The Business Travel Magazine August/September 2024

Ten years taking care of business

A decade of redefining business travel together

JOIN THE PARTY

This year's Business Travel People Awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Tuesday September 17 2024 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London TICKET SALES CLOSE AUGUST 30

People Awards: We hear from the sponsors of this year's Business Travel People Awards 22 2024 Tech Hotlist: See which tech innovators made it into our hotlist this year, shaping the future of business travel

28 Technology Survey: Check out the results of our latest survey and expert insights

34 Artificial Intelligence: 10 ways AI is impacting our industry in a positive way

36 Directory: See our new directory of key tech players 40 Booking rail: The latest developments that make it easier to book trains for business trips

Opening Shots: The most exciting openings in the world of travel – in pictures 8 Speaking Out: Adam Kerr at Tripism warns corporates not to get left behind as the rate of technological change gets even faster

Everyone's Talking About: The Microsoft outage

Reality Check: We review three hotels and a

Final Word: British Airways

and

to the

Welcome

The digital age

The integral role that technology now plays in our everyday lives was demonstrated in a profound way by the recent Microsoft outage, which brought chaos to many industries and none more so than travel.

I was one of the thousands of people whose flights were affected and I didn't make it to this year's GBTA Convention in Atlanta, despite the kind efforts of my business travel friends and colleagues. Thank you again for trying – and sorry that my WhatsApp messages woke you up!

The outage was a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our increasingly digital world, and of the importance of having a good TMC to step in when things go wrong.

Recognising the crucial role of technlogical solutions in business travel, our August/September issue is focussed on all things tech.

We reveal the innovators and innovations that have made it into our 2024 Tech Hotlist (see page 22), share the results of our travel buyer survey dedicated to technology (page 28), and explore 10 ways AI is having a positive impact on our sector (page 34).

We also look at the challenges of booking rail, both in the UK and further afield, which is something we know many organisations are keen to do more of as they strive to meet their sustainability goals.

It's not long now until many of us will gather in London for the 2024 Business Travel People Awards and my next job is to help create the digital content that will reveal the names of our worthy winners.

We've got some exciting things planned for the ceremony on September 17, largely thanks to our generous sponsors (see page 12).

Thank you for your support and see you at the welcome drinks.

Bev Fearis, Editor

EDITORIAL

EDITOR

Bev Fearis

CONTRIBUTORS

Dave Richardson, Sheena Adesilu & Stuart Forster

DIGITAL EDITOR

April Waterston

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Steve Hartridge

ADVERTISING SALES

PUBLISHER / COMMERCIAL HEAD

Kirsty Hicks

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

DESIGNERS

Matt Bonner, Caitlan Francis, Colette Denham & Emma Norton

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Clare Hunter

PRODUCTION ADMINISTRATOR

Steve Hunter

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscribe for free at thebusinesstravelmag.com/subscribe

BMI PUBLISHING

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Matt Bonner

CEO Martin Steady

WOW FACTOR

Marking the debut of the Park Hyatt brand in Morocco is the Park Hyatt Marrakech.

From hot-air balloon breakfasts in the Atlas Mountaints to desert dinners in a Bedouin tent, the hotel aims to wow its guests with unique 'hyperlocal' experiences.

Eye-catching images of the latest

Located at the base of the Atlas Mountains, the resort is composed of 16 pavilions arranged around a central, zeolite patio"

Park Hyatt Marrakech

Radio Rooftop Bar,

TUNE IN

A £2.5 million refurb brings the Strand's Radio Rooftop Bar into a new era this summer. Home to the very first BBC broadcast in 1922, the bar now provides a laid-back rooftop environment in which guests of ME London and visitors can relax, work and indulge in signature plates like oysters with red yuzu hot sauce.

YOTELPAD London Stratford

PAD LIFE

Why stay in a room when you can stay in a PAD? The first YOTELPAD in Europe has opened in London Statford, bringing YOTEL's apartment concept across the pond. The 62 PADS feature kitchenettes, seperate sleeping and living areas, a bathroom and even mood lighting. Book for one-night, onemonth, or even longer.

LOUNGING AROUND

Hold on to the magic of Manhattan a little longer with the new Delta One Lounge at New York’s JFK. Expect architectural details inspired by Radio City Music Hall and Brooklyn Bridge, with soundproof booths and a wellness area to recharge before your flight.

Delta One Lounge JFK

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT

Adam Kerr, Founder & CEO

professionals

TRIPISM,

urges

travel

to prepare for an ‘uncomfortable’ ride as the pace of technological change accelerates

How to future proof your travel programme:

Understand your needs. Every organisation has different business needs, travel requirements and processes. Understanding your business priorities, your travel trends and traveller profiles is the first step to ensure you get the right technology for your business travel programme.

Travel management is standing on the precipice of change, the likes of which have never been seen in this industry. Travel leaders need to start preparing now to ensure they have the right teams, technology and partners for this tectonic shift. The rate of change will accelerate, so brace yourselves.

Technology accelerates change

A shift to cloud-based technology and software as a service enables new entrants to develop at an unprecedented rate. No longer hindered by legacy architecture, technical teams can create new services faster and for a fraction of the cost using cloud-based technology and APIs.

Technological innovation goes through cycles. After a period of stability for the last 10 to 15 years we are now entering the next phase of increasingly rapid change. Look out for new products or services but also entirely new business models and partnerships.

New entrants, often risk-takers, are set to challenge industry norms and trial alternative business models. This poses a significant challenge to incumbents reluctant to embrace substantial change, instead focusing efforts on maximising the returns from existing models.

As suppliers strive for improved service and reduced costs, the industry braces for increased fragmentation, with the possibility of entirely new models leapfrogging existing technologies such as NDC.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and access to sophisticated data is empowering travellers to self-serve, giving rise to a more informed decision-making process for corporate clients when selecting partners.

Airlines investing in direct connect technology with select corporate clients exemplify this trend. However, managing decentralised content poses a challenge for travel managers, emphasising the need for the right technology to maintain full visibility and control.

Focus on key requirements. Don’t be swayed by the latest trends that may not be right for your business. Focus on your key requirements and identify the partners who are going to fulfil your specific objectives. New technologies offer a lot more flexibility and the opportunity to mix and match is now a possibility. It’s not a case of one size fits all. Building a scalable solution that offers both flexibility and rapid deployments to fit exact requirements is now becoming a reality. Explore the marketplace. Take the time to see what technology is available and stay informed. Innovation can move at pace. Engage with peers and discuss your business requirements with industry professionals. Consider factors like cultural fit, scalability and cost. Not every service provider will be a good fit for your organisation. The ideal solution and partner will deliver on your objectives and provide quantifiable ROI. Leverage automation. Incorporating technology and automation into your organisation can significantly drive savings, improve efficiencies, and optimise processes. Look for solutions that automate routine tasks and provide actionable insights. The fast pace of new entrants and innovation is good for the industry and travel management, yet the pace of change can be uncomfortable. Adapting to the changes is key to survival.

ADAM KERR

Adam Kerr is the Founder and CEO of

Everyone's talking about... the Microsoft outage

“ DESPITE FLIGHT DELAYS, PLANS CHANGED ON THE FLY AND SOME VERY TIRED TRAVELLERS, YOU MADE IT ”

"ONCE AGAIN WE ARE SHOWING THE HUMAN TOUCH WILL ALWAYS BE ABOVE TECHNOLOGY, THE CRITICAL NATURE OF THE TMC AND THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION AND

RESPECT ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAIN"

"Don't wait for the next outage to realise the importance of being prepared. Embrace digitalisation and make sure your facilities are always a step ahead"

Over a period of five days, between not just the lost revenue but the tens of millions of dollars per day in compensation and hotels, we did everything we could to take care of our customers over that time frame”

“With the aviation industry increasingly reliant on technology, this outage stopped airlines in their tracks, not only in the UK but across the whole world”

Rob Morris, Ascend by Cirium, Global Head of Consultancy

The organisers of the 2024 GBTA Convention in Atlanta

Clive Wratten, CEO of The Business Travel Association

Maria Ortiz, Business Development Manager, TRAX Analytics

Ed Bastian, Delta Air Lines CEO

Alexandre de Carvalho, Senior Director of Analytics, Paramount

Feel the business

We believe doing brilliant business deserves a brilliantly di erent travel experience. That’s what the Virgin Atlantic partnership with Delta Air Lines is tailor-made for, to o er more choice, more connections and second-to-none service at every step of the journey. With plenty of delightful touches along the way.

Unmatched choice and flexibility

With 86 daily nonstop flights between the UK and US, including up to 34 daily flights from London Heathrow to 14 US gateways, there’s no better Joint Venture across the Atlantic. Whether you’re heading to New York for an all-important pitch or LA for a big launch event, our extensive network ensures you have the options you need to get there on time, and in style.

Silky smooth connections

Our partnership with Delta goes much further than just a flight. With seamless transfers to 220 destinations, connecting across North America is smoother than a Dreamliner takeo .

A network with a growth mindset

We’ve never been ones to rest idle on the tarmac. And our expanding direct network proves it, with 9 daily flights between London and New York, Atlanta 3 times a day, and a new direct Toronto service taking o in March 2025.

Priority boarding, seats for free Business travel shouldn’t feel like hard work. That’s why we o er free seat assignment, priority boarding and priority rebooking to our corporate contract travellers in all cabins as standard*.

Preflight, made delightful

Our airport lounges are a destination in themselves. Glide through our Heathrow Upper Class Wing and private security before heading straight to our flagship Clubhouse, and enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences in the newly opened and achingly high-end Delta One® Lounge in New York.

*T&Cs

Suite dreams are made of this Our Upper Class and Delta One® cabins o er the ultimate in comfort and privacy. With entertainment you can’t wait to dive into, premium dining and lie-flat seats, and WiFi* on all flights to and from the UK, we’ve thought of everything you need to make your journey as relaxing, or productive, as you want it to be. Plus little extras like the softest sleepsuit and Delta’s Missoni-designed amenity kits take flying in style to a whole new level.

Virgin Atlantic and Delta. Ten years taking care of business.

*International WiFi coverage may vary across Delta aircraft

TCOME TOGETHER

he judges have made their final decisions, the menus have been selected and the DJ booked. The 2024 Business Travel People Awards are back at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London’s Covent Garden on September 17 and are set to be even bigger and better this year.

More than 250 business travel professionals from all corners of the industry will gather for a glittering evening of networking and celebrations as the winners of this year’s awards are crowned.

“The atmosphere at last year’s awards was electric,” said organiser Kirsty Hicks, the Publisher of The Business Travel Magazine. “I remember the moment at the welcome drinks when we opened the doors to the elegant and beautifullydecorated ballroom, with its grand chandeliers, and there was such a buzz as everyone made their way to their tables. I can’t wait to do it all again this year.”

The evening will start at 6pm with networking drinks, sponsored once again by Silver sponsor Direct ATPI, and entertainment will be provided by Platinum sponsor Virgin Atlantic, which celebrates its Ruby Anniversary this year.

“Thanks to our sponsors, we have some exciting things in store for all of our incredible shortlisted finalists and everyone who is coming to support them on their special night,” said Hicks.

Final preparations are underway for the 2024 Business Travel People Awards ceremony to celebrate our industry’s finest talent

individuality and look for the good in everyone. And we never forget what makes us special. That's why we are proud to sponsor The Business Travel People Awards, shining a light on our industry's finest talent.

DIRECT ATPI

“Tickets are selling very quickly so if you want to come and join the fun and help celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams in business travel, book now."

A word from the sponsors of The Business Travel People Awards 2024

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Tom Maynard, Head of Global Corporate Sales

Virgin Atlantic loves people. It’s how we treat one another that makes us special. We embrace our team-mates, customers and partners. We celebrate everyone’s

Katie Skitterall, Group Commercial Director

Sponsoring: Buyer of the Year

Direct ATPI is delighted to sponsor The Business Travel People Awards. These awards celebrate the real faces behind the successes of our industry. As a former winner, I know first-hand the impact of these awards on those recognised. Good luck to all the deserving nominees.

CLARITY

Pat McDonagh, CEO

Sponsoring: Consultant of the Year

Clarity is delighted to be involved in these awards as they celebrate the people who keep our industry moving. We are proud sponsors of the new category, Consultant of the Year. Alongside great technology, these are the people who power our industry and provide the support when it’s needed the most.

