According to the report, the downward trend is driven by fears around job security, burned-out managers (whose own engagement sits at 22%) and poorly managed tech transitions. A related survey published by Gallup last month shows that AI-induced anxiety is linked to lower engagement and higher burnout.

The antidote? Real, in-person connection might be exactly what an AI-anxious workforce needs.

“It reminds me, in a way, of 2020/2021,” says Mummy Mafojane, GM at FCM South Africa, a travel management company (TMC) that manages travel for large enterprises and multinational companies.

“Teams had suddenly gone remote or hybrid, and getting people together again made a real difference. It was especially important for younger employees, who’d been missing out on the informal mentorship and on-the-job learning that happen when you’re in the same room as more experienced colleagues. AI is a different kind of disruption, but the uncertainty feels familiar. When leaders take the time to explain the developments in person and train their teams properly, many of those fears start to ease.”

Those fears run all the way up organisations. Leaders worry about falling behind competitors who adopt AI faster or investing heavily in tech that doesn’t deliver a return. Not to mention keeping sensitive company and client data secure.

Employees, meanwhile, worry that their jobs may disappear, that their skills and qualifications may become obsolete, that efficiency gains may be used to cut their wages, hours or benefits, or that they simply won’t be able to keep up with the pace of change.

The unease doesn’t stop at the office door, either. Deepfakes and AI-generated content have made it harder to know what’s real, and nearly half the people (48%) surveyed by identity verification company iProov in the US and UK say they now question the authenticity of almost everything they see online.

The conversation has also moved from AI to superintelligence, the point at which AI outperforms human intelligence. In September, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on AI companies to slow down development, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Elon Musk said they agreed. When the people building the technology start to sound uneasy, it’s hard for anyone else to feel relaxed.

So what can organisations do?

Mafojane believes that for multinationals with teams spread across cities and continents, much of the answer comes down to showing up in person.

Explain the plan face to face. When new tools arrive, a leadership roadshow to regional offices gives people the chance to hear the strategy first-hand, ask the difficult questions and understand where they fit in.

“The first challenge for leaders is to decide where AI fits into their business. In other words, when to invest, where to automate and what to keep human. The second is to build trust and drive buy-in and adoption,” explains Mafojane. “Presenting the strategy in person can make a real difference.”

Remind people of their worth. According to Gallup, employees who feel respected and cared for are less likely to fear that AI will take their job. That message is easier to believe when a leader delivers it in person.

Train together, at a human pace. Change takes time to absorb. In-person workshops let teams learn new tools side by side, ask questions and make mistakes without feeling exposed.

Prioritise travel opportunities. As Mafojane explains, business travel remains a high-value perk that boosts both employee satisfaction and professional growth.

“Not only does business travel help organisations attract and retain talent, but people tend to come back with renewed energy and fresh ideas,” she says. “In this environment, it’s good for morale.”

Check in regularly. Quarterly gatherings for remote and hybrid teams help people reconnect and raise concerns before they grow.

“The most valuable trips we see now have a clear job to do,” says Mafojane. “And they don’t need to be extravagant. A leader visiting a regional office, or a team spending two days learning something new, can make a real difference, as long as you agree up front what success looks like. A good travel management partner keeps that time purposeful and the costs in check, with duty of care covered. It’s a great way to steady the ship.”

Quarter 4 was always going to be tricky. October through December is traditionally a busy stretch of the corporate travel calendar, with the year’s final stakeholder meetings, conferences and year-end events all squeezed in before the annual slowdown. At the same time, holidaymakers and international arrivals are competing for the same seats and rooms. For SMEs used to booking as and when they need to, record fuel prices on top of peak-season demand is a costly combination.

“Smaller businesses tend to have a smaller booking window when compared to larger corporates,” says Herman Heunes, GM at Corporate Traveller. “Multi-nationals, for example, typically require flights to be booked 21 days in advance, while SMEs are far more flexible and reactive. And they need to be, but in Q4 it can get expensive, especially against a backdrop of rising fuel prices.”

So how do you keep Q4 on track without the costs running away with you? Heunes has the following advice:

Book the trips you can already predict

Look at last year’s calendar. If your team went to Cape Town in November or Durban in December, they’ll probably go again. The message is simple: lock in fares now, before the best options – and flight times – sell out.

Of course, booking is often cash flow dependent, and Heunes says partnering with a strong travel management company (TMC) can make all the difference.

“SMEs don’t have the travel volume to negotiate good rates on their own,” he says. “A TMC does. Partnering with one gives you access to its buying power, so you benefit from negotiated rates with airlines, hotels and car rental companies that you wouldn’t get booking direct. On top of that, Corporate Traveller offers clients a credit facility, so you can book now and pay later, protecting your cash flow.”

Adopt a Total Trip Cost (TTC) mindset

The instinct when prices spike is to cut costs wherever possible: book the cheapest flight, cap hotel spend and push for budget stays. But the ticket price is only part of the picture. TTC adds in the ground transport, the lost working hours and the toll on the traveller (which is particularly important if your team’s already had a long year).

Take the classic Q4 compromise: a cheaper flight with a longer layover, paired with a hotel further from the city centre. The saving looks good on paper, but it often means a tired traveller, a taxi fare to and from an outlying hotel, and maybe a lounge visit to make the layover bearable. By the time you add it all up, the “cheaper” option often costs more, in money and morale.

“Always look at TTC rather than just ticket price,” says Heunes. “Paying slightly more for a flight or a hotel near a client’s office can deliver more in the long run. You avoid extra ground costs, and your team arrives on time and ready to work.”

