Nearly unanimously, global travel managers think their job will be more challenging in the next 12 months compared to last year (99 percent) this is because, the challenges they are faced with include communicating and ensuring compliance with new and revised company travel policies (60 percent), last-minute changes or cancelations to bookings (53 percent), and changes to government regulations (51 percent).

Travel managers should look at their current travel policy and make updates to fit the current situation. One important guideline to update is what the company will consider essential travel. They should work with HR and their business leaders to determine which business functions need to be conducted in person and which ones can be done online.