THE GTMC COLUMN PAUL WAIT
THE NEED FOR SPEED
HS2 WILL BE A BOON FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL
s the voice of the business traveller, the Guild of Travel Management Companies is continually in conversation with those who travel extensively for work – especially about the hot topics on both the news and political agendas that affect their working lives. One topic that comes up constantly is high-speed rail and the general consensus is: could do better. Far too frequently, business travellers tell us that they’re unable to get to the places they need to do business swiftly and easily. And as with all business travel, the cost of ticket prices remains a focus. We recently surveyed 1,000 business travellers on their travelling habits, wants and needs. Over half of those questioned expressed their support for high-speed projects. And for the next generation of business travellers (the Millennials, aged 18-29) the future of rail travel following HS2 is bright, with 62 per cent confirming that it would increase the frequency by which they travel by rail for business. I remain a firm supporter of increasing rail capacity
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through new high speed rail projects, and it must be a UK-wide consideration to empower the north and rebalance the UK economy. More than simply allowing business to take place more seamlessly by increasing rail capacity and connectivity, and reducing journey times, 40 per cent of business travellers also believe HS2 will bring economic growth to the regions, and nearly half (49 per cent) believe that construction for both phases should take place at the same time. Improved infrastructure is essential to encourage
growth outside London and the south-east. It is vital that business travellers can ensure their journeys are as swift and easy as possible to maximise time for business to take place, as business travellers play an intrinsic part in driving a sustainable economic recovery.
As the dust settles on the election, the time for campaigning is over and the time for action on our rail network is now.
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
Paul Wait is chief executive of the Guild of Travel Management Companies (
gtmc.org)
THE ACTE COLUMN CAROLINE ALLEN
THE VINYL FRONTIER
BUSINESS TRAVEL’S STORY IS ONE OF CONSTANTLY EVOLVING TRENDS
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n July, after spending 53 years in the same Sunday evening timeslot, the Radio 1 Chart Show, now known as The Official Chart, will relocate to a Friday to coincide with industry moves to fix a global-release day for all new music. Record sales used to be based on physical units
(records, tapes and CDs) sold. Two decades ago it was illegal to download music, but the industry navigated the financial hurdles to ensure the artistes got their share and record companies made their profits. Today’s chart is almost exclusively based on download sales. So it may be a surprise to hear that a vinyl-only chart
was recently launched. The resurgence of vinyl is thanks to die-hard music fans who believe the sound quality is truer to the original recording than digital-format music. With vinyl sales up by 40 per cent and at a 20-year high, some artistes are now launching vinyl-only releases, proving there’s always room for a niche business. There are obvious lateral connections to the business travel industry. The lines between travel, procurement, risk, security management and HR are constantly blurring, with the trend of adopting more liberal booking policies made possible through better online booking functionality and reporting. No doubt that trend will continue to evolve. Meanwhile, travel management companies continue to redefine their core proposition. We must constantly re-imagine the way we collaborate with industry partners and develop the services we provide. Of course we need to focus on developing the financial models to connect the dots, but there is also room to collaborate with new and rising businesses. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) is evolving, too. We now offer buyer members zero registration fees at all ACTE events globally. ACTE holds more than 70 events a year around the world, many partnering with national associations – see
acte.org for details. Come to Buying Business Travel and ACTE’s London partner forum on May 15 to work out which parts of your corporate travel programme function best and what new opportunities you may want to embrace. Share ideas with your peers to redefine the way your company operates in the travel and risk management arena, yet still attend to the needs of your die-hard fans.
BBT MAY/JUNE 2015 121
Caroline Allen is the regional director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (
acte.org)
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