Business travellers appear to be using mobile apps for pretty much the same reasons as their leisure counterparts, rather than adopting the vast array of tools their employers would perhaps like.

It’s difficult to recall the days of travel before smartphones. Mobile has changed the way the travel industry operates on all levels and corporate travel is no exception.

For corporate travellers, mobile apps are fundamentally altering the way in which they work and being able to manage their travel requirements at anytime, anywhere with speed and ease is what travellers expect.

According to a survey by The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), only 17% of business travellers were recommended apps by their companies which could make them more productive while travelling.

The survey also found that 95% of business travellers own a smartphone and use it for business, and over 75% of smartphone users have downloaded travel apps.

Looking at managed travel apps specifically, adoption is limited for the moment. Many TMCs have a free travel app, but there are some great freely available apps out there proving popular with business travellers.

TripIt is probably the best app to keep your entire travel itinerary in one place –flight schedules, hotel bookings, meeting information. The app also organises your information in a calendar.

iTranslate is a great app that will help you break down the language barrier, while GateGuru is fantastic if you fly a lot. It lets you know of any amendments to your flight schedule and the ‘stats’ feature is great: you can see how many hours you’ve spent at airports, in planes, and in other places.

There are thousands of fantastic travel apps out there – time to start exploring!