Fears of the Coronavirus has caused a steep drop in international business travel among a travel industry still reeling from outbreak fears.
Major U.S. companies are severely reducing their business travel. Online retail giant Amazon has told its nearly 800,000 workers to postpone any non-essential travel. Twitter has told its employees to work at home.
Meanwhile, Nestle told its 291,000 employees to limit their business travel and stop all international travel for at least a week.
The drop in business travel has had an impact on the convention industry. Although it isn’t clear at this time if fears of the coronavirus has led to conventions canceling their events at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, other major conventions elsewhere are feeling the coronavirus travel sickness.
One of the largest international automotive convention, the Geneva Motor Show, canceled its event, forcing automakers to reveal their anticipated 2020 model year vehicles through virtual means such as online streams and press releases.
The Global Business Travel Association estimates the virus is costing the business travel industry $47 billion per month.
