dining roster. The property enhancements include reno- vation of all guest rooms and suites in The Royal East Tower, which will be complete by summer 2022, closely fol- lowed by newly renovated rooms and suites in The Royal West Tower. Also, the Royal’s world-famous Bridge Suite is on track for total renovation and completion next year. The design ele- ments will include bold, organic, rich and opulent textures and details that reflect the legend of Atlantis and its oceanic design motif found through- out the resort. OPENINGS Hard Rock Hotel New York Makes Its Debut NEW YORK, N.Y. — Hard Rock In- ternational has announced the open- ing of the much-anticipated Hard Rock Hotel New York. Uniquely situated in the heart of Mid- town Manhattan, steps from icon- ic landmarks, Hard Rock Ho- tel New York of- fers a backstage pass to the city’s historic Music Row, honoring its legacy through intricate design, curated ameni- ties and award- winning guest experiences. Pay- ing homage to Music Row, the mecca of recording studios and mu- sic stores that once lined 48th Street, Hard Rock Hotel New York offers live music across all public spaces with a dynamic and engaging approach to entertainment programming. As part of a groundbreaking brand partner- ship between Hard Rock Interna- tional and Audacy, one of the largest broadcasters in the United States, Hard Rock Hotel New York is home to an integrated Audacy Live state- of-the-art perfor- mance studio and entertainment hub. A series of recording ses- sions, live events and intimate per- formances from A-list artists will be featured on an ongoing ba- sis. The Venue on Music Row is the hotel’s show- stopping feature, with an extraor- dinary entertain- ment space span- ning two floors inspired by New York from a by- gone era when jazz clubs, speak-eas- ies and dinner-theater performances reigned supreme. The Venue is set to be a must-visit destination, playing host to world-class entertainment. NEW HIRES Visit Seattle Names Hospitality Veteran as President and CEO SEATTLE, WA — Following a nationwide search, Visit Seattle and its board of directors announce that Tammy Blount-Canavan, FCDME, will serve as its president and CEO. She will be Visit Seattle’s first female CEO. Blount-Canavan’s rich leader- ship history spans two countries and three decades. She started in the hotel in- dustry in her hometown of Vancouver, BC, moving into a role as presi- dent and CEO of the Mon- terey County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She has strong ties to the Puget Sound area, having served as president and CEO of the Tacoma Regional Convention & Visi- tors Bureau from 2008-2012. Blount- Canavan replaces Tom Norwalk, who served as Visit Seattle’s president and CEO for 15 years. Blount-Canavan844.350.4522 Broadmoor.com 1 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Welcome to the True Colorado Convention Experience. So much space, the possibilities are wide open. Nestled in the scenic foothills of the Rockies, the Convention Center at The Broadmoor offers over 315,000 square feet of meeting space. And every detail and service has been considered to make your event a success. Book your event today at conventioncenter.broadmoor.com 315,000+ SQ FT MEETING SPACE 93,500 SQ FT TRUE EXHIBIT SPACEE veryone knows the workplace is now dominated by millennials, with Generation Z close at their heels. But that doesn’t mean baby boomers, or Generation X employees, for that matter, are leaving anytime soon. In fact, older employees — even some from the silent generation — are tenaciously hanging on to their place in the workforce. And that’s a really good thing. The most productive and high- performing companies include a nice mix of employees of all age ranges, older employees included. That’s right, hiring mature workers isn’t just about fight- ing ageism. It’s also great for your organization’s bottom line. Research shows that age diversity can improve organi- zational performance and productivity. Organizations are stronger when they include the con- tributions of more seasoned employees. A blend of different ages means you get more diverse perspectives and a synergy that gives you a competitive edge. Younger workers can come up with different ideas and may push for meaningful social and environmental change. But older employees bring a wealth of experience, insight, stability and soft skills that younger people may not have developed yet. Another reason to keep boomers and older workers on board: They might better understand the needs and wants of consumers in their same age range. And since this group holds the majority of wealth it the country, it makes good business sense to ensure your labor force matches your customer base. You’ll have no problem attracting younger workers — after all, there are lots of them in the job market. But here are a few ways your organization can fight against ageism, avoid legal exposure, attract older employees and make the most of a multigenerational work force. Stop using words that exclude older