When can we expect to see space business parks, robot room service and zero-emission aircraft? Will we meet with clients in the metaverse, teleport to conventions or even host corporate events in outer space? What exactly is the future of business travel?
No one can know for sure. However, Booking.com for Business has been analyzing data to reveal the most discussed future business travel trends and topics, and what business travelers can expect to see on work trips in the coming years and decades.
Timeline of future business travel predictions
After researching articles and reports that reference future travel trends alongside specific years, they’ve created a timeline of predicted developments in business travel too, running from now right up to 2050.
2023 – Airport facial recognition
Facial recognition technology is already being tested in major airports in order to verify people’s ID. It’s reported to improve travel security and efficiency, speeding up the boarding process. If trials continue to prove successful, facial recognition tech could be rolled out nationwide in the US by the end of 2023, saving regular business travelers time that could be spent more productively.
2024 – 3D Scanners in airports
By 2024, 3D CT scanners could eliminate the inconvenience of having to take out laptops and electronics when going through security – it’s already being trialed in some airports. It’s thought that this imaging technology will also allow the restriction on liquids to be lifted in the UK by 2024, with other countries expected to follow suit. 3D scanners will inevitably save business travelers valuable time and make taking a flight a little more hassle-free.
2025 – Technology to end food waste in hotels
After successful pilot programs some hotels are already using AI technology to reduce food waste. The Iberostar Group, in particular, is using tech to support its goal of being landfill waste-free by 2025, by tracking exactly how much food is stored and thrown away, and using this data to suggest ways in which waste could be reduced. Pioneering accommodation like this gives business travelers an opportunity to choose an environmentally-friendly stay, benefiting the planet, as well as organizations with carbon-impact initiatives and sustainable targets.
2026 – Blockchain technology in travel
It’s predicted that blockchain technology such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens; digital files secured by a blockchain for secure trading) will continue to grow and find more and more use in business travel. Uses so far include digital art that allows users to explore pathways to accommodation properties, and exclusive digital passes giving recipients rewards and discounts. They’re also being used for airline tickets and business travelers could soon find themselves needing NFTs to access special hotel room packages or co-working spaces.
2027 – Space hotels
Plans are already underway to open the first-ever space hotel/business park by 2027. This luxury space station will include a rotating structure in order to simulate gravity at its edges, but will also offer unique activities such as low-gravity basketball, rock climbing and trampolining.
While some businesses will be keen to book extraplanetary meetings and events as soon as possible, the cost will be prohibitive for others. Reservations are currently priced at $5 million, and that’s for a stay of just 3.5 hours!
Continue reading the trends in the original article on business.booking.com here: https://business.booking.com/en-us/blog/the-future-of-business-travel/
