60 seconds with … Dan Raine, CEO, Data Unlocked

Dan has worked in the travel industry for 17 years, and founded Unlocked Data, a technology company, at the beginning of 2020 with a team from HRG. Dan is passionate about helping organisations release the potential of data to drive change and make travel better for the environment, for travellers and to improve travel outcomes.

He’s joining us at Business Travel Show Europe this year on 1 October to talk about how to use data for improved savings and control.

What are the biggest challenges facing the business travel industry and why? The biggest challenge facing the industry in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic is determining what working patterns, attitudes and habits will remain and what will revert:

• The criteria for travel has developed for evaluating the necessity and value of travel
• The tolerance for travel has reduced in terms of the risk to health and well-being
• The awareness of travel’s impact on the environment has heightened.

This uncertainty makes decision-making difficult. The challenge for the industry is to remain relevant and to provide decision makers with the advice, service and data points, fit for the new landscape.

Do you think business travel activity will ever resume to pre-pandemic levels? When we forecast the future, we rely on the trends of the past. In the short-term our ability to accurately predict the next few months is seriously limited by the pandemic. However, the unerring rise in business travel over the last 30 years would suggest that in the long-term business travel activity will continue to increase.

What support would you like to see from governments to get us all back on the road? The last nine months have shown that the most important way to get the virus under control is to get the population vaccinated. For the travel industry we need the world to get vaccinated, not just the UK. The Government needs to support the production and delivery of vaccines to developing countries to get the world vaccinated.

How can the travel industry become more sustainable and why is this so important? Travel suppliers are investing heavily in becoming more sustainable. The industry needs to provide transparent data to environmentally focused travellers that allows them to reward that investment with their business. This customer-driven market pressure has the potential to have a far bigger impact than top-down governmental punitive legislation.

Why are you looking forward to attending Business Travel Show Europe? Business Travel Show Europe is the best event in the calendar that provides the opportunity to reconnect with customers, friends and former colleagues.

What's the one thing that you've missed most from meeting in-person? In-person meetings are the best way to be creative, really hear other people’s concerns and issues and be innovative to find new solutions. This does not work so well virtually as it takes time, takes effort to really listen and requires spontaneity.

What one thing would you give up right now to get back travelling? I would give up my morning routine and short-commute to the garden-office.

Tell us in 20 words why buyers should attend your sessions at the show? This session will help you with the data points, KPIs and best practices to keep your travel programme relevant post-pandemic.

To attend Dan's session, register for free access to Business Travel Show Europe now.