4 minute read
SPORTS TRAVEL
BUILDING A DUTY OF CARE PROGRAMME FOR SPORTS TRAVEL
When athletes are match day ready, the world of sports travel may be rather thrilling, but who looks after the team when they’re not working?
Advertisement
As sports is increasingly global, more time is spent in transit between training and matches. It can, however, be rather complex.
As we enter 2022 and given the ever-changing landscape of travel there are several factors to ensure a seamless process. When it comes to organising athlete, team, or staff travel; there are lots of additional safety measures and logistics to think about as well as providing a legal duty of care.
What is duty of care?
So, what is encompassed in an organisation’s duty of care? It is a corporate policy and legal duty that ensures businesses are committed to their employees’ physical and emotional safety and wellbeing. It begins before you plan a trip and continues until they return home safely. The main focus is on building a culture of safety and trust by putting thorough processes in place and clearly communicating them so that employees feel safe and empowered when travelling for any reason.
Why should the sports industry focus on duty of care?
Duty of care is a vital component of every travel programme. These components become even more critical when booking and managing travel for elite athletes and professional sports teams. They may need to arrive refreshed and ready to perform on the field or there to support. There may be requirements for maintaining the privacy/security of a VIP sports personnel or entire team who may attract considerable attention while travelling. There’s also a chance that something might go wrong while on the road, such as: • A change to fixtures • The need to change the schedule • Weather disruptions • Natural disasters • Incidents requiring medical attention • Political risks • Missed flights/connections • Covid
Fortunately, advances in travel technology can provide travel managers with robust solutions to evaluate the risks to travel before travellers depart. It can also assist in providing instant support to those in need. In today’s global climate, it is becoming increasingly important to be aware of and plan for, potential risks to safety. We have put together some helpful advice to help you initiate a solid duty of care programme for your next travel journey. ◆
CTM’S TIPS TO IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL DUTY OF CARE PROGRAMME
1. Improve compliance with greater control
Travel policy creation: Creating an effective travel policy unique to your sports organisations’ travel is essential in ensuring that duty of care is achieved. For example, trips to high-risk areas may require individuals to stay in hotels within a certain radius of the city centre, stadiums, or venues. Travel Management Companies (TMC’s) work with customers requiring varying levels of restrictions and develop policies that reflect these concerns but given the complexity of sports travel, it’s important to use a sports specialist TMC as they will have a deeper knowledge of individual, team and event travel and developing policies that reflect those.
Policy settings: While setting a travel policy is a key part of the duty of care requirements, enforcing this policy can be a challenge. CTM’s online booking tool, Lightning, offers complete policy configuration and flexibility down to a traveller level. It’s a better way to drive compliance without impeding usability.
2. Team and athlete safety
24/7 support: Partnering with a Sports specialist TMC that has a global footprint means that you can access local support whenever, wherever. Whether it’s requiring an earlier flight time to avoid a natural disaster or seeking emergency assistance in an isolated location, having the capability to tap into local language support personnel and knowledge can be highly valuable in high-stress situations.
Risk alerts: While TMCs have the expertise to mitigate risky situations, they also have the ability to prevent them. CTM’s Risk Alerts tool sends risk assessments for upcoming travel with alerts of incidents and issues that could affect your team. It’s a simple way to keep your team/athletes safe before travel.
3. Power of duty of care with real-time tracking
When disaster strikes, it’s important to know where the team/individuals are to make sure help is provided when necessary. TMCs with tools such as Traveller Tracker pull information from the flight and hotel itineraries anywhere in the world. Updated in real-time, you can assess country-by-country risk levels and communicate directly with the team that may be in areas that are affected.
4. Approved partners and suppliers
TMC’s work across a wide range of wellrecognised global and local suppliers who are required to support with transport options for coach companies, chartered aircraft providers and accommodation options. Undertaking full due diligence on all suppliers regarding safety, security, and financial stability to ensure smooth delivery and having agreed contingencies in case of unplanned interruption or mechanical failures. TMC’s offer an effective way to reduce travel spend to negotiate discounts with preferred airlines and hotel chains while staying within budget constraints of your travel policy. ◆