Pay for flexibility where it counts

December work is inherently reactive. Stakeholder meetings run long, end-of-year event schedules can shift at the last minute, and unpredictable weather can easily disrupt itineraries. In fact, research shows that both travel managers and bookers consistently cite trip instability and the financial risk of non-refundable bookings as top concerns during peak seasons.

If a client meeting moves, even by a couple of hours, a “cheap” fare instantly loses its value, forcing you to buy a brand-new ticket at peak, last-minute prices. A flexible corporate fare costs a little more upfront but acts as an insurance policy, protecting the budget when plans inevitably change in Q4.

Book the car with the flight

Ground transport should never be an afterthought, yet it is often left to the last minute. In Q4, corporate demand coincides directly with the holiday rush and, interestingly, there are a few categories that sell out first, including minivans and 7+ seaters (important to note, if you’re transporting your team to an event), automatics (across all categories) and SUVs/4X4s. Get in quick, and ensure your travellers are enrolled in ‘fast-track’ or ‘skip-the-queue’ programmes, as any time saved during Q4 is a massive win.

Look after your people

Year-end fatigue is real, and it directly affects how travellers perform when they arrive.

“Put someone on a 06:00 flight with a long layover to save a few hundred rand, and they’ll just arrive feeling flat and exhausted,” says Heunes. “But it’s important to look at ground-level friction too. Negotiate early check-ins or late check-outs wherever possible and enquire about complimentary hotel shuttles. These ‘soft perks’ are incredibly difficult to secure on your own during peak season, but ask your TMC to work their magic.”

What to do now

“Most Q4 savings come from decisions made before the rush,” says Heunes. “An hour of planning this week will make a massive difference come December.”

Here are three things you can do immediately:

• Audit your ticket credits. Cancelled meetings throughout the year leave unused ticket credits sitting forgotten in inboxes until they expire. Check what’s there before you book anything new. A good TMC will track and apply these automatically, so check in with your travel manager to confirm.
• Pull your bookings from last year. If you have recurring meetings or events, lock in flights and rooms this week.
• If you have partnered with a TMC, let them do the heavy lifting. Be proactive, make travel decisions as soon as possible so they can leverage their buying power and supplier relationships to secure the best corporate fares and rates available – alongside perks like early check-in and room upgrades.

As Mummy Mafojane, GM of FCM South Africa explains, when it comes to domestic hotel rooms, South Africans are accustomed to a certain size and standard. In contrast, European city hotels are notoriously compact, often squeezed into historic buildings with decidedly small rooms and limited amenities. And in secondary, satellite cities in developing regions, water, power and connectivity can be hit and miss.

For the travel manager approving the trip, the rating suggests a known quantity: a decent bed, working Wi-Fi, breakfast and a front desk that answers. For the traveller who checks in, the reality behind those stars depends entirely on who awarded them, and in some markets the answer is nobody at all.

“Our latest FCM Insights Report shows that businesses are becoming more cost-conscious and more deliberate about where their accommodation spend goes, with more corporate volume moving into the 3- and 4-star tier,” says Mafojane. “Across Africa, corporate demand is holding firm, and our top African destinations are Mozambique, Zambia, Ghana, Botswana and Zimbabwe, all corridors where South African business is growing. The only catch is that a 4-star rating can mean something different in each of them, and that’s where a managed hotel programme earns its keep.”

Who stands behind the stars? Hotel classification in FCM’s top destinations

“When a company tells us a traveller had a bad stay somewhere on the continent, the booking almost always said four-star. Nobody lied about the rating. There was just no authority behind it,” says Mafojane.

How the international list stacks up

FCM’s top international destinations for South African corporates are Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and China (2026 FCM booking data), and even in these mature markets the stars don’t necessarily align, as the table shows.

Which brings us to what the rating actually buys. In South Africa, a 4-star property typically comes with extra space, room service, TV, secure parking and a proper breakfast. By 5-star, you’re looking at round-the-clock staffing, valet parking, 24-hour room service, luggage assistance, a business centre, and exceptional on-site facilities like fine dining and a spa.

A room in a 4-star hotel in central Paris or London is much smaller, and the traveller is paying considerably more for it. Corporate travellers paid an average of US$349 a night in London and US$531 in New York in the last quarter of 2025, against US$233 in Cape Town and US$196 in Johannesburg (FCM Consulting Insights Report 2026). A Johannesburg traveller landing in New York pays more than double the rate for a fraction of the space; the rating stays the same while the experience shifts.

What to look for beyond the star

In markets without enforced grading, the questions that actually predict a good stay have little to do with thread counts. Does the property have genuine backup power and water, meaning generator and borehole capacity that covers guest rooms rather than only the lobby? Are transfers and parking secure? Is the Wi-Fi reliable enough to run a video call, since connectivity in a business hotel is a working tool rather than an amenity? Will the card machine work, and can the rate be billed back rather than settled in cash? What are the real cancellation terms? And does the property appear in your travel management company’s duty of care picture at all?

“A star rating tells us what a hotel thinks about itself,” says Mafojane. “We look at backup infrastructure, secure transfers, payment, cancellation terms and whether we can reach a decision-maker at the property directly. Those are the things that decide whether a trip works.”

Hotel development in Africa has long followed colonial and linguistic lines, with French brands clustering in West Africa and Portuguese investment shaping Angola and Mozambique. Yet Mafojane says many of the most consistent properties on the continent are local chains.

“They build for the realities of their own markets, so a generator, a borehole and a driver who actually arrives are standard rather than selling points. In several of our top destinations they are simply the best-performing option, and traveller feedback confirms it trip after trip.”

The conclusion for travel managers is clear. Where the star rating cannot carry the weight placed on it, the managed programme does that work instead: verified properties, negotiated rates with consistent inclusions, traveller feedback that flags a slipping property early, and duty of care visibility across every booking. FCM now goes a step further, advising buyers to write travel policy around hotel brand types rather than star ratings, because brands describe the actual product more reliably (FCM Consulting Insights Report 2026).

