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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Tana Oy convened its annual Tana Dealer Meeting 2026 in Hämeenlinna, Finland, drawing distributors from 19 countries for three days of presentations, shared experiences and discussions. Attendees contributed perspectives and insights from markets worldwide, making the gathering a truly global exchange of knowledge and ideas.

The event took place at the historic Vanajanlinna, whose distinctive atmosphere provided an ideal setting for face-to-face meetings, idea exchange and informal interaction. Tana Oy’s 55th anniversary added a special dimension to the occasion. Under the theme ‘No time to waste – From ambition to results’, participants concentrated on sharing knowledge, converting ideas into concrete action, and advancing together.

The main meeting day featured presentations spanning Tana’s operations, with the agenda covering strategy, products, services, spare parts and market development. Beyond formal presentations, distributors contributed valuable field knowledge. Real customer cases and requests were examined collectively, with distributors sharing expertise from their respective markets and introducing fresh perspectives to the discussion.

The final day shifted focus from presentations to hands-on demonstrations. A live demo of the TANA MWB, the newest addition to the shredder family, showcased its capabilities under real operating conditions. Attendees then travelled to Toijala Works for the RD Factory Circuit, where Service and R&D teams guided dealers through stations introducing new features, options and technical developments. The sessions were led by the people who developed these solutions, giving distributors opportunities to ask questions, provide feedback and discuss matters directly with the experts.

A highlight of the meeting was the Dealer of the Year Awards, which recognise distributor achievements and dedication worldwide. Four winners were celebrated. Máquina Solo of Brazil received Dealer of the Year 2025 for opening a new landfill compactor market during a challenging economic year while achieving full participation in all 2025 tenders. Tana Italia s.r.l. earned Excellence in Marketing and Promoting Tana 2025 for consistently innovative exhibition concepts and marketing ideas. Smart Equipment B.V. received Excellence in Service for its skilled, dependable, and positive approach. Earthmoving Solution Limited was named Newcomer 2025 for remarkable landfill compactor sales growth in Bangladesh within a short period.

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Triangle Tyre has secured the EcoVadis Gold Rating once more, posting an overall score of 85 that places it within the top 5 percent of assessed companies globally. The company had initially received the Gold Rating in 2025 during its first participation in the assessment, making history as the first Chinese tyre manufacturer to attain that distinction. This repeat recognition cements Triangle Tyre’s standing as a frontrunner in sustainable development within China’s tyre sector.

The EcoVadis platform stands among the most widely acknowledged corporate sustainability assessment systems worldwide, with results frequently guiding multinational corporations in supplier selection. Its evaluations span over 180 countries and more than 150,000 companies. The methodology examines four dimensions: environmental performance, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. A gold rating signals globally leading sustainability performance among assessed firms.

Triangle Tyre’s environmental efforts centre on expanding its green manufacturing framework through its national-level green factory platform. The company has adopted low-carbon processes including intelligent vulcanisation, accelerated low rolling resistance tire development and increased use of recycled and bio-based materials to reduce lifecycle environmental impact. A digital energy management platform supports ongoing energy conservation and carbon reduction, efforts that earned recognition as an Energy Efficiency Leader in key industries from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Regarding labour and human rights, the company’s Caring for People culture protects employee rights through diversified development and care mechanisms, occupational health and safety systems and closed-loop hazard management. Comprehensive training and career pathways support employee growth, yielding consecutive Top Employer honours. On ethics, all employees receive business ethics and anti-corruption training, with ISO 37001 certification across the company and subsidiaries, a Business Conduct Supervision Committee, confidential reporting channels and regular compliance programs. Sustainable procurement involves strengthening upstream raw material management, advancing natural rubber traceability and conducting supply chain ESG assessments.

As a UN Global Compact member with two consecutive sustainability reports, the renewed Gold Rating validates Triangle Tyre’s achievements and bolsters international credibility for overseas expansion and green trade barrier navigation.

