Issue 41: November/December 2009
EDITOR'S COMMENTS
THE CORPORATE TRAVEL and meetings industry, like many other commercial sectors, is rife with jargon. We hanker after "C-level buy-in" in our quest to "drive policy compliance"; we deplore any increase in "commoditisation" and question the supposed merits of "unbundling". Most of it, of course, is mere pretentiousness.
"Management information" is just "data" spelt differently, and "procurement" is just "shopping" with a suit on, after all. And then there is "change management" or, as it used to be known rather more prosaically, "coping". In recent years, this has slipped down the agenda, but one suspects that it is about to make a comeback. After a year of recessionary doldrums, though, the winds of change are gathering, and those on board the good ship business travel need to start trimming sails.
This year's Institute of Travel Management name-change to "Travel & Meetings", and the recent tie-up with Eventia, typifies the trend. Increasingly, travel procurement professionals are being asked to take responsibility for the management of corporate meetings. Video-conferencing is another example.
Once abhorred as the travel management equivalent of a viral pandemic, to be avoided at all cost, telepresence has mutated from threat to opportunity. Whatever next? The old idea that companies should stick to their core competences is gradually being replaced by the notion that nets should be cast ever wider. TMCs increasingly offer ad hoc consultancy services and technical support services.
But corporate travel is inextricably tied in with expense management; historically, in many companies, it has been somewhat tenuously linked with human resources; today, travel and sustainability are all but inseparable. How long before travel managers and TMCs are expected to offer accountancy, payroll, or even waste management services?
Change is coming not only from within. December's Copenhagen eco-summit is bound to produce new planet-saving objectives, if not directives. The Irish endorsement of the Lisbon Treaty paves the way for at least a partial overhaul of pan- European politics.
The green shoots of economic recovery may well have passed the "now you see them, now you don't" stage, presaging either a rich harvest or - perhaps more likely - an outbreak of price-rise blight. And by this time next year, a new UK government will have come to the end of its so-called honeymoon period. It may be a new Labour (as opposed to New Labour) government, or it may also be an entirely new administration, with a different take on issues that affect travel, the environment, and even the way businesses are run. "Change management" may have a ring of Orwellian newspeak about it, but one suspects we may be hearing a lot more of it.
Change is already occurring at the micro level. Next month sees the departure from the Guild of Travel Management Companies of chief executive Philip Carlisle, who is retiring after 13 years in the post. We wish him a long and happy retirement. His post is being taken by Anne Godfrey, formerly with the Law Society and, earlier, the Confederation of British Industry - welcome to the hotseat!
Mike Toynbee, Editor
DESTINATION PROFILE
Middle East
With Abu Dhabi hosting Formula 1 and hotel prices in the region hitting an all-time high, Jonathan Hart askes - will nothing stop the growth of the Middle East?
FEATURES
STAR Performance | details
On 14 November 1994 Eurostar started its service between London and the Continent. After15 years, and more than 100 million passengers, Buying Business Travel looks at how far the service has come
The Urge to Merge | details
Airline Industry Analysis - Airline consolidation is back on the agenda as the economy recovers, says David Churchill
Up to Scratch | details
Service versus Cost - With costs being cut everywhere Bob Papworth asks if the travel industry can still offer good service and value
Mobile Moves | details
Apps for Travel Bookers - Communication applications are developing increasingly rapidly, says Adam Coulter. What does this mean for travel bookers, and which apps should they go for?
Ladies first? | details
Options for Female Travellers - What facilities are on offer for the female traveller, and do they need or want to be treated any differently from their male counterparts? Beverley Fearis finds out
Holding All the Aces | details
- Getting the best travel deal for your company is imperative in the current market. Mark Frary investigates the trend of benchmarking and its importance for procurement
Holding Fast | details
Top-End Hotel Rates Analysis - It's the worst recession in living memory, travel budgets have been slashed and there are fewer travellers out there - but five-star hotels are holding their rates. Why? Tom Otley investigates
All For One | details
Airline Alliance Uncovered
City Flyers | details
Docklands Airport Success Story - London City Airport has seen some big changes in recent years. Gary Noakes explores what the airport has to offer.
