Opinion Keep on running The business travel world can take plenty of inspiration from Team GB
2012 – WHAT A FANTASTIC YEAR to be British. A great year to truly stand tall on the world stage. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee shone a brilliant spotlight on the tradition and history that defines us, displaying glittering pageantry and uniting diverse communities across the country with street celebrations. We had a British Wimbledon finalist to showcase our growing sporting brilliance and, just weeks later, London’s enthralling Olympic Games was showered with international praise as a tremendous success on many levels. At last we could forget the
media’s carping about cost, politics and congestion and simply celebrate Team GB’s creative achievements and sporting prowess. While the tabloids constantly feed us negative images of our culture and tell us of our nation’s failures, millions of people all around the world watched a spectacular opening ceremony where Danny Boyle took the
opportunity to remind us all just of how much we have to be proud of. We are recognised globally
for our humour and artistic creativity though music, popular culture and architecture. We created the industrial revolution and social reform. Even the man who has fundamentally changed the world as we know it over the past few decades by inventing the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, is a Brit. John Major 's government launched the National Lottery in the 1990s and, as a result of the investment in sport funding through lottery grants, we now have a legion of world-class athletes whose talents have been discovered and nurtured, many of whom delivered extraordinary sporting achievements. With a phenomenal haul of medals in relation to the size of our tiny country, several generations have been inspired by so many positive new role models. Many of our medal
winners are just normal people from humble origins who simply believed that success was possible through sheer grit, hard work, commitment, focus, teamwork and determination. And it doesn’t end there. The Games’ legacy has created world-class training facilities and built lasting infrastructure improvements, including a new rail connection – it really does now only take seven minutes to travel from King’s Cross to Stratford on the Javelin train. These are all timely reminders
to take back to the business travel industry. As we continue to work through the minefield of challenges we face due to the fall-out of financial turmoil, we should remember that our creativity knows no bounds, and our tactics should change with the race conditions around us. We must continue to invest in the next generation of new talent. Frequently companies play for short-term quarterly- gains, but investment in business strategy and
No more quick fixes The government needs to start thinking further ahead if UK Plc is to thrive
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL once wrote a scathing observation about US politics in the 1920s: “The trouble with American politics is that it’s dominated by rigid party machines and peopled by professional politicians whose only career is politics and whose only motivation is money.” It was deemed pretty strong stuff then. but, if we make a few tweaks (say, substitute money for votes) and wind the clock forward, then it would resonate completely with the UK travel management sector today: just look at air capacity in England’s south-east and the complete lack of aviation strategy by this government – and previous ones.
The short-term approach of British ministers has been breeding short-term thinking for decades. Meanwhile, the powerhouses of economic investment – China, the Arabian peninsula and the Far East – are proving to be serious strategic thinkers, seeing the investment in transport infrastructure and new airports as vital to their long-term prosperity. A consultation into where to build airport capacity in London will be held this autumn, nearly a year after chancellor George Osborne announced it in the 2011 Autumn Statement. For UK Plc this could be the last throw of the dice in terms of being a global aviation hub and
maintaining competitiveness. The strategy must be more than proposals on emissions, noise levels and regional airports – it must address capacity in the south-east. Insiders say the government
is expected to push for an increase in flight capacity on Heathrow’s existing runways, which could cope with up to 1,000 extra flights a day if used round-the-clock. This would be a start – but we have to urge the government to avoid short- term fixes and think long-term futures. The Isle of Grain and Northolt are just two of the options being put forward – expanding the existing Heathrow facility is another.
The ACTE column
development requires us to look further forward and play a tactical long game. The business travel elite will
constantly evaluate market conditions and share tactics with peers, and ACTE has several upcoming opportunities to share and learn about business travel strategies. There are educational events in London on September 18, at the Grange City Hotel, and on November 8 at the London Grange Tower Bridge; and the ACTE Global Education Conference will take place in Rome, October 14-16. Be in good company – join us!
Caroline Allen is ACTE’s regional director. For more information visit www.acte.org or contact callen@acte.org
The GTMC column
At the GTMC, we speak for the business travel community, and our view is straightforward. We are not overly concerned what solution is arrived at, just that one is – one that will relieve short-term pressure on the south-east while strategically placing the UK in a position to survive and thrive in what is an increasingly competitive global market.
Ajaya Sodha is chairman of the Guild of Travel Management Companies.