Survey of travel managers confirms savings, collaboration and traveler experience key priorities. In North America, 70 percent of travel managers said finding innovative ways to generate savings is a high priority for them in 2014, followed by further promoting the travel program at 62 percent, and driving growth in online adoption at 53 percent.
AMSTERDAM – Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) published its sixth annual CWT Travel Management Priorities report, based on a survey of 970 travel managers worldwide. The record number of respondents confirmed that although finding innovative ways to generate savings remains their number one priority for the next 12 months, traveler experience is also top of mind as technology and data offer new opportunities for tailored, user-friendly services that support their travel program.
In North America, 70 percent of travel managers said finding innovative ways to generate savings is a high priority for them in 2014, followed by further promoting the travel program at 62 percent, and driving growth in online adoption at 53 percent. Travel managers with responsibility for North America are keenest of all regions to further promote the travel program, while optimizing end-to-end travel processes and redesigning travel policies remain areas of untapped potential, with 42 percent and 31 percent respectively ranking them high priority.
Of the travel managers surveyed with global responsibilities, 71 said finding innovative ways to generate savings is a high priority for them in 2014, followed by further promoting the travel program at 66 percent, and driving growth in online adoption at 65 percent. Global travel managers are more focused than other respondents on driving online adoption and developing a mobile strategy, with 38 percent ranking mobile high priority.
In Canada specifically, travel managers said exploring innovative solutions to generate savings is a key focus for them in 2014, with 74 percent of those surveyed marking it high priority. This is followed by further promoting the travel program to travelers at 56 percent, and continuing to drive online adoption growth, which 56 percent also ranked as a high priority.
More collaboration, increasingly powerful data and a greater focus on travelers are the major themes that run throughout the survey’s findings. As technology continues to change travelers’ expectations, it also opens up new opportunities for travel managers; big data is available, mobile apps are proliferating and social networks are providing opportunities to service corporate travelers like never before. At the same time security requirements remain in sharp focus—to protect not only employees on the road but also the information carried on their devices.
“Identifying savings is still the top priority for travel managers across the globe,” commented David Moran, executive vice president, Global Marketing & Enterprise Strategy, CWT. “However, the greater focus on traveler experience marks a fresh, positive chapter for the industry. We’re working on new, innovative ways to help travel managers achieve their money-saving objectives at the same time as exceeding traveler expectations, from booking to expense management, and everything in between.”
The seven priorities identified in CWT Travel Management Priorities 2014 overall are:
- Find innovative ways to generate savings
- Drive growth in online adoption
- Optimize end-to-end travel processes
- Further promote the travel program
- Redesign the travel policy
- Develop a mobile strategy
- Reinforce corporate social responsibility.
CWT Travel Management Priorities 2014 explores these seven priorities in detail and focuses on timely trends, tips and concrete examples to help travel managers achieve their objectives. The free report is a vital tool in the travel manager’s 2014 arsenal.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
