MOVING FORWARD
THE BLOG FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS
Inside the Business Travel Show Europe 2025
Held in the huge conference halls of ExCeL London, the Business Travel Show Europe 2025 was a sparkling celebration of the innovation within the industry, and we at Gray Dawes were proud to be at the beating heart of it all. In this article, we take you behind the scenes of the show, reflect on a few eye-opening days, and share how Gray Dawes continues to lead the way with our Always On approach to delivering High Touch, High Tech, and High Content service at every stage of a business trip.
Onwards and Upwards with ITA Airways
ITA Airways, Italy’s flagship carrier, has expanded significantly since we last spoke with them. They now operate as far east as Tokyo and as far west as San Francisco. In this article, we chat to ITA Airways about their integration with Lufthansa Group, their commitment to sustainable travel, their Volare points program, and much more.
8 Top Hacks for Travel Managers
In today’s fast-paced corporate world, travel managers play a crucial role in ensuring seamless, cold-effective, and stress-free journeys. Balancing budgets, schedules, and traveller satisfaction is no easy task; however, with the correct strategies, it becomes a lot simpler. Whether you’re looking to streamline bookings, reduce expenses, or enhance traveller experience, these top 10 travel hacks are designed specifically for travel managers ready to take their game to the next level.
Munich: A Business Traveller’s Guide
Situated just north of the soaring Alps, Munich has a colourful history stretching as far as the 12th Century. Back then, the city was little more than a tiny settlement of Catholic friars named zu den Munchen (“to the monks”). Today Munich is considered a major centre for science, technology, and automobile industries at the heart of one of the country’s richest states, with the city playing host to the headquarters of multinational companies including BMW and Siemens. In this comprehensive guide to Munich for business travellers, we delve deeper into navigating the city’s unique corporate landscape, offer our top tips for getting around, and pick out our top 3 things to see or do to make your trip unforgettable.
Top 6 Places to Visit as an LGBTQ+ Traveller
As an LGBTQ+ professional, travel comes with an extra layer of uncertainty. Though the world is becoming an altogether friendlier and more tolerant place, there are still challenges to overcome and hoops to jump through. So, to celebrate Pride Month 2024, we spoke to our very own Diversity & Inclusion Manager Brit Clayton who gives her top 6 destinations for LGBTQ+ business travellers as told through the prism of her own experiences abroad.
7 Things We Learned From the BTA Rail Whitepaper
We highlight the key findings of the BTA’s recent report into the British rail infrastructure, and explore their recommendations for creating a more integrated, efficient, and business-friendly rail transport system that supports long-term economic and environmental goals.
How to Handle Business Travel in a Crisis
In a perfect world, business travel plans would unfold exactly as they’re supposed to. Reality, however, is far less predictable and crises such as natural disasters, political unrest, or sudden logistical changes can flip a business trip on its head. In this article, we speak to James Challis, Operations Manager at Gray Dawes, about the importance of keeping travellers informed, the benefits of having a well-oiled response strategy, and the power of our TripSure app in keeping travellers safe.
A New Era of Personalised Air Travel
Travel is becoming more individual and personal than ever before. Discover Lufthansa Allegris, the new intercontinental onboard travel experience from Lufthansa. Across all travel classes, Lufthansa Allegris is characterised by greater comfort, more freedom of choice, and even more personal service.
Everything You Need to Know About Electronic Device Searches at US Borders
Electronics searches can be carried out by officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) without a warrant or any suspicion. In this article, we give an overview of how business travellers can navigate the potential risks and ensure that they are compliant with any legal implications or procedures.
Gray Dawes Group Partners with Sabre
Gray Dawes Group have partnered with Sabre to provide our new and exclusive global distribution system. The multi-year collaboration marks a significant milestone for both companies. By selecting Sabre as its sole global distribution system (GDS), we are aligning our entire travel operation on a single, scalable technology foundation. This unified approach means greater efficiencies for us and our clients, reduced complexity, and more resources available to enhance client service through our unique’ “Always On” service model.
Artificial Intelligence in Business Travel
From intuitive chatbots to predictive analytics, AI offers businesses significant efficiencies and raises important questions around data privacy, ethics, and sustainability. At Gray Dawes Travel, we’re embracing AI, but understand that it needs to be done responsibly. In this article, we explore the negative impact of AI, how we, as an organisation, can mitigate these impacts, and look to the future of the technology and how it might enhance travel.
A Day In The Life of the Head of IT Operations
It wouldn’t be too outlandish to suggest that Colin’s IT career started in the seaside arcades of Margate. Now Head of IT Operations at Gray Dawes, Colin has had a long and varied career defined by the rapidly changing face of technology. In this article, we chat with Colin about his day-to-day responsibilities as the Head of IT Operations at Gray Dawes Travel, his ultimate career highlights, and what it takes to be a leader in the industry.
How to Pack Like a Business Travel Pro
After a long journey, there’s nothing more frustrating than needing one item from your suitcase, only to discover it buried beneath everything else. Business travel is full of tight schedules, back-to-back meetings, and unfamiliar cities to navigate, so ensuring that...
The Practical Guide to Maximising Traveller Wellbeing
How can you keep your travellers happy before, during and after a trip? What steps can you and your TMC take to ensure that their experiences on the road are healthy and relatively stress-free? In this practical guide to traveller wellbeing, we take a deep dive into how travel bookers can better support employees both away on a work trip and when they come home.