“Companies that spend time interrogating and building their hotel programme will sleep better – and pay less – than those defaulting to star ratings in their travel policy,” says Mafojane.

*** ends ***

About FCM Travel:

FCM Travel, the flagship corporate travel brand at Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is the business travel partner of choice for large national, multinational and global corporations. We are an award-winning global corporate travel management company ranking as one of the top five by size around the world. We operate a global network which spans more than 100 countries, employing over 6000 people.

FCM are transforming the business of travel through our empowered and accountable people who deliver 24/7 service and are available either online or offline. Leveraging FCM’s negotiating strength and supplier relationships in conjunction with our tailored business travel programs, our expertise delivers more for our clients where it matters most to them.

Visit us at www.fcmtravel.co.za

AI can spit out itineraries, give you quick-hit travel tips, and help narrow down where to go when. It’s like a very enthusiastic intern who’s read every blog post ever written – but still needs a manager to check their work. This is probably why the same survey reported that a staggering 97% of Saffas see some sort of value in using a travel agent to help plan their next trip.

In short, AI lays a solid foundation, but it’s up to a travel expert to fill in the gaps.

“When travellers come to us after trying AI, they’re often surprised by what they didn’t know,” says Sue Garrett, GM of Supply, Pricing & Marketing at Flight Centre South Africa. “We know which ferry routes actually run in October, which hotels have been fully renovated, and which ‘must-see’ attractions are genuinely worth the visit. Local intelligence and practical, hard-earned experience is what turns a theoretical itinerary into a trip that actually works.”

So, if you’re dreaming up travel ideas for 2026, here’s how to use AI to plan your trip – and when you need to call in the experts.

Use AI to brainstorm, not book

AI has imagination, we’ll give it that. The problem? That “tailored” Greek itinerary might include ferry routes that don’t exist, hotels that closed in 2019, and a wine tour that’s actually a goat farm.

Most AI chatbots also rely on data that’s over a year old, which can lead to outdated information like incorrect opening hours, ongoing construction, or whether a place is only open during certain seasons.

“AI is good at synthesising research and helping us work faster,” says Garrett. “But travellers can’t rely on it for detail. Accuracy, reliability, and tailoring a trip to personal needs still comes from working with an experienced advisor.”

AI requires very specific prompting

If you’ve ever asked ChatGPT to plan a trip, you know it’s a bit like making a wish to a genie – the magic only works if you word it just right. The catch? Most travellers have no clue what to wish for.

What’s more, AI doesn’t understand your specific needs and preferences: that you hate long layovers, your sister has severe motion sickness, and you once had a small breakdown over an Airbnb with no curtains.

A traveller advisor will ask the right questions and factor in your specific needs, including travel insurance, visas, layovers, luggage, dietary requirements and even medical needs (for example, travelling with insulin).

Real world problems need real world people

Here’s where things get serious. Your flight’s been cancelled. You’re stuck at OR Tambo at 5am with no plan B and no idea when the next flight out is. An AI chatbot can suggest alternatives, but it can’t make the calls, pull the strings, or know which airline owes you a favour.

When it all hits the fan – whether that’s sudden illness, lost passports or surprise strikes – your AI travel assistant will provide information, but it won’t provide solutions.

Travel advisors, on the other hand, answer their phones. They’ve got local contacts, real-time updates, and enough muscle memory to rebook your trip while you’re still trying to find a power plug.

“A crisis is where human judgement matters most,” says Garrett. “AI can’t provide reassurance, make fast calls, or think emotionally. It doesn’t know when a client needs calming down or rerouting.”

AI doesn’t know what “4-star” means to a Saffa

A European “4-star” hotel can sometimes feel more basic than many South Africans expect – smaller rooms, minimal breakfast options, compact bathrooms. South Africans are accustomed to generous space, full breakfast spreads, and higher service standards at comparable star ratings.

“AI doesn’t understand the nuances,” says Garrett. “A 4-star hotel in Europe can feel smaller and more basic than a 3-star in Joburg. That’s important context for South Africans who’ve been spoiled by space and service.”

You can’t negotiate with ChatGPT

One of the most persistent myths about chatbots is that AI can find you the best deals.

It’ll give you rough estimates scraped from booking platforms. But it won’t know who to talk to for a room upgrade or honour your price if the exchange rate dips.

“People forget travel advisors still get you a lot of extras,” says Garrett. “We’re not just booking a hotel – we’re adding value. And we know which rooms are worth the rate.”

So how should you use AI?

Think of AI like enjoying a coffee with a mildly helpful friend. It’ll throw out suggestions – but it probably won’t nail the final plan.

Use AI tools to:

• Get a basic idea of where to go
• Research activities or general visa info (but always confirm latest visa requirements directly with the embassy or your travel advisor)
• Calculate distances and travel times
• Structure your wishlist into a bare bones draft itinerary

Don’t use AI to:

• Book accommodation or flights
• Plan travel logistics like transfers and ferry schedules
• Navigate special needs or real-time emergencies
• Compare the actual value of a deal, not just price
• Discover the off-the-radar experiences that make a trip unforgettable

The bottom line?

AI is useful for generating ideas, yes. It can introduce you to destinations you might never have thought of (hello, underrated Slovenia). But the moment you try to turn those ideas into real-world plans? You need an actual person, not 17 tabs’ worth of “maybe”.

There’s no substitute for local insight, human backup, and on-the-ground experience. Let AI help you brainstorm. Then run your shortlist by someone who’s been there, booked that – and still has the WhatsApp number of that hotel GM in Positano.

