A majority of corporate travellers support pre-departure testing of fully vaccinated passengers, according to the latest poll by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).
The poll found GBTA members show “significant support for vaccination and testing requirements” for international travel following emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
GBTA reported “a clear majority feel pre-trip negative tests should be required regardless of vaccination status” and agreed international visitors should be required to provide proof of full vaccination.
The association noted: “Most companies are taking a wait-and-see approach before introducing new restrictions or requirements for business travel.
“[But] a clear majority [of respondents] feel countries should require international visitors to prove they are fully vaccinated and pre-trip negative tests should be required.”
GBTA carried out the survey on December 6-12.
The survey found a higher rate of concern about the impact of Omicron in Europe where 90% of respondents expressed concern compared with 79% in North America.
Two-thirds of respondents (66%) felt countries should require international visitors to prove they are fully vaccinated and 60% that countries should require pre-trip negative tests for all international visitors regardless of vaccination.
More than one in three (37%) reported travel bookings have fallen recently, but three out of five travel supplier respondents in Europe (61%) reported a decrease in bookings compared with 29% in North America.
Half (53%) said their company was unlikely to introduce new restrictions due to the omicron variant, but almost one in five (17%) said their company had already introduced new restrictions on non-essential business travel, rising to one in three (32%) in Europe.
Suzanne Neufang, GBTA chief executive, said: “The business travel industry is taking a thoughtful, informed and adaptive approach even as new variants emerge.
“We know knee-jerk restrictions on travel do not generate an effective outcome and border closures and frequently changing entry rules only add to the confusion. Companies and travellers support traveling as long as testing and vaccines remain part of the equation.”
Catherine Logan, GBTA regional vice-president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, added: “Vaccination rates in Western Europe are outstripping those in many other parts of the world. However, the uncertainty around variants has tempered recovery as Covid cases have risen sharply.
“New lockdowns and changing travel bans, border requirements and quarantines are challenging the pace of recovery and adding risk to the recovery forecasts.
“It is vital the region has a common, traveller-based approach to facilitate the ability to do business and to travel as we enter 2022.”
GBTA noted business travel spending in the UK fell more in 2021 than across the EU and “significantly underperformed against EU markets” with a decline of 17% on 2020 compared with 1.6% across the EU “due to intermittent shutdowns”.
However, it suggested: “Recovery in the UK is expected to be significantly stronger than that of the EU due to pent up demand.”
Business travel spending across Western Europe fell 59% in 2020 on 2019 and by 60% in North America.
GBTA forecast corporate travel spending will only return to pre-pandemic levels in Western Europe in 2024
The GBTA poll of 732 members was conducted on December 6-12.