Per a new report from BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, online and digital gatherings are on the rise, with seven in 10 event professionals already having rebooted face-to-face programs as virtual events, according to industry leaders. Moreover, fall 2020 is when most meeting professionals expect to resume live programs, even as they anticipate that online programming will increasingly live side-by-side alongside, rather than detract from, in-person events going forward.

There continues to be small signs of optimism in the travel sector according to new research by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). Health and safety measures, while always a cornerstone of travel, are now of significant importance as the industry tries to gain momentum for recovery.

Research amongst event buyers, conducted by BMA House, an event venue in London, has shown a significant desire to seek a better work/life balance.

With the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis providing an opportunity for many individuals to focus on family, leisure and personal relationships, 68 percent of event organizers said they will seek a better work/life balance going forward. This was reflected by 60 percent of event delegates also saying they would seek improvements. 

While virtual conferences are a convenient and inexpensive option, a recent survey from PromoLeaf revealed that over 70 percent of participants prefer to attend conferences in-person. 

Among the reasons that in-person meetings are preferred are: The best networking usually happens in person (it’s hard to get the same effect online); body language and subtle communication cues don’t come across as well via video chatting; and vendors and service providers can’t provide the same level of examples and demonstrations virtually as they can in person.

Over the past several months, the world watched the global business travel industry come to a halt—but according to new research by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), there are signs of optimism and recovery on the horizon. The study found that most companies are planning a recovery for 2020 with one in three planning for a recovery in three months or less. 

Among the poll’s key findings are:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has, as we all know, hit the business events industry with unprecedented force,” the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) said introducing a survey of its members.

With more than 300 million Americans under stay-at-home orders to help slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), many are now required to work from home and avoid all non-essential business travel. In a matter of weeks, thousands of conferences, conventions, trade shows and other face-to-face business events have been postponed or cancelled. Recent estimates from the U.S.

Business travel come to a halt across the globe as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the latest research conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR), a leading international airport group with operations in Mexico, the U.S. and Colombia, today announced that total passenger traffic for March 2020 decreased 35.9 percent when compared to March 2019. Passenger traffic decreased 35.8 percent in Mexico, 35.9 percent in Puerto Rico and 36.2 percent in Colombia, reflecting the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19, nearing its peak, has ended most business travel, at least temporarily. To find out what is going on, ENGINE survey 1,000 adults three different times in March; the latest findings were discovered from March 27-28, 2020.

Note: The results are also weighted to U.S. Census data to be demographically representative. 

Here are some critical findings (March 27-28):