As Sue Garrett puts it: “AI is here to help, not replace. Use it to level up your trip but never forget the value of real-life expertise.”

Sure, business travel has its glossy moments: premium lounges, power suits, and sealing deals over cocktails in a city bar. But increasingly, it’s what happens to your suitcase that makes or breaks the trip. And right now, that humble piece of luggage has become ground zero for passenger frustration.

‘Luggage rage’, that volcanic moment when your bag fails to appear at the carousel, is driving measurable drops in airline satisfaction scores globally. Even when flights run smoothly, a delayed suitcase can torpedo an airline’s Net Promoter Score overnight. With global air traffic hitting a record 5.3 billion passengers in 2024, even a small percentage of mishaps translates to millions of frustrated travellers, and airlines are feeling the heat.”

Corporate Traveller’s business travel experts share their tips (and tales direct from the trenches).

1.Wayward luggage: the transfer trap

Transfers remain the riskiest point in the baggage journey. Whether it’s incorrect stickers or a simple loading failure, it’s never ideal to arrive at your destination without the bag you carefully packed.

Take Kamoelo Mosola, SDR Team Leader at Corporate Traveller South Africa, who flew to Bremen ready for a German winter. His suitcase, however, was rerouted to Miami. “My sensible wool trousers were apparently enjoying a spontaneous beach holiday while I froze my socks off,” he recalls. The bag turned up three days later, by which point the story had become funny (albeit inconvenient).

Or Nikyle Reddy, Corporate Traveller’s Business Development Manager, who discovered his bag had detoured to Turkey instead of Lisbon (thanks to a different sticker attached to the bag). The suave looks he’d packed for the welcoming yacht party? Less “James Bond” and more “Mr Bean” in a pair of borrowed slacks, but nothing a couple of Aperol Spritz couldn’t fix!

“Transfers are where most bags go astray,” says Herman Heunes, GM of Corporate Traveller South Africa. “We always advise travellers to remove old stickers, double-check tags and keep essentials in their carry-on, because even rare mishaps can throw off a business trip.”

According to SITA’s 2025 report, 46% of mishandled bags are delayed at transfer points. International travellers face eleven times the risk compared to domestic flights.

How to sidestep the transfer drama:

• Pack a spare set of basics in your hand luggage. Think: power suit in a pinch, plus mini toiletries to save the day.
• Double-check the sticker on your luggage at check-in. Make sure it matches your final destination.
• Allow extra buffer time for connections—you might sprint to your gate, but your luggage can’t.

2.Battered bags: when luggage takes a beating

Not all luggage disappears. Some make it to arrivals looking much worse for wear. Around 18% of mishandled bags are damaged, often thanks to conveyor belts, tight connections, or the sheer speed demanded of baggage handlers.

Corporate Traveller’s Multimedia Designer, Eulalia Richarte, still remembers retrieving her suitcase, patched together with duct tape. As she wheeled it forward, the seams gave way, spilling her belongings across the floor in front of customs while she still held on resolutely to the handle! “Nothing like having an audience while gathering up your socks,” she laughs.

Bag battles like these aren’t just embarrassing. They soak up productive hours, leave your team scrambling, and often end with an unplanned shopping trip.

Why bags take a beating:

• Peak travel seasons like summer and December holidays mean heavier loads on belts and trolleys.
• Pressure on handlers to work quickly increases the risk of damage.

Smart moves to avoid the chaos:

• Invest in high-quality luggage with a reputation for being robust. Many brands even guarantee repairs or replacements.
• Wrap bags before checking in. Most international airports offer this as a paid service, adding an extra layer of protection.

3.A case of mistaken identity

Sometimes a “delayed bag” isn’t lost at all. It’s simply that you’ve accidentally walked off with a stranger’s suitcase because it looked just like yours.

This happened to Regional Operations Manager Rategang Moroke, who thought she’d avoided baggage claim blues by buying a distinctive gold suitcase for her Mauritius trip, and yet still accidentally swapped suitcases with a stranger (with excellent taste).

“Even ‘unique’ bags get mixed up,” laughs Heunes. “We tell clients to always check the name tags, no matter how confident they are about their luggage choice.”

Funny in hindsight, yes. But lost and damaged luggage can create a real headache for business travellers. Time spent hunting for clothing, buying chargers or toiletries, and rescheduling plans, often while running on little sleep, adds up quickly.

“Business travel margins are tight,” observes Heunes. “A delayed bag doesn’t just inconvenience the traveller; it can derail entire project timelines and client relationships.”

Heunes’ essential survival guide:

• Take a photo of your bag before check-in. It makes it easy for staff to track down if it goes missing.
• Pick luggage that stands out without blending in. Bold tags or subtle custom touches work better than copycat neon.
• Keep documents and chargers in easy reach. If your bag goes missing, you’ll still have your lifeline.
• Double-check your name tags and boarding tape. Even “unique” bags get swapped.

The innovation race and policy revolution

The good news is that change is happening fast. The surge in personal tracking devices tells its own story: Apple AirTags, Samsung Galaxy SmartTags, and Tile trackers are becoming as essential as passports for nervous business travellers. Singapore’s Changi Airport now uses AI-powered systems that cut transfer mishandling by over 30%, while Delta credits RFID technology with a 25% drop in lost bags.

Meanwhile, regulatory winds are shifting. The EU’s decision to eliminate hand-luggage fees will force budget carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet to completely rethink their ancillary revenue models. Across the Atlantic, TSA’s hints about ending the 20-year-old liquids ban could make carry-on-only travel far more appealing – no more tiny shampoo bottles or ritual water dumping at security.

There’s even been a case of a passenger using an AirTag to track down stolen luggage and finding the thief wearing his clothes.

