The Business Travel Magazine - Travel Management Guide 2022

TRAVEL MANAGEMENT COMPANIES YOUR 2022 GUIDE

HAVING THE RIGHT TMC PARTNER IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER IN THE NEW ERA OF BUSINESS TRAVEL. HERE'S OUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE AND DIRECTORY.

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1992 – 2022

YEARS

NEW WORLD NEW POSSIBILITIES

WINNER

GLOBAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT COMPANY

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BEST TRAVEL PARTNER OF THE YEAR

Travel Partner of the Year Global TMC

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Introduction / TMCs

Service levels 6-8 ■ Sustainability 10-12 ■ The Directory 14-16 ■ Duty of care 18-20 ■ RFP guide 22

C OM I N G F UL L C I RC L E

ISTOCK.COM / VERONIQUE DUPLAIN

Consolidation and the arrival of newcomers has dramatically changed the TMC landscape but haven’t we seen it all before, asks Gill Upton

A

round 100 TMCs are operating in the UK in 2022, roughly the same as before Covid. The names may be different, as consolidation and new entrants have changed the line-up, but what a result! Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, as the French would say.

Take Two, Equinox and Coco+ have entered the fray while others have succumbed to takeovers, including Omega

Busines Travel, Eton Travel Group, Reed and Mackay, Click Travel and Egencia.

Meanwhile CWT has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with new investors and money to spend and Agiito (non-core to parent Capita) remains up for grabs.

Barry Fleming, former Head of Marketing for Blue Cube Travel, believes history is repeating itself.

“Recent new entrants might be catching

the buyers’ eye but let’s not forget that 20 years ago Egencia was the disruptive newbie on the block. Now it’s owned by the world’s largest TMC (American Express Global Business Travel).”

Clients looking to build new tech solutions caused some of the volatility as TMCs scooped up tech companies, including NexTravel, Shep, Troovo, Roadmap, Pana and Lola. The rapid growth of mobile-first 

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TMCs / Introduction

tech solutions group TripActions says it all. “Where other companies use people to solve issues we use tech solutions,” says Ciara Govern, Chief Customer Officer.

Chris Thelen has made the decision that big isn’t necessarily beautiful and is effectively re-creating Chambers, his former small boutique TMC, as Take Two. “I question whether corporates feel that their existing TMC knows them personally anymore or what they need as travel returns. Our reason for launching TakeTwo was because there is a clear gap in the market for a client-centric, independentlyowned TMC who can deliver bespoke service to international SME clients where travel is a vital component of how their business operates.

“We have won business in recent months because clients felt that their incumbent TMC didn’t know them or seem to care about their needs. As an independentlyowned business, we are also not shackled

by VC-ownership or the mega TMC model of call centres or online chatbots.”

Priorities certainly changed for TMCs over the last 18 months, having to do more with less resources, so service levels suffered.

"Many TMCs have restructured and service may be delivered slightly differently to before the pandemic, so perhaps you no longer have a dedicated team," says Clarity CEO Pat McDonagh.

Industry observers agree that 2022 will not see the end of M&E activity. BTA CEO Clive Wratten says: “There is a more volatile time to come I think. Size doesn’t really matter.”

ITM CEO Scott Davies agrees: “There‘s no reason to think that it won’t continue, organically or through acquisition.”

Adam Knights, ATPI Managing Director Europe and Middle East, advises clients to always ask TMCs about their ownership structure, “particularly if you’re about to sign a three-year contract”.



reopening of offices in the spring?

Volumes are increasing now that border restrictions are easing and approval levels relax, compounding the challenges of a reduced workforce, decimated talent pool, cash flow issues, selling-in new financial models and demand for more flexible working practices.

“Established TMCs will understand what size and shape they need to be and both parties need to look at what good looks like now,” says Steve Banks, CCO at Agiito. “It’s incumbent to have good communication and to know where the pinch points are.”

Julie Cope, Managing Director TakeTwo Travel Solutions, says too many corporates are reporting long wait times on the phone, slow turnaround of email requests and poor customer service in general.

She advises travel buyers to talk to their TMC about their service level agreement and address whether their TMC can still comply with the agreed terms

We have won business in recent months because clients felt that their incumbent TMC didn’t know them or seem to care about their needs”

Be patient

Corporates are understandably nervous and need to continue to be patient when it comes to service levels, something that Carol Fergus, Director of Global Travel at

Crunch time

The recovery stage is the next acid test for TMCs. Do they have the right staffing levels to match client demand as corporate travel ramps up to coincide with the expected 4

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Introduction / TMCs

Fidelity, believes will happen.