NOMADIC

Directors Neil Thomson and Jen Fackelman

Sponsoring: TMC Above and BeyondIndividual

We’re honoured to sponsor the TMC

Above and Beyond – Individual award at this year’s Business Travel People Awards. At Nomadic, we understand the importance of recognising outstanding achievements and the positive impact made by so many talented industry professionals. Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees – your dedication and passion are truly inspiring.

TRAVEL RISK ACADEMY

Bex Deadman, Founder

Sponsoring: Duty of Care Champion

Travel Risk Academy is proud to be Duty of Care category sponsor for #TBTPA 2024, as it aligns with our vision –ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every traveller, for every trip. So, we’re delighted to recognise and celebrate those who elevate this beyond merely 'a responsibility to be fulfilled'.

BEST WORKPLACES IN TRAVEL

Gail Kenny, Founder

Sponsoring: People Manager of the Year

At Best Workplaces in Travel we know how important it is to recognise and

reward people in the workplace. The People Manager of the Year award is a great way to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work and dedication of people managers who go above and beyond to create a positive and productive work environment. As a sponsor of the award, Best Workplaces in Travel is demonstrating its commitment to showcasing amazing talent and brands within in the travel industry. By recognising and rewarding outstanding people managers, travel companies are sending a strong message that your organisation values its employees and is committed to their growth and success. It will be exciting to see who will be crowned the People Manager of the Year.

JETBLUE

SIRIUS TALENT SOLUTIONS

Lynne Griffiths, Founder and CEO

Sponsoring: Rising Star

Sirius Talent Solutions is once again the proud sponsor of The Rising Star Award, recognising young and ambitious talent in the business travel industry. Retaining such talent is vital, so rising stars should be celebrated and applauded at every opportunity as they are our industry’s leaders of tomorrow.

BLACKLANE

Jason Dunderdale, Head of Agency Sales

Sponsoring: Sustainability Champion

Maja Gedosev GM Europe

Sponsoring: TMC Above and Beyond Team JetBlue is very proud to support the People Awards. In an industry where people matter most, we want to be part of their success being recognised. Thank you to The Business Travel Magazine for providing the platform to celebrate the success of our industry colleagues.

We're excited to sponsor the Business Travel People Awards, and particularly the Sustainability Champion category. This award aligns perfectly with our values and goals, such as achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 and delivering 50% of our global rides in electric vehicles by 2025. Honouring leaders in sustainability is essential for inspiring others. These efforts are crucial for advancing environmental goals and we believe in celebrating those who make significant contributions to this cause.

BTA COMMENT

BTA UPDATE

The power of the human touch

In the business travel industry there's a common misconception that technology alone can drive success. However, I find that outstanding technology must be powered by extraordinary people, not the other way around.

We're in a business where a human is at the epicentre of every transaction, and this truth should never be misinterpreted.

Travel is inherently subjective and personal. While technology is essential and undoubtedly streamlines our processes, it can never match the level of personalisation that comes from a human interaction.

Yes, the latest aircraft might fly further, cheaper, and more sustainably, and an app might allow you to check into your hotel remotely and pre-order your favourite gin and tonic (with an extra slice of lime, of course).

But for business travellers, at some point, what truly matters is the smile of the cabin crew member at the aircraft door or the server that delivers that muchneeded glass of gin and

tonic to your room after a busy conference.

These human interactions have a profound impact –far more than any piece of technology ever could, no matter how advanced.

As we embrace advancement, let's remember: the real power in the TMC sector lies in all the phenomenal people who use technology to enhance our travel experiences.

What happens when, as we all know, travel does not go to plan? Your flight gets delayed or even cancelled? The recent Microsoft outage was yet another reminder. What technology cannot replace is the comfort of having an experienced professional who is empathetic while being capable of providing real-time solutions at the other end of the phone.

Technology will always be an essential component of business travel. It's essential for simplicity and efficiency. Nonetheless, we must never lose sight of the fact that people design and manage this technology. Instead of working against us, technology ought to work for us.

Concerns raised over Amex GBT/CWT deal

American Express GBT’s planned acquisition of CWT has been delayed until at least the first quarter of next year after concerns were raised by competition watchdogs.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) expressed concerns that the merger could lead to “worsened quality of service, higher prices and/or reduced innovation efforts for global multinational business travel customers, as a result of combining the current largest and third-largest company operating in this market”.

It gave Amex GBT until August 6 to offer solutions to the concerns or said it would move to a more in-depth Phase 2 investigation. Amex GBT said it would continue to work with authorities to demonstrate how the deal will “create synergies and provide greater capacity for investment and innovation".

SAP CONCUR SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS TRAVEL BUYER PAIN POINTS

Clive Wratten Chief Executive Officer

INCREASED stress is making it harder for more than a third of travel managers to succeed in delivering high-quality travel programmes.

This was one of the key pain points identified by SAP Concur’s sixth annual Global Business Travel survey of 600 travel managers from across industries conducted in April 2024.

Nearly a third of travel managers (31%) said they were struggling to

remain motivated due to feeling undervalued and 21% said they will look for a new role away from their current company within the next 12 months.

A further 20% intend to leave the sector and seek a position outside of travel management.

Almost all (99%) agreed that their job will become more challenging over the next year, including pressures to meet sustainability goals and get full airline content.

Business travel spend set for record levels

GLOBAL business travel spend is expected to reach $1.48 trillion by the end of this year, higher than the record spend of $1.43 trillion in 2019.

According to the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook, revealed at the GBTA Convention in Atlanta, the rise has been fuelled by more favourable economic conditions than expected in 2022 and 2023.

But when adjusted for inflation, spending levels are expected to lag pre-pandemic highs over the coming years, suggesting that business travel volumes will remain below pre-pandemic levels too.

Global business travel spending is anticipated to climb 11.1% in 2024, after significant years in 2022 and 2023 of 30%-47% growth year over year.

[ NEWS BITES ]

>> UK travel management company ISON TRAVEL has acquired Global Excellence based in the US >> KYTE and TPConnects have announced a strategic partnership enabling TPConnects to distribute low-cost content via Kyte’s API >> London-based lifestyle aparthotel brand NATIVE PLACES has been acquired by NUMA Group, a digital hospitality platform, from Native Holdings >> SAP CONCUR has added Amadeus’ NDC content to its existing NDC content base in its revamped booking tool Concur Travel >> AMADEUS has integrated the Trainline global API into Cytric, its corporate booking tool, giving corporate travellers improved access to content from rail operators >> HYATT has acquired the ‘me and all hotels’ brand from the Lindner Hotel Group to help its expansion in Europe. The brand will become a standalone brand within Hyatt’s global lifestyle portfolio >>

REPORT SHOWS DROP IN AVERAGE TRANSACTION VALUE

AVERAGE transaction value has dropped for the first time since the pandemic, according to a report from The Advantage Partnership and Travelogix.

The Global Business Travel Review found the average transaction value among Travelogix's TMC customers was £417.54 in the first half of this year, compared with £428.82 for the same period in 2023.

Figures also show the average transaction value has dropped sharply this year, from £466.05 in January to £364.21 in June.

Advantage believes this might be due to reduced traveller or consumer confidence since the start of this year, and perhaps fewer long-haul business trips taking place.

But while the average value has dropped, the number of transactions has climbed 17.3% over the same period in 2023.

The report also found bookings in business and first class travel have fallen, while the share of economy-class travel has increased from 71.3% in 2023 to 78.9% in the first half of this year.

BUSINESS TRAVEL SALARIES RISE AGAIN BUT PLACEMENTS SLOW

BUSINESS TRAVEL salaries rose by 12.5% in the first half of 2024 to reach £36,046, according to the latest figures from C&M Recruitment.

The 12.5% rise of £4,012 follows an increase of 9.23% in the same six months of last year.

But figures also show the business travel jobs market slowed considerably at the start of 2024, with a 61% drop in the number of candidates being placed in new roles.

66% of travellers who don't always comply with policy

Two-thirds of travellers admit they don't always comply with their company's travel policy, according to a BCD poll of 1,200 business travellers. It found 45% say they 'rarely' deviate from policy, 17% do it 'sometimes' and 4% confessed they fail to comply 'often or always'.

GBTA AND VISA SURVEY SHOWS KEY BUSINESS TRAVEL TRENDS

MORE THAN a third of business travellers (37%) say they have experienced more restrictive travel policies compared with pre-Covid, according to data and analysis from a GBTA survey.

According to the global survey of 4,100 business travellers, carried out in conjunction with Visa, 64% reported increased spending on business travel compared to 2023.

The poll also found 81% of business travellers said their most recent business trip was very (46%) or moderately (35%) worthwhile in achieving their business objectives.

The most common purpose of travel was attending seminars or training followed by conferences, while 58% said they extended work trips for leisure about the same or more than in previous years.

HYDE LONDON CITY IS SET TO OPEN ON SEPTEMBER 2 IN A GRADE II LISTED LANDMARK IN THE HISTORIC OLD BAILEY

CTM's meetings and events division rebrands

CORPORATE Travel Management (CTM) has rebranded its specialist meetings and events division ETM to CTM Meetings & Events.

It says the move will enable businesses to better manage their demand for meetings and corporate events as a seamless extension of their corporate travel programme, which will also drive better budget savings.

“Business travel is evolving, and we’re here to meet those changes head-on,” said Mike Leeson, General Manager, CTM Meetings & Events, EMEA. “This rebrand is about making things easier and more efficient for our customers.”

CTM’s 2024 Global Customer Survey found 90% of respondents expect to travel the same amount or more for customer meetings in the coming year.

40% of business trips are for three to five nights

A GBTA survey of 4,100 business travellers in 28 counrtries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America showed 40% of business trips taken are for three-to-five-night stays, while two-night stays account for onethird (32%).

[ NEWS BITES ]

TRIPSTAX has signed a partnership with global travel intelligence specialist Riskline to enhance its risk management and duty of care support for TMCs and corporate clients >> SYNERGY GLOBAL HOUSING has joined Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), the global loyalty programme of The Ascott Limited, of which Synergy is a member >> RADISSON HOTEL GROUP and sustainable global meetings and group hotel booking platform hubli have signed a 'next-generation, real-time' integration >> FOCUS TRAVEL PARTNERSHIP has signed a strategic partnership with the digital technology rail provider, International Rail >> SABRE and Trainline Partner Solutions, the B2B arm of Trainline, are now selling tickets for the low-cost train operator OUIGO France >> DUETTO, the specialist in hospitality revenue management software, has been acquired by GrowthCurve Capital >>

ITM COMMENT

Making the right choice

In business travel we can probably group technology into three areas: improving efficiency and automating repetitive or labour-intensive tasks, driving compliance in terms of generating cost savings or more responsible choices, and improving booker or traveller experience and productivity. An area that has always fascinated me is the choice travel managers face when selecting proprietary technology products from their TMC or incorporating third party specialist tools Technology offered directly by their TMC tends to be highly configurable and well-positioned to support the way the client's travel programme has been work-flowed through the TMC’s operation. These synergies can often be compelling.

A key advantage for savvy TMCs to position their own tools is that, if they are successfully adopted, inherent stickiness of the customer is enhanced. (Can you tell I spent most of my career in sales?)

Third party tools, on the other hand, aim to promote themselves as highly specialised, well-resourced and innovative, due to not being tethered to existing TMC systems. In the event of TMC migration, a well-established tool may be retained and ported across to the new environment. The flipside may be that bespoking to the client’s individual needs may not always be straightforward.

31% of corporate flight bookings not through TMCs

Non-TMC corporate airline bookings have jumped from 19% to 31% since January 2024, according to the latest figures from Traxo, which says the rise is due to the surge of New Distribution Capability (NDC) adoption, spurred by the actions of American Airlines.

Sometimes a tool positioned as TMC proprietary is actually 'white labelled', meaning it is in fact engineered and provided by a third party which enables the TMC to brand and present it as they wish. This isn’t necessarily a drawback, of course, just worth knowing.

Buyers understand the pros and cons of each option. They are comfortable taking the technology products offered by their TMC, accepting that this would make potential future decoupling more problematic, provided all their programme needs are met.

