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Analysis
better than expected. Anne Godfrey, CEO of the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC), which before the 2010 general election published a manifesto of business traveller priorities, actually gives the government “eight out of ten for its performance on road and rail, but only five out of ten if you include its approach to key aviation issues.” This is possibly more generous
manifesto of business traveller priorities, actually gives the government “eight out of ten for its performance on road and rail, but only five out of ten if you include its approach to key aviation issues.” This is possibly more generous
than some would think – especially given last month’s hike in air passenger duty (APD) – although there is no doubt the GTMC has upped its game in the past few years in how it presents its case to the government and what it can hope to achieve. It has developed a cross-party lobbying strategy with the help of a political lobbying firm (Cavendish Place Communications), which has been more targeted at getting the message across to the right people in Whitehall.
than some would think – especially given last month’s hike in air passenger duty (APD) – although there is no doubt the GTMC has upped its game in the past few years in how it presents its case to the government and what it can hope to achieve. It has developed a cross-party lobbying strategy with the help of a political lobbying firm (Cavendish Place Communications), which has been more targeted at getting the message across to the right people in Whitehall.
SCANT REGARD But it faces an uphill battle. Politicians of all parties have traditionally shown scant regard for the travel world, be it for leisure or on business, and the coalition so far has shown no real inclination to buck the trend. Yet travel and hospitality in its broadest sense is one of the UK’s biggest industries, accounting for £52 billion of GDP, some 4.4 per cent of the country’s workforce and 200,000 or so (mainly small) companies, according to a report last year into the British travel and tourism market from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Yet this report focused almost entirely on the leisure tourist (domestic and inbound) and virtually ignored the input of business travel. But corporate spending on business travel is a major part of that market: without it many parts of the transport
SCANT REGARD But it faces an uphill battle. Politicians of all parties have traditionally shown scant regard for the travel world, be it for leisure or on business, and the coalition so far has shown no real inclination to buck the trend. Yet travel and hospitality in its broadest sense is one of the UK’s biggest industries, accounting for £52 billion of GDP, some 4.4 per cent of the country’s workforce and 200,000 or so (mainly small) companies, according to a report last year into the British travel and tourism market from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Yet this report focused almost entirely on the leisure tourist (domestic and inbound) and virtually ignored the input of business travel. But corporate spending on business travel is a major part of that market: without it many parts of the transport and hospitality infrastructure would be seriously weakened. It is high-
and hospitality infrastructure would be seriously weakened. It is high- yielding business travellers, for example, who make many airline routes viable. It is their spending – not only on hotel rooms during the week (when leisure travel is weakest) but also on meetings, incentives and other events – that is the bedrock of many hotels’ finances. But it is symptomatic of the
yielding business travellers, for example, who make many airline routes viable. It is their spending – not only on hotel rooms during the week (when leisure travel is weakest) but also on meetings, incentives and other events – that is the bedrock of many hotels’ finances. But it is symptomatic of the
way travel – particularly business travel – is treated in official circles that there is no one Whitehall ministry with clout to fight on its behalf. Neither the DfT nor the DCMS has, as a primary goal, making life easier for those travelling on business. Yet this is actually one of the key areas that is of most concern to business travellers, according to the regular tracking surveys carried out by the GTMC. “Delays in getting
way travel – particularly business travel – is treated in official circles that there is no one Whitehall ministry with clout to fight on its behalf. Neither the DfT nor the DCMS has, as a primary goal, making life easier for those travelling on business. Yet this is actually one of the key areas that is of most concern to business travellers, according to the regular tracking surveys carried out by the GTMC. “Delays in getting through security and passport controls at airports is becoming
Travel and hospitality is one of the UK’s biggest industries, accounting for £52 billion of GDP and 4.4 per cent of the country’s workforce
through security and passport controls at airports is becoming increasingly more important to the business travellers we survey,” says Godfrey.
increasingly more important to the business travellers we survey,” says Godfrey.
This again reflects the lack of joined-up thinking in Whitehall: security and immigration comes under the UK Border Agency, part of the Home Office. Moreover, as a leaked memo last month (April) from Virgin Atlantic to the Home Affairs select committee revealed, UK airports face potential gridlock at busy times because of cuts to the numbers of border force officers, which has knock-on effects in slowing down passenger processing. “Virgin Atlantic believes
This again reflects the lack of joined-up thinking in Whitehall: security and immigration comes under the UK Border Agency, part of the Home Office. Moreover, as a leaked memo last month (April) from Virgin Atlantic to the Home Affairs select committee revealed, UK airports face potential gridlock at busy times because of cuts to the numbers of border force officers, which has knock-on effects in slowing down passenger
that the only sustainable options to prevent congestion are either to substantially increase UK Border Force resource or return to a sensible risk-based approach to border controls,” the memo stated. Obviously, the UK Border
Agency’s remit is security, not directly improving the airport experience for those departing and arriving on business. But it is those executives whose job is travelling abroad to generate export orders for British firms who feel frustrated by bearing the brunt of these delays. (Responsibility for encouraging exports, of course, comes under another set of civil servants: those in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.) One potential solution would be giving business travellers their own “tsar” – a term favoured in Whitehall for bringing focus to specific issues – but there is no indication that coalition thinking is anywhere near this as yet.
processing. “Virgin Atlantic believes that the only sustainable options to prevent congestion are either to substantially increase UK Border Force resource or return to a sensible risk-based approach to border controls,” the memo stated. Obviously, the UK Border
Agency’s remit is security, not directly improving the airport experience for those departing and arriving on business. But it is those executives whose job is travelling abroad to generate export orders for British firms who feel frustrated by bearing the brunt of these delays. (Responsibility for encouraging exports, of course, comes under another set of civil servants: those in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.) One potential solution would be giving business travellers their own “tsar” – a term favoured in Whitehall for bringing focus to specific issues – but there is no indication that coalition thinking is anywhere near this as yet.
LISTEN TO THE LEADERS But there are signs that the government is starting to listen to business leaders over airport capacity issues in the south-east. The government’s post-election blanket ban on runway expansion, not only at Heathrow but also Gatwick and Stansted, clearly left an obvious gap in aviation policy. In March 2011, the government
sought to address this with a “scoping” document on aviation, seeking comments from interested
sought to address this with a “scoping” document on aviation, seeking comments from interested parties on a range of policy questions. Results were due to be published at the end of March this year along with a draft policy framework for
LISTEN TO THE LEADERS But there are signs that the government is starting to listen to business leaders over airport capacity issues in the south-east. The government’s post-election blanket ban on runway expansion, not only at Heathrow but also Gatwick and Stansted, clearly left an obvious gap in aviation policy. In March 2011, the government
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