In a move that indicates concern over the health of the business travel sector, global travel management company Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has shifted its priorities to focus more on meetings and events in 2009. Last year CWT signed a global agreement with StarCite as a preferred technology partner for meetings and events activity worldwide, and it added global meetings and events consulting, including venue finding, to its portfolio of capabilities on offer to its clients.

Meetings and events can represent 30-35% of travel spend of CWT corporate clients, it says, but expenditure can be very scattered. CWT clients are looking at ways to better manage costs for meetings and events, and are enquiring about alternatives to travel, including the use of technology. CWT’s sales volume reached almost US$29 billion in 2008, up 7% on 2007, with new business accounting for US$2.4 billion. It says it retained 99% of its global accounts, and 97% of its total accounts.