As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the globe, travel managers in Germany anticipate long-term changes to the business travel market as a result of the crisis, a new industry group survey revealed.?

The German Business Travel Association (VDR) canvassed 88 travel and mobility managers from German corporations earlier this month on their expectations as to the lasting effects of the outbreak, which has brought the business travel market to a near-standstill worldwide.?

Respondents were cautiously optimistic that their companies would be able to resume their travel activities in the medium term, with 90 per cent of those surveyed expecting the number of business trips to increase again, and 83 per cent considering permanent internal travel restrictions to be unlikely.?

But despite overall confidence that business travel will get up and running again, nearly two-thirds of respondents (63 per cent) reported anticipating a new normal where the need for a given trip is more heavily scrutinised, while 48 per cent expected the costs for business trips to rise in the future.

In addition, almost 80 per cent of those questioned fear permanent entry restrictions into certain countries and another 77 per cent see greater bureaucratic burdens, such as more stringent travel document requirements.

Just 8 per cent of travel managers surveyed said they currently feel their own job is at risk, and 78 per cent deemed a general downsizing in travel management unlikely. However, projects planned in the short and medium term are likely to suffer, respondents predicted, with 86 per cent anticipating abandoning or postponing such initiatives.?

VDR president Christoph Carnier commented: ¡°Business trips have always been an important engine and sensitive seismograph of the overall economic development in Germany¡­ If the economy is doing well, people travel a lot ¨C and vice versa. Germany therefore still needs a functioning and reliable mobility infrastructure in order to be able to restart the engine at full speed after the crisis. A rapid economic recovery will not be possible without an efficient and capable mobility service provider.?

¡°We therefore need quick and fair solutions that ensure the survival of smaller providers and at the same time secure the legitimate reimbursement claims of companies. We clearly appeal to politicians in their efforts not to lose sight of the business travel industry.¡±

As the coronavirus crisis continues to evolve, VDR plans to conduct surveys on a regular basis to track changes in industry sentiment, the association said.