Business Travel Show 2014
the first 30 days of the trial,” she said. “We have particularly seen an impact on the use of advance purchases and preferred suppliers. Gamification is an opportunity to engage and interact. It’s a way of using incentives rather than traditional rules and regulations – introduce the carrot and not the stick, although you still need both as it’s not an either/or situation.”
■ BETTER HOTEL CONTENT WILL CUT LEAKAGE – HRS Improving the quality of hotel content can help buyers to reduce leakage from their travel programmes, according to a new report by hotel supplier HRS.
The report, entitled Content is King,
found that reducing the number of bookings made outside the travel programme was a key priority for 80 per cent of buyers. The white paper was released at the Business Travel Show.
HRS said in the report that improving the quality and depth of information provided by hotels within the travel programme could increase compliance. The company said this included offering more and better quality photographs of each property, while offering more detailed descriptions of the hotel also helped to increase conversion rates. Jon West, managing director of HRS UK and Ireland, said: “After extensive research, we have found that leakage from travel policies is a huge issue for travel bookers. It is important that hotels not only provide the most effective information to display to those booking but that they also choose the right distribution channel to place their content. It is now estimated that 42 per cent of the overall managed travel market in Europe is made of online bookings, so correct content on the right channel can have a major effect.” HRS has also included tips on the best practice on improving hotel content to help reduce leakage.
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■ DE VERE REVAMPS LOYALTY SCHEME Meetings and conference firm De Vere Venues relaunched its loyalty scheme at the show. The company, which has more than 30 venues throughout the UK, said that its Showtime Rewards scheme was undergoing a “radical revamp”, including an enhanced website and new retail partners, such as John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, Selfridges
SHOWTWEETS
There was a huge buzz on Twitter around the Business Travel Show, as almost 600 people tweeted 1,741 times, reaching a potential 1.9 million people. We feature some of the top tweets from the event’s #btshow hashtag:
@CarrieAnn_CWT Kevin O'Connor @CarlsonWagonlit: People want relevant, timely information on a friendly interface
@JacquiGranger "We have to invest to bring people into our industry. We have to employ & train them" – Gregory Lording, FCM Travel Solutions
@Amadeus_UK Ian Van Hove from @Amadeus_UK says mobile is the tool that opens up a world of in-trip personalisation for the traveller that must be utilised
@AmedeusRail First question comes in, should I delete a bad review? Hmmm what do you think?
...Not a good idea!
@thomasnewcombe Gatwick Airport CCO: Gatwick a better option for 2nd runway than a 'costly mega hub' at Heathrow
“We have found that leakage from travel policies is a huge issue for travel bookers”
and Harrods, offering a wider range of rewards. The scheme is available to meeting and event bookers who can earn one point for every pound spent with De Vere Venues. Nick Read, De Vere’s marketing and distribution director, said the scheme had been refreshed after receiving feedback from bookers. “Loyalty initiatives are a fantastic way of rewarding our clients while benefiting bookers, with revenue generated per booker up to 220 per cent higher when they are a Showtime member, versus non-members,” he said.
■ REDFERN ADDS EXPENSES TO ONLINE BOOKING TOOL TMC Redfern Travel is adding an expense management tool to its online booking platform, Trips. The company,
@BTShowlondon Shannon Hyland: I may not like the pricing pressure in this industry but it’s exciting and it’s not going away
@Egencia_UK Egencia UK director of hotel supply Louis Bouchayer: The key hotel trends for 2013 are 500% more bookings through mobile and 30% more restricted rates booked.
@BofA_News & @PwC_UK Talking duty of care @BTShowlondon – reputation is crucial, & don't wear Rolex in risky region!
@Michaelbots Interesting @KDS_innovates: There has simply never been anything like this before in expense management
@KumuthaRamanathan Pleased that Egencia’s CEO spoke to me about SEO challenges with Google and industry trends.
which showcased the upgrade at the show, said the tool would “deliver greater management capability via an online environment”. Redfern’s CEO Mark Bowers said: “Expense management completes a suite of management tools within Trips, and sits alongside the existing management information, policy and profiling modules, and traveller tracking functionality. It has always been our intention to deliver more than a booking tool and to provide a comprehensive travel management suite via an online portal.” Redfern has been working with online expense specialist Web Expenses and technology firm Micros Travel on the project, which includes a mobile application allowing users to record and submit expenses from a smartphone or tablet. ■
The 2015 Business Travel Show will take place February 25-26 at a new venue, Olympia, in London.
MARCH/APRIL 2014
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