Business travel represents a substantial force in the global economy. Just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it contributed to more than USD 1.2 trillion, about 25 percent of the travel and tourism sector’s overall economic impact, to the global GDP. Businesses had resumed spending on travel after substantial declines in 2008 and 2009.

A research by Global Business Travel Association Foundation had found that for every one percent change in business travel spending, the US economy typically gains or loses 74,000 jobs, USD 5.5 billion in GDP, USD 3.3 billion in wages and USD 1.3 billion in taxes. The report also stated that personal vehicle (35 percent) was the most popular mode of transportation among US business travellers in 2016, followed by airplane (28 percent) and rental cars (13 percent).

Internal travel encompasses trips taken for intracompany purposes, where employees participate in activities such as training, team building or inspection of field operations. External travel, on the other hand, refers to travel done by employees for engagements outside the company, including in-person meetings with clients and suppliers, trade conferences and customer sales calls.

"Obstacles to business travel, such as cumbersome visa protocols and long flight connections, constrain access to knowhow and limit growth opportunities, especially in developing countries," said Frank Neffke, research director at Harvard Kennedy School’s Growth Lab.

Benefits Of Business Travel

In the past, companies have experienced that, on average, 40 percent of customers would eventually be lost without in-person meetings and support.

Detailed statistical modelling over 18 years and 14 industries indicates that for every dollar invested in business travel, US companies make a USD 9.50 return in terms of revenue. The modelling also found that US business travel has yielded USD 2.90 in profits for every dollar spent.

There is a small segment of employees for whom travel is deemed essential for conducting business. This category accounted for around 15 percent of all corporate travel expenses in 2019 and includes decision makers in manufacturing companies with a wide distribution of factories and plants, and field-operation workers. For some corporate travellers, it is possible to move oversight responsibility to local personnel and/or utilise digital medium. This segment will see their business travel decline. A large segment of business travel is done to cultivate new or important client relationships. This segment will bounce back as soon as Covid-related restrictions are lifted.

A tiny portion of business travel comes from the public sector, professional associations and nonprofits. During the pandemic, many professional associations were able to hold virtual events to replace in-person conferences and will likely be more cautious in their return to travel.

Business Travel Catches The Virus!

Business travel has taken a big hit during the Covid-19 pandemic and its future is still up-in-the-air, waiting for the end of the pandemic and firming up the ‘New Normal’. In 2020, total global business travel expenses contracted by 52 percent, while managed corporate-travel spending in the United States alone plummeted by USD 94 billion (71 percent).

The World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest annual research shows that the global travel and tourism sector suffered a loss of almost USD 4.5 trillion to reach USD 4.7 trillion in 2020, with its contribution to GDP dropping by a staggering 49.1 percent compared to 2019. In 2020, sixty-two million jobs were lost, representing a drop of 18.5 percent, leaving just 272 million employed across this sector globally, compared to 334 million in 2019. The threat of job losses persists as many jobs are currently supported by government retention schemes and reduced hours, which could be lost without a full recovery of the travel and tourism sector.

Some business travellers expect to take at least as many business trips in 2022 as they had in the year before the Covid-19 pandemic was declared. While teleconferencing will reduce the need for some business travel, many survey respondents cited the need to meet in-person to rekindle relationships with customers, suppliers and business partners. Another frequent reason cited for the need to travel for business was a job change.

The countries most eager to travel for business once Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted seem to be China, US and Australia. Of course, the potential increase in Covid cases from the Delta and future variants of the virus may still cause further backsliding on rising confidence levels for resumption of business travel. (TT)

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Goodyear highlighted progress at its Amiens tyre plant modernisation during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron. The facility, which first opened in 1958, is undergoing a major transformation launched in 2022 and supported by the French government’s France 2030 programme. This investment aims to strengthen the site’s long-term competitiveness and future readiness.