workers. When a recruiter places an ad looking for someone to join a “young, dynamic team” or laughs about a “senior moment,” that’s ageism at work — even though younger employees might not recognize it. And that’s never OK. Companies looking to recruit older workers need to avoid using words that exclude them. Instead of savvy, young or energetic, try words like motivated, dedicated and driven instead. Putting older and younger workers on the same team can have immeasurable benefits for your organization. PERSPECTIVE // DepositPhotos.com How to Leverage the Power of an Older and Younger Workforce (and Why You Should) BY RICK GRIMALDI 10 April/May 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comRethink your recruitment marketing materials. Make sure your marketing materials for recruitment reflect the diver- sity your organization is seeking, including workers in the baby boomer age category. Do photos depict older people as well as younger people? People of color? Nonbinary-gender non-conforming people? Women? Along those same lines, also be sure to consider where you recruit your employees. If you only advertise online or at local universities, you are missing out on older job candi- dates. Consider reaching out to newspapers, too. Call out age as an element in your diversity and inclusion training. Specifically mention “age” in your organization’s statements about the value of diversity and inclusion. Then make sure that your policies and strategies reflect your posi- tion that age is a valued diversity element in your organiza- tion. Finally, include age in your anti-bias training. Offer benefits that attract older workers. Gym member- ships, flexible work arrangements and education topics, such as retirement planning, are all appealing to aging employees. You can also follow the lead of other creative American com- panies going above and beyond to attract older employees. For example, CVS offers a “Snowbird” program that allows older workers — pharmacists, photo supervisors and cosmetic consultants — to transfer locations on a seasonal basis. IBM has a similar program. The National Institutes of Health actively recruits smart people older than 50 at job fairs and then lures them with flex schedules, telecommuting oppor- tunities and exercise classes. Even Home Depot hires retired construction workers to advise customers on its sales floor. Don’t just hire for skills — hire for attitude. A person’s openness to learning — not their age — is what makes them a great worker. In our rapidly changing work environment, those willing to adapt and learn new ways of doing things are the most valuable, regardless of age. An older employee who is coachable, has a great attitude and a willingness to try new things might contribute more than a talented Gen Z’er who resists being trained in new skills. At the same time, make sure your interviewers are well trained on how to assess skills and remain focused on the objectives of the job. Interviewers should understand whether a candidate’s experiences and skills — especially the soft skills acquired by many mature employees — will make them a strong candidate. When you don’t hire a candidate, explain why. Some can- didates may assume they were not hired because of their age. Therefore, be sure to follow up to tell them the reason they were not selected. This prevents all candidates from jump- ing to conclusions and protects you from damaging claims of age or any other bias. Offer training programs — aka “returnships.” Returnships are internships in which retired adults with a gap in work experience are onboarded and trained during a trial period and then hired if all goes well. They are essentially a career reboot for experienced workers. The idea is getting trac- tion in a wide range of industries, from tech companies and health care to banking and nonprofits. Keep in mind that returnships can benefit younger employees as much as older employees. That Gen Z’er who struggles with the basics of navigating work relationships could sit in on meetings and presentations with that 70-year- old retired executive who just enrolled in the organization’s returnship program. And it’s a two-way street, because they could explain to that executive why and how to tweet, use an Instagram account for marketing, or offer lessons on navi- gating that state-of-the-art software that human resources just installed on their computer that they may have been resistant to use. Intentionally form mixed-age teams for better collabora- tion. Give people of all ages chances to work together for common purposes. Research has shown that multi-genera- tional teams outperform less age-diverse teams on complex decision-making tasks. Never forget the value of older employees. They bring a perspective earned from years of hard work. Plus, they are loyal and less likely to leave your organization after you’ve spent time and money investing in them. And remember, if you don’t hire them, one of your competitors will. It’s far bet- ter to have their wisdom, experience