“Work with your TMC,” she advises. “Have a discussion, as it will depend on what was originally contracted. It will take a while for them to ramp up.”

Corporates have much to consider. Trip volume is low but the cost of each trip is higher while more advice is needed pre-trip regarding duty of care and sustainability to reassure travellers.

Clarity's McDonagh says now, more than ever, TMCs must maintain high levels of service to instill confidence among their corporate clients. Technology is still crucial, he says, but it must be underpinned by the support of experienced and knowledgeable people.

"Our industry is navigating its way back to recovery, requiring a level of adaptability never experienced before," he adds.

Close collaboration

A different service provision may be needed and if it’s not delivered that frustration may turn into an RFP. In ITM's ‘Appetite to RFP’ survey, 21% of buyers said they intend to RFP for a TMC this year, which compares favourably with 36% in 2019, so it may be more a case of benchmarking than moving.

“Buyers can find themselves taking on a new service partner and it’s difficult. It’s going to be a tricky time,” says BTA’s Wratten. “Working together is key as we come out of this. Most TMCs are now in recruitment mode and they’ve got to stay ahead of the curve.”

Fred Stratford, CEO of Reed and Mackay, knows this more than most after his company was acquired by TripActions. His strategy is simple: “It's vital to stay in touch with clients and engage with them through the process. Tell them what’s next and what the road map is."

With this in mind, Reed and Mackay recently held a client event for 800 people to communicate their plans for 2022.

The whole travel infrastructure is being re-built by TMCs, says Kevin Harrison, MD of Good Travel Management.

“More and more things are chargeable.

We need to monetise duty of care solutions, sustainability and support in those areas, and projects to deliver improvements in travel processes that were previously worked through by account management that are now evolving into travel consultancy.”

TMCs are looking for different skillsets for account managers, broader than purely relationship management as they deal with HR, risk and finance departments.

Some are setting up new departments, such as Reed and Mackay’s Advisory Team.

“Clients no longer want just a booking service,” says CEO Stratford. "We are like a professional services-based company.”

In the meantime, buyers are getting a really good deal, says ATPI’s Knights.

“They’re taking up a lot of resource for the same fee,” he says.

Which brings us back to the thorny issue of unsustainable TMC pricing models and the question of whether fees must be increased, not just to reflect the new travel complexities but also to help TMCs cover the cost of an industry-wide talent shortage.

"Salary levels have already increased and we see them increasing further," says Lynne Griffiths, CEO of Sirius Talent Solutions.

"Financial models are being revisited."

Buyers can find themseles taking on a new service partner and it's difficult. It's going to be a tricky time. Most TMCs are in recruitment mode and they've got to stay ahead of the curve” THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM

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TMCs / Service

GIVE and take

TMC service levels will need adjusting as travel returns, requiring trust, communication and patience on both sides, says Gill Upton

N

o-one would disagree that the business travel industry is resilient; it has come through ash clouds, terrorist attacks, tsunamis and more and still bounces back. Covid struck hard in 2020 and it took until last September for TMCs to see signs of recovery but in the intervening months the pandemic cut deep.

TMCs swiftly reduced headcount and prioritised core areas of technology, marketing and account management.

Bookings became far more complex due to the additional requirements and offline dominated as hand-holding became the new norm. Crucially, communications with clients ramped up with largely honest and

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transparent dialogue as, predictably, service levels were impacted.

"We had to take headcount out and look at our cost base,” says Donna Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer at Agiito.

"We were fine through 2020 as furlough helped, but 2021 was more volatile until business ramped up in September.”

Moreover, Fitzgerald says suppliers didn’t have enough people in their workforces.

"That impacted what should have been a simple one phone-call booking,” she says.

Those TMCs with marine and energy clients – the likes of Good, ATPI and Wings for example – escaped lightly because those sectors remained buoyant throughout the pandemic. For others with exclusively

corporate clients, it was a different picture.

Buyers have been accommodating the service level dip as very often they were in the same boat. "We made sure that we didn’t set unrealistic timeframes,” says Kevin Harrison, MD of Good Travel Management.

