Rearview Mirror Moment

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.