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Hankook Tire wrapped up its showing at IAA Transportation 2026, the commercial vehicle industry’s largest global expo, held in Hannover, Germany, from 15 to 20 September. The company used the event to introduce three new tyres.

The debut lineup included the Smart Control AW53 and DW53 winter tyres, plus the Smart Flex TH51 trailer tyre for regional and long-haul use. All three rely on SMARTEC, Hankook’s advanced truck and bus radial technology system, which targets safety, mileage, chip and cut resistance, retreadability and braking.

The AW53 and DW53 are built for steer and drive axles respectively, delivering grip and braking on snow and ice. Testing at Hankook’s Ivalo proving ground in Finland showed gains in snow braking, acceleration and handling over the prior generation. Hidden Groove technology sustains performance as tread wears and extends tire life by as much as 15 percent.

The TH51 pursues high mileage and low rolling resistance, with zigzag grooves and drainage channels for water evacuation. Its Hidden Groove design, made possible by 3D-printed tread moulds, preserves grip to the end of service. Hankook also displayed Smart Line, e-SMART City, the Laufenn LF95+, Alphatread and Smart Fleet while continuing its presence at European events such as the Road Transport Expo, Transport Logistic and The Tire Cologne.

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Continental has expanded its fifth-generation Conti Eco range for freight transport with the Conti Eco HT 5, a trailer tyre that joins the Conti Eco HS 5 steer and Conti Eco HD 5 drive products. The trio forms a coordinated package aimed at cutting operating costs, sustaining high mileage and lowering rolling resistance to support better fuel economy. Although trailer axles are not driven, their tyres still shape how efficiently a rig moves. By targeting that axle, Continental extends the Generation 5 advantages across the full vehicle combination for regional and long-haul duty. Less resistance at the trailer can translate into reduced fuel burn and, in turn, lower operational CO₂ output.

Because a trailer rolls on several tyres that never leave the road, those tyres directly affect stability, efficiency and day-to-day performance. In some configurations, they generate as much as half of a truck-trailer combination's total rolling resistance. Continental engineered the Conti Eco HT 5 to reconcile low rolling resistance with long tread life, encouraging uniform wear and dependable traction in a broad range of conditions. Optimised materials, a fresh sidewall design and advanced filler compounds underpin the tyre's fuel-saving characteristics.

Mileage and durability come from a new tread compound paired with a refined curing method, while a redesigned five-rib tread layout supports even wear, steady handling and consistent behaviour across shifting weather and road surfaces on both regional and long-distance routes. Tested against the Conti Hybrid HT3+, the Conti Eco HT 5 posted rolling resistance reductions of as much as 12 percent under specified conditions, offering fleets a path to lower fuel use, diminished CO₂ emissions and reduced tyre-related costs.

The Generation 5 Conti Eco portfolio sits within Continental's broader strategy of helping customers boost transport efficiency through technological innovation and tuned tyre performance. Uniting low rolling resistance, high mileage and long service life at every axle position, the range addresses industry pressures such as climbing fuel prices and stricter efficiency and emissions expectations. The Conti Eco HT 5 reaches the market in September 2026 in two sizes, 385/65 R 22.5 and 385/55 R 22.5.

Hinnerk Kaiser, responsible for the development of truck and bus tyres in the EMEA region at Continental, said, “Every tyre contributes to the efficiency and operating costs of a truck and trailer combination. While attention often focuses on the steer and drive axles, trailer tyres also play an important role in rolling resistance and fuel consumption. With the Conti Eco HT 5, we are extending the benefits of our fifth-generation Conti Eco portfolio to the trailer axle and helping fleets improve the efficiency of their transport operations. For the Conti Eco HT 5, our focus was on improving efficiency while maintaining durability. The combination of low rolling resistance, long service life and balanced wear characteristics can help fleets reduce tyre-related operating costs while maintaining reliable performance in demanding transport operations.”

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