Carol Fergus, Global Travel Director at Fidelity, says many buyers have been complaining. Her company rolled out a new TMC a month after lockdown and the TMC hasn’t had the opportunity to date to deliver a ‘proper’ service.

"We have a few more bookings now and they’re struggling with the amount of information that’s required of them. It’s a re-visit of what are the rules of the game and managing resources," she says. 

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Service / TMCs

Buyers have been accommodating the service level dip as very often they were in the same boat” THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.com

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TMCs / Service

It's all about having trust and confidence in your TMC. Ultimately, corporates can't cut their TMC any slack as they need more support than ever before” "It's about addressing what the service needs to be in the new Covid era, as well as managing the expectations of travellers."

If discussions between client and TMC during Covid have been pragmatic then the relationships should survive the next challenge of returning business.

"It’s all about having trust and confidence in your TMC," says Julie Cope, MD of Take Two. But she adds: "Ultimately, corporates can’t cut their TMC any slack as they need more support than ever before."

Most agree that it is a short-term situation while TMCs are in recovery stage.

On a positive front, TMCs report that Covid has helped foster closer relationships with their clients, and across a wider stakeholder group, which has articulated the value of TMCs. Recruiting for the current ramp-up in business is nonetheless challenging as the talent pool has been decimated with skilled workers transferring their customer service expertise elsewhere, naturally nervous about returning to travel.

To help fill the gap, both Blue Cube and Agiito are resuming their apprenticeship schemes to attract a younger generation to the industry. ATPI has just taken on eight 17-year-olds in its Lowestoft offices. Other TMCs are collaborating with universities to woo youngsters into the business.

Arguably, it’s the smaller and more agile TMCs who are returning more quickly, which probably aligns with a client base more focussed on domestic travel.

“Recruitment remains a challenge,” adds Good’s Harrison, “as you can’t flood a market with new recruits.”

James Beagrie, Managing Director Meon Valley, says many TMCs hung on to their good people. "So the challenge now is that there are good and bad out there, and how the hell do you tell the difference?" he asks.

"Some interview like James Bond and turn out to be Mr Bean!"

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The real stress test for TMCs will come when business returns in greater volumes; most predict 2022 will only reach 60-70% of 2019 levels.

Online/offline

The switch back to online bookings will happen, “once the content is relevant and up to date,” believes Agiito’s Fitzgerald.

Chris Pouney of Severnside Consulting believes it will return once restrictions disappear. "We won’t be going back to all phone bookings," he says. "TMCs have to be less reliant on people as it’s technology that gives them the flex."

Fidelity’s Fergus is planning to push the OBT in the next few months, with a goal of 30% bookings online by the year-end, significantly revised down from the company’s pre-Covid goal of 75%.

She advises corporates to look at their SLAs: "Revisit your service provision as this was then and this is now and it may come with a price tag. We need to challenge and revisit and work with your TMC as they need to build in that flexibility.

"There is real uncertainty still and I will look at anything that makes sense as it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. But it can’t be an opportunity to make more money."

New financial models are being actively discussed on a solution-finding basis as no travel means no transaction fees for TMCs. "Large clients in sourcing exercises are exploring subscription and hybrid models or

everything grouped into one PNR," says Katie Virtue, Festive Road Global Client Solutions Lead.

TakeTwo’s CEO Chris Thelen reckons the subscription model is interesting, but adds: "I don’t see it replacing management or transaction fees entirely.

"Traditionally in business travel there have been TMCs providing a regular travel management service and those providing white glove VIP services, I believe there is something in the middle," he says.

An ITM survey showed that 50% of buyers are open to new financial models but on a temporary basis as they do want them to be correctly resourced to help the comeback.

Payment terms

Alongside hybrid TMC remuneration solutions is another change, albeit a shortterm one, to shorter payment terms while TMCs have minimal income.

"I believe 30-day payment terms, or longer in some instances, will become a thing of the past," says Julian Munsey, Sales Director at Meon Valley Travel. He believes a weekly billing cycle with settlement by direct debit could become the new norm.

Looking forward, BTA CEO Clive Wratten believes the biggest challenge for 2022 is Government instability. "It's not knowing what’s coming over the horizon," he says.

"The ever-changing rules are the killer in the industry as it destroys confidence. We can’t carry on like this forever."

