German multinationals are cutting travel to save money and retain travel-weary employees, an executive said at the ITB in Berlin.

“German companies are adopting mixed use solutions to cut down on travel,” said Christian Rosenbaum, Manager Strategic Relations at i:FAO Group, which is owned by Amadeus IT Group.

Rosenbaum said travel operators could benefit from creating a database to collect data from industry “in an effort to understand the extent to which German industry is shifting to virtual reality and mixed reality to cut down on travel.”

He said companies and industries could adopt an approach not unlike that used in medicine, and that this could lead to decreases in travel.

The University of Heidelberg doctors’ database could serve as a template for such companies that wish to reduce travel, Rosenbaum said. Heidelberg’s global database allows German doctors to connect with their colleagues in the U.S. and elsewhere when engaging in complex medical procedures.

“A doctor in the U.S. looks into googles to assist a doctor in Germany during an operation,” Rosenbaum explained. “That reality might sound scary but it’s already here and might save lives” without the need for travel.

He says German car makers are already adopting similar VR technologies to cut down on corporate travel.

“In the past, engineers and designers would travel the world,” Rosenbaum said. “But now they are all sitting in a virtual conference room studying a concept together. They can all walk around the virtual car remotely. An initial face-to-face meeting is important, but many of the functions no longer require flying.”

This is strictly an exclusive feature, reprints of this article in any shape or form without prior written approval from 4Hoteliers.com is not permitted. Michael Scaturro is reporting exclusively for 4Hoteliers.com at ITB Berlin 2019 - www.4Hoteliers.com/itb.

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