This time of year, you hear about many lists. Could be the top news stories, the most
popular names, the craziest sports moments, you name it. So, with that in mind, I am going to look
back on the top 10 things in travel for 2014 in my mind.
1 – Not one but two missing airplanes. (I didn’t say it would be all good
things.) Seriously?! We live in a world where I can track my kids
on their phones and yet we can’t find two huge planes with many people and
goods on board? Let’s hope 2015 is the
year of Next Gen!
2 – Money, money, money.
2014 will go down as a profitable year for many suppliers in the
industry, including airlines. That’s
awesome news for them and for everyone who travels. Having suppliers who are fighting to keep
their heads above water isn’t a good place for anyone.
3 – Growth or not?
Last year at this time, people were looking at the growth in China as a
sign of their financial prosperity and times to come. Then, the growth slowed. Does this mean China is less important to
travel and the industry? No. It does mean that even the most robust
economies can suffer setbacks. Let’s remember
that China is still in a growth pattern, just slower than in the last 3
years.
4 – Fuel prices. With
fuel prices on the decline, it’s a nice break on the pocketbook for consumer as
well as airlines, car companies, ground services and even hotels! However, for countries dependent on monies
from oil and gas, it could prove to be a challenging 2015.
5 – Travel is up.
Corporate travel, personal travel and meetings and events travel is up
in most measured metrics. Transactions,
spend, room nights, cost per mile, etc.
6 – Merger mania is alive and well in travel. The list includes airlines, agencies, ground
services, technology companies or hotels, but rest assured, the industry is no
stranger to merger mania and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
7 – Disruptors abound.
Apps and services like AirBNB, Uber, Lyft and Hoteltonight are finding
their way onto people’s phones and tablets and therefore, into programs.
8 – 2014 will go down as the year of the customer. Airlines, hotels, car companies and agencies
are all focusing on getting closer to their customer and wanting to meet their
needs better than the other guy. Measurements
around customer satisfaction are held in higher regard by all suppliers, which wasn’t
always the case in the past. They have
learned that taking care of the customer is important and yields success. (Refer back to number 2.)
9 – Not a news flash, but technology is king for the road
warrior. Travelers used to pick up the
phone to check things like flight status and gate info, but now, it’s all in the
palm of their hands. Some hotels are
allowing travelers to check in, select rooms and even check out on their
apps. It’s about the customer experience
(refer to number 8) but let me tell you, suppliers who neglect to have people
to be the oasis in the day, will suffer.
Apps and tools can only take you so far, when things go wrong, really
wrong, people need to talk to someone and until some major advancement in
technology occur, that won’t change.
10 – Risk management is on the minds of everyone in the
business. Whether its helping an
employee replace a lost or stolen passport, or helping a group of employees in the
middle of hostile government situation, risk and traveler safety needs are challenging
and changing all the time.