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SAY …pioneering sustainable travel and events programmes Discover our CO2 measurement, reduction and offset service at

halo.atpi.com

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TMCs / Sustainability

Branching

out

TMCs are expanding their services to help clients reduce their carbon footprint, says Gill Upton

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ast summer Trees4Travel was a start-up carbon offset company with three staff. By the end of January numbers had swelled to 40 plus, with 34 live clients and 50 other corporates queuing to sign contracts. By the year-end owner Nico Nicholas predicts they will have 500 global clients. If this particular sustainability partner‘s expansion trajectory is anything to go by, the message is getting through that sustainability is no longer a box-ticking exercise.

But in the post-Covid world – and with the 2030 50% reduction in carbon target looming – offsetting cannot be the only activity. Paying to plant a few trees or an entire forest will not help reach the 2030

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target, let alone the 2050 net zero target.

Travel reduction has to happen in tandem and TMCs are helping clients to justify every trip. For them it’s a crucial new revenue stream that will help in their recovery as consultancy divisions provide more of the advice rather than account managers providing it for free.

Many TMCs are appointing a sustainability lead to drive this new dedicated service.

ATPI, for example, has launched a sustainability division called Halo to help clients reach their sustainability goals and is working directly with providers rather than through brokers for offsetting. “We give clients the ideas and solutions,” says the company’s Adam Knights.

Whichever way corporates jump, TMCs are key to navigating the critical path to sustainability”

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Sustainability / TMCs

Agiito’s consultancy has switched focus from cost savings to sustainability, while TravelPerk has acquired UK travel sustainability consultancy Susterra. It has integrated the company’s data analytics technology into TravelPerk’s platform so its clients can gain insights into their travel spend and behaviour.

American Express GBT has joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, a standard-setting and accreditation alliance created jointly by the United Nations and conservation organisations which aims to promote green suppliers.

CWT has unveiled investment plans for new capabilities. "This year we plan to introduce built-in sustainability and traveller

wellbeing initiatives to help our customers make even better-informed decisions," says Erik Magnuson, CWT Vice President Product Management, Mobility & Payment.

"This is in response to clear customer demand for sustainability information at point-of-booking, to help reinforce responsible travel choices. Our 2021 global survey found 87% of our customers requested this, while 85% have company goals in relation to sustainability reduction."

A sustainability-focussed TMC called COCO+ has entered the market this year. It provides a carbon-offsetting platform aligned with ClimateCare, which finances, develops and manages carbon reduction projects around the world.

Guiding hand

Whichever way corporates jump, TMCs are key to navigating the critical path to sustainability. TMCs can analyse data to measure current carbon footprint, set science-based targets and evaluate the supply chain. They can also advise on lowcarbon emitting suppliers, provide access to partnerships and programmes such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) options, develop ESG-compliant travel programmes, report on progress against targets and ultimately help change the behaviour of business travellers.

“The booking process needs to encourage and promote these changes,” says Ewan Kassir, Head of Global Sales at Clarity.

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TMCs / Sustainability

Booking technology must display CO2 data at point of sale, that data must be captured to drive change, any carbon footprint must be policed and budgets set by department or individual and be reported monthly. The CO2 impact of meetings and events must be measured.

Agiito customers, for example, have the ability to book trips based on CO2 statistics and not cost. “That way we empower the booker,” says CCO Steve Banks.

“Trip data by CO2 has long been available and now we’re being asked for it by departments and by individuals. We can make that available in real-time and aggregate that into their profile.”

A change in sustainability strategy must start from the top, says Barry Fleming, former Head of Marketing for Blue Cube Travel.

“That might mean reducing travel, enforcing less impactful forms of travel on certain journeys, building a preferred supplier programme which considers sustainability credentials and maybe even setting departments a CO2 budget that they need to keep within, alongside a spend budget.”

Justification of travel is the new norm and a White paper by the BTA, published in February, sets out what a sustainable journey looks like and benchmarks where each sector of the industry is at.

“The most impact you can make in a company is before they book and get into

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an OBT,” says Chris Truss of Reed and Mackay. “This sector is incredibly new so there is no right or wrong way forward."

Leading by example

Nicola Cox, Director at Midas Travel Management, suggests clients increase general awareness by making it part of their company ethos and core values. "Look at internal behaviours, knowledge and address the buy-in gap," she advises.

The success of any sustainability strategy will hinge on the greening of the supply chain, as this impacts the modal shift fundamental to travel reduction.