Encouraging then, that the technology that makes stuff work better regardless of who the provider is will be the technology that is selected.

Scott Davies Chief Executive

58% travellers overwhelmed by proliferation of air offers

Travelport’s new State of Modern Retailing Report found that 58% of travellers are now feeling overwhelmed by the proliferation of travel offers and 56% said airline deals are more difficult to understand than they were 10 years ago.

DATA SHOWS CARBON EMISSIONS ON UK RAIL VERSUS ROAD

CARBON emissions are lower on 93.8% of 80,000-plus rail business journeys in the UK compared to travelling by petrol and diesel car.

This is according to data analysis released by the Rail Delivery Group as part of its Green Travel Pledge.

The data is available on its Rail Data Marketplace, which has information on over 40,000 point-to-point routes, including over 80,000 return journeys across Britain.

DIRECT TRAVEL SURVEY THROWS DOUBT ON FUTURE OF TMCS

THE MAJORITY of US business travellers believe ‘TMCs no longer have a role in the business travel ecosystem given the rise of self-serve travel’, according to a survey by Direct Travel.

The Denver-based TMC, which was recently acquired by an investment group led by Concur co-founder Steve Singh, asked 650 corporate travellers if they agreed with that statement. Half said they ‘strongly agree’ and another 34% said they ‘agree’.

When asked if they also agree that TMCs are ‘long overdue for

disruption’, 49% of travellers said they ‘strongly agree’ and another 38% said they ‘agree’.

In total, 93% of respondents agreed that TMCs tend to focus more on helping companies save travel costs rather than improving the traveller experience.

The vast majority (93%) agreed that TMCs must innovate with technology to maintain a role in the business travel ecosystem.

Just shy of nine out of 10 respondents (87%) are comfortable having AI make their travel arrangements and bookings.

Live events and client visits driving recovery

ATTENDING live events and client visits are fuelling business travel’s recovery in the US, according to Deloitte’s newlypublished 2024 corporate travel report.

More than six in 10 business travellers (63%) expect to attend at least one conference, exhibition or trade show in 2024. Half of travel managers rank industry events among the top two growth drivers.

Frequent travellers say they are travelling more often for clients. More than one in five say they travelled once a month or more for client work (23%) or relationship building (21%).

The Deloitte Corporate Travel Report is based on two Deloitte surveys in May, one of 104 corporate travel managers and executives with travel budget oversight and another of 1,389 corporate travellers.

[ NEWS BITES

]

>> ROOMEX has teamed up with SQUAKE to help organisations measure their carbon emissions >> IATA has announced a collaboration with the Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF) to introduce a standardised Cabin Waste Composition Audit and to launch an auditing platform >> THE ASCOTT LIMITED, owner of The Cavendish and Citadines brands, has added six new properties in Europe and has announced a partnership with Chelsea Football Club >> VIRGIN HOTELS has opened Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch, marking the brand’s debut in the UK capital >> BRITISH AIRWAYS will resume London Gatwick-Bangkok and London Heathrow-Kuala Lumpur services this winter, four years after the routes were suspended due to Covid >> WINGS GLOBAL TRAVEL is creating a global meeting and events division >>

IN BRIEF

Greater content

Ryanair has announced an ‘Approved OTA Aggregator’ partnership with Travelfusion, a specialist in providing low-cost airline content to travel agencies and TMCs.

Extra miles

Finnair is expanding its London Heathrow to Helsinki route by 50% from October 27, adding two extra daily flights to improve connections across the Nordics, Baltics and beyond to Asia.

Better connected HRS has become the first hotel-focused technology provider to have its features certified to be used by the new hotel connector on SAP’s Concur Travel platform.

Cleaner skies

Virgin Atlantic has confirmed an order of seven Airbus A330-900s –designed to be 13% more fuel and carbon efficient – to be delivered from 2027. It builds upon an initial A330neo order in 2019.

Island time

The Advantage Travel Partnership will return to the island of Malta for its 2025 annual industry conference. The threenight event will take place on May 13 to 16, supported by Visit Malta.

Eco integration

Spotnana has partnered with Thrust Carbon to provide its customers and channel partners with comprehensive access to sustainability intelligence platform’s calculation services.

Diary of a CTO

I’M NOT ONE for sitting on the sofa watching re-runs of Escape to the Country, so when I recently had a day’s holiday at my Lowestoft retreat, I decided to build a wooden deck in the garden instead.

The idea was that the decking would consolidate the ramshackle collection of outbuildings dotting the rear of Schloss Wylie into a pleasing, harmonious whole, as they might say on the programme I don’t watch. What could be easier?

Quite a lot, as it turns out. Nothing fitted smoothly, lined up or flowed correctly, making my garden look even messier than before. And then the heavens opened.

Retreating to the makeshift garden bar, I reflected over a can of restorative fluids that my decking disaster is a good analogy for the challenge travel managers face when trying to obtain clean, consolidated data.

In theory, getting to a single source of data truth should be simple. In practice, it’s anything but, especially for multinational travel programmes.

If you employ more than one TMC, each will, for example, use different prefixes or codes for its client cost centres.

And even if you have the same TMC everywhere, the data is much less aligned than you might think. That’s especially the case for countries where the TMC relies on partner agencies. Some global GDSs don’t work well in certain countries, so different markets have to use different ones, each reporting in different data formats. Somehow, all this information has to be crunched together and normalised. The task is absolutely possible – with time, effort and know-how. In principle, a travel manager could ask their IT

department to do it, but good luck getting their attention any time this century. Your company’s CTO has a pile of projects which take strategic precedence over cleaning up the mess that is travel data.

The good news is that independent solutions are emerging which pull all your data together from multiple sources, including multiple TMCs. They are also independent of the GDSs.

AI is helping to cleanse and enrich the information and connect the flow of it to other services, like emissions reporting specialists.

“

In theory, getting to a single source of data truth should be simple. In practice, it's anything but”

Technology really has come on leaps and bounds on issues like this. Travel managers may not realise they now have more flexibility and more choice, than in the past.

To take one example, if you currently use only one TMC internationally, because you worry you won’t get properly consolidated data if you hire more, you can now put that fear to bed.

You’ll be relieved to know, I’m sure, that the rain stopped lashing down, the sun finally broke through and as I learnt with my decking, all problems can be fixed with the right tools and dedication.

Scott Wylie Chief Technology Officer TripStax

JOINS: Air Astana

AS: Sales and Marketing Manager UK/I

FROM: JetBlue

After more than three years as Senior Sales Manager at JetBlue, Claire Herbert has left to join Air Astana in the role of Sales and Marketing Manager for the UK and Ireland.

JOINS: Reed & Mackay Events

AS: Global Managing Director FROM: SilverDoor

Pauline Houston has taken the newly-created position of Global Managing Director of Reed & Mackay Events. She was Senior VP Business Development at SilverDoor.

JOINS: Travel Counsellors for Business

AS: Head of Business Development

FROM: CTM

Wayne Durkin has joined Travel Counsellors For Business as Head of Business Development. He previously worked for CTM, Clyde Travel Management, Meon Valley Travel and more.

JOINS: ehotel AS: Regional Director of Sales FROM: Katanox

Daniel Norris, previously Vice President Partnerships at Katanox, has joined Berlinbased hotel management software specialist ehotel as Regional Director of Sales.

JOINS: Blockskye AS: Chief Commercial Officer.

FROM: American Airlines

Former American Airlines sales chief Hank Benedetti has joined the leadership team of blockchain travel and expense solution Blockskye as Chief Commercial Officer.

PROMOTED AT: CT Travel Group

FROM: MD CT Corporate Travel To: Chief Operating Officer

CT Travel Group has promoted Clare Collins to the role of Chief Operating Officer to expand its four travel brands. She joined CT Travel in 2004 and has held a number of roles.

ALSO ON THE MOVE... >> International SOS has appointed Kate King as Director of Global Travel Partnership, focussing on global and North America >> Vibe has welcomed Danny Girling as its new Business Development & Head of Partnerships for EMEA >> AltoVita, the corporate accommodation platform, has recruited Nada Zrikem as Director of Client Partnerships to drive its Middle East expansion >> Advantage Travel Partnership has promoted John Sullivan to Commercial Director and has appointed Pelin Dede to the new role of Head of Accommodation for its global accommodation programme >> Rail Europe has named Robert From as Chief Growth Officer. He joins from MaaS Global and previously worked in senior roles for Google in Northern Europe and Southeast Asia>>

CLAIRE HERBERT

WAYNE DURKIN

HANK BENEDETTI

PAULINE HOUSTON

DANIEL NORRIS

CLARE COLLINS

TECH HOTLIST The 2024

In no particular order, here’s our pick of the top tech innovators and innovations shaking up the world of business travel

LOKULUS

Promising to disrupt with its AI-driven workflow automation platform, Lokulus is new to business travel but has already made its mark in many other industries in its 20-plus years. It helps TMCs generate automated replies to voice, email, WhatsApp and GDS enquiries, freeing up consultants to focus on more complex tasks, and can detect tone and emotion to recognise when a customer is upset and needs an urgent response. It can monitor and report on service levels, so TMCs and their clients can see where improvements can be made, and identify upsell opportunities to benefit both sides. A partnership with data platform Agentivity is set to be the first of many.

CLARITYGO

Crucially, clients were part of the development journey from the offset for Clarity’s new booking and agencyoperating platform ClarityGo. The strategy has paid off because since launching in June, clients are already reporting historic online adoption levels and customer satisfaction scores. ClarityGo is a one-stop shop for accommodation, flights, rail and car hire and uses the latest cloud technologies. It took three years to create and was built completely in house, which means Clarity owns all products and the IP so

can develop and scale up quickly, without relying on third parties. Being accessible was also a big part of the strategy and the platform has been externally assessed for accessibility.

TRAVA

We love a simple drag-and-drop and that’s exactly how the technology works at Trava, a solution to help travel agencies improve the post-booking service for flights. This easy-to-use, intuitive interface lets agents build the elements they want to provide – from client communication, queue management, quality control, ticketing, schedule changes and more – without requiring any technical skills. The solution can significantly help cut costs by managing fare optimisation and fully automating those unused ticket refunds, which can take up so much of everyone’s valuable time. Trava can also enroll customers in an agency's operations by automating communication and allowing customers to provide input into its processes.

“The solution can significantly help cut costs by managing fare optimisation”

EHOTEL

A scalable central billing solution displaying VAT worldwide gives added appeal to this AI-powered accommodation metasearch platform. By simplifying the payment process for international organisations, ehotel improves compliance and has an impressive acceptance rate of over 98% for its 2 million plus hotels. Helping on another important front, ehotel displays the CO2 footprint for each property, connecting with more than 16 sustainability certification providers to make it easier for corporates to make the right choices. Designed for both travel managers and TMCs, the technology aggregates data from OTAs, GDS, wholesalers, and chain CRS systems, ensuring competitive rates and the highest availability. Seamless integration with existing travel management systems allows users to synch travel itineraries, expense reporting, and compliance tracking and gives them access to smart analytics too.

CLARASIGHT

The testimonial of one customer sums up the value of Clarasight’s carbon planning and analysis software: “Partnering with Clarasight has allowed us to do everything we need to not just talk the talk, but actually walk the walk on sustainability.” While there are now multiple tools in the marketplace that help corporates measure and report their carbon emissions, Clarasight’s

CTM DOOR-TO-DOOR+

Recognising that companies are needing to plan more team offsites, leadership summits and bring their people together in an increasingly remote workplace, CTM has developed an AI-powered trip builder to blend corporate travel with these small meetings without the cost and complexity of large-scale event management. Called CTM Door-toDoor+, the product is an extension of CTM’s online booking tool, Lightning, and

software also provides predictive insights with actionable, role-based recommendations and reports, which can be tailored to the specific targets of a particular region or department. Encouraging organisations to give their emissions the same attention as their financial budgets, Clarasight provides scenario modelling, analytics and reporting to identify opportunities for reduction without compromising business outcomes.

means travel bookers and meetings coordinators can more easily source appropriate venues and create personalised, door-to-door itineraries for groups of two to eight travellers. As the name suggests, it brings the whole trip together – flights, hotels, trains, cars, parking and lounge passes –consolidating approval processes from individual segments to full trips for multiple travellers, reducing leakage and logistical problems, and helping to identify additional savings.

