The study "The Evolution of Travel Policy: A Global View of the Future" was published on 15 October by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and American Express Business Travel, and is based on the testimonies of 350 Travel Managers from around the world. In particular, it shows that the traveller is about to take on a predominant role in the way in which a company's travel policy is managed. Indeed, the search for savings, which guides business travel management for the majority of respondents (52%), is set to shift from negotiating supplier costs to focusing on traveller behaviour. Over the next two years, demand management and compliance will even be the top savings target for a large majority of Travel Managers (84%). "Clearly, [Travel Managers] understand that the future will be centred around the traveller," says Caroline Strachan, Vice President of Global Business Consulting for American Express Business Travel. "However, it is more difficult to know whether they believe they have the right technology and tools to meet these new demands. Communication is key to building relationships, creating engagement and reinforcing compliance. This study shows that there are opportunities for Corporate Travel Managers to improve their communication systems. According to the ACTE-American Express GBT study, only 21 % of Corporate Travel Managers surveyed currently use productivity indicators, and just 5 % use stress reduction indicators.
Not everyone is in favour of the sharing economy
Another finding of the study is the "lukewarm" welcome given by Travel Managers to the sharing economy. Car-sharing is reported to concern 13 % of those questioned - a figure that is expected to double in the next two years - and the same proportion (13%) have already put in place a policy on shared accommodation. Nevertheless, the ACTE study shows that the majority of Travel Managers (56%) categorically reject these alternative hosting solutions. "These figures may be more indicative of a state of mind than of practical application," comments Greeley Koch, Executive Director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives. "Decisions about ground transportation are often taken en route by travellers, not by Corporate Travel Managers based at company headquarters. "Accommodation decisions, which are more complex, are a different story. The study "The Evolution of Travel Policy: A Global View of the Future" is available free of charge on the dedicated website.