Interestingly, as global airline passenger volumes continue to soar, the overall mishandling rate is declining. SITA’s latest data shows it dropped to 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, meaning you have a 99.37% chance your bag will arrive safely.

“The industry is getting better, but business travellers can’t afford to be the unlucky 0.63%,” says Heunes. “Smart preparation and choosing the right partners makes all the difference.”

-ENDS-

MEDIA CONTACT

For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Herman Heunes, call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.   

About Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.

Issued by:

Big Ambitions

Sonnette Fourie

sonnette@bigambitions.co.za

+27 81 072 2869

JOHANNESBURG – Business travel is about more than just moving from point A to B – for women, it is pivotal for visibility, opportunity, and leadership development.

In today’s fast-paced business world, career advancement can often hinge on one essential factor: visibility. For women in corporate roles, gaining that visibility – especially with executive leadership, international clients, and strategic decision-makers – has historically been a challenge. But there’s one powerful, and often underappreciated, tool that is changing that: business travel.

Business travel is no longer just about attending meetings in a boardroom across the country or presenting at a global conference – it’s about being in the right place, at the right time, making things happen. And for ambitious, future-facing women, corporate travel can be a gateway to growth, leadership, and influence.

Mummy Mafojane, General Manager at FCM, is a big advocate of women using corporate travel to accelerate their careers. “Business trips put you in front of crucial people – whether it’s partnering with colleagues in other regions, seeing customers or networking with suppliers,” she says.

In the age of Zoom calls and online meetings, in-person experiences allow you to get to know people in their own environment and build deeper levels of trust. “Travel gives you a chance to live in their world for a bit, which isn’t always possible to do virtually,” says Mafojane. “It gives that personal touch, which is so important, especially in South Africa. We are a community – we learn and grow from each other.”

Mafojane acknowledges that there are extra challenges at play for women who travel for work. “People don’t ask men on business trips about who is looking after the family or the kids. It’s not always as easy as a woman to be able to drop everything.”

FCM is part of the Flight Centre Group South Africa – where an impressive 71% of senior leaders are women (compared to a global average of 34% when looking at senior management roles across mid-market, multi-national organisations). Mafojane credits this commitment to gender parity in the workplace to FCM’s culture of inclusion and diversity – and the fact that the company puts strategies in place to support and encourage women to take advantage of career-boosting travel opportunities.

“We always take into consideration safety, flexibility and optimal travelling times,” says Mafojane. “For example, booking the 7am flight might mean women need to leave their homes while it’s still dark. It’s not always safe for women travellers to have an early flight or get home late at night.”

Women are also more likely to juggle family commitments right up until the last minute, leaving them exhausted by the time they get onto the airplane. “As a mom, you already feel like you’re trying to manage everything at home. It’s only when you get to your destination that you think, ‘Ok, now I’m in work mode.’,” says Mafojane.

In addition, it’s important to plan for travel delays and interruptions. “I choose flights outside of the peak hours so there’s less traffic, meaning I can get to the airport later and spend more time at home,” says Mafojane. “I’d rather fly overnight than do a day flight because then I’ve gained a day in both directions.” says Mafojane. “I try to arrive on the Sunday morning and spend the day seeing the city so I’m fresh and ready for Monday. Factor in enough time so you’re not always rushing.”

When Mafojane gets to her destination, she always speaks to the locals to get first-hand information instead of trying to figure everything out by herself. “If you don’t ask, you don’t know,” she says. “When you land, ask the people at the airport where the train station is and how it works. Not only is it cost effective, but it also helps you be more aware of your surroundings.”

This collaborative attitude extends to her leadership style, and for Mafojane just one advantage of being a woman is we aren’t afraid to ask questions when we don’t know something: “I try to lead by asking questions rather than assuming,” says Mafojane. “If you ask people, you get the real information and you also make sure you’re not leading by assumption. Asking questions is a great way to make your way through the world.”

For Mafojane, it’s all about being ‘hard on the process, soft on the people’. She received this advice from FCM Business Leader Raylene Pienaar and it has informed the way she leads as well as the way she manages business travel within the company.

Being soft on people is often seen as a weakness for women. Their attitude is often misconstrued as ‘too emotional’, while men are simply seen as ‘passionate’. “The truth is we’re all very passionate about what we do but when you’re a woman it’s seen as a negative thing,” she says. “I hope we can change that.”

For decades, workplace biases and stereotypes assumed women were less likely – or willing – to accept roles involving travel. This assumption still quietly shapes who gets selected for client visits or multi-location projects.

But more women are realising that corporate travel is about more than just professional obligation – it’s an opportunity to reposition themselves as mobile, ambitious, and leadership ready.

“I hope in the next five years that women are taken more seriously. We have laid the foundation, we are showing the results,” says Mafojane. “It shouldn’t matter what gender you are. We should be judged on our skills, capabilities and what we deliver rather than what we wear.”

Mummy Mafojane’s Top 3 Travel Tips:

1. Own your travel experience: Figure out which travelling times work best for you and plan around that.  
2. Ask a local: When you land in a new city, don’t be afraid to speak to the locals and ask questions – this can only elevate your learnings and travel experiences.
3. Ditch perfect: There is no such thing as the ‘perfect’ way to travel (or do business) but there is the right way for you.

**ends**

For more information about FCM Travel, or to interview Mummy Mafojane, General Manager at FCM, call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.

About FCM Travel:

FCM Travel, the flagship corporate travel brand at Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is the business travel partner of choice for large national, multinational and global corporations. We are an award-winning global corporate travel management company ranking as one of the top five by size around the world. We operate a global network which spans more than 100 countries, employing over 6000 people.