Suppliers are under pressure to clean up their act but gathering data is challenging.

Best estimates are still the norm in some sectors. For example, OBTs show carbon emissions by aircraft type but cannot yet figure in load factors and tail winds.

Air is usually the biggest chunk of any travel spend and purchasing SAF is one way to support sustainability targets. TripActions has partnered with Neste to offer its clients (including Reed and Mackay) the option to purchase this lower-emission alternative fuel. While SAF doesn’t take the problem away it does help reduce carbon impact until electric aircraft become the norm.

The groundswell of demand is enormous and TMCs are proving they are the crucial link in the chain to achieve carbon goals.

Suppliers are under pressure to clean up their act but gathering data is challenging”

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ADVERTORIAL

Rebooting business travel

How hotel booking tech can debug buyers’ travel programmes

D

uty of care, traveller wellbeing and sustainability ranked amongst travel managers’ chief priorities heading into 2022.

You’ve spent months vetting lodging suppliers to align with your ESG objectives, establishing service level agreements and negotiating inclusive rates to improve trip quality and travel experience.

But if out-of-policy hotel bookings still plague your travel programme, the answer could lie in your TMC’s booking technology.

Duty of Care

Centralised travel information is vital for traveller visibility and duty of care. One of the main reasons business travellers book out-ofchannel hotel stays is because they have access to richer content and better rates online than through a designated travel management partner.

Using a hotel booking technology that consolidates multi-channel content and rates into a single integrated platform puts your TMC on a level playing field.

Delivering this content consistently, both offline and online via API

to your business’s preferred online booking tool, further reduces the likelihood of rogue bookings.

Additionally, growing demand for personalisation is being met by advanced AI and machine learning capabilities. Sophisticated booking technologies not only anticipate overnight opportunities but proactively serve TMC consultants relevant, in-policy hotel options based on your travellers’ booking preferences.

Traveller Wellbeing

Technology that provides your TMC with richer content offers benefits for traveller wellbeing, too. Better content means TMC agents can quickly and easily recommend hotel options with amenities best suited to travellers’ wellness needs.

Integrating information on enhanced hygiene protocols and health and safety certifications further boosts traveller reassurance and your business’s ability to deliver on its wellbeing objectives.

Sustainability

Rate volatility is making the traditional RFP increasingly redundant.

From a sustainability perspective, however, RFPs offer travel managers an opportunity to identify suppliers that align with their corporate’s ESG objectives.

But that’s only part of the equation. You still need to be able to effectively drive bookings to those properties. That’s where your TMC’s choice of hotel booking technology becomes important.

Being able to preference suppliers means you can prioritise ESGaligned properties.

And, with travel managers increasingly looking at responsible sourcing, the pressure is on TMCs and their technology to be able to configure any direct suppliers, such as smaller, eco-conscious properties and social enterprises, into their booking platform.

HotelHub provides TMCs with simple, secure, seamless hotel technology to meet their corporate clients’ travel sourcing requirements. Supporting some of the world’s leading travel management companies, HotelHub’s smart tech delivers unparalleled efficiencies, choice and automation of corporate hotel bookings. hotelhub.com / sales@hotelhub.com

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TMCs / The 2022 Directory

TMCs 2022: WHO DOES WHAT

Your guide to a selection of leading travel management companies in the UK (A to H) Travel Management Company

Website

Company size

Head office

Established

ABT-UK

abt-global.com

300 staff globally

Israel

2001

Online / Offline

50% / 50%

Memberships

Advantage, Focus, Lufthansa City Centre

Specialises in finance, telecomms, pharma, online gaming and online security. In the last 12 months, developed its duty of care technology system, which includes traveller tracking, pre-trip and on-trip alerts, destination alerts, automatic updates on risk changes and dedicated traveller group communications.

ACE TRAVEL ATG UK

acetravel.co.uk

10 UK staff

London

1992

20% / 80%

Advantage, The Allstar Travel Group (ATG)

Specialises in pharma, automotive, manufacturing, media, maritime, finance and technology. Recently appointed the official UK partner for The Allstar Travel Group (ATG) and launched an online booking tool suitable for SMEs and an expanded technology suite to meet demands of both the SME and global travel market.