and strong work ethic enrich your team than to miss out on good talent. C&IT RICK GRIMALDI Rick Grimaldi is a workplace trends expert and the author of “FLEX: A Leader’s Guide to Staying Nimble and Mastering Transformative Change in the American Workplace.” His unique perspective comes from his diverse career in high-ranking public service positions, as a human resources and labor relations professional for an international hi-tech company, and presently in private practice as a partner with Fisher Phillips, LLP, one of America’s preeminent management side labor and employment law firms. For more, visit rickgrimaldi.com. “ Organizations are STRONGER when they include the contributions of more SEASONED employees. ” TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | April/May 2022 11O ver the last couple of years, the events industry has seen a drastic change in oper- ations as in-person events have abruptly shifted to virtual formats in response to widespread safety protocols and stay-at- home orders. Now, as we prepare for life after the COVID-19 pandemic, hybrid events are quickly becoming an avenue for providing the best of both worlds. With more than 34% of event organizers planning to invest more in hybrid events in the next few years, they have become a standard event format in the new landscape. Although the pandemic has significantly impacted events, the demand is still expected to grow. The events industry had a 2019 value of $1.14 trillion and is estimated to reach $1.55 trillion in 2028. As the events industry transforms and grows, event managers are turning to new event software and tech- nology to create the best experience for their attendees. Regardless of whether the event is in-person, hybrid or virtual, implementing and integrating new technology can cause challenges that prevent an organization from creating the ultimate experience for its audience. New software can confuse and frustrate event teams as they navigate adoption. Adding on the conversations about the metaverse and virtual reality, the multitude of technology options for events today can be even more overwhelming to managers. To help event managers create successful events while implementing new tools and technologies, here are some of the most common issues in event management to watch out for when preparing for an event and how to prevent them. Difficult user experience Attendee registration is the most important step in event preparation because an event can’t take place if no one is attending. Although registration seems simple, it can make or break an event and potentially disrupt the overall experi- ence as a result. Most organizations house essential event information in multiple different locations, such as online registration forms and on their website. They also use these pages to receive payments during registration and collect attendee information. However, this often creates a challenging and strenuous registration process, which will deter potential attendees from signing up. From registration to post-event feedback, organizations should ensure all steps in the event experience are straightforward and efficient. For a positive user experience from the start, all event details need to be on the landing page. The landing page is the first step of the event experience; therefore, it must be engaging, informative and easy to understand for potential attendees. It’s essential to request all possible information needed and required from a potential attendee during reg- istration. A few crucial items to include are: • Event location, date and time. • An overview and outline of the event with impor- tant information, such as speaker, schedules, park- ing and driving information. • Options for wait-listing or special tickets, for example, virtual versus in-person or non-mem- ber/member rates. • Pricing information and accepted payment methods. • Registration questions that include contact infor- mation, such as emails, phone numbers and any additional information for post-event follow-up. Landing pages can be overwhelming to design and create from scratch for every new event an organization plans, but Data collection from events is key to determining ROI. PERSPECTIVE // DepositPhotos.com How to Overcome 3 Common Problems in Event Management BY CHRIS FEDERSPIEL 12 April/May 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comthere are options for event managers looking to avoid the headache. Pre-built event page templates save money, effort and time for event organizers, and they eliminate the need to design or code forms and pages. Pre-built event templates guarantee the user experience kicks off on the correct path. Lack of data collection and accessibility Data collection and accessibility are essential for events. Registration form data directs attendees to crucial infor- mation and keeps them engaged from registration through post-event follow-up communications, such as resources, recordings and surveys. Prior to the event, organizations can ensure instant