The 2024

TECH HOTLIST

BADGE

Badge makes a rather bold claim that it can save corporate travellers approximately seven hours of productivity per trip, but even if it’s just half this amount, it still deserves a place in our Tech Hotlist. It’s a digital wallet automation platform that centralises all travel information and means travellers no longer need to hunt through email or Slack and multiple apps to find their tickets, travel itineraries, loyalty cards and confirmation codes. Badge also makes it easier for travellers to communicate during a business trip and, in turn,

NOMADIC

Safeguarding employers and preventing costly mistakes by ‘self-certifying’ employees, Nomadic helps organisations navigate complex regulatory processes. Developed by immigration services specialist Fragomen, Nomadic’s software-based workflow architecture deals with online enquiries, determining whether an employee’s trip requires a business visa, work authorisation or EU posted worker notification, and flags up complex cases for professional review. Optional GPS capability enables employee location tracking for in-trip compliance support, including immigration, tax, social security and Schengen compliance.

helps organisations with their duty of care responsibilities because it puts travel alerts and essential advice – plus promotions and offers from preferred suppliers – all in one place.

TRIPISM

Another tech innovator that featured in our Tech Hotlist last year, Tripism is back in our list for 2024 for its new TMC solution. As TMCs continue to expand their service portfolio to cater for the ever-growing corporate travel requirements – sustainability, accessibility, DE&I, and traveller safety to name but a few – Tripism’s new solution allows TMCs to collate and communicate these services to their clients and travellers. Launching with Good Travel Management earlier this year, TMCs can now offer a whitelabelled Tripism solution to their clients, which acts as a platform for all third-party technology and services, delivering personalised content to travellers within the confines of each

TROOP ONE

TROOP made it into our 2023 hotlist with its ‘Where to Meet’ solution and is back again this year with TROOP ONE, responding to the growing desire to manage costs beyond formal business travel programmes to include meetings and events. Despite now accounting for 60-80% of total meeting expenditure, smaller meetings have largely been left unmanaged with no visibility of total costs. TROOP ONE is changing that with its cloud-based solution that streamlines the entire planning process, tracking costs and tackling inefficiencies and carbon impact.

client’s travel policy, and continually being updated with changing industry trends. Generative AI can be used to influence traveller behaviour, particularly relating to sustainability.

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

TOTAL SOLUTION

As ETM rebrands to CTM Meetings & Events, we check in with its General Manager Mike Leeson

What is CTM Meetings & Events?

We're an award-winning, global events agency with over 12 years’ experience delivering bespoke, creative and memorable connected experiences for clients of all sizes in all sectors. Globally, we’re a team of over 100 with 30 in the UK, where we’re a top 10 agency. We were founded in 2011 and, until a few weeks ago, were known as ETM. We’re part of the CTM Group and also operate as CTM’s specialist group travel division.

Why have you rebranded?

We wanted to align more closely with the wider business and the rebrand gives us better opportunities to collaborate with our travel colleagues at CTM to provide a more seamless travel solution. We’ve seen a trend in recent years for travel, meetings and events increasingly being managed together, so it makes perfect sense to provide our

clients with a consolidated and combined solution. This alignment means we can manage everything from concept and initial attendee communications right through to their travel home – the entire emotional and physical journey – which makes everything as seamless as possible for attendees and our clients. Businesses are showing increased appetite for meetings and corporate events to connect employees face-to-face for team collaboration, learning and development, and innovation. By integrating our meetings and events offering under the CTM brand, we are making professionally managed business events more accessible, efficient and effective than ever before. The rebrand will also allow us to provide a more seamless and natural cross-sell to CTM clients for our sales and account management teams.

What services do you provide?

We deliver bespoke solutions, from unique destinations and event experiences to

engaging event technology, intuitive reporting and robust supplier negotiations, tailored to fit our client’s budget and business need. It could be a meeting for 10 people, a three-day international conference for 500 delegates or a 2,000-strong sales rally or awards programme. We service all customers no matter whether they are a corporate travel customer of CTM or an organisation simply seeking occasional group travel, events management or meetings assistance, and offer meetings, conferences, incentive travel, awards, special events, team building, and training, with full support services including venue sourcing, registration, group travel, onsite support, event design, entertainment, and technology solutions.

What are the key benefits to your clients?

The key benefits of CTM Meetings & Events are our experience and expertise, our ability to offer tailored solutions to all business sizes, sectors and budgets, our attention to detail, a wider range of services, greater savings, improved efficiencies, and a more impactful, less fragmented and frictionless client and attendee experience.

What are the additional benefits of being part of the CTM Group?

It means we have global buying power, which reduces costs, adds value and increases efficiencies, global reach with local expertise delivered through our offices all around the world, exclusive supplier partnerships, and award-winning technology developed globally in our regional tech hubs. Clients have comprehensive visibility of travel and meetings spend, which helps them to manage budgets more effective and provide enhanced duty of care, as well as set, monitor and meet their sustainability requirements.

travelctm.co.uk/events

We've seen a trend in recent years for travel, meetings and events increasingly being managed together”

TAKE FIVE

Emma Stevenson

, Director of Global Sales at HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts, reveals five key trends in corporate accommodation programmes

Flexible RFPs

We expect 2025 to be a buoyant RFP season with corporates returning to the office and back to travelling for business.

We’re already seeing more customers reaching out to secure both static and dynamic pricing, allowing for a flexible approach.

Typically, the trend is to offer as much in the rate proposal as possible, not just breakfast but incorporating other valueadds, such as Wi-Fi, VAT inclusive pricing, access to leisure facilities, F&B discounts and free or discounted parking.

For us it’s about fully understanding the RFP brief, to get under the surface of what’s important to both the TMC and the corporate, to help create an offer that truly demonstrates what our properties can do to work in partnership and create a winwin for everyone.

Sustainability shift

Sustainability continues to be a key topic within the accommodation sector and our properties are now stepping up a gear.

Corporates are typically looking to match their own organisation’s sustainability objectives and are seen to be moving more towards hotel partners who match their sustainability targets in reducing waste/ food waste, single-use plastics and overall carbon emissions.

Our properties are taking positive action and many are able to showcase their approach to becoming more sustainable, and we encourage this across our HotelREZ Hotels and Resorts collection.

Demand fluctuations

The impact of fluctuating demand isn’t limited to air fares; it trickles into the costs of accommodation too, and it’s something HotelREZ and its partners are increasingly

aware of. Some current examples of this would be the Taylor Swift effect, the Euros, and the Olympic Games in France.

Corporates are still travelling, but their rate availability is impacted when it comes to high demand events, with many properties closing out static corporate rates and switching to a dynamic offer instead.

Corporate travellers are still able to stay in their favourite properties but planning ahead is key in being able to secure a stay at a fair price that suits their budget. In some cases, lower availability means corporates have to travel further out to be able to reach their desired locations.

Blended travel

Blended travel, or bleisure, is still a growing trend and we are working with our hotels to build a strong offer for this market. Typically we see corporates extending their stays once their business is done to take advantage of being in a great destination and having a well-earned leisure break, which also brings wellbeing benefits.

We work with our properties to develop their content so that all the local key attractions and activities are fully displayed, whether it’s golf, spas or city break attractions, or activities that give travellers a more immersive experience in the location.

The key goal is to provide not just an enjoyable stay but something that’s authentic and memorable.of choice for this community.

Partnerships

Finally, HotelREZ is seeing that corporates are looking for more meaningful, long-term partnerships with their accommodation providers. It’s no longer about just negotiating corporate rates or discounts each year. It’s about sitting down together and identifying what organisations want to achieve from their programme and how to maintain and develop partnerships with value and purpose.

Corporates are looking for more meaningful, long-term partnerships with their accommodation providers”

HOTELREZ

BLACKLANE

DRIVING FORCE

James Dow, General Manager Blacklane UK, talks about striking a balance between tech and personal service, and how Blacklane is helping clients reach their ESG goals

What is Blacklane?

We provide premium chauffeur services, including Airport Transfers, City-to-City services connecting metropolitan areas, Chauffeurby-the-hour, and In-city rides. The UK is one of our core markets, although we are available in more than 50 countries globally. We offer standard premium amenities, such as our fleet of luxury vehicles – notably the two-toned MercedesBenz EQS in London – complete with Wi-Fi, charging facilities and bottled water. One of our key differentiators is our Blacklane Chauffeur Academy, which ensures our high-quality standards by training our thousands of chauffeurs in discretion, safety, and etiquette.

Why did you set up the Chauffeur Academy?

This is how we go above and beyond, as our chauffeurs are trained to help guests with their luggage, open doors, give travel tips, and offer extras such as guiding them through airport security. This commitment is reflected in high customer satisfaction –95% of UK guests rated their journeys five out of five stars. Our services are unique thanks to our chauffeurs.

With your brand so focussed on the personal touch, do you also use technology?

Yes, there are several steps in each guest’s journey where technology improves the experience. It starts with our app for easy booking and travel management, followed

by easy billing and follow-ups with new offers. Our guests also appreciate our in-app chauffeur chats, which make pick-up situations at overcrowded airports easier, for example. When it comes to our corporate customers, it’s important that our systems are easily integrated with our clients' existing travel systems, so that journeys can be efficiently managed by third party bookers. The entire process needs to

Our chauffeurs provide this quality element so that guests arrive refreshed and better prepared for what awaits them”

offer a quick overview of travel arrangements and prices while being fast and reliable, thereby reducing service costs in the back end. In addition, we have items such as sustainability reporting and CO2 tracking to honour our clients’ and our own sustainability commitments. Our quality in these aspects has recently secured us new partnerships such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Jyrney.com. Last, but by no means least, our chauffeurs are profiting from technology. AI and data analytics along the entire value chain optimise processes and reduce the operational time spent on each ride. It’s the small things, such as our in-app flight tracking so that our chauffeurs can pick up other rides in case of delays. This way, chauffeurs can grow their businesses.

How do you balance technology with your focus on the human touch?

To my mind, tech and luxury have, to some extent, a love/hate relationship. Much of what you see in luxury services is based on the dedication of individuals. As great as tech is, it does not replace the personal touch our chauffeurs offer. I would even say that technology can clash with the timeless elegance and exclusivity that luxury brands cherish, as it’s cutting edge against preserving heritage. However, luxury services are dependent on tech. At Blacklane, it’s the backbone to every

Our Blacklane Chauffeur Academy ensures our high-quality standards by training our thousands of chauffeurs”

premium experience we offer but it needs to be employed mindfully and in line with what we promise – peace of mind on every journey so that our guests arrive better. Our chauffeurs provide this quality element so that guests arrive refreshed and better prepared for what awaits them at their destination. It is our job to put our chauffeurs in the best possible position - be it through tech or our internal service teams – so that they can maintain their quality.

How is Blacklane helping its corporate customers meet their ESG goals?

Blacklane is dedicated to minimising its environmental impact and has been offsetting all rides since its founding in 2011, which is an industry first. We also promote the use of electric vehicles, such as the Mercedes EQS and EQE. Today, 100% of our rides in Dubai and 40% in London are delivered by EVs. We are committed members of The Climate Pledge, Leaders for Climate Action, and the Solar Impulse Foundation. Beyond this, we ensure our chauffeurs receive transparent, sustainable incomes and top-quality training through the Blacklane Chauffeur Academy. The Academy provides theoretical and simulatorbased training, including defensive driving techniques, and instils the highest standards of service, safety, etiquette, and discretion.

HIGH TECH

In our latest reader survey, we delve into the complex world of business travel technology

Back at the start of the year, to mark our 100th anniversary issue, we carried out a reader survey to make sure we were still in tune with your needs and what you’re experiencing in your ever-changing roles. In that survey, we asked you what would make your jobs less challenging, and the top answer was 'better technology'.

We also asked you what your biggest focus would be for the year ahead and high on

your list was 'data analysis and reporting' and 'implementing or improving technlogy'.

So, with this in mind, we carried out another reader survey in July, this time focussing specifically on technology, to get a deeper understanding of your tech needs and whether these needs are being met.

