JOHANNESBURG – For years, one question drove most business travel decisions: Can we afford it? But as ways of working have changed, so have our answers.
Today, conversations around travel are shifting. Cost still matters, of course – but it’s no longer the only lens companies are using to decide whether a trip should happen. Wellbeing, sustainability, and strategic focus are now just as important, and they’re reshaping what business travel looks like.
“Companies are starting to ask better questions,” says Mummy Mafojane, GM of FCM South Africa. “It’s no longer just: ‘How much will it cost?’ It’s also: ‘What will we get out of it? How does this affect our people? Is it worth the environmental impact?’”
This new focus isn’t about travelling less for the sake of it – it’s about travelling better. And if your organisation hasn’t updated its thinking in a while, now might be the time, says Mafojane.
Here’s what that shift looks like in practice.
Moving from “Possible Revenue” to “What Really Needs to Be In-Person”
Not long ago, the assumption was simple: if there’s an opportunity on the table, someone should get on a plane.
But with virtual collaboration now second nature, a more thoughtful mindset is emerging. In-person meetings are increasingly reserved for moments that benefit from a handshake – rather than defaulting to one for every call.
“We’re seeing teams pause and ask: is this something that truly requires presence?” says Mafojane. “When a conversation is complex or culturally sensitive, being there matters. But status updates or early-stage chats can often be done just as effectively online.”
That shift doesn’t mean companies are saying no to travel – it means they’re choosing their moments more carefully.
Sustainability Is No Longer Optional
Business travel’s environmental footprint is moving out from the fine print and into the spotlight. Many companies are now tracking emissions and actively working to reduce their carbon output – and travel makes up a significant slice.
“We’re seeing organisations treat carbon a bit like a budget – it’s a limited resource,” Mafojane explains. “So the question becomes: is this trip worth what it’ll cost, not just financially, but climate-wise?”
That’s changing how itineraries are built. Instead of flying halfway around the world for a one-hour meeting, people are bundling trips and flying direct over multi-stop. Some firms are working with their travel management companies (TMCS) to understand the environmental impact of travel, helping travellers make informed choices before they click “confirm.”
Strategy Beats Leftover Budgets
In the past, teams often used what was left in their travel budget near the end of the quarter, sometimes without thinking too hard about whether a trip was truly valuable. That philosophy is on its way out.
“Today, many of our clients are looking at travel through the lens of business priorities,” Mafojane says. “Trips don’t just need approval – they need a purpose.”
That might mean linking every travel request to a commercial objective like market growth or a product rollout. Or ‘tagging’ trips according to the company’s strategic focus areas. If a trip doesn’t line up with one of those pillars? It might not go ahead.
Aligning travel with bigger-picture outcomes isn’t just good stewardship – it makes sure people are spending time (and money) where it’s most likely to move the business forward.
Quality Over Quantity When It Comes to Relationships
Travel has long been seen as the foundation of relationship-building – and that part hasn’t changed. What has changed is how we think about the best way to show up.
Many teams are focusing more on the moments that matter most: the first time you meet a client in person, when you need to navigate a tough conversation, or when trust needs to be built quickly.
“There’s no replacement for showing up when it counts,” says Mafojane. “But that doesn’t mean you need to be in front of someone every few weeks to maintain a good relationship.” Clients and partners are increasingly comfortable managing routine interactions online. What they value is relevance and thoughtfulness – whether it’s face-to-face or virtual.
Wellbeing Is Part of the Business Equation
One of the clearest takeaways from the past few years? Burnout is real – and constant travel doesn’t help.
Where some companies used to expect business travellers to bounce from city to city with no downtime, many are starting to rethink how sustainable that really is. And that’s not just about being nice – it’s about maintaining performance.
“The companies getting it right are putting their people at the centre of travel policy,” Mafojane explains. “That could mean allowing more rest time after long flights, limiting back-to-back trips, or simply checking in to see what’s manageable.”
It’s not about reducing productivity – it’s about setting people up to do their best work. Because when travel is well-managed, it energises people. When it’s not, it drains them. That has ripple effects on morale, turnover, and business results.
A More Intentional Way Forward
None of these changes mean the end of travel. Far from it. But they do mark the end of business as usual. The mindset is reshaping policies and tools and influencing how teams think about opportunity. It no longer matters who asks first or who always used to travel – it matters who needs to be there, why and what success looks like when they return.
Mafojane concludes: “So instead of asking, ‘Can we afford it?’, the better question might be: Does this trip help us do something we couldn’t do any other way? That’s the kind of thinking that will define the next chapter of business mobility.”
**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
Issued by: Big Ambitions
Contact: Lori Cohen
Tel: +27 79 641 4965
Email: Lori@bigambitions.co.za
