As many as 68.2 percent of Travel Leaders business travel agents polled indicated that their clients are at least “somewhat strict” in enforcing their corporate travel policies; 18.2 percent deemed their clients’ corporate travel policy enforcement as “very strict.” The data also shows that corporate clients typically reward their business travelers by allowing them to keep frequent flyer miles and loyalty reward points earned while traveling for business.
Conducted August 1-19, 2011, these business travel trends are based on responses from Travel Leaders owners, managers and frontline travel experts throughout the United States who indicated that business travelers make up 50 percent or more of their clientele.
“Our data reveals there are plenty of opportunities for Travel Leaders to help our corporate clients more effectively manage their travel spend, especially since less than 20 percent of our agents indicated that their clients very strictly enforce corporate travel policies that are designed to reduce costs,” said Roger E. Block, president of Travel Leaders Franchise Group.
“By working closely with us to better manage their travel, including developing effective standards and measurements, companies can eliminate waste – such as making certain unused airline tickets are rebooked for future travel – curb excessive spending and take more advantage of programs and negotiated rates offered by the travel suppliers their company uses most frequently," Block said.
Asked “When enforcing corporate travel policies with their travelers, how strict are your business travel clients?” less than 20 percent indicated their clients very strict when enforcing their own policies.
Very strict in enforcing corporate travel policies: 18.24%
Somewhat strict in enforcing corporate travel policies: 50.00%
Loosely enforce corporate travel policies: 25.88%
Rarely enforce corporate travel policies: 2.94%
What corporate travel policies?: 2.94%
When asked “Generally speaking, which corporate travel policy do your business travel clients enforce the most with their travelers?” the most predominant policies enforced were for air travel.
There are still some perks for companies’ “road warriors.” Nearly all Travel Leaders business travel agents indicate their clients personally earn frequent flyer miles and loyalty reward points for their business travel.
• If business travelers fly, 100% of the agents surveyed said their clients are able to earn frequent flyer airline miles for their travel.
• If business travelers stay in a hotel, 98.8% of the agents said their clients are able to earn loyalty reward points for their stay.
• If business travelers rent a car, 97.1% of the agents said their clients are able to earn loyalty reward points for their rental.
These business travel trends are based on responses from 170 Travel Leaders owners, managers and frontline travel experts. The business trends were part of a comprehensive fall travel trends survey which included responses from 443 Travel Leaders experts nationwide.
Travel Leaders is part of Travel Leaders Group – which is a North American travel company that generates gross travel sales in excess of $16.6 billion.
Visit www.TravelLeaders.com