Strikes and industrial action are impacting the travel activity of German corporates more than anything else, according to a new survey from German travel buyer association VDR.
Ongoing strikes affecting both air and rail travel – which VDR last month branded "ruthless" – were named by 85 per cent of respondents as the biggest negative influence on the volume of business trips, while more than a third named availability of flights and hotels, and 28 per cent pointed to geopolitical concerns as reasons for subdued travel activity.
One-third of travel managers said their company's travel volumes have now returned to pre-Covid levels, nearly a quarter said they have surpassed 2019 volumes, and ten per cent said travel was back to between 90 and 99 per cent of historic levels.
For those companies reporting a decrease in business travel, 89 per cent said video calls have replaced some trips, 57 per cent said they now combine more meetings in a single trip, 51 per cent said budget restrictions were in place and 44 per cent said their travel costs had increased.
Nearly a quarter of respondents (24 per cent) estimated that their company's travel volume will be higher over the next 18 months compared to 2019 and 37 per cent assume a constant travel volume. However, 34 per cent of respondents estimated it would remain lower.
VDR said in its report that strikes are "damaging Germany as a business location and also endangers the efforts of companies and business travellers to use climate-friendly means of transport. In addition, there is considerable additional effort for travel management and additional costs for companies due to rebookings and cancellations of business trips."