AGIITO

agiito.com

390 UK staff

Derby

1972

65% / 35%

GlobalStar

Specialises in public sector, utilities, logistics and infrastructure, construction, engineering, oil and gas, finance, manufacturing, retail, professional services, and health and social care. Appointed its first Chief Technology Officer, launched a new mobile booking app, optimised its online booking tools, such as Meetingspro, which now shows live availability. Improved CO2 comparisons on booking tool and partnered with Trees4Travel.

AMERICAN EXPRESS GBT

amexglobalbusinesstravel.com

2,200 UK staff, 16,500 globally

London / New York

2014

N/A

N/A

Specialises in professional and financial services, pharma, media, entertainment, legal, government, utilities, energy, mining, marine, technology, communications, retail and manufacturing. Acquired Egencia and the Ovation Travel Group, including Lawyers Travel and Chartwell Travel. Created B2B travel platform with Apollo Strategic Growth Capital. Committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, signed SAF partnership with Shell and launched Workspace.

APPLEHOUSE TRAVEL

applehousetravel.co.uk

35 UK staff

London

2008

18% / 82%

N/A

30% / 70%

Advantage, Focus, ABC

Specialises in information technology, finance, legal, pharma, education, automobiles and FMCG. Developed its proprietary self-booking tool for corporate customers.

ARRANGEMY

arrangemy.com

58 UK staff

Worcester

1990

Specialises in charity, care, apprenticeships, construction, insurance, technology, retail and sport. Launched AMBER, a bespoke course, event and user management platform with an automated accommodation allocation system.

ATPI

atpi.com

300 UK staff, 2,200 globally

London

1919

60% / 40%

Advantage

Specialises in marine and energy, media and entertainment, sports travel and events, corporate events, mining and resources, cruising, yachting and corporate travel. Developed TripStax for travel management, which centralises profile, booking and invoice data. ATPI is an investor in TapTrip, which has developed an online booking tool for clients and Vessul, a crew management solution for the marine and energy sector.

BALDWINS BUSINESS TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

bbtm.co.uk

4 UK staff

Tunbridge Wells

1895

0% / 100%

Advantage, Focus

Has focussed on providing accurate and detailed information with regards to Covid-related travel restrictions via several platforms including its monthly newsletter Travelcase.

BCD TRAVEL

bcdtravel.com

Not disclosed

London + Utrecht

2006

64% / 36%

N/A

Specialises in automotive, aerospace and defence, finance, FMCG, entertainment, TV and film, media, manufacturing, pharma, retail and technology. Created BCD Alert, a mobile app which provides 24/7 coverage of active travellers against destination risk and incidents, and BCD Pay to automate corporate travel payment, reconciliation and invoice management.

BEYOND BUSINESS TRAVEL

beyondbusinesstravel.com

Not disclosed

Belfast

2010

60% / 40%

Advantage Global Network, Focus

Specialises in film and TV, manufacturing, energy, construction, engineering, information technology, food and drink and financial services. Launched a new expense product and fulfilment partnership with SAP Concur for corporate clients. Hired a new Head of Global Technology to improve client experience.

BLUE CUBE TRAVEL

bluecubetravel.co.uk

30 UK staff

London

2003

30% / 70%

Advantage, Advantage Global Network

Specialises in architecture, automotive, consultancy and professional services, energy, entrepreneurs and start-ups, information technology, insurance services, legal, pharma and healthcare, and retail. Realigned its new business strategy and resources to champion SMEs.

CLARITY

claritybusinesstravel.com

450 staff in 5 countries

Manchester

1959

71% / 29%

Numerous Clarity-led partnerships

Specialises in professional services, public sector, sports, higher education, construction & infrastructure, charity and NGO, energy & marine and retail. Implemented UN Sustainability Development goals and launched enhanced CO2 reporting and Clarity Rooms, providing best available rates for domestic and international properties.

CLYDE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

clydetravel.com

60 staff in 9 locations globally

Glasgow

1989

10% / 90%

Advantage, Focus, Radius

Specialises in marine, oil and gas, renewables, professional services, information technology services and manufacturing. Launched Consort, a proprietary booking technology and achieved IATA NDC maturity certification. It became the official partner for the Nordic region for Radius.

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The 2022 Directory / TMCs

Information supplied by TMCs to The Business Travel Magazine.

Travel Management Company

Website

Company size

Head office

Established

CORPORATE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT (CTM) EUROPE

travelctm.co.uk

2,200 staff globally

