New Business Class
Session 4:
October 25th, 2023
How can virtual hospitality make business travel and remote work more effective, conscious and sustainable to ensure future growth?
The conversation delved into pressing questions such as the balance between physical and virtual travel for businesses, the integration of technology for engaging virtual meetings, sustainability in business travel, and maintaining team cohesion in remote work environments. We'll also discussed the role of technology in shaping digital business experiences and the potential impact on industries tied to business tourism. Discover how this transformation impacts personal identity, work-life balance, and professional relationships, and to explore strategies for creating emotionally intelligent virtual business interactions in this new era of business travel.
The rise of virtual hospitality promises to reshape business travel and remote work into more effective, conscious, and sustainable activities. It necessitates a nuanced understanding of the equilibrium between in-person and virtual interactions for businesses, with a particular emphasis on the use of technology to facilitate engaging and productive virtual meetings. Addressing the sustainability issues inherent in traditional business travel and fostering team cohesion in remote work setups are also pivotal. The influence of technology in developing digital business experiences and its potential repercussions on sectors linked to business tourism warrant thorough exploration. Moreover, it is crucial to assess how these changes impact personal identity, work-life balance, and professional relationships, and to devise approaches that promote emotionally intelligent virtual business engagements in the evolving domain of business travel.
The global shift towards remote work and the increasing concern for sustainability have prompted a reevaluation of traditional business travel. The integration of virtual hospitality offers a promising avenue for addressing these concerns. Virtual hospitality, through advanced communication platforms and immersive technologies, has the potential to reduce the need for physical travel, thereby mitigating the environmental impact of business tourism. The conversation highlights the stagnation in aviation innovation and the need for new technologies, such as eVTOLs, to alleviate urban congestion without exacerbating other environmental issues.
Moreover, virtual hospitality can democratize participation in business interactions, allowing for a more inclusive environment that transcends geographical and physical limitations. This inclusivity fosters a more diverse exchange of ideas and promotes equity in professional settings. The psychological and social dimensions of virtual hospitality are also significant. While technology can facilitate connections, it requires a conscious effort to foster genuine relationships and maintain team cohesion in remote work settings. The transition to virtual spaces demands a redefinition of professional relationships and work-life balance, as the boundaries between personal and professional lives become increasingly blurred.
In conclusion, virtual hospitality presents a multifaceted solution to the challenges of modern business travel and remote work. It offers a sustainable alternative to physical travel, promotes inclusivity, and necessitates the development of emotionally intelligent virtual interactions. However, this transformation requires careful consideration of the social, environmental, and psychological impacts. Future growth in this sector will depend on the strategic and ethical application of technology, ensuring that virtual hospitality enhances, rather than diminishes, the quality of professional interactions and contributes positively to the global business landscape.
Guest Speakers:
Suzanne Neufang: She was named CEO of GBTA in February 2021, where she leads the association’s mission, strategy, and programs to benefit stakeholders across the global business travel industry. She is a transformation-focused executive who has led product, service and organizational innovation through times of great change – “connecting dots” across geographies, functions, people, and results. She's held leadership roles within the travel industry for the past 20 years, including at HRS, GetThere, Travelocity and Sabre. Before travel, she was a leader in tech and telecom industries at Intuit, Verizon, and GTE. She’s been an active volunteer in the travel industry, including serving as board president of the former Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE).
Mark Cuschieri: Mark Cuschieri, Executive Director for Global Travel at UBS since 2007, and European Advisory Board Chair for the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). With over 25 years in the corporate travel industry, Cuschieri has held roles both as a Travel Buyer and Supplier. He has significantly contributed to the industry, previously chairing the Institute of Travel Management (ITM) from 2015-2017 and serving on the ITM Board of Directors. Recognized for his contributions, he was honored with the Luoma Award in 2014 by GBTA.
“Business travel is organized... it's an opportunity now to set the sustainability ground rules..”
— Suzanne Neufang, GBTA
“The next generation steps into the workplace with fresh expectations, seeking for a canvas to contribute, innovate, and redefine value.”
— Mark Cuschieri, UBS
“Culture thrives on the subtle spices of interaction—gentle nudges that guide and unite us in the dance of progress.”
— Theodore Bajard, Rima Experience
Topics of Exploration:
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Investigating how virtual avatars and environments affect personal identity and professional presence. This could include the psychological impacts of virtual representation and the dynamics of authority and confidence in virtual settings.
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Exploring how advancements in virtual meeting technology can be made accessible to diverse populations, thus preventing the widening of the digital divide.
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Studying the design of workspaces, both at home and in public areas like hotels and coffee shops, to cater to the needs of remote workers, focusing on privacy, ergonomics, and functionality.
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Researching the development of technology that can detect and respond to human emotions to facilitate more emotionally intelligent virtual interactions.
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Examining how the hospitality industry can integrate with remote working needs, potentially transforming their services to cater to business travelers who need work-conducive environments.
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Exploring the potential of VR and AR to simulate in-person experiences for training, meetings, and collaborative work, and their effects on learning and engagement.
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Considering how the rise of remote work and virtual meetings might influence urban planning and public transportation systems, as the need for commuting may decrease.
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