THE REVIEW ›› THE LOWDOWN Taking care of travellers
KEEPING business travellers safe remains high on the travel man- agement agenda going into 2014, according to one of the UK’s leading procurement professionals, writes Martin Ferguson. Michael Hodgson, head of EMEA
and global indirect sourcing supply chain services for RBS, told delegates at the recent CAPA conference that duty of care was the one corporate issue still keeping him awake at night. Hodgson acknowledged travel security was important because of corporate liability legislation, but insisted duty of care should “come from the heart”. “First and foremost it is a human thing. You set up a programme, set out a strategy, and work with partners, airlines and security companies. The traveller trusts you have done everything you possibly can to make sure they get on planes safely and then come home to their families. It’s a struggle if one of your partners doesn’t believe the same things you do.” Hodgson said he often asks himself if he would be prepared to send his own child to his company’s business travel destinations. Peter Bost, ATPI’s international
network director, said corporates had a responsibility to make sure their TMC captured 100 per cent of traveller data. “On the one hand they wish to have a full duty of
THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS TRAVEL
WHAT will business travel look like in 2060? Supersonic air travel will reduce all journeys to 2.5 hours or less; international business travel volumes will dwarf domestic travel; the cost of business travel will rise sharply as natural resources dry up and prices escalate; irresponsible travel buying by employees will be deemed gross mis- conduct; and travel will be booked exclusively online direct with suppliers. That's according to a white paper from AirPlus that predicts the shape of the industry in 2060.
IN BRIEF
• TRAVEL and event management company The Appointment Group has been identifi ed in the inaugural publication of the London Stock Exchange as one of Britain’s 1,000 Companies to inspire Britain. The report is a celebration of some of the fastest- growing and most dynamic SMEs in the UK, with growth in revenue and also in employee numbers, workspace or contract wins a prerequisite of inclusion.
care programme in place, but on the other they are not always in a position or ready to give [the TMC] all their business. If I’m missing out on one passenger I can’t guarantee you have 100 per cent duty of care.” Matthew Pancaldi, director of
sales Europe and Asia for HRG, said the increasing importance of duty of care was leading to the consolidation of global travel programmes. “Consolidation and compliance are partly driven by [corporates] wanting to control expenditure, but it is also because of duty of care and security. “[In the past] If you had 80 per
cent of travellers accounted for you had a consolidated programme. Now most, if not all,
markets have been brought into the programme because every traveller in every location is important and deserves and requires the same level of service.” Fergal Kelly, Travelport’s vice
president for merchandising and distribution, said duty of care was one of the key reasons managed travel programmes would continue to be an important feature of the managed travel landscape. “There has been a lot of talk about new generations of travellers, but the bottom line is there is no propensity for one generation to have a unique set of rules.” Kelly said the industry’s challenge
was to make sure travellers have tools they want to use but that also keep them compliant.
ERM SECTOR FACES RATE RISES
COMPANIES working in the energy, resources and marine sectors (ERM) can expect ‘moderate’ travel price inflation around the world next year. The sector-specific research from Carlson Wagonlit Travel predicts that hotels in key business destin- ations will operate at or near capacity in 2014 and that rooms could be both difficult to come by and negotiate with on rates. The TMC adds that although some
destinations will experience the highest rate increases in decades others, particularly in Europe, are likely to decline due to ongoing economic uncertainty. Air fares are also predicted to rise,
with rates on routes to some destinations in Latin America – including Buenos Aires, Caracas,
Comodoro Rivadavia and Neuquen – rising by up to ten per cent. “Travel in the energy industry
looks very different to travel for organisations in other sectors, from the cities they visit to the non- traditional air and hotel accommo- dations they use to get the job done,” says David Moran of CWT Energy, Resources & Marine. When it comes to growth markets,
the report highlights the growing significance of the ERM sector in Latin America, Australia, the Middle East and Africa. In particular, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Libya and Algeria were singled out – all of which are experiencing “significant recent growth driven by exploration, findings and the release of new assets by local governments”.
• ADVANTAGE has revealed a new brand identity – The Advantage Travel Partnership – which brings together its leisure and corporate members under one common identity. The new identity better refl ects the organisation that Advantage has become, the relationship it has with its members and the company’s future aspirations, explains managing director, Julia Lo Bue-Said. “We believe this is a signifi cant step forward as The Advantage Travel Partnership better describes the special relationship we have with our members and more clearly articulates to the customer, whether leisure holidaymaker or corporate traveller, the enhanced value we offer to the relationship they have with their Advantage member.”
• STATESMAN Travel Group has launched a new website and travel portal, allowing it to build a unique site for each client. Features including appearance, content and a wide range of online services can all be tailor-made according to the client's need, and accessed via a single login process. Joint managing director, Jon Langley, says, “We have some of the most experienced and knowledgeable employees in the travel sector and the new website has been designed to convey their personality and expertise. The new ‘travel hub’ allows us to share our knowledge with industry partners, buyers, bookers and travellers.”
• THE UK Business community is feeling more confi dent about the future and economic recovery than it has for over three years, according to the Guild of Travel Management Companies' latest quarterly review. It revealed that year on year transactions were up fi ve per cent, with hotel bookings for Q3 of 2013 up 17 per cent on Q3 2012. Rail bookings were up 16 per cent and air bookings up eight per cent on the same quarter in 2012.
50 THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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