Paris: A Business Traveller’s Guide
Nestled on a north-curving arc of the vast river Seine, Paris is renowned the world over for its history-rich streets, its devotion to fine art and fashion, and its unrivalled menu of gastronomic delights, from melt-in-the-mouth croissants to the sweet taste of French onion soup. The city and broader Paris region is also a significant economic and diplomatic powerhouse at the heart of Europe – its nominal GDP of ~£640 billion in 2021 was the highest in the entire European Union, and 29 companies listed in the Fortune Global 500 call the area home. In this comprehensive guide to Paris for business travellers, we delve deeper into navigating the city’s unique corporate landscape, offer our top tips for getting around, and pick out our top 3 things to see or do to make your trip unforgettable.
What Does Good Customer Service Look Like?
What does good customer service look like? For Gray Dawes, travel management isn’t just about our award-winning technology or access to comprehensive travel content – even if these are vitally important to a travel programme. In this article, we spoke to our very own Julie Hamstead-Wallis, an experienced Operations Manager, about what makes good customer service, the importance of building rapport, and how Gray Dawes goes the extra mile to help our clients get the most out of their travel.
The Art of Business Networking Worldwide
Networking is more than just handing out business cards and hoping for the best. What works in New York might fall flat in Tokyo. A firm handshake may seal a deal in Germany, but in the Middle East, it’s the trust built over coffee and conversation that truly matters. In this guide to better international networking we help you build more meaningful and longer lasting connections—no matter where your business takes you.
Singapore: A Business Traveller’s Guide
Are you planning on travelling to Singapore for work? In this comprehensive guide to the city-state for business travellers, we delve deeper into navigating its unique corporate landscape, offer our top tips for getting around, and pick out our top 3 things to see or do to make your trip unforgettable.
The Blended Travel Trend Explained
Blended travel – often referred to by the portmanteau “bleisure” (business + leisure) – is the art of combining work trips with personal leisure activities. But how does blended travel work? What are the benefits for both employees and employers? And what challenges might you face if you decide to include bleisure in your travel policy? We explore all of these questions and more in this comprehensive guide to the growing trend.
International Women’s Day 2025
Women are integral to the success of Gray Dawes. You only need to look as far as our CEO, Suzanne Horner, as proof of that fact. In this article we asked some of our amazing female staff what advice they would give to other women looking to break into the business travel industry or forge a new career.
Top Insights from the ITM Trending Event 2025
The Institute of Travel Management (ITM) have released their 2025 Trending report which explores the priorities and expectations of business travel buyers and suppliers for the year ahead. In this article, we take a look at the key takeaways from the report and find out how they might shape the future of the industry over the next 12 months.
A Day in the Life of a Data Science Engineer
With a career in Data Science that started in the supply chain industry and blossomed in the world of business travel, Karan Pandya knows a thing or two about the technical intelligence behind great companies. From researching new technology to solving global business problems with the power of data, Karan has a genuine passion for Data Science and a love for all things machine learning and AI. In this article, we chat with Karan about his day-to-day responsibilities as a Data Science Engineer at Gray Dawes Travel, his ultimate career highlights, and what it takes to work in Data Science.
Sports Ask the Experts Ep.01: How to Create a Sustainable Sports Travel Programme
Want to learn how your organisation can build a greener sports travel programme? Watch our Head of Sports Operations, Jonathan Hutton, and special guest Josh Rudd, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Responsibility Manager at Aquatics GB, discuss the important questions surrounding sustainability in sports travel in episode 1 of our Ask the Experts webinar.
6 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Account Manager
Your travel management company (TMC) Account Manager is more than just a point of contact – they’re a strategic partner dedicated to helping you achieve your goals. In this article, Dan Fido, Enterprise Account Manager at Gray Dawes, explores the top 6 ways you can make the most of your account manager.
Istanbul: A Business Traveller’s Guide
Are you planning on travelling to Istanbul for work? In this comprehensive guide to Istanbul for business travellers, we delve deeper into navigating the city’s unique corporate landscape, offer our top tips for getting around, and pick out our top 3 things to see or do to make your trip unforgettable.
Travel Talks – 2025 Trends & Predictions
Join our MD of Europe, Dave Bishop, and Group Marketing Director, John Cooper, as they discuss what will influence corporate travel management in 2025. Dave and John also offer a few tips on how to elevate your business travel experience in the year ahead.
The Fast Track to Sustainable Travel
We recently caught up with our friends at Avanti to talk to us all about their new fleet of trains, their sustainable travel innovations, and their new 1st class lounge at Glasgow Central
BA Launches New British Airways Club
On 01 April 2025, BA are launching British Airways Club – a new loyalty programme that has been designed in response to the continually evolving “needs and reasons for travelling” of its fliers. In this article, we give a rundown of everything you need to know about the new scheme, including how to earn Tier Points.
A Day in the Life of a Global Bid Manager
With a career in bid writing that blossomed in the car rental and TMC space, Kelly Hills knows exactly what makes the travel industry tick. From preparing beautifully crafted bids to attending webinars and learning about the future of travel, Kelly has a genuine passion for her work and a love for writing. In this article, we chat with Kelly about her day-to-day responsibilities as a Global Bid Manager at Gray Dawes, her ultimate career highlights, and what it takes to work in the Bids team.
Manama: A Business Traveller’s Guide
Are you planning on travelling to Manama for work? In this comprehensive guide to Manama for business travellers, we delve deeper into navigating the city’s unique corporate landscape, offer our top tips for getting around, and pick out our top 3 things to see or do to make your trip unforgettable.
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