Nearly 800 employees work at the Amiens plant, producing consumer tyres for global original equipment and replacement markets. Beyond technology, the overhaul emphasises workforce development through expanded training, upskilling programmes and active recruitment for roles ranging from operators to engineers. These efforts are designed to align the site’s evolution with new technologies while preparing a skilled workforce for the future.

Mark Stewart, Chief Executive Officer and President, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, said, “We’re proud to welcome President Macron to Amiens and show the progress our team has made. Over the past several years, we’ve reshaped this plant – bringing in more advanced technologies, increasing automation and digital solutions to shift its production towards premium, higher-value tyres. This modernisation is about our people and the future of the Amiens facility. Together with the French government, we’ve strengthened this site and built on Goodyear’s longstanding presence in France, reinforcing our commitment to manufacturing and jobs here.”

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The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) has recognised outstanding individuals and organisations for their leadership and contributions to the tyre and rubber industry, including end-of-life tyre management and broader sustainability efforts. The awards were presented on 4 June 2026, following the association’s annual general meeting at the Alt Hotel Toronto Airport in Mississauga.

The 2026 Industry Leadership Awards honoured achievements in three categories: Lifetime Achievement, Sustainability and Young Leader. The ceremony highlighted a range of innovations, from circular economy advancements to operational excellence and community-focused initiatives.

Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award was Emmie Leung of Emterra Group. Over five decades, she grew a single-person start-up into one of Canada’s largest integrated resource management companies. In 2005, she founded Emterra Tire Recycling, which became a leading supplier of crumb rubber and recycled tyre materials, significantly advancing responsible tyre management nationwide. Beyond business growth, she introduced a formal diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and the Community Care programme, supporting charitable partnerships and environmental awareness.

In the Sustainability category, TRAC recognised three recipients. Dr Marcela Castano of Bridgestone led the implementation of ISCC Plus certification across 15 manufacturing facilities, integrating certified mass balance into operations and strengthening market confidence in sustainable materials. Reliable Tire Recycling was honoured for transforming end-of-life tyres into valuable products through proprietary machinery and research partnerships with the University of Manitoba, focusing on energy efficiency and waste reduction. Muhammad Shah of eTracks Tire Management Systems was recognised for his collaborative, solutions-focused work supporting service providers and ensuring responsible recovery streams across Ontario.

The Young Leader award went to three professionals. Paul-André Gaudreault, plant manager at AirBoss of America, oversees complex rubber production processes and has strengthened operational consistency since joining the company in 2013. Paresh Kulkarni of Kal Tire manages Canada’s only commercial rubber devulcanisation line, helping scale operations across North America, Latin America and Europe. Tyler Scott of Nokian Tyres has built a 26-year career spanning sales, technical service and training, managing national accounts and securing early EV OEM fitments while earning an MBA.

All recipients demonstrated measurable impact in advancing circular economy principles, operational innovation or industry leadership. Their work continues to strengthen environmental outcomes and economic resilience within Canada’s tyre and rubber sector.

The annual awards underscore TRAC’s commitment to celebrating leadership that drives sustainable change. The association noted that the honourees reflect the growing importance of cross-sector collaboration in building a more circular tyre industry.

Carol Hochu, President and CEO, Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, said, “This year’s award recipients represent the strength and diversity of our industry. Across different roles and areas of expertise, they have demonstrated leadership, innovation and a strong commitment to advancing the sector. Their contributions are helping address complex challenges and support the long-term sustainability of our industry. Recipients are recognised across three categories: Lifetime Achievement, Sustainability and Young Leader.”

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Dunlop Motorcycle Europe has emerged as the dominant force at the 2026 Isle of Man TT, securing more race victories and podium finishes than any other tyre manufacturer despite a weather-disrupted schedule that reduced the event to only five races. Riders using Dunlop tyres claimed three wins and nine podium appearances around the legendary Mountain Course.