communication, on things such as schedule changes and updates, with SMS and email reminders. Event managers can easily share valuable information and updates when they have access to participants’ phone numbers or email addresses. With proper data collection, event managers have insight into crucial attendee information. They have the ability to access event data instantly within their customer relation- ship management (CRM) platform. They also have a full view of all customers’ and prospects’ interactions and communi- cations, enabling them to customize and tailor ongoing com- munications. For example, suppose an organization asks reg- istrants to select a specific interest from a registration form. They can utilize that data from those interests to add the registrants to relevant marketing paths automatically. Even outside of events, using existing automation integrations enhances and strengthens the entire customer experience. Additionally, proper data collection can assist event orga- nizers in more efficiently reporting event success. Manage- ment expects event managers to show a return on their investment, and effective data collection provides the met- rics needed to do so. Metrics such as the number of people in attendance, attendees’ industries, job titles and more can inform and direct future event strategies and initiatives. CRM tools, such as Salesforce, track these essential event metrics. Teams can record attendance metrics to their CRM tool to show how their event impacts significant goals and use event data to form effective strategies for future events. Spending too much time on post-event work The last thing event managers want to do when an event is over is spend more time on it. Yet, most event teams spend a significant amount of time pulling together reports, gath- ering additional data and sending follow-up emails after an event is over. Using an existing automation platform and CRM to complete post-event tasks can save hours of time. Technology dedicated to streamlining event processes allows an organization to tie its attendee and event records to oppor- tunities, leads and contacts. Post-event tasks that can be com- pleted by existing automation platforms and CRMs include: • Custom follow up emails to attendees. Share post- event communications on social media. • Automatically log attendee information. • Reports on event metrics, such as revenue and attendance numbers. • Insights on how many attendees converted from leads to customers. Organizations can also streamline operations for recur- ring events by utilizing tools equipped with cloning software and recurring event features to create similar pages and event experiences. Rather than manually re-creating pages for every event, which requires setting up crucial details and necessary integrations, they can save hours of valuable time by using existing assets. Teams can then take existing information, such as marketing initiatives or the last events’ attendee list, to update events in the current pipeline. As this new era of events evolves, so will the tools, tech- nologies and strategies organizations use to ensure event success. Event managers can take steps to ensure their events thrive during this transition by improving the overall user experience, collecting necessary data, and harnessing the power of automation platforms for post-event work. Preventing and recognizing common pitfalls will best equip event managers to successfully execute their next event and reach their event goals. C&IT CHRIS FEDERSPIEL Chris Federspiel began his career at a young age, coding websites in middle school, followed by Perl and CGI scripts in high school. He later moved into sales and marketing for Internet Creations and Silverline. He co-founded Plative as a Salesforce Systems Integrator (SI), followed by Brainiac. His latest venture, Blackthorn.io, has seen exponential growth and success, having received multiple Salesforce.org Partner of the Year awards. His teams have worked to earn Blackthorn Events the honor of being one of the highest-rated events apps on the Salesforce AppExchange. For more information, visit blackthorn.io. “ As this new era of events EVOLVES, so will the tools, technologies and strategies organizations use to ensure event SUCCESS. ” TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | April/May 2022 13T he announcement of an upcoming all-hands meeting is not always met with an overwhelm- ingly excited and positive response. On the contrary, people may start getting creative with reasons to bow out of participation. All- hands meetings have the reputation of lacking valuable interaction, lacking feeling and not working well in a hybrid environment. Many junior employees may feel like it’s simply upper management and executives talking at them, and it’s not a productive gathering that creates inter- active energy among all ranks of employees. There are ways of improving the all-hands meeting experience. Amid the post-pandemic “New Normal,” where many offices have gone permanently fully