Air Partner head of charter, Clive Chalmers, shares his thoughts on the evolution
of MICE travel.
Group travel is on the road to recovery, with live expos,
in-person conferences, and incentive trips back on the cards, but there is a
marked difference in the post-pandemic travel experience and the attitudes of
those on board.
COVID-19 infections, the potential emergence of new
variants, and severe staff shortages due to pandemic-related redundancies have
caused chaos in the aviation industry amidst a time of increased demand for
travel. Despite the current period of disruption, there seems to be growing confidence
in chartered flights.
From the screen to the skies
People want to take to the skies, connect and network in
person after more than two years of virtual events and conferences. According
to a study by Forbes Insight, 85 per cent of people say they build stronger,
more meaningful business relationships during in-person meetings and
conferences. While virtual meetings may offer convenience, face-to-face
meetings require people to be fully present, and free from the distractions on their
screens.
Chemistry, body language and a conversation without the
limits of a booked time slot are factors driving the demand. Content delivery
has more impact when an audience can forge a stronger connection with the
speaker and engage more freely with what they’re saying.
Taking responsibility for people and the planet
Amidst the horrors of the pandemic, the lockdown was a time
of internal reflection for organisations across the world. Organisations have
had to strengthen their empathy, and compassion and commit to taking
responsibility for their actions for their people and the planet.
Event organisers are calculating the carbon footprint from
their participants’ hotel stays and day return trips are being booked for
meetings in Europe to save on accommodation. Global conferences are gaining
traction, but attendee numbers have been scaled back compared to pre-2019.
Group travel is being streamlined as companies and travel planners are more
acutely aware of their environmental impact.
Many are arranging group travel for occasions for which
there will be a measurable return on investment, balanced with budget
availability and carbon usage reduction targets.
Despite taking a more considered approach, 64 per cent of
global meetings and events professionals increased their budgets this year,
demonstrating the unwavering desire for human connection.
Sustainability developments have also made it easier to
measure and counterbalance the impact of travel. For example, many aviation
businesses are implementing carbon offsetting schemes to give travellers the
opportunity to fund schemes to compensate for their journey’s emissions.
Recovering from The Great Resignation
Employee resignations have also rolled in at record rates,
leading to an acute increase in incentive travel. Recruitment, retention and
employee engagement are at the top of the agenda for companies in multiple
sectors, as they struggle to find suitable employees. In a job seekers market,
attractive incentive programmes can help to reward employees and increase their
feelings of connection to the organisation and their team.
Incentive budgets are expected to grow by more than a third
this year, according to the Incentive Research Foundation’s (IRF) Industry
Outlook for 2022. In a world of hybrid working, enabling employees to connect
in person and bond in an inspiring destination has become more important, not
only to increase loyalty and motivation but also to instil a sense of
well-being and happiness throughout the workforce.
Looking to the future
As we learn to live with COVID-19, health and safety
protocols will continue to be a priority for group travel. Access and
regulations will be continuously updated in the context of new variants and medical
developments. The risk of employee infection is a factor that will continue to
inform travel planning, as well as potential anxiety and mental health issues
that may have arisen during the pandemic and need to be addressed.
By traveling through private terminals, group travel planners
can ensure that time spent in long check-in queues and security lines is
mitigated, and people-to-people contact is limited, ensuring safety remains
paramount.
