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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Michelin unveiled the MICHELIN X Multi T2 at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, presenting the trailer tyre in the widely used UK and Ireland size of 385/65 R22.5. Designed for regional and mixed transport operations, the tyre is engineered to manage heavy loads, resist lateral forces during manoeuvring and remain dependable across fluctuating operating conditions.

Compared with its predecessor, the X Multi T2 delivers as much as 15 percent greater mileage and up to 6 percent reduced rolling resistance. Its development centres on carcass stability and robustness, making it suited to demanding trailer duties spanning general cargo, containers, refrigerated goods, tankers and bulk haulage, along with car, specialised and heavy-haul transport. Such operations frequently involve peak loads, tight manoeuvring and inconsistent road surfaces, all of which affect tyre life, so a durable carcass and damage-resistant tread directly support cost-effectiveness.

Four principal innovations underpin the tyre. REGENION technology continuously forms new grooves as the tread wears, preserving grip and mobility throughout service life. The CARBION compound enhances mileage, rolling resistance and wear resistance. Within the structure, OPTICOIL is a weight-saving bead architecture, while DURACOIL strengthens the tyre-to-rim bond for greater stability. Michelin also employs POWERCOIL, a newer generation of lighter, longer-lasting steel cables.

As a multi-life product, the X Multi T2 can be regrooved and retreaded for notable total cost of ownership (TCO) savings. Regrooving takes place once tread depth reaches 3–4 mm, extending casing life in its most fuel-efficient state. Worn regrooved tyres can then be retreaded as Michelin Remix tyres at the company's Stoke factory, a process adding roughly 20 kg of raw materials versus about 70 kg for a new tyre. Retreads follow the local-to-local principle, being used exclusively within UK and Ireland, supporting skilled domestic jobs and avoiding export-related environmental impact. The tyre carries rolling resistance class B, wet grip class C and external noise class A under EU labelling, plus 3PMSF and M+S winter markings.

Andrew French, B2B Sales Director, Michelin UK & Ireland, said, “Alongside durability and versatility, Michelin recognises the growing pressure hauliers face to reduce rolling resistance, as trailers form an integral part of the total cost of ownership (TCO) equation. This is something our latest generation trailer tyre can help operators to achieve.”

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Goodyear Chile has reinforced its dedication to sustainability and the circular economy through programmes that encourage responsible handling of end-of-life tyres while supporting environmental protection across the country.

Beyond producing and selling tyres, the company ensures its discarded products are managed in an environmentally sound manner. These tyres are collected and treated at authorised recycling plants, where mechanical processes convert them into reusable materials suitable for new products and applications, in line with Chilean regulations for out-of-use tyres and the firm’s sustainability goals.

Goodyear Chile also continues working to meet requirements under Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility Law. It currently uses two management mechanisms tied to regulatory categories. For Category A, covering tyres with rims under 57 inches except those measuring 45, 49 and 51 inches, the company participates in NEUVOL, a collective nonprofit system focused on collecting and recovering end-of-life tyres. Together with NEUVOL, Goodyear Chile sends these tyres to Polambiente, a Santiago-based recycler specialising in mechanical recycling that turns them into raw materials and products for new uses.

For Category B, which includes tyres with rims of 45, 49 and 51 inches and wheels 57 inches or larger, Goodyear Chile has operated under a management plan approved by the Ministry of the Environment since 2022, becoming the first Category B tyre company to secure such authorisation in Chile. It has consistently met annual collection and recovery targets for 2023, 2024 and 2025. These tyres go to Rembre Tires in northern Chile, where granulation recovers 100 percent of the tyre, separating rubber and steel for various applications.

Goodyear Chile’s responsible tyre management predates the REP Law targets and reflects its broader effort to cut environmental and social impacts. For over 10 years, it has advanced recycling initiatives and maintained a zero-waste-to-landfill policy while continuing research into more sustainable materials, including alternative raw materials, to help Chile reduce waste and build a more sustainable future.

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA World Rally Championship, wrapped up its support for the 12th round of the season. The WRC Rally Chile Biobío concluded on 13 September near Concepción, Chile, with Hankook’s off-road Dynapro R213 tyres proving central to the event.

The rally featured 16 special stages covering 311.18 competitive kilometres. Competitors tackled forest roads and rugged, unpaved mountain terrain around Concepción and the Biobío region, beside Chile’s Pacific coast. The route blended fast corners with compacted gravel made of volcanic ash particles and small stones, severely testing both drivers and tyres. Repeated runs over rough ground magnified the difficulty.

Hankook’s Dynapro R213 was available in Hard and Soft compounds, letting teams strategically select tyres for surface and weather conditions. The tyre offered flexibility on steep slopes and across varied ground, from soft earth to thick gravel. Oliver Solberg of Toyota GAZOO Racing claimed his second win of the season, following his Rallye Monte-Carlo triumph. The result also earned Toyota the 2026 Constructors’ Championship, its sixth straight since 2021 and tenth overall.

The 2026 WRC season now moves to the 13th round, WRC Rally Italia Sardegna, scheduled for 1–4 October near Alghero, Sardinia. That event combines demanding coastal and interior mountain roads, with tight corners and blind crests that restrict forward visibility, placing high demands on tyre traction and durability.

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Bridgestone has unveiled the V-Steel Highway Service 3 (VHS3), a new high-speed radial tyre engineered for mobile all-terrain cranes. As a global leader in premium tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, the company designed the product to enhance vehicle and fleet performance. The VHS3 delivers improved wear life while helping reduce downtime and maintenance costs, enabling operators to perform confidently in demanding environments.

Compared with its predecessor, the VHS2, the new tyre offers up to 12 percent longer wear life. Bridgestone achieved this through an advanced rubber compound technology and an optimised contact area that minimises irregular wear. A new tread design featuring wide grooves and extended lug blocks further combines longer wear life with improved grip and stability on highways and off-road terrain.

The VHS3 is also 24 kg lighter than the VHS2, assisting fleets in reducing fuel consumption and operational costs while maintaining durability and improving load capacity. This results from a lighter casing design with a lighter belt construction. Bridgestone's new crane tyre will be available from September 2026 in size 445/95R25 178F.

Bas Rijpma, Fleet Manager, Sarens Netherlands, said, "In our business, reliability, uptime and efficiency are critical. Bridgestone has been a trusted partner to Sarens for more than a decade. As the next generation crane tyre, the VHS3 is already delivering very promising results. We have observed no irregular wear, the robustness we require for demanding heavy transport operations and favourable fuel efficiency potential thanks to its lighter weight. Combined with the TPMS solution, which gives us real-time insight into tyre pressure and temperature, the VHS3 helps us optimise tyre performance and minimise downtime. Together with low noise levels, it gives us confidence that Bridgestone VHS3 is setting a new standard for crane tyre performance."

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