Video conferencing technology is now so commonplace that the forecast reduction in business travel should have long since come to pass. This has not been the case.
A growth rate of 20% per year in videoconferencing by Skype, Facetime and their like is having some impact, but not enough to curtail business travel, says American Express.
Most people do not enjoy the process of speaking on camera in the workplace, says AmEx.
World business travel will increase every year over the next two to three decades, largely powered by the growth in emerging markets, says AmEx.
Travel within the EU and the US will remain relatively static. China travel bookings are already worth more than $100bn per year, of which $15bn was booked online in 2012 — up 500% on 2008 figures.