Performance across the Supersport and Sportbike classes proved particularly strong, complemented by competitive pace in the Superbike races. The achievements highlighted the versatility and reliability of the latest generation of Dunlop KR slick racing tyres. Dunlop supported over 15 riders during the two-week event, offering multiple specifications of KR108, KR108+ and KR109+ tyres. A dedicated team of trackside support engineers provided ongoing advice on tyre selection for the challenging and ever-changing weather conditions.

The Isle of Man TT, which takes place on a 37.73-mile (approximately 60.72 km) public road circuit featuring narrow lanes and mountain passes, saw temperatures shift from warm sunshine during practice to cold, damp conditions on race days. Following his fourth-place finish in the Sportbike race, lap record holder Peter Hickman described it as the wettest he had ever experienced on the course. That changeable weather underscored the KR tyres’ adaptability, delivering both immediate pace and multi-lap durability.

Michael Dunlop extended his historic TT record by winning both Supersport races and the Sportbike race, while other Dunlop-supported riders consistently ran at the front. Peter Hickman recorded top-four finishes in every race, and both Josh Brookes and Ian Hutchinson placed inside the top five. Across all five races, Dunlop riders occupied 9 of 15 podium positions and 14 of 25 top-five spots. This success follows previous race wins at the North West 200 in May, with Dunlop KR tyres also recently in action at the FIM Endurance World Championship’s 8 Hours of Spa and the Dunlop Campionato Italiano Velocità event at Imola.

Wim Van Achter, Motorsport Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “The Isle of Man TT is an event like no other, and rider confidence in tyres is crucial when facing a track like this at an average speed of 135 mph. To finish the week with more race wins and podium finishes than any other tyre manufacturer is a fantastic result and a testament to the performance and consistency of our latest generation Dunlop KR racing slicks. Michael Dunlop’s three wins were a highlight, but we’re equally proud to have supported so many riders running at the front throughout the event. Feedback from teams throughout the paddock was extremely positive, reinforcing the strength of a tyre range that continues to win in road and circuit racing across Europe.”

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Michelin North America has announced the commercial expansion of its Michelin X Line Grip D commercial truck drive tyre lineup. Building on its 2025 market debut, the new range aims to meet fleet demand across long-haul and regional applications by introducing expanded new-tyre sizing alongside a matching pre-mould retread solution.

The backbone of the X Line Grip D ecosystem is the proprietary Michelin DURACORE casing, engineered specifically to withstand punishing commercial life cycles and maximise casing retreadability. It comes with up to 1.6 million kilometres casing life or up to 4 retread cycles.

By extending the structural life of the initial casing across multiple retread generations, the design aims to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) for commercial transport operations and minimise fleet tyre expenditures.

The new Michelin X Line Grip D pre-mould retread is manufactured using the exact compound chemistry and directional tread geometry found in the original, new tyre. This design replication ensures that secondary and tertiary life-cycle deployments maintain identical traction parameters and wear performance as the original tyre asset.

The tyre family features an advanced, directional chevron tread pattern paired with specialised rubber compounding to optimise heavy-duty rolling metrics. It is claimed to offer around 20 percent increase in total mileage when compared directly against the previous industry-standard Michelin XDN2 tyre. Engineered to register the lowest rolling resistance metrics when tested against leading tier-one competitor drive tyres. Lastly, it provides enhanced wet starting traction over major competitor products, maintaining its gripping performance whether the tread block is brand new or deeply worn down.

The expanded Michelin X Line Grip D tyre dimensions and the matching pre-mould retread lines are immediately available for order through authorised Michelin Commercial Service Centres and dealer networks across North America.

Yahn Heurlin, Vice-President – B2B Marketing, Michelin North America, Inc, said, “The expansion of the Michelin X Line Grip D lineup reflects our commitment to delivering unmatched performance across every mile of the tyre’s life. Fleets have validated the performance of the Michelin X Line Grip D tyre in real-world conditions, and now we are expanding that same trusted performance through an additional size offering and a retread solution engineered to deliver the same performance as the new tyre.”

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