We wanted to know whether you're getting what you need to do your jobs effectively, whether you're getting the right data, what you want from your online booking tool,

your views on the growing use of Artificial Intelligence in the sector, and more.

While progress is clearly being made – and the pace of development is getting faster –there is still some disatisfaction with business travel technology, as surveys by our friends at ITM and other associations also show.

The point of these surveys, of course, is to raise awareness of any issues and to bring about change, so TMCs and technology providers please take note.

The

point of these surveys,

of course, is to raise awareness of any issues and to bring about change, so TMCs and technology providers please take note”

MY TMC/TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS

ARE GIVING ME THE TECHNOLOGY I NEED TO DO MY JOB EFFECTIVELY

OVER half of buyers feel adequately supported by their technology providers but when 31.9% disagree, this represents a significant level of dissatisfaction.

“This suggests that nearly a third of respondents believe their technological needs are not fully met, potentially impacting their

I GET THE RIGHT DATA FROM

MY

38.3%

SOMEWHAT AGREE

job performance,” says Scott Wylie, Chief Technology Officer at TripStax.

“For me it is clear that the days of TMCs just taking tech solutions off the shelf have passed and any sales process needs to be far more consultative to ensure needs are met.”

Wylie notes that the 14.9% neutral response indicates a segment of the workforce is ambivalent, possibly reflecting variability in technology experiences or the relevance of technology to their specific roles.

“Overall, while the majority express positive sentiment, the substantial minority expressing dissatisfaction indicates room for improvement," he adds.

TMC/TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF MY TRAVEL PROGRAMME

THESE findings were echoed by a recent pulse check of ITM buyers which showed the majority of buyers (72%) primarily use their TMC data for decision-making purposes.

“However, 17% have created an in-house solution and 7% are consolidating travel and expense data via a third party,” observes ITM CEO Scott Davies.

“The key takeaway was that travel data analytics is a complicated area, with no ideal solution yet to help buyers resolve the challenges of how to consolidate travel and expense data not only via their TMC, but from multiple other sources such as OBTs, expense systems, credit cards, HR systems, and thirdparty providers for risk management and carbon reporting.”

TripStax’s Scott Wylie thinks enhancing data quality and relevance could potentially shift the neutral and dissatisfied groups towards a more positive stance.

“However, unless the TMC really puts the effort in here, technology providers are often better placed as 'the right data' and may now require content blending from multiple sources to deliver key metrics around sustainability etc," he explains.

Stephen Baxendale, Technology Partnership Manager at The Advantage Travel Partnership, says the richness of data is fast improving, particularly in relation to duty of care and sustainability, but he acknowledges there are gaps, particularly in the accommodation sector.

21.7%

STRONGLY AGREE

WHILE more than half of travel buyers believe their TMCs or technology providers are in tune with their requirements, a significant portion (26.1%) are ambivalent and nearly one-fifth of the respondents perceive a disconnect between their needs and the service provided.

“For industry leaders, this feedback underscores the importance of ongoing engagement and tailored solutions to meet the diverse and evolving needs of travel buyers effectively,” says Scott Wylie at TripStax.

“We also see a potential market shift whereby travel buyers are increasingly looking for solutions and expertise to work alongside their TMC. Corporate buyers and procurement specialists require far more granular data now to understand a more complex landscape with NDC, non GDS content as well as tracking off-programme purchases.”

MY TMC/TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH ME AROUND THE MANAGEMENT OF BOOKINGS MADE OUTSIDE OF MY TRAVEL PROGRAMME

THE SURVEY results indicate a significant challenge in the engagement between TMCs and technology providers and their clients regarding leakage.

“Effective management of leakage is crucial for optimising travel programme compliance, cost control and data integrity,” says Wylie.

“Providers should consider increasing their efforts to address this issue, perhaps through enhanced communication, robust tools, and more proactive strategies to ensure they meet client expectations and needs in managing out-ofprogramme bookings.”

MY TMC/TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS FULLY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF MY TRAVELLERS

HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH YOUR ONLINE BOOKING TOOL (OBT)?

SATISFIED?

“THESE findings underscore the need for TMCs and technology providers to deepen their understanding of traveller requirements,” says Wylie at TripStax.

“Enhanced personalisation, proactive communication and feedback integration could help bridge the gap,

ensuring more users feel their needs are comprehensively understood and addressed. The reality is that unless a TMC or technology provider has a history of sector specialism it is hard to both understand and deliver traveller solutions that meet all expectations.”

SCOTT Davies, CEO at ITM, notes that OBT optimisation is an ongoing challenge for many travel buyers but is the manifestation of “multiple issues in a complicated ecosystem”.

A recent ITM buyer survey showed even higher levels of dissatisfaction, with 82% saying their online booking platform does not meet all their requirements today.

MY TMC/ TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS ARE INVESTING IN AI TO SUPPORT ME AND MY TRAVELLERS?

“THESE results suggest that while there is some acknowledgment of AI investments, there is a considerable divide in confidence levels,” observes Wylie.

“To enhance trust and satisfaction, TMCs and technology partners may need to increase transparency about their AI initiatives and demonstrate tangible benefits to their clients."

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISHLIST FOR YOUR OBT?

Up to 5 answers were permitted

More

(eg NDC)

More

Better traveller profile

management

SCOTT Davies, CEO ITM, wasn’t surprised by the responses to this question about what buyers want from their online booking tool.

“These findings are very much in line with what our buyer members are telling us that, in general, booking tool technology needs to support their programmes better in terms of content, user experience, and guiding more sustainable travel options,” he explains ITM recently asked travel managers to summarise their priorities for the remainder of 2024 in one word and the overriding word that emerged was ‘content’.

“Although this is primarily access to full airline content, they are also dissatisfied with several other content-related areas, especially rail, and seamless air/rail policy inclusion," he says.

"So it’s not surprising to see The Business Travel Magazine survey results show that ‘more supplier content’ is top of buyers’ wishlist for their OBT."

WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF AI AND HOW IT’S BEING USED IN BUSINESS TRAVEL?

44.7%

YOU CURRENTLY USING AI IN YOUR ROLE?

HOW WILL THE EXPERIENCES OF YOUR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS BE IMPACTED BY AI TOOLS? HOW WILL YOUR ROLE AS A TRAVEL MANAGER BE IMPACTED BY AI TOOLS?

WHILE AI is being widely used by TMCs, suppliers and technology providers, it's not yet being used as significantly among the travel buyer community, but these results show that most buyers believe AI tools will impact the industry in a positive way. See our AI feature on page 34.

LOKULUS

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Alister Harris, CEO of software specialist Lokulus, explains how its AI technology is set to transform customer service in business travel

What is Lokulus?

We are a software technology company with an AI-powered automation platform that supports businesses to manage their work more efficiently and transform the way they serve their customers.

Harnessing a mixture of AI and rulesbased technology, our platform will automatically categorise and prioritise work, from emails re bookings to information from GDS queues, and will distribute tasks to the most relevant team member. Along with this comes operational and customer reporting so that our clients can monitor and demonstrate service levels, ensuring SLA adherence, and also identify operational improvements.

We have more than 20 years experience working across a variety of industries, such

as financial services, retail and government bodies, for example processing BBC TV licences and progressing visa applications. Having worked within the leisure industry, including Saga Holidays and Thomas Cook, we recently spotted a gap in technology adoption within the business travel sector, specifically for travel management companies (TMCs).

Why are you targeting TMCs?

A number of us at Lokulus have previously worked in the TMC sector, so we can immediately recognise that from a technology service perspective it’s falling behind other industries and customer service excellence will begin to suffer. There’s still widespread use of shared inboxes, and there are still account

managers sitting at their desks trawling through emails to pull together SLA reports for clients. There’s also a lack of integration with mid- and back-office systems.

While some of the big TMCs have spent millions developing their own in-house systems, there is no one else servicing the rest of the sector. That simply should not be the case, and we’re passionate about ensuring the rest of the sector is given the opportunities to harness new technologies that can enhance their customer experiences and team productivity.

How can your platform help TMCs?

So, if an email enquiry or a GDS queue came in relating to a marine booking, and the TMC had a dedicated marine specialist, it would automatically direct the enquiry to that person. It would also know if the enquiry was urgent or not, and would make sure they received it in the appropriate timeframe. It can also timestamp when tasks are done so that a TMC can actually start meeting the targets set in their SLAs and, crucially, demonstrate this to their clients. Having this data can be vital in RFPs and during bid processes.

In a crisis, such as a delayed or cancelled flight, our platform will alert the relevant person who can deal with it quickly, helping TMCs and their corporate clients meet their duty of care responsibilities. Our platform can also identify upsell opportunities via gaps in an itinerary. For example, if a traveller has booked a flight and hotel but not an airport transfer it will automatically send a personalised message to prompt them.

What time and cost savings can your platform bring?

It’s difficult to quantify cost savings but by helping businesses enhance their customer service and increase output by improving the workflow, we allow them to scale up without the cost of bringing in additional resources. Introducing the Lokulus platform will mean

We remove some of the more mundane administrative tasks and allow people to actually provide good customer service”

CHRIS MCANDRE

that TMCs can break free from legacy fee models, gain control of customer SLAs and maximise revenue per booking. And if they want to expand their team, our platform will help speed up the onboarding process. In terms of time efficiencies, our clients save upwards of 20% and in some industries it can be as high as 50%.

What are the benefits for corporate clients?

Alongside better duty of care, TMCs’ clients will get a more efficient, more personalised service and can also more easily monitor those service levels. They’ll be able to see how quickly their enquiries are being dealt with and where SLAs are being met, or where they are not.

What is the onboarding process?

It’s surprisingly simple and can be done in a matter of weeks. It depends how bespoke a TMC wants the service to be and the size of the business. It will be fully branded and can be multi-branded if the TMC perhaps has a meeting and events division, or a leisure arm. Either way, the booker won’t know we’re involved at all. We can seamlessly integrate with the GDS or other systems and can bring different channels together –email, phone, web or social.

There is some resistance to the use of AI in our industry. Is it valid?

Yes, there are often fears that AI will take people’s jobs away but we’re not in the game of taking people out of businesses. We’re dedicated to proving that it’s less about replacing your teams with AI, but how humans and AI combined are a force to be reckoned with.

We remove some of the more mundane administrative tasks and allow people to actually provide good customer service and handle the more complex, rewarding (and high margin) tasks that require empathy and judgement which AI doesn’t have.

We’ve been working with AI for more than 20 years. AI is here – the genie is out of the bottle and there’s no way of putting it back. With the cost of salaries going up and a shortage of talent, if you want to maintain a competitive advantage you need to embrace AI, because your competitors will.

lokulus.com

In terms of time efficiences, our clients save upwards of 20% and in some industries it can be as high as 50%”

Intelligence LEVELS

Whatever your views on Artificial Intelligence, it’s here to stay and is already being widely used in our industry. Here are 10 ways AI is making a positive impact in business travel

1

PRE-TRIP APPROVALS

SAP Concur is using generative AI to help estimate the total cost of a work trip that needs to be approved. Travellers simply put in dates and location and the AI does the rest. So, instead of travellers having to actually make the booking to know the cost (or do their own research to find an estimate), they can send their trip approval request to their manager with a realistic idea of the total expense, saving everyone time and effort.

2 SUSTAINABILITY CHECKS

As part of its Green Stay Initiative, HRS is using large language models to vet the sustainability data provided by hotels. If a property has mistakenly (or deliberately) provided incorrect data, the technology can spot and flag up anomalies, triggering additional checks. This means corporates can access more accurate data on each property used by their travellers, which is becoming increasingly vital as emission reporting requirements evolve and become more precise. What's more, for organisations that are offsetting to reach net zero goals, HRS found that with more accurate data, offsetting bills could be reduced by up to 40%.

3 FLIGHT DELAY MANAGEMENT

Airlines are using AI to better manage their flight connections, so they know when to delay a departure by a few minutes to allow connecting passengers to join. United Airlines, for example, says more than 700,000 customer connections were saved last year thanks to the technology. Claiming an industry first, United is also now using AI to give its customers local, live radar maps during weather-related flight delays, so passengers can better understand how inclement weather in one part of the country can impact a flight elsewhere.

