Tag: travel policy

A per diem (from the Latin for per day) is a daily stipend given to business travellers to cover food and incidental expenses while they’re on the road. It’s not, in fact, a perk to make up for the inconvenience of being away from home – or a little extra spending money to splurge on spoils and souvenirs.

The 2024 South African budget speech from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana shows sustainability taking centre stage. The national budget’s clear reprioritisation towards electric vehicles demonstrates that government is walking the talk on emission reduction and cleaner transport.

We all know the enthusiasm of making ambitious New Year's resolutions each January - get fit! Save money! Spend less screen time! But while our personal goals often fall by the wayside, setting professional resolutions can be genuinely transformative. That's why I recommend starting the year by relooking your corporate travel game.

Did you know hotels account for approximately one percent of global carbon dioxide emissions? It might not seem like a lot, but to put it in perspective, out of the carbon dioxide released annually, it's equivalent to powering 45.7 million homes for a year. Turns out those luxury touches like themed suites, room service on tap, and butlers come at a cost to the planet, too.

Good bosses matter - now more than ever. The travel industry had to really hustle and adapt over the past couple of years, way more than any other sector. Those leading in travel, like I had to step up and guide teams through this crazy time.

For the first time in history, there are five generations in the workplace. From Generation Z (Gen Z) to the silent generation, the diversity of life stages is the most complicated it's been in history. In the same way that corporate culture and policies are evolving to stamp out issues like the “wage gap”, organisations need to address the issues created by the “age gap”.

Business travel is back with a bang – at least in South Africa – with business travel numbers exceeding 2019 levels. This according to a recent whitepaper, SME Travel Trends for 2023, that indicates that demand has returned a lot quicker and more aggressively than initially anticipated.

Business as usual has been flipped on its head in 2020. What was for many companies second nature, sending employees across country and continent to meet with clients and colleagues, sign new business and share knowledge has become a more measured and complex exercise.

Nationally, on 1 May 2020, South Africa will move from its current position at level 5 to level 4. This means that all essential services will be able to continue operating together with the following additional sectors: food retail stores will be permitted to sell full line of products, agriculture, forestry, mining, financial and professional services, postal and telecommunications services, information technology services and formal waste recycling services.

With economic growth considered the main driver of corporate travel, emerging economies such as South Africa are increasingly adding to the international pool of business travellers. Predicting positive growth in 2020, analysts say there is good news for South African SMEs, whose bargaining power they see rising with the market’s size and spend.