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news conference report
ttglive.com
ITM Conference 2009
March 25-27 ■ Liverpool
The Institute of Travel Management helds its 2009
conference last week. Martin Ferguson reports
ITM changes its name to
reflect role of meetings
MEMBERS of the Institute of Travel Management the importance of travel to the sector but
have voted to change the name of the organisa- stressed that it was just one of many elements
tion to the Institute of Travel and Meetings. to be considered by buyers.
Paul Tilstone, ITM’s chief executive, said the “Historically, we have concentrated too much
amendment, decided at the institute’s annual on the getting there, and not looked closely
conference in Liverpool last week, marked a enough at the reason for the trip and if there are
paradigm shift in the industry. viable alternatives,” added Tilstone. STRICTLY STRACHAN: ITM chair Caroline
He said ITM’s buyer members had driven the “You can’t ignore the environment and corpo- Strachan competes in Strictly ITM, the
change because they increasingly regarded rate social responsibility implication, technology association’s spectacular contest at the
travel spend as part of a much broader focus on developments and the need to cut costs.” Liverpool conference, together with
meetings. The conference heard how Ikea, the Swedish professional dancer Julian Tocker.
“Maybe we’ve been going under the wrong multinational, had changed the name of its
name for some time,” said Tilstone. global travel management programme to global
“We didn’t expect everyone to agree with the travel and meeting management, and intended
AGENTS’ FUTURE.
change but we are a buyer-led organisation to drop the word travel altogether by 2012.
TMCs urged to adapt as
and this demonstrates where they are now in The furniture manufacturer aims to cut up to
terms of procurement and travel and meetings 70% of its travel spend by 2012 and is urging its
videoconferencing grows
management.” employees to use videoconferencing, webex or
He said the change should not detract from telephone for meetings rather than travel. THE TRAVEL intermediary still has a vital role to
play in managing corporate travel and meeting
spend, according to Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s
RAIL BOOKINGS.
head of industry affairs, Nigel Turner.
CWT: Alter approach to rail tickets
Speaking at a session called “Is travel manage-
ment dead?”, he told delegates that travel man-
agement companies had the flexibility to adapt
BUSINESS travellers should approach rail “With better planning a traveller could buy at to the changing landscape of travel buying.
bookings in the same way they treat an airline, very least a restricted outbound ticket and still The TMC boss added: “We know that travel is a
according to Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s director of make a saving. You do not expect the same means to an end and facilitates meetings, but if
industry affairs. flexible options when booking an airline ticket.” we didn’t bring value to the process we wouldn’t
Nigel Turner, speaking in a session entitled The Turner said businesses could make significant be here.”
Secrets of Travel Management at the conference savings by installing a rail booking tool and ticket Wayne Pollard, sales director at Business
in Liverpool, said buyers that changed their printer in their office. Travel Direct, supported Turner’s view that while
company culture towards rail booking could Mark Avery, head of business services at Price- TMCs must adapt, they still help companies make
secure a “quick win”. waterhouseCoopers, said his company was chal- cost savings and increase compliance levels.
“People have always had a different attitude lenging the rail booking habits of its travellers. “The TMCs’ role is critical for business,” he said.
to booking rail,” he said. “More often than not “Until now people had been booking the most “What will change? Videoconferencing will play
a traveller will book the most expensive fully expensive tickets,” he said. “But we have a bigger role and will replace some travel. We
flexible ticket – an open-ended return, for installed machines in our offices and it has lead need to investigate how we can parcel up that
example – when perhaps it is not necessary. to a 46% reduction in our rail spend.” service for our clients in their overall package.”
22 03.04.2009
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