4

TRAVELLER TRACKING

AI is being used to quickly scan huge volumes of data to help organisations more precisely locate travellers. For example,

through an integration with aviation analytics specialists Cirium, TripStax can now monitor real-time data on airline delays and cancellations to know when a traveller has been impacted. Furthermore, while most tracking solutions will only recognise that a traveller has flown the first sector of a flight, TripStax can identify that the traveller is still in flight on other sectors, all thanks to AI.

5 REGULATION COMPLIANCE

Filings for international regulations affecting travelling employees traditionally could take three to four weeks but can now be done in under a minute thanks to AI. CIBT’s platform, for example, automates critical but complex and timeconsuming tasks such as social security A1 certification and soon EU Posted Worker Directive Notifications. Not only does AI speed up the process, predictive and preventative technology helps to identify and address compliance issues before the filings are completed.

6

EVENTS PROPOSALS

By combining 3D venue models with AI-generated video narration – in 29 languages – HeadBox is helping meetings and events venues and hotels create personalised, immersive guided tours for their potential customers, in minutes. The technology saves time and money on both sides and promotes sustainable practices by cutting out any unnecessary carbon-heavy site visits. It also enables venues to forge stronger connections with potential clients, which is improving conversion rates.

7

AIRLINE NEGOTIATIONS

Travel buyers can go into negotiations with their airline partners better equipped thanks to the cutting-edge AI technology of PredictX. Not only does it monitor flight bookings, it knows what ancillaries your travellers buy, can identify when they book outside of the travel programme, and predict their preferences.

It can even compare your spend with similarsized organisations by route, carrier or class and give tailor-made suggestions on where money can be saved each month.

8

CUSTOMER ONBOARDING

TravelPerk is onboarding new customers 80% more quickly thanks to AI automation. Using data analytics and workflow design, it has been able to pinpoint how legal processes could be improved and in the past 12 months it has launched custom-built technology, including a large language model with a 3 million word database, to simplify complex legal, security, privacy and product information that helps close deals faster. By training the system with its own data, an internal ‘legalbot’ now processes up to 3,500 queries per month, instantaneously.

9

FLIGHT EMISSIONS REDUCTION

Air traffic body NATS has been using AI technology since 2015 to analyse years of historic data, including weather conditions, taxi delay and European flow regulations, to simulate thousands of potential scenarios to ensure it's working to the optimum operational plan at Heathrow each day. It's helping to save 47,000 minutes of delay a year, worth £4.1 million. From November, the same analytical power will be used to help reduce flight emissions and is expected to add savings of up to 30,000 tonnes of CO2 a year.

10

SERVICE LEVEL MONITORING

Lokulus has been using AI for two decades to help manage workflows in a number of other industries and is now bringing its services to business travel. One of the many ways it is using AI is to timestamp when tasks are completed, so that a TMC can more closely monitor the productivity of its people, even when they work remotely. This means the TMC can know if it is meeting the targets set in its service level agreements and, crucially, demonstrate this to its existing and potential clients.

ACCESS BOOKINGS accessbookings.com contact.us@accessbookings.com

Type of platform: TMC, OBT

Aimed at: Corporates in the creative industries

Access Bookings is the premier provider of accommodation and travel booking services worldwide, offering a 24-hour concierge-style service. Our innovative online booking tool is your gateway to real-time availability and specially-negotiated media rates. You can amend or cancel your travel bookings anywhere and at any time with ease to get an instant overview of your current bookings and quickly identify approaching cancellation deadlines and upcoming charges.

CTM LIGHTNING

uk.travelctm.com

info.europe@travelctm.com

Type of platform: Online booking tool

Aimed at: Corporates

CTM’s Lightning is a multi-awardwinning online booking tool for business travel, combining lightning-fast usability with the broadest range of content and customisable travel policy controls to drive savings, adoption and compliance.

Sustainability features include smart comparisons for granular flight emissions data, speedy sorting to select the lowest emission options in one click, and Electric Vehicle/hybrid car rental choices.

BLACKLANE blacklane.com corporatesales@blacklane.com

Type of platform: Online and app booking

Aimed at: Corporates and TMCs

Blacklane is the globally leading provider of premium chauffeur services, available in more than 50 countries. Our mission is to create true peace of mind by delivering perfect experiences around the world. We offer Airport Transfers, City-to-City commutes, In-City mobility options, and Chauffeurby-the-hour services, either pre-booked or on-demand. Our 300 employees and thousands of chauffeur partners always have the right premium transportation available.

CLARASIGHT clarasight.com hi@clarasight.com

Type of platform: Carbon planning for business travel Aimed at: Global enterprises

Clarasight is the market leader in providing global enterprises with a real-time carbon planning platform for business travel to power department-level emissions forecasting, planning and target management. Some of the world's most recognisable companies, representing $1trillion+ in market value, rely on Clarasight's software to reduce risks, save costs, protect revenues, and manage travel emissions aligned to business and sustainability goals.

HOTELHUB hotelhub.com sales@hotelhub.com

Type of platform: End-to-end hotel booking solution

Aimed at: TMCs

HotelHub’s mission is to help TMCs increase hotel attachment and generate more booking revenue. Consolidating hotel content, reporting and payment tools into an end-to-end booking solution, we unlock greater efficiency and complete data visibility. With full commercial autonomy and a consistent booking experience across all points of sale, HotelHub’s customers are empowered to optimise their hotel tech stack to drive business strategies.

CLARITY claritybusinesstravel.com hello@claritybt.com

Type of platform: Booking Aimed at: Corporates

ClarityGo: built in-house and using the latest cloud-based technologies, with speed, content, scalability and capability at its heart. ClarityGo is a one-stop-shop for flights, rail, accommodation and car hire, giving relevant results, agile content and unified searches faster than ever.

MeetingsPro: our proprietary meetings technology gives meeting organisers full control over bookings, with live availability and instant book capabilities.

HOTELREZ hotelrez.net info@hotelrez.com

Type of platform: Hotel booking, RFP, MICE

Aimed at: Corporates, TMCs and suppliers

HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts is a leading hotel representation business connecting companies with independent hotels worldwide. A SaaS-enabled service company, with two hotel consortia – Best Loved Hotels, and World Rainbow Hotels – HotelREZ also powers The Elegant Hotel Collection. Its portfolio includes StayCity ApartHotels, Dorint Hotels & Resorts, Champneys, Exclusive Hotels and Resident Hotels.

LOKULUS lokulus.com

info@lokulus.com

Type of platform: AI workflow automation

Aimed at: TMCs

Lokulus, a trailblazer in innovative technology solutions, is disrupting the travel industry through its cutting-edge AI-driven workflow automation platform. The intelligent platform seamlessly automates and distributes work, freeing up travel consultants for more complex tasks. Combining data, automation and AI, you can break free from legacy fee models, gain control of your customer SLAs and maximise your revenue per booking.

NOMADIC gonomadic.com nomadicclientsupport@ fragomen.com

Type of platform: Global visa compliance

Aimed at: Corporates and TMCs

Nomadic is a unique tech solution developed by the world's leading provider of immigration services, Fragomen, to streamline global business travel and short-term travel visa processes. Merging industry-leading legal advice and digital workflow, the intuitive platform provides end-to-end assessment and delivery technology to ensure compliance with global regulatory requirements, including immigration, social security and tax.

TRIPSTAX tripstax.com info@tripstax.com

Type of platform: Modular tech and centralised data processing

Aimed at: TMCs and corporates

TripStax is an award-winning, fully-connected modular tech stack powered by The TripStax Core – an innovative centralised data processing engine that consumes, normalises and enriches booking, profile and finance data across the entire ecosystem, no matter the source or format. Connect third party tech or plug in any of the 10 cutting-edge tech modules from Analytics, Content, Docs, QC and Profile to Approve, Track, Mobile, Hotels and Portal.

SWR

southwesternrailway.com/ train-tickets/business-travel businessdirect@swrailway.com

Type of platform: Rail booking

Aimed at: B2B, B2C, corporate, SMEs, PAs, EAs and more

Business Direct helps every journey run more smoothly, saving businesses time, money and productivity. We provide a free-to-use service designed to help manage UK rail travel with less stress. The platform allows users to book any rail service they need throughout England, Scotland and Wales, adding Transport for London, buses and more. Tickets can be collected at rail stations or sent via email for added convenience.

TRIPGRID tripgrid.com sales@tripgrid.com

Type of platform: Crew travel OBT

Aimed at: TMCs and corporates

Tripgrid provides flight booking, data management and custom group manifests designed for project, crew and team travel. Solutions include intuitive project-based booking, real-time flight tracking and integrated traveller profiles, plus post ticketing UDID management, cost reporting, and automated individual and group itineraries. Tripgrid integrates directly with TMCs giving corporates their contracted fares, service structure and full access to 100% of their data, live.

TRAINLINE

tps.thetrainline.com commercial-strat@thetrainline. com

Type of platform: Global API

Aimed at: Corporates and suppliers

Trainline uses cutting-edge rail technology to enable businesses and travel sellers to offer rail travel across Europe. We simplify ticketing and cross-border rail journeys, making travel accessible for all. Our products include the Global API for extensive rail content, the Agent Tool for improved efficiency, and the Trainline Business Account with self-service access to rail content to businesses. We champion greener travel choices.

TRIPISM tripism.io sales@tripism.io

Type of platform: Cloud traveller engagement

Aimed at: Corporates, TMCs and suppliers

Tripism is a cloud-based travel engagement platform to help corporates manage companyrelevant travel information. Tripism provides dynamic updates sourced from suppliers and directly from travellers, incorporating policy guidelines, supplier updates and traveller reviews and feedback. Tripism automates supplier management and provides valuable insights into travel programmes and supplier usage.

Tuesday January 14 2024, The Caledonian Club, London

Corporate buyers can register their interest to attend by emailing: Kirsty.Hicks@bmipublishing.co.uk

This event is kindly sponsored by Direct ATPI and HotelREZ

BUSINESS TRAVEL LUNCH

Buyers discussed the challenges

and

opportunities of switching to train travel at a Lunch Forum on rail sustainability CHANGING TRACK

Travel buyers met with experts from South Western Rail at a Business Travel Lunch Forum on July 18 to discuss how train travel can play an important role in their sustainability travel programmes.

The event, which took place at the Caledonian Club in London’s Belgravia, focussed on domestic UK rail and how to encourage travellers out of cars and taxis and on to trains, but also looked at modal shift from air to rail on European routes and beyond.

Buyers exchanged ideas and experiences and had a range of different approaches, ranging from mandating rail travel for trips that can be done in a certain number of hours to taking a more gentle approach of educating and encouraging their travellers to consider rail options.

Buyers agreed that seeing rail options – and the carbon emissions – listed alongside air travel on online booking tools would help to encourage more travellers on to trains.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the Lunch Forum discussion:

Joe Thurgood, Sales Manager, SWR

The Business Travel Lunch Forum was a great way to get a better understanding of how buyers are approaching rail and how they’re building it into their travel programmes and sustainability strategies. There seems to be a 50/50 split between those organisation who believe rail is fundamental to achieving their sustainability plan and those who have to prioritise rail for business journeys.

While some organisations appear to be full throated in their move to using rail to achieve sustainability targets others – while still promoting sustainability – are yet to fully embrace rail.

The discussion confirmed my belief that better integration is required between ticket issuing systems and expense systems to make it easier for corporates, and that train operating

companies should begin to look at integration between UK domestic rail and that on the continent and, dare I say it, Ireland.

One interesting point that was raised was that there should be better industry-wide messaging to influence travellers in changing their travel habits and encourage a modal shift. The ability for the traveller to see their contribution to sustainable travel could be delivered through messaging on digital tickets and at stations.

Roberta Iorizzo, Global Travel and Expense Manager, SCOR

At SCOR, we have started mandating the train for all journeys that can be done in four hours or less, and believe that our people will embrace this and we’ll see a positive difference.

We allow First Class rail travel, regardless of the length of the journey, as an incentive to make the modal shift. We know that switching from air and road to rail also boosts the wellbeing of our travellers, promoting an improved work-life balance and benefiting both productivity and the environment.

Was it easy to implement? Absolutely not. The main issue is that train content in the booking tool is simply not all there. To book rail in a different region as part of a complex trip is extremely challenging. We need rail transportation options to be fully-integrated in our booking tool and we need cross-border ticketing. Today this is not the case.

