BUSINESS TRAVEL IS BACK, BUT IT'S CHANGED FOREVER

How hybrid work, tech and wellness have reshaped corporate travel demands

- GP YEOW, GENERAL MANAGER OF JW MARRIOTT HOTEL HONG KONG

Business travel has returned, but with a renewed sense of intention. The suits are lighter, the schedules leaner, and the expectations deeper. Where once the measure of success was how many cities one could conquer in a week, the new metric is how purposeful each journey feels. Corporate travellers today seek more than efficiency; they seek connection, clarity, and balance.

Hybrid work has redrawn the mobility map. Teams meet online for the routine, but they travel for what matters, like moments of alignment, creativity, and trust that no video call can replicate.

Conferences, client visits, and leadership offsites have become experiences for building relationships rather than ticking boxes.

Technology continues to shape this evolution. Digital tools make it possible to work anywhere and stay connected everywhere.

But technology's real strength lies in freeing travellers to focus on collaboration and creativity.