TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

David Amsellem is Chairman of John Paul.

Business travel agency BCD Travel is expanding in Brazil via a joint venture with Avipam, a Brazilian agency with which TMC has already had a privileged relationship since 2007. By acquiring a stake in Avipam, BCD Travel is taking a new step forward in a particularly promising market.

Le 9^th he Business Confidence Index published on 17 October by Regus anticipates a decline in business travel in France. More than a third of the professionals surveyed are considering reducing their business travel over the next twelve months.

A member of the GBTA (Global Business Travel Association) for the past four years, Carole Poillerat has just been confirmed as President of GBTA France: a new player in the French business travel world, but a benchmark on an international scale and more particularly in the United States. Carole Poillerat and the board of GBTA France intend to draw on the network, expertise and resources of the global association to contribute to the development of the French market.

Generation Y business travellers are said to spend more than their elders, who are said to be making fewer and fewer business trips as the years go by. These are some of the conclusions to be drawn from the "Future of Travel" study published by Egencia and Expedia, following a survey conducted by Harris Interactive in 24 countries.

The shutdown that has been paralysing the US federal government for almost two weeks is not without consequences for business travel in the United States. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) has published a survey showing the impact of the political stalemate on business travel.

HRS and EPSA have published a study on hotel expenditure in French business travel, based on the views of both buyers and travellers. The document provides a relevant overview of the sector, and identifies attractive potential for optimisation for the various players involved.

The FlightStats website has published its punctuality rankings for August. Finnair is ahead of South African and Tyrolean Airways. Tokyo airport recorded the best results.

An international survey conducted by Ipsos Morià has named New York as the best city in the world in which to do business.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessments have become mandatory for large companies and public authorities. Although the legislative framework is not very restrictive, a 'sustainable' travel policy nonetheless holds great promise in terms of savings and a positive image for companies.

Despite the empowerment of business travellers enabled in particular by the development of mobile applications, travel managers have no intention of giving up control over bookings. Quite the contrary: the study published on 11 July by Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) highlights clear opposition to unmanaged travel.

Lodged or virtual cards: payment solutions are inserted directly into the heart of the business travel booking process, making it easier to integrate these expenses into company management tools.

Abdelaziz Bougja is a project manager at Veolia and Chairman of the Marco Polo think tank.

HRG has published a study of business travel transactions for its UK-based customers. The business travel agency (TMC) draws some optimistic conclusions, while highlighting the wide disparities between certain destinations, and the marked downturn in business class.

American Express Global Corporate Payments, in partnership with CFO Research, has just published the "Global Business Monitor", a survey of CFOs (Chief Financial Officers) in 500 companies worldwide.

One hundred days after his appointment as Managing Director France for HRG (Hogg Robinson Group), Rémi Bouysset looks back at the business travel agency's position in France, its values and its priorities. The roadmap optimised as part of the "Destination 2015" plan already seems to be bearing fruit, with double-digit growth (+25%) this year.

Companies receive VAT refunds on expenses incurred in France. But they often neglect to do so for expenses paid abroad. But it's worth the effort.

On 8 May, the French branch of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) clarified its medium-term strategy and formalised its 2013 calendar. The focus will be on the convergence of the Business Travel and MICE sectors, with the ambition of developing a think tank dedicated to these issues.

Sweden and Turkey top the list of European countries offering the most free Wi-Fi access in hotels, according to a study recently published by HRS. France is a poor performer, ranking 16th.^th position in the rankings.

For the 4^th his year, International SOS has published its HealthMap 2013: a particularly useful document for companies that can better identify the health risks to which their business travellers are exposed, and put in place appropriate measures.