FCM are transforming the business of travel through our empowered and accountable people who deliver 24/7 service and are available either online or offline. Leveraging FCM’s negotiating strength and supplier relationships in conjunction with our tailored business travel programs, our expertise delivers more for our clients where it matters most to them.

Visit us at www.fcmtravel.co.za

Issued by: Big Ambitions

Contact: Lori Cohen

Tel: +27 79 641 4965

Email: Lori@bigambitions.co.za

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JOHANNESBURG – 79% of business travellers admit to taking risks on work trips that they’d never consider at home, according to World Travel Protection’s annual business traveller sentiment survey.

Whether it’s ignoring local safety advice, riding scooters without helmets, or getting into cars with strangers, these choices both endanger individuals and quietly expand corporate exposure and liability in ways most companies haven’t fully reckoned with.

Risk profiles are changing fast, especially as younger employees enter the workforce with a higher appetite for adventure and digital trust in gig-economy services. Employers must confront an urgent reality: safeguarding travellers is now just as much about understanding and influencing the behaviour of their own people as it is about geopolitics or natural disasters. 

“Smart businesses are embedding duty of care into every stage of travel, from pre-trip education to real-time alerts, to keep their teams safe and their brands protected,” says Herman Heunes, GM of Corporate Traveller.

According to Heunes the question isn’t whether employee behaviour will shape your company’s travel risk; it’s how prepared you are to manage it.

Travellers behaving badly (and what it means for business)

Removed from daily routines and familiar environments, many travellers recalibrate their sense of caution. Psychological distance from home breeds a sense of anonymity, and cultural unfamiliarity adds another layer. What’s safe or legal in South Africa may be risky or prohibited elsewhere. In many cases, employees simply don’t know how local customs, laws, or health conditions differ until it’s too late.

The survey results demonstrate that younger employees are especially likely to take chances – those under 34 are almost four times more likely than their senior colleagues to ignore health precautions or safety advice. Furthermore, two in ten have admitted getting into cars with strangers while travelling for work. Even basic protocols like sharing one’s location or sticking to known routes are frequently overlooked.

These behaviours carry immediate consequences for companies:

• Increased exposure to medical emergencies, legal trouble, and reputational damage.
• Greater complexity when providing effective support if something goes wrong.
• Heightened duty of care obligations, especially as regulators tighten expectations around employer responsibility.

According to Heunes:

“The takeaway is that employee behaviour has become a major variable in corporate travel risk management – and companies overlooking this reality are placing both people and business operations in jeopardy.”

Rethinking duty of care for today’s traveller

Traditional travel risk management relied heavily on emergency support and reactive measures.

“That approach no longer holds up against the realities of modern business travel,” explains Heunes.

As employee behaviour becomes a primary source of exposure, leading companies are moving their focus towards prevention and empowerment.

“Pre-trip preparation now goes far beyond itinerary confirmations. Proactive education – built into booking workflows – gives travellers destination-specific insights, highlights local legal or cultural pitfalls, and flags activities that may require special insurance or approvals. For example, planning to ski or try water sports? Employees are briefed on required medical cover before they depart,” he adds.

Personalised risk assessments have also become standard practice. Travel managers evaluate not just where employees are going but who is travelling: their age group, health profile, past behaviours. They then tailor alerts and guidance accordingly.

On the ground, mobile platforms deliver live safety updates based on location and planned activities while making it easy for travellers to check in or seek help at any hour.

Ultimately, duty of care shouldn’t revolve around controlling employee choices. Rather, it should equip them to make safer decisions before risk becomes reality.

Building smarter guidelines for real-world risks

Today’s environment demands policies that reflect real traveller behaviour and adapt as situations evolve.

Forward-thinking organisations are creating dynamic frameworks that guide decision-making before and during a trip. Policies now include clear reminders about local laws, health risks, and employer expectations, delivered just when travellers need them most.

Clarity around escalation procedures is non-negotiable. If an employee loses a passport or faces a medical emergency after an accident abroad, they know exactly who to call and what support is available from day one of their journey.

“Importantly, policy updates aren’t set-and-forget,” says Heunes. “They need to be living documents informed by post-trip feedback and incident reports, ensuring continuous improvement as new risks emerge.”

The next frontier in travel risk

Employee behaviour is now at the heart of corporate travel risk. Every decision made on the road directly influences business continuity, brand reputation, and duty of care compliance.

Companies willing to confront this reality are already setting a new standard by embedding proactive education, personalising risk assessment, and updating policies to reflect today’s traveller mindset.

“Traveller behaviour will keep evolving; so too must your approach. We cannot prevent every risk. However, we can do everything in our power to prepare our people to manage risk – and unexpected or unpleasant events – more effectively,” Heunes says.

“Putting employee choices and behaviour at the core of travel risk management is what transforms unpredictable journeys into safe returns,” he concludes.

**ends**

For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Herman Heunes, call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.

About Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.

Issued by:

Big Ambitions

Lori Cohen

lori@bigambitions.co.za

Dubbed ‘soft travel’ in Hilton’s annual Trends Report, it’s driven by broader health and wellbeing trends prioritising mental health, self-care, reflection and authentic experiences.

In leisure travel, this means embracing simplicity and spontaneity, allowing yourself time to unwind and recharge. Rather than being driven by obligations or checklists, soft travel enables a trip to unfold, in the gentlest, slowest, most relaxed and enriching way possible.

But what does it mean for business travel? The idea of a ‘soft’ business trip may seem contradictory (and counterproductive) to business owners, but as Rategang Moroke, Operations Manager at Corporate Traveller South Africa points out, introducing elements of ‘soft travel’ into your 2025 business travel plans could actually enhance business outcomes – giving you an unexpected edge in the year ahead.

