Travel management companies
Mark Frary introduces Buying Business Travel’s eagerly anticipated annual guide to the UK’s top travel management companies
50
2012 WAS A YEAR of consolidation for many travel management companies (TMCs). The double-dip recession that the UK found itself in after the first quarter meant TMCs were again focusing on making themselves lean. They continued to ‘right-size’ their workforces for the level of business undertaken by their clients, and continued the move towards more technology- intensive processes in order to remove cost. The second half of the year, boosted by the feelgood factor of the Olympics, saw a return to growth, but travel was cut back over fears of transport chaos in London. The return of concerns over
Europe’s financial stability weighed heavily on UK plc, but a feeling that the country was weathering
the crisis better than some of its fellow European Union members saw some confidence return. The Olympic factor did not last and worries of a triple-dip recession emerged towards the end of the year. However, many now feel the UK is as lean as it needs to be – and that to get more business, companies need more business travel. Deals are not done by email alone. This returning confidence
is reflected in our forecasts for the year ahead, as you will see on the following page, and TMCs are ready for the challenges. Indeed, a lack of suitably skilled staff is viewed as one of the biggest issues they face, a sure sign companies are now thinking about starting to recruit again.
TRAVEL MANAGEMENT COMPANIES
leading TMCs
LEAN BUT CONFIDENT
METHODOLOGY The 50 Leading TMCs survey has been running for many years now, but we still receive questions about the methodology used. As always, we rely heavily on the goodwill of companies who take time out from their busy schedules to provide us with much of the information, including the headline gross sales and transaction figures. A small number of TMCs are unwilling to supply us information for this supplement because they feel it is commercially sensitive or the structure of their business means that they do not publicly announce details such as these on a country-by-country basis. This means that we have to make estimates of certain key figures,
57
www.buyingbusinesstravel.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156