remote, or at the very least hybrid, the whole make-up of an all-hands meet- ing should undergo some manner of change. Prep for a Successful Meeting in Advance Any successful all-hands meeting should have plenty of preparation. Employees placed in charge of planning this sig- nificant event should plot out exactly what topics should be covered, what activities will be a part of the meeting and the ultimate goals of the meeting. Meeting planners should review past all-hands meetings to analyze what worked and what didn’t and apply what they learned to the new meeting plan. The goal for a successful all-hands meeting should be authentic connections between team members that can accelerate business goals. This goal could be seen as diffi- cult to come by in a virtual environment. Luckily, there are alternatives to Zoom and Webex that offer a more lifelike experience for virtual meetings, including the ability to move around, network and mingle, just as you would do in real life, leading to successful outcomes. Proper Scheduling Properly scheduling an all-hands meeting for when they are truly necessary is of the utmost importance. If a com- pany is calling mandatory “all-hands” meetings every time an employee turns around, the employees will eventually lose interest in the meeting’s objectives. Employees need to know that these meetings mean something and are essential to running the business as a whole. Larger companies with employees spread far and wide should take special care with their all-hands meeting sched- uling. Many remote or hybrid organizations have teams across multiple time zones, making scheduling that works for everyone an uphill battle. Meetings should be scheduled for when all participants are awake, energized and ready to participate for optimal outcomes. Content Matters All-hands meetings should offer focused content for attendees that is helpful to keep your team aware of. Any important business changes, challenges or successes are great things to share. All hands are also a great opportu- nity to do company-wide recognition for the all stars who deserve extra praise. Without straightforward content or purpose, the people facilitating the meeting run the risk of losing the interest or engagement of their audience. Mix Things up a Bit A fun, upbeat atmosphere is one part of all-hands meet- ings that people may expect and enjoy, and yet, creativity can often suffer in a virtual meeting environment. When a better connection is fostered, the music is great, and the creative juices are allowed to flow in breakout rooms, great things can happen for businesses amid realistic mingling. Creativity can be kicked into high gear by kicking off your meeting with an interactive icebreaker activity. Creative ice- breakers can include playing a “Getting to Know You” type game or breaking into smaller groups, mixing up the dif- ferent departments of an organization so people can get to PERSPECTIVE // Photo courtesy of Zoom Secrets to Improving Virtual All-Hands Meetings BY ED STEVENS 14 April/May 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comknow those they may not work with regularly. People who have innovated and had successes since the last all-hands meeting should be celebrated to encourage and inspire other employees. Everybody loves to be recog- nized for their hard work, and a friendly competitive spirit can quickly be generated. Interactive Question-and-Answer Period Allowing employees to ask questions and get thor- ough answers from leadership should be part of any all- hands meeting. In a virtual environment, this can be chal- lenging without the right platform to facilitate a smooth back and forth. When so much information is disseminated throughout a meeting, there will be questions. Meeting planners should set aside a reasonable amount of time for the question-and- answer period to assure everyone is on the same page. Inclusive and Equitable Communication up the Corporate Ladder One issue with in-person all-hands meetings can be the issue of inclusive participation between the junior employees and executives. Meeting planners will want to work hard to open communication between all employees, from those who are lowest on the totem pole to the highest-ranking executive. Virtual meetings need to draw people in by serving the needs of all attendees. If a virtual meeting offers a more inclusive and equitable, relaxed environment, attendees are more likely to feel like their needs were met and heard. Meeting in Remote and Hybrid Environments As we begin to come out on the other side of the pandemic, many companies that were all in-person pre-COVID are choosing to maintain an all-remote or hybrid environment. Countless studies proved that remote workers were just as productive as they had been in the office, and companies real- ize the cost-savings benefits of remote or hybrid offices. Hybrid environments can experience an uphill battle with planning all-hands meetings. Their solution to a splin- tered office setting is often to hold two meetings. However, a