The paradox is that if people want to respect the policy and take the train, they often need to break the policy by booking direct! We decided therefore to allow direct bookings (made outside the official channels) and put a workaround in place to retrieve the data from expenses.

I am hoping that our booking tool promise of a European Trainline fully integrated will live up to expectations and I am grateful for my TMC's efforts.

It was great to take part in the Lunch Forum and comforting to see that most travel managers are facing the same issues. Although it was great to hear from the rail provider directly, I think we should extend the conversation to TMCs and booking tools, putting everyone around the table, to really understand the barriers and what can be done to make this work. I look forward to the next one.

Eloise

Ferrara-Neched, Procurement Manager

Travel & Events, Royal Mail Group

The challenges corporates face are similar at a high level, despite programmes being managed in different ways, and in the short term will likely remain unchanged, despite all the efforts from Rail Delivery Group and train operating companies with delay repay, ticket simplification and improving communication.

calculations to demonstrate the CO2 reductions when compared with road mileage. To support this, we introduced the Caledonian Sleeper Train to the programme and mapped out journeys from station to station and Royal Mail sites. The challenge was timing and the rail strikes but we plan to relaunch this campaign in the coming months.

Georgia

House, Sustainability Manager, SWR

All the attendees at the Lunch Forum had a good grasp of where their business stood in regard to sustainability, with many having dedicated teams in the business looking after this area.

It was also great to see many organisations had ambitious targets in relation to sustainable travel and to see where rail sat in relation to these. The majority were focused on air travel rather than rail as this made up the majority of their footprint and with air travel being first for businesses to tackle, rail is clearly further down the list.

We know that switching from air and road to rail also boosts the wellbeing of our travellers, promoting an improved work-life balance and benefiting both productivity and environment”

What is unique in the travel industry is the willingness to collaborate and share insights, good practice, and challenges through various working groups like ITM, BTA buyer groups, and through TMC and supplier advisory boards.

Rail is a significant portion of our travel spend at Royal Mail and coming out of Covid there was an ideal opportunity to promote the shift to rail travel from road and air.

I have worked with my TMC Clarity (formerly Agiito) to drive this change through targeted campaigns using the RDG Green Travel Pledge data

We discussed future reporting requirements and how commuter travel will need to be monitored as well as business travel, and how integration of ticketing systems needs to be addressed in order to provide a smooth booking experience.

It was also agreed that having sustainability facts and figures on these systems and tickets would provide visual guilt and that train operators should communicate the sustainability benefits of rail better to encourage modal shift.

This event was kindly sponsored by South Western Railway

Ticket BARRIERS

Booking rail is still tricky compared to booking air but efforts are underway to help corporates looking to make that modal shift, says Dave Richardson

Dissatisfaction with booking rail continues to run deep and is holding back modal shift as a key part of the sustainability agenda. But hopes for change are increasing as the new body, Great British Railways, chugs closer to fruition, while TMCs are responding to a steady increase in rail bookings into Europe and beyond.

Despite the success of long-established systems such as Evolvi (used by many TMCs) and Trainline, rail is often seen as too difficult compared to air and hotel bookings. This became apparent during a 'pulse check' of travel managers at the ITM’s Buyer Knowledge Exchange in February when 73% indicated they were not satisfied with the delivery of rail content, 63% were not satisfied with their OBT’s fulfilment and delivery of seamless air/ rail policy inclusion, and 63% were not satisfied with the integrated air/rail display.

Being able to view and book air and rail in the same display on routes where it’s relevant, with full supporting information on carbon emissions, is a key demand.

Over half (52%) of buyers did not have a policy that mandates booking rail over air travel where feasible, and over half had no plans to introduce this.

On domestic rail routes in Britain the slow and cumbersome refunds process on e-tickets is a bugbear, while a more robust system for Delay Repay – compensation for disrupted journeys – is also needed. Much of this stems from the many different train operators crowding the British rail map, but as all but a few train operators in England are brought back under public control as part of Labour’s policy, there could soon be more uniformity.

Digitalisation

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing train operators, has had a transition team working behind the scenes since Great British Railways was first announced in 2021.

“We want to make things as simple as possible for business customers to travel by rail, including improvements to ticketing,” says a spokesperson. “We know that the adoption of digital ticketing in the business travel sector has been slower than in the leisure market, and we’re working closely with the BTA and travel management companies to identify and address the reasons behind this.”

The BTA’s CEO Clive Wratten hopes that developments will now speed up, having been put on hold due to the General Election. ▶

Whether Great British Railways can fulfil its aim of simplifying fares remains to be seen. There are about 55 million individual rail fares in the system, and there are fears that the scale of investment needed will not be available at a time of stretched public finances.

“We really believe there is an opportunity to take rail way beyond where it was before the pandemic,” he says.

"But rail still has a job to do in marketing its product, which must be consistent and easily understood. We need an excellently functioning railway that leads the world, and I hope the new government will give rail the priority it deserves. The integration of rail into OBTs is nowhere near the level needed. It’s definitely starting to happen but the question is when.”

At Evolvi, Managing Director Andrew Cantrell retires in August after 17 years, handing over to Darren Williams who previously worked for ground transport aggregator Omio Travel, and Eurostar. Cantrell says only 52% of bookings are currently fulfilled by e-tickets, with most other transactions relying on Ticket on Departure at stations, although some customers still print their own tickets.

"There are limitations on e-tickets especially on refunds, but we have now come up with a solution that the RDG seems happy with,” he adds. “E-tickets are still not available for crossLondon journeys, as gates on the London Underground would have to be changed at key stations to enable this.

“We are all for simpler ticketing, but our system already provides all the information needed to make a decision on rail fares as easily as possible. If rail fares are simplified businesses will still need TMCs, as they offer so much more including duty of care and travel policy adherence.”

Many SMEs, however, do not use TMCs for rail travel. The big advantage of using a train operator’s business account such as Business Direct by South Western Railway is that no fees are charged, while companies can still keep track of their expenditure and carbon footprint.

We need an excellently functioning railway that leads the world, and I hope the new government will give rail the priority it deserves”

Charities and local councils also use this system, and some SMEs are based as far away as Scotland or Cornwall, well beyond SWR’s catchment area.

“Some businesses don’t realise that you don’t need to use a different booking tool for each train operator,” explains SWR Business Sales Manager Joe Thurgood. “We can book any train journey in Britain, and my hope is for full integration with European rail in three years.

“Customers appreciate that our system is free to use, and we get very positive feedback about our after-sales service, including refunds. My message to businesses is to look at their travel policy seriously. On a train their employees could be working or relaxing, not with the stress and expense of driving.”

Licence to travel

Trainline can book 270 rail and coach operators across 45 countries, and some TMCs and expense management companies now take its API so they can offer bookings into Europe.

SAP Concur will integrate Trainline by Q1 2025, meaning you will be able to book from local stations in Britain to a local station in France or Germany, for example.

Paul Dear, SAP Concur VP Supplier Services for EMEA, explains: “TMCs would usually need various licences to do this but by partnering

with Trainline, we use their licences. We have seen a significant increase in rail travel in Europe, which now accounts for 20% of bookings across EMEA. It’s great to have Trainline as a partner as rail is the most complex part of booking business travel.”

Navan also uses the Trainline API, but in some countries where volume is smaller it works with a local TMC to enable rail bookings. This is what happens in China, whereas in India it acquired a TMC to facilitate customers.

“We have a multi-provider strategy, including using the Sabre GDS to book Amtrak in the US,” says Nikita Schaub, Navan Director of Product Marketing. “There is now more choice of high-speed train operators in Europe, and more investment in rail infrastructure. On journeys of up to 2-2½ hours, you get a pop-up saying you can also do this journey by train.”

Black Box Partnerships Managing Partner Raj Sachdave has worked with specialist booking agency International Rail as it increases its focus on TMCs.

“Some European train operators are still owned by the state and still have barriers, making it a challenge to access content from outside their home markets,” he says.

“But if it all opened up, OBTs would not be ready for that challenge as they don’t offer rail and air bookings on the same screen or they force rail bookings onto an airline PNR.

“In Britain, some level of fares reform is coming with Great British Railways, and smart ticketing or Pay As You Go is part of that. We all have smartphones and they can act as your ticket, but TMCs want to be part of that process and this needs to be figured out.

“There is an opportunity for change, but you won’t be able to please everyone.”

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SHIFTING GEAR

Ground transport often sits outside of corporate travel programmes but is starting to get the attention it deserves

How best to manage ground transport was the talking point at a Business Travel Lunch Forum in June, where travel managers and procurement chiefs shared an open and honest discussion with mobility experts about the challenges of setting and monitoring policies and how to get the most out of their programmes.

Buyers also got an update on the latest ground transport developments and the growing number of solutions now available.

The event, which took place at the Caledonian Club in London’s Belgravia, was supported by FREENOW for Business, Blacklane, Mobility iQ and Jyrney.

Here are their key takeaways:

Jason Dunderdale, Blacklane Head of Agency Sales

Large corporations have a lot on their plates when sorting out ground transport travel policies. There's confusion about the different transport options and how to access them through various platforms

like GDS, aggregator platforms, TMCs, direct channels, or apps.

We heard that current bookings and expenses are typically inconsistent or left up to the employee, making it tough to manage policies, contain costs, and keep things sustainable. This makes negotiating deals frustrating for both the buyer and supplier, and understanding the impact on CO2 emissions tricky.

While relying on local suppliers can be convenient for local offices, it means global service levels aren’t always consistent, and ensuring traveller safety and following local regulations just adds to the headache.

The good news is there are now solutions to help deliver content, centralise data, push for greener travel options, consolidate suppliers and set clear policies.

Despite these hurdles, some companies are getting creative with new travel routes and methods to cut costs and emissions, like using rail and long-distance EV rides instead of traditional air layovers.

Overall, there's definitely a push for more global coverage with consistent service

standards and it was made clear that there is a greater desire for ground transport organisations to collaborate and make the process as frictionless as possible.

Pádraig Ó Dornáin, FREENOW

Sales Manager

Business Travel

The Business Travel Lunch Forum was a real eye-opener for me. On the one hand there were big hitters in the room, people with decades of experience in managing business travel portfolios in the multi-millions, in widely diverse industries, and yet there were common threads around the table, common issues identified, and common approaches used to solve these same problems.

From a FREENOW perspective, we were always going to be the small voice at the table but in the room there was certainly acceptance that there is a part we can play in helping these captains of business travel apply an element of control and bring visibility to the remaining corners of their portfolios yet to see the light, the shadow spend, the small unregulated corner. The 5% of their annual spend remains stubbornly in the grey area but 5% of a $35m annual spend is still a chunk of change!

I came out happy that our go-to-market messaging is on point and that we can provide these giants of our industry with the control and visibility they need of their taxi spend, provide them with a safe, regulated and reliable option for their business travellers, and help them by enabling accurate CO2 reporting to head off the rising spectre of CSRD visible on the horizon.

Daniel Pryce, CEO and co-Founder Jyrney

Ground transport often sits outside of travel programmes, so it was rare and exciting to be in a room with so many passionate travel professionals

discussing its most pressing issues. The event provided a safe space for buyers to share both their successes and challenges – there were plenty of the latter!

Key issues identified included cars not arriving on time (or at all), the difficulty of tracking carbon emissions due to a lack of data from existing programmes, and uncontrolled costs. It also became clear that duty of care is a major challenge, as keeping travellers safe with a largely unknown supply chain and unidentified drivers is problematic.

These issues, largely driven by a fragmented ground transport supply chain across global markets, mean many corporates have more control over their stationery than their taxis.

Hearing buyers identify the crucial factors for a world-class ground transport programme validated everything we’ve built at Jyrney. Our single platform delivers all the ground transport a company needs, integrating it seamlessly into their travel programme for the first time. It was encouraging for the sector and the travel industry that the leaders of such large travel programmes are taking ground transport seriously. I hope they took away that the technology – and crucially, the service –now exists within ground transport to enable a truly connected travel programme.

