Learn how to better leverage business travel for enhanced client relationship management in the year’s second half.
In today’s world of work-from-home and virtual meetings, and even virtual conferences and events, business travel may feel out of place. However, while business travel is changing rapidly, it’s still just as important as ever, and travel spending is up.
According to Deloitte’s 2024 corporate travel study, Travel Managers expect industry growth to continue at a reasonable rate in 2025. In 2024, business trip frequency per Traveler was up by 3–5%, with Travel Managers expecting their spend in 2024 to grow by up to 12%.
Amid all this growth, it’s vital that savvy leaders ensure their business travel is truly delivering value to their organization.
This is a sentiment that Catherine Logan, regional SVP, EMEA & APAC, for the Global Business Travel Association, expressed in a 2025 outlook report published by Business Travel News Europe.
Logan said, “In 2025, global business travel spending is predicted to reach $1.63 trillion as the industry enters its next chapter. However, it will be anything but ‘business as usual’ as changes and innovation continue shaping the landscape. The industry is moving into a ‘new normal,’ focusing on more productive, personalised and responsible travel. Every trip must deliver value — not just for organisations but also for people and for the planet.”
Bolstering Client Relationships
One of the big areas where business travel can provide value is in bolstering client relationships and client relationship management.
Many business leaders are already recognizing this fact. In the Deloitte study linked above, various elements of client relationship management stood out as the top key reasons why business Travelers are hitting the road this year. The report found that conferences, industry gatherings and client meetings were all behind increased business travel—with client meetings leading the pack.
The report noted, “Among frequent Travelers, about one in five say that they traveled once per month or more in the first half of 2024 for client project work (23%) or sales and client relationship building (21%), compared to just 13% for conferences and exhibitions.”
So, how can you get the most out of these trips planned specifically for sales and client relationship management? Beyond merely planning targeted client visits, here are a few considerations.
1. Plan for client-centric events.
Yes, client project work and client relationship management trips were more important to business Travelers in early 2024, as compared to events. That said, the importance of client-centric events, such as industry conferences and exhibitions, was hardly overlooked. You can take a deeper approach by planning your own client-centric events in destinations where your clients converge.
Client appreciation events—large or small—tailored to the needs and interests of your clients, can provide a greater level of attention than the typical business trip events.
2. Incorporate local culture experiences.
We increasingly see Travelers looking for immersive travel experiences, both when traveling for leisure and when traveling for business. Travelers no longer want to simply show up in a destination and see the typical tourist traps. They want to go where the locals go, see what the locals see and experience what the locals experience. They also want their spending to benefit those locals at the same time.
Your business Travelers may already be incorporating local culture experiences into their business trips via bleisure travel. Consider extending local culture experiences to your client relationship management approach, too.
What might this look like? When business Travelers are in a destination where they may be hosting clients or planning client events, bring in a local element, even if the destination is nothing new for the client. When your teams welcome clients traveling to your organization’s home offices, incorporate local cultural experiences into your itineraries.
Not only can this show that your teams have a finger on the pulse of the business travel industry as a whole. It can also show a greater level of attention to the destinations where your clients are doing business, as well as a greater level of care for the experiences your clients have while on your own turf.
3. Prioritize post-trip follow-up.
If your travel policy is well-organized and carefully managed, your Travelers likely already have to do some sort of post-trip follow-up chores related to budgeting, sustainability, etc. Be sure that those post-trip follow-up tasks also incorporate client relationship management.
How did your business Travelers feel that their trip furthered client relationship management? What went well and what didn’t?
Don’t just expect internal follow-up, though. Prompt follow-up should also be conducted with the clients themselves to ensure that the hard work completed while traveling continues to have a positive impact on clients between trips.
Need help developing a business travel program that best serves your clients?
Often, we think of how a business travel program can best serve the organization. How can it be more profitable? More organized? More sustainable?
Don’t only consider these factors as you put together a travel policy and program, though. Also, think about the purpose behind your travel — your clients. How are your policies and travel program impacting them?
Giving this question some thought and adjusting your policies and program accordingly can give your traveling team a competitive advantage in the latter half of 2025 and beyond.
Want some help getting started? Contact JTB Business Travel today to discuss your unique travel needs and our robust suite of services for Travelers, Travel Managers and Executives.