The ROI of slowing down

“Soft travel is positioned primarily as a wellness trend, and there’s no doubt that happy, well-rested travellers are more productive,” says Moroke. “But there’s more to it than that. For example, a business traveller with the time to immerse themselves in local culture might forge stronger client relationships than one rushing between meetings.”

For Moroke, the typical traits of soft travel can actually deliver real, strategic benefits for your business:

Reduced itinerary pressure: According to Moroke, rather than maximising every minute of a business trip by scheduling back-to-back meetings, building in deliberate downtime can lead to better decision-making and more successful negotiations.

“When we rush from meeting to meeting, we’re collecting information but not processing it,” says Moroke. “Those seemingly ’empty’ moments between engagements – an hour for coffee, a morning walk, even a quiet train journey – are often when our minds connect the dots and spark our best solutions. The most valuable insights often come during these breathing spaces, not in the boardroom.”

Immersion in local culture: Soft travel is all about embracing the experience, and giving executives the time to fully understand local markets and business customs can lead to stronger partnerships down the line.

Focus on wellness and self-care: Soft travel often incorporates wellness activities such as yoga, meditation and spa treatments. These activities are designed to reduce stress, improve physical health, and enhance mental clarity and emotional calm – all integral to performing at your best.

Eco-conscious and responsible practices: Committing to a healthier lifestyle goes hand-in-hand with soft travel, for example, embracing a slower pace, choosing local, seasonal produce, supporting local economies, and minimising one’s impact on the destination’s environment—all the better if this support’s your business’s values and ethos as it can help build a strong, responsible company culture!

Inclusivity and accessibility: At its core, soft travel provides an easy, stress-free travel experience. This is important for both neurodiverse staff and team members with disabilities as it involves creating travel experiences that are accessible and comfortable for everyone, regardless of their needs or abilities.

Measuring the success of ‘softer’ trips

Before dismissing the idea of soft business travel, Moroke says teams may need to take a closer look at how they measure the success of a trip, for  example:

• Moving from “number of contacts made” to measuring the depth and longevity of relationships.
• Tracking repeat business and referrals that stem from those deeper business relationships.
• Measuring the quality of local market intelligence gathered during ‘slower’ trips.
• Assessing deal success rates when comparing itineraries with back-to-back appointments vs. those with intentionally paced meetings.
• Measuring the quality of decisions and insights that emerge during trips with more unstructured time.
• Assessing employee wellbeing (including stress levels and talent retention) when comparing traditional and soft travel approaches.

Tips for a ‘softer’ business trip

Importantly, Moroke says stressful, high-pressure trips just need a few ‘soft’ tweaks to deliver big results:

Choose your accommodation well: Chat with your travel manager or travel management company (TMC) about hotels with a soft touch. Spas, swimming pools and sleep menus all make a big difference – added bonus if the accommodation can offer excursions and tours to maximise downtime!

Create moments of calm in transit: Nothing adds to the stress of a trip like running through an airport to make your connection. Ensure you have enough ‘buffer’ time in your journey to catch your breath and avoid issues.

Build in deliberate downtime: Ask your TMC to negotiate early check-in or late check-out, add in a day or two of leisure time, or make sure you have a solid block of downtime between meetings – it can improve decision-making, information retention and problem-solving!

Make the entire booking process as seamless and easy as possible: Clunky booking platforms can get a trip off to a stressful start. Make sure your booking process is quick and easy, and that flexibility and spontaneity are possible (in other words, travel changes do not become laborious or costly).    

Ensure travellers feel relaxed and in control: Ultimately, travellers want things to be as simple as possible. Apps and travel wallets can put all the necessary information at their fingertips – while after-hours travel support offers peace of mind in an emergency.

“Our research shows that a third of the decision makers expect the amount of travel to increase in the next year,” says Moroke. “It’s important to manage the demands of business travel, especially when it comes to protecting the health and mental wellbeing of your team. Happily, soft travel can bring surprising rewards.”

**ends**

For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Bonnie Smith, call Lori Cohen on 079 641 4965 or email lori@bigambitions.co.za.

About Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.

Issued by:

Big Ambitions

Lori Cohen

lori@bigambitions.co.za

“Travel managers are at the centre of these shifts,” says Rategang Moroke, Operations Manager at Corporate Traveller. “The requests they receive hold valuable insights into how business travel is evolving and where programmes and policies need to adapt. These aren’t just one-off asks – they’re signals about what really matters to travellers.” 

So, what were people asking for in 2024? We polled travel managers to find out. From health-focused asks to hyper-specific preferences, their stories highlight the trends shaping business travel today – and what companies can learn from them. 

The Rise of Wellness Requests 

One traveller called their travel manager with an unusual request: a scale in their hotel room. It wasn’t for luggage. It was to track their weight as part of their fitness programme. This traveller wasn’t an outlier. More and more people are trying to stick to personal health goals while travelling for work, whether that’s through gym access, healthier dining options, or simply maintaining balance. 

What this tells us about travellers: Wellness matters. Travellers don’t want to leave their routines at home, and they expect business travel to accommodate their health as part of the experience. 

How to adapt your travel policy: Personal goals are becoming a normal part of business travel. Moroke suggests integrating wellness-friendly options into travel programmes. “Choose hotels with gyms or health amenities, and offer meal stipends that allow for healthier dining options. These details matter to your travellers.” 

Personal Preferences Shape the Experience 

Not all upgrades are welcome. One traveller declined a two-bedroom suite, saying it felt unnecessarily large for their solo trip. Another took extra steps to flag their airline meal requirements, saying they needed vegetarian food with no eggs or fish. What might seem overly specific is actually becoming more common. Travellers want their preferences to be understood, not as luxuries but as essentials for feeling comfortable and focused during their trips. 

