analysis: business travel resumption WINNING FORMULA: Crawfords took 16 cars to the British Grand Prix, at Silverstone, in July
The chauffeur industry has had a boost from recent sporting events, but the real travel comeback won’t happen until the autumn
Banking on September
Mark Bursa
T
he return of crowds to major
sporting events gave the ground transport industry a welcome boost. A shot in the arm, you could say, as the success of the Covid-19 vaccination programme meant the Government felt comfortable enough to risk releasing Britain from lockdown on July 19. At the time of writing, infections were rising to a level not far off last December. But crucially, Covid-related deaths are not rising at the same rate. We may catch Covid, but those without underlying medical conditions that make them more
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vulnerable to the virus are now unlikely to die. And that’s what we’ll have to live with going forward. The return of events such as the Open Golf Championship, British Grand Prix and Wimbledon provided work for Britain’s beleaguered executive chauffeuring sector. These events have traditionally provided demand spikes during quiet summer months. While the corporate hospitality market hasn’t quite bounced back – international travel is still strictly limited, so there are far fewer overseas visitors – the sheer fact that there was any work at all was most welcome. Jobs that might otherwise have been
Mike Bell
considered humdrum were the subject of proud LinkedIn posts. Robert McKenna, general Manager at Little’s, gleefully recounted the company’s eight-day on-site stint at The Open, held this year in Kent, providing and managing transport for one of the main sponsors. “It was amazing to get the event buzz back again. Coach shuttles from London and Ashford each day, off-site evening events, dedicated cars for VIPs along with arrival and departure transfers. Everything was seamless and the Kent sunshine made it all even more enjoyable,” he said. TBR Global Chauffeuring also scored through the hosting of some UEFA
JULY 2021