Stuart Donnelly, President Mobility, Mobility iQ by The Miles Consultancy

The mobility vertical has been the poor relation in managed business travel, until now. The Business Travel Lunch Forum showed that rhetoric is rising but the narrative matched my realisation that we are still at the beginning of the journey when it comes to maturity around fullymanaged ground transportation programmes. For most a few regionally or globally preferred supplier agreements is as far as we have got in controlling and managing ground transport.

It was great to deep dive over lunch and further validate the priorities on many topics that I live and breathe – poor user experience, the vast amount of booking tools/apps across ride, rail and rental, the lack of detailed policies and, of course, the lack of data.

The latter is mainly due to the go-to place for reporting – T&E databases – which lack the detailed granular data (start/end location, class of travel, distance, engine and carbon emissions) to be able to fully manage, control and report CSRD responsibilities, which will be law from 2025 for EU operating companies.

Duty of care and safety also remain key issues because in most cases it’s still the traveller who makes decisions about mode of transport, supplier and class of travel.

While highlighting the many gaps, I was delighted with the ‘rockstar’ showing of buyers at the lunch and, along with my peers and fellow sponsors, I can’t wait for the next one.

These issues, largely driven by a fragmented ground transport supply chain across global markets, mean many corporates have more control over their stationery than their taxis”

Event photography by Phillip Gammon

PHILLIP GAMMON

Reality check

THE HOTEL The flagship property of the Megaro Collection, this 49-room five-star boutique hotel is just across the road from Kings Cross St Pancras Station. Designed by British artist Henry Chebane, the hotel's style is accurately billed as 'maverick' and 'theatrical'.

THE CHECK-IN Roadworks outside spoiled my first impressions but once through the giant double doors I was calmed by the cosy, intimate lobby, which felt like a private members' club with dimmed lighting, wood panelling and teak blue walls and furnishings.

THE ROOM Rooms come in five musical themes, from punk rock and acid house to pop diva, while the classic suites are, as the name suggests, more classic. My suite was modern and masculine, with a graphite grey carpet, black furniture and olive green velvet curtains. Two sash windows had views of Kings Cross. Nice touches included the free mini-bar with beers, soft drinks, the Megaro's special nut mix, salted corn, chocolate-covered honeycomb

treats and two large refillable bottles of water. The ensuite was super spacious with a bath/shower and Arran toiletries, also refillable and full-sized. Bluetooth speakers and hair straighteners are available on request.

THE BUSINESS Spaces to hire for meetings include an elegant dining room with a high vaulted window and a table crafted from HMS Victory for up to 12 people, or you can hire rooms or entire floors by the day. The Megaro Collection also has a range of meeting spaces at The Derby inside St Pancras.

THE FACILITIES Hokus Pokus bar is a late-night underground bar with expertly-mixed cocktails, while the cheerful, industrial-style Spagnoletti serves pastries and full English or Italian breakfasts and, at night, fresh pastas and grilled dishes from an open kitchen. It's inspired by Charles Spagnoletti, a 19th century engineer who developed the signalling systems used on most of the UK’s railways. A flagship restaurant will open later this year. There's no spa

but guests can book in-room treatments, including manicures, facials, massages, hair services and personal training.

THE HOTEL'S STYLE IS ACCURATELY BILLED AS 'MAVERICK' AND 'THEATRICAL'

THE VERDICT A playful hotel that doesn't take itself too seriously and would suit clients in the media or entertainment sectors. A great location for the Eurostar too.

THE DETAILS Rooms from £290. themegaro.co.uk

Bev Fearis

THE LEINSTER, DUBLIN, IRELAND

THE HOTEL Billing itself as Dublin’s first luxury lifestyle hotel, The Leinster opened in May. The 55-room hotel is on the site of what was once one of Dublin’s most popular nightclubs, Howl at the Moon, and a few original features remain intact. The hotel is close to popular Merion Square and a 10-minute walk to St Stephen’s Green, Grafton Street and Trinity College.

THE CHECK-IN My keys were waiting for me upon arrival and there were no other formalities to complete but I stopped to enquire about some of the artwork. The hotel showcases around 300 curated originals from 80 artists.

THE ROOM My Superior room was a corner room that had three windows on two sides, one looking out onto busy Mount Street. The room was overlooked by the neighbouring buildings and offices – so the dressing gown came in handy. The style was ‘eclectic’, blending the modern with the timeless. The cool contemporary twists included a lush black-and-white-spotted carpet, a

cardinal-red sofa and chair, a rotary dial phone and hanging tasselled lampshades. Features included a Dyson hairdryer. A bar station was filled with bottles of premium spirits (such as Azul Tequila for $175), while a mini-bar had batch cocktails, Château La Coste wines and alcohol-free beers. The stylish bathroom was striking with Midnightblue wall tiles, hand-painted floor tiles, a standalone bowl and copper tap, and a Japanese-style Toto toilet.

THE FACILITIES The highlight is the city’s first restaurant by chef JeanGeorges Vongerichten, who has several award-winning restaurants worldwide and a hatful of Michelin stars behind him. It's on the top floor, with an extensive bar and outside seating. I spent three hours over a curated chef’s menu, stacked with a mouthwatering array of Irish favourites, often with a French, Southeast Asian or Indian Ocean flourish. The Collins Club is a basement speakeasy with a striking crimson bar, dimmed red lighting and

barmen wearing white buttoned jackets. There's also a luxury boutique gym and thermal suite.

THE LEINSTER SHOWCASES AROUND 300 CURATED ORIGINALS BY 80 ARTISTS

THE VERDICT Playfully-modern, luxurious and stylish. Jean-Georges at The Leinster was fabulous and the restaurant looks set to become one of Dublin’s ‘must dine at’ places.

THE DETAILS Rooms start from €300 per night. theleinster.ie Steve Hartridge

HOTEL: THE MEGARO, LONDON

THE HOTEL In a mangrove forest and with multiple pools, restaurants and access to a white sandy beach, this vast, luxury all-inclusive is mainly for holidaymakers but also caters well for high-end conferences and events. A big event for cancer specialists from all over the world had taken place just before our visit. Many took their families too.

THE CHECK-IN Like most allinclusive resorts in Mexico, security is reassuringly tight and we had to show proof of our booking to a guard at a checkpoint. We arrived late, in the dark, and the resort entrance was beautifullylit, the lights reflecting on the carp- and turtle-filled ponds and streams crisscrossed with wooden walkways and bridges. It felt very tropical.

THE ROOM There are nearly 500 rooms in the resort but they're split into different areas – families, adults-only, VIP – and are interspersed with countless pools of different shapes and sizes. Our suite was in the family area and our large balcony, with a hot tub,

overlooked a long pool which curved around the block. This pool also has a number of swim-up suites, which are popular. Our suite had a small kitchenette, glass-topped dining table, separate dressing room and a sofa, then doors leading through to the bedroom with two queen beds. Polished marble floors and leather bedheads gave it a luxurious feel.

THE FACILITIES Don't miss the teppanyaki experience at Bana (you'll need to book) where the expert chefs entertain as they cook. Breakfast buffets are fun, with child-pleasing picn-mix sweets, sticky doughnuts, nachos and other Mexican favourites. Kids will also love the beach smoothie bar and the ice cream parlour. None of the pools felt busy, except for the lively main pool, and we loved the walk to the beach through the mangroves. The YHI spa, in the adults-only area, has all the usual treatments and there's a gym too.

THE VERDICT Ideal for large-scale events that combine work with play and

DON'T MISS THE TEPPANYAKI EXPERIENCE AT BANA...YOU'LL NEED TO BOOK

for delegates with family members in tow. We loved exploring the grounds and spotting the wildlife in the ponds and in the mangroves. Service was attentive but not intrusive. Book for dinner early to get the best times, particularly for the Japanese restaurant.

THE DETAILS Rooms, on an allinclusive basis, start from £250 a night. melia.com

Bev Fearis

THE BACKGROUND Avis Car Rental is located at Cancun International Airport and is open 24 hours for collection and drop-off. We hired a Group C vehicle, a Chevrolet Aveo Auto, but other classes are available at this location.

THE PICK-UP The Avis counter is located directly opposite the arrivals door so is super easy to find. Our flight arrived a few hours later than planned but the assistant on duty was aware of the delays and greeted us warmly.

Once he'd taken our name and checked the system, he told us to go outside the terminal where the courtesy bus, with the distinctive red Avis logo, would be arriving shortly, which it did.

The air-conditioned bus took us on a short, two- or three-minute ride to the collection office, which was busy with other customers but one desk was free.

After putting our initials on a few forms and showing our ID, we were told to go outside and wait for our vehicle.

Having never driven in Mexico before, we'd opted for full cover at time of

booking, which meant there was none of the usual sales pitch about adding on extras. On the way out, we got chatting to a lady at a separate desk who asked about our plans for our trip. It soon became clear, however, that she wasn't just being friendly, she was trying to sell us excursions, with special discounts for Avis customers. We politely declined and made our way outside to collect the keys of our white Chevrolet.

THE RENTAL The car was clean and comfortable and, being an automatic, was easy to drive. The seat sensors were very sensitive and a few times the seatbelt sign beeper went off and we had to adjust some of our bags on the back seat. Driving in Mexico was surprisingly stress-free – once we'd learned to recognise the sign for speed humps, of which there were many.

THE DROP-OFF On collection, our assistant had wisely told us to take a pin of the location and save it, which helped enormously when we took the car back. The drop-off was even more

simple than the collection. We drove in, handed over the keys, and then hopped on a bus to the airport terminal. Easy!

THE AVIS COUNTER IS LOCATED DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE ARRIVALS DOOR

THE VERDICT A pleasantly straightforward experience from start to finish, with no waiting around or tiresome form filling.

THE DETAILS Prices vary according to dates, vehicle class and inclusions. avis.com

Bev Fearis

HOTEL: MELIA PARADISUS PLAYA DEL CARMEN, RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO

AVIS CAR RENTAL, CANCUN, MEXICO

DAVID

The Business Travel Magazine

Dinner Club

Travel buyers, TMCs, consultants and suppliers met for the first Dinner Club of 2024 at The Dorchester on June 10. A dozen guests were first timers at the invitation-only event, sponsored by United Airlines, South Western Railway, Blacklane and 3Sixty, After a champagne reception, guests enjoyed a three-course meal followed by an inspiring talk by Linda Bekoe, CEO of APLBC, on the importance of inclusion and culture in business travel.

Champagne reception

Dinner chat

Speaker and sponsors

May we haveth one's attention?

Is it a winged creature of the air or, perchance, a celestial contrivance navigating the skies? No, ma’am, that’s a British Airways A350.

This is one of the witty lines in the new in-flight safety video from British Airways, capitalising on the Bridgerton craze that's once again sweeping the nation and beyond.

The five-minute film was directed by Sharon Maguire, widely known for her work on Bridget Jones’s Diary and Bridget Jones’s Baby.

It features more than 40 British Airways employees – pilots, cabin crew, engineers and ground staff – who play themselves in the film, as well as period drama characters.

In the video, ladies and lords of the manor, housekeepers and butlers are confused and intrigued by elements of the

modern day, such as laptops, seatbelts and oxygen masks. It's cleverly done and clearly no expense was spared, particularly on the authentic costumes and elegant locations. But we can't help worrying about all those

No rainy day stays

Based on the British summer so far, this isn't something we can imagine catching on in the UK, but a group of six hotels in the US have taken the brave move to offer Weather Guarantees.

A partnership between Curator Hotel & Resort Collection and Sensible Weather means guests will be reimbursed up to their daily stay costs if the day's forecast indicates rain on any day of their trip. And it's paid off, as the six hotels have seen a notable jump in direct bookings and a measurable 2% increase in booking conversion.

passengers for whom English isn't their first language, who might struggle to understand the vital safety briefing in modernday English, let aloneth in the wayeth they spoketh back in the dayeth, ma'am.

and out of UK airports last year, according to stats from the CAA and analysed by Norton Insurance Brokers. Here goes:

If InterContinental Hotels and Resorts has its way, its guests won’t be suffering with jetlag no matter how many time zones they travel through. That's because they now get complimentary access to Timeshifter, an app developed in collaboration with worldrenowned scientists and based on the latest research in sleep and circadian neuroscience. The app gives travellers a personal plan based on their specific chronotype, sleep pattern, itinerary and personal preferences, and harnesses the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Yawn...