What this tells us about travellers: Preferences, no matter how small, make a big difference in how supported travellers feel. The right meals, the right rooms, even the right itinerary structure – these details help build trust and reduce friction on the road. 

How to adapt your travel policy: Take personalisation seriously by building smarter traveller profiles. “Track preferences like room sizes, dietary needs, and seating arrangements,” advises Moroke. “And update profiles regularly to make sure your programme stays relevant to each person.” 

Clarity Matters, Even for Seasoned Travellers 

Even experienced travellers can feel overwhelmed. One asked their travel manager if their 10:00 pm flight time out of São Paulo was already “converted” into the destination time zone. Another drove to the wrong London airport before frantically asking if the pilot could wait. They’re examples of how travel stress or tight schedules can lead to logistical confusion, no matter how seasoned the traveller is. 

What this tells us about travellers: Schedules are overwhelming, and small details – like flight times, terminal locations, or airport choices – add unnecessary stress if they aren’t made clear in advance. 

How to adapt your travel policy: Clear communication solves most logistical frustrations. “Automate reminders,” says Moroke. “Think airport terminals, updated flight times, or even step-by-step directions for unfamiliar locations. Make life easier for your business travellers by reducing the need for constant clarifications.” 

Reassurance Is as Important as Resolution 

One traveller in London found themselves too overwhelmed to call their hotel’s front desk for luggage assistance. Instead, they phoned their travel manager in South Africa to help. On the surface, the request seems like overkill, but it highlights something all travellers face: stress.

What this tells us about travellers: It’s not just the big problems travellers want help with. Even small tasks can feel monumental when you’re tired, working late, or far from home. Knowing someone is there to help is invaluable.  How to adapt your travel policy: Moroke champions human-first support. “Technology can handle bookings and reminders, but sometimes travellers need reassurance. Make sure your programme gives travellers access to real, empathetic assistance when they need it.” 

The Passport Check

Remember that feeling when you can’t find your phone? Now imagine that times ten at the check-in counter when your passport isn’t quite right. Before 2025’s deals start rolling in, take a quick peek and confirm:

• Expiry date (needs six moinths after your return)
• Two clear pages for stamps

Found yourself in the danger zone? Here’s a silver lining: You can now skip those legendary Home Affairs queues. Instead, pop into select branches of Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Discovery Bank, or Standard Bank – they’re doubling their service points.

“When a passport issue grounds a business traveller, it’s not just about a cancelled flight –   it’s about missed opportunities, lost deals, and significant costs to the company,” says Rategang Moroke, Operations Manager at Corporate Traveller. “That’s precisely why we’ve made passport monitoring a key part of our service. While our clients focus on their business goals, we keep an eye on these crucial details, ensuring their travel plans stay on track.”

Loyalty Programme Sign-Ups

Those loyalty programmes you keep meaning to sign up for? They’re your ticket to smoother, more rewarding business travel in 2025.

Think beyond just collecting points. Your airline membership could mean breezing through priority check-in while others queue. Hotel status might land you that coveted late check-out after a morning meeting runs overtime. Car rental programmes can have your vehicle waiting while others are still filling out forms.

Moroke’s tip?  “Make sure your loyalty programme numbers are loaded into your travel profile with your travel advisor or manager. You don’t want to see missed perks because membership numbers weren’t linked to your bookings. A quick profile update means every 2025 trip automatically works harder for you.”

Learn the Local Lingo

Regular trips to Lagos or Luanda on your 2025 calendar? While English might be the language of business, a few local phrases can transform a transaction into a relationship. You don’t need to become fluent – just familiar enough to show respect and build connections.

Modern language learning fits neatly into business life. Apps like Duolingo turn your morning coffee queue into a quick lesson, while Babbel specialises in business-relevant conversations. Focus on the essentials: greetings, thank yous, basic numbers, and those all-important phrases like “Where is the meeting room?” or “Could you recommend a restaurant?” And don’t forget to download Google Translate’s offline language packs – its camera translation feature can be a lifesaver when faced with unfamiliar menus or street signs.

Invest in Noise-Cancelling Headphones

If there’s one thing to add to your festive wish list this year, make it a pair of quality noise-cancelling headphones.

Think about it: the crying baby three rows back on your red-eye to Dubai, the construction outside your hotel window in Mumbai, or that enthusiastic sales team having their meeting right next to your workspace in the airport lounge. Business travel comes with its own soundtrack, and it’s rarely conducive to clear thinking or rest.

“The rise in noise-related travel stress is significant,” says Moroke. “We’re seeing more clients specifically requesting quiet rooms in hotels and seats away from high-traffic areas on planes. While we can help manage these preferences in your travel profile, noise-cancelling headphones give you control over your sound environment anywhere.”

Strategic Meeting Planning

Want to turn a Durban deal into a long weekend at the beach? 2025’s calendar offers some clever opportunities to blend business with leisure – if you plan strategically.

Mark these dates in your calendar:

• March 21 (Human Rights Day) creates a perfect long weekend. Schedule your Cape Town meetings for Thursday, and you’ve got a three-day coastal escape.
• April’s double holiday bonus (18th and 21st) means scheduling your Johannesburg meetings for the 17th could give you a five-day break – perfect for that Kruger safari you’ve been dreaming about.

“We’re seeing more clients maximising their business travel through strategic scheduling,” says Moroke. “Our team can help structure your business travel around these dates, often securing better rates for the leisure portion. We’ll ensure your travel insurance covers both segments while maintaining clear separation between corporate and personal expenses.”

**ends**

For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Bonnie Smith, call Lori Cohen on 079 641 4965 or email dorine@bigambitions.co.za.

About Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.

Issued by:

Big Ambitions

Lori Cohen

lori@bigambitions.co.za