multiple meeting approach further perpetuates a disconnect between team members. It can be challenging to maintain a cohesive team envi- ronment when working remotely or even with a hybrid setup. Team leaders have to be far more intentional than in a face-to-face office environment. All-hands meetings are far more successful when authentic relationships have been fostered between leaders and their employees. If the only “facetime” an employee has had with their team leader has been on a stagnant video-conferencing platform, it can make cohesion a struggle. Look for a platform that can help companies revolutionize their all-hands meetings, take the virtual meeting space to the next level, and allow for effective and fun meeting experiences that employees will actually look forward to attending. A more authentic communication platform increases employee engagement, performance and retention by break- ing down the awkward walls of stagnant video-conferencing platforms. Meetings through a powerful platform are more like face-to-face interaction. Leaders can get to know their employees, and this improved communication leads to bet- ter, more fruitful all-hands meetings. Employees should feel secure in the fact that when an all- hands meeting is called, it is for a good reason. They should be aware of the meeting’s goals, and leadership should be transparent about the topics that are to be covered and the objectives of the meeting. By relying on a robust virtual-meeting platform, orga- nizations can create all-hands meetings that invigorate the workplace and make them excited for what the company has achieved and what may be coming down the pipeline. By leaning on technological innovation in the meeting space, organizations can work to end the stigma that all-hands meetings have, and facilitate exciting events that invigorate the whole company. C&IT ED STEVENS Ed Stevens is the founder and CEO of Preciate, a revolutionary platform for virtual meetings and events, geared toward dynamic human experiences and relationship- building. He is deeply committed to helping others build strong, authentic relationships with the power of technology. He has a B.A. from Stanford University. For more information, visit preciate.com. “ By relying on a ROBUST virtual meeting platform, organizations can create all-hands meetings that INVIGORATE the workplace. ” TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | April/May 2022 15W e used to know the rules of the road when it came to business travel: where travelers could go, how they could get there and the steps needed to make it happen. But the COVID-19 pandemic has been the great disruptor. The past two years have shown we can’t truly predict the patterns of a pandemic, but hopefully, we are getting better at navigating COVID-related developments. If you’re looking for positive signs of business travel’s thoughtful recovery, they’re here. However, yet to be deter- mined are the poten- tial impacts of emerg- ing factors including oil and fuel prices, ris- ing inflation, supply- chain strains, regional conflicts, broad adop- tion of remote work- ing models, and the increased focus on sustainability prac- tices and policies for business travel. Helping the indus- try understand and navigate the current and future state of business travel is one of the main missions of our GBTA research, and specifically, of our annual business travel index — the BTI Outlook. Now in its 13th edition, the BTI Outlook is an exhaustive study of business travel spend- ing and growth covering 73 countries across 44 industries. The report provides a detailed analysis of business travel in 2021 with projections for 2022 and beyond, including post- COVID-19 recovery forecasts. GBTA will again update and reveal the next BTI report in November 2022 at the GBTA Convention in San Diego, August 14-17. Our November 2021 BTI Outlook forecast was one of the most anticipated. It’s no surprise that the business travel industry recognizes there are factors, related to COVID-19 and beyond, that could impact the road ahead over the com- ing years. However, there is optimism overall as the industry, companies and travelers worldwide lean into recovery and the much-needed return to business travel. Business travel recovery in 2021 proceeded at a slower, more cautionary pace than forecast the year prior. However, global business travel spending is expected to surge in 2022 with full recovery expected in 2024 — ending the year on pace with the 2019 pre-pandemic spend of $1.4 trillion, and a year sooner than previously forecast. Forecasts and analysis highlights from the latest BTI Out- look (in US dollars): Despite recovery set- backs in 2021, a year- over-year surge of 38% is expected in 2022 as recovery and pent- up demand kicks in, bringing global busi- ness travel spending back to over $1 trillion. Recovery will con- tinue into 2023, with global spending rising 23% year-over-year as even more interna- tional and group travel comes back online. By 2024, global business travel is fore- cast to have made a full recovery, ending the year at $1.48 trillion, or just above the 2019 pre-pandemic spend of $1.4 trillion. In 2025, global business travel growth is forecast to slow to 4.3% — just below the 10-year average growth rate of 5.1% coming into 2020 — ending the year at a forecasted $1.5 tril- lion. Other key findings from GBTA’s BTI Outlook include analysis of 2021 challenges for the business travel industry as well as recovery outlook into 2025. Business Travel Faced Headwinds in 2021 The global business travel recovery that began in late 2020 hit a fair number of bumps in 2021. Pandemic surges, The meetings industry is recovering from the pandemic, but there are several factors that could slow things down. PERSPECTIVE // DepositPhotos.com Tracking Business Travel’s Recovery BY SUZANNE NEUFANG 16 April/May 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comvariant introductions, uneven vaccination rates and mount- ing supply chain challenges all took their toll on previously forecast growth expectations. North America led the recovery, the U.S. in particular, rebounding 27% in 2021. Business travel markets in Latin America, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Asia-Pacific (APAC) all picked up 15% to 20% growth in 2021. European markets lagged in 2021. Emerging Europe was expected to gain only 10%, and for the region of Western Europe, business travel expenditures for 2021 were expected to fall 3.8% from 2020 levels. Recovery in Asia Pacific has been slower, due to lagging border reopenings and a high dependence on international business travel. China’s expected growth was impacted by challenges posed by financial and other issues which could signal larger risks. Business travel in Latin America performed relatively better in terms of percentages — recognizing that volumes vary significantly across global regions — boosted by fewer government restrictions, and travelers’ desire and confi- dence to return to business travel. However, rising public debt and interest rates, declining credit ratings and lower vaccination rates could pose future threats for Latin Ameri- can business travel. Total Business Travel Spending — Top 15 Markets (2021) Business travel recovery will also vary by industry. Pro- fessional and business services and real estate have been resilient to date, while wholesale trade has been challenged. Accommodation and food services, arts, entertainment, rec- reation and retail trade, which were significantly impacted during the pandemic, are expected to recover sharply over the forecast period. View From the C-Suite In a poll of 40 CFOs across North America, Latin Amer- ica, Asia-Pacific and Europe, 70% think in 2022 the over- all economy in their country would be better or much bet- ter than in 2021. About half (52%) of respondents reported they expect their company’s business travel spend to reach 2019 levels in 2022. When asked about the importance of business travel for their company, CFOs think the top return-on-investment reasons for business travel are sales and business development (68%), internal business planning and strategy (50%), client account management (48%), and employee training and development (48%). Business Travelers Are Ready and Willing Among 400 global business travelers polled, 86% report that they need travel to accomplish their business goals. A majority (81%) think their volume of domestic busi- ness travel will be greater or on par in 2022 than it was prior to the pandemic. Over half (54%) miss traveling and hope to travel more often in the future. However, 43% wouldn’t mind traveling less in the future, whether they indicated they miss it or not. Four in five (81%) of business travelers say their company requires vaccines for travel and in-person meetings. Challenges to the Pace of Recovery The BTI Outlook outlines four conditions necessary for full recovery in global business travel: 1) the global vacci- nation effort, 2) national travel policy, 3) business traveler sentiment and 4) corporate travel management policy. The recovery remains highly dependent on the vaccine rollout, employees’ return to the office, and a normalization of travel policies on both the national and corporate levels. Travel managers will also face the challenge of juggling duty of care with rising costs, sustainability priorities and new considerations on the ROI of business travel. C&IT SUZANNE NEUFANG Suzanne Neufang is CEO of the Global Business Travel Association, the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization, whose members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. She oversees the staff, services and mission to provide value to GBTA’s members and partners, and has also been at the forefront of pandemic recovery for the organization and industry. “ The past two years have shown we can’t PREDICT the patterns of a PANDEMIC, but hopefully, we’re better at navigating related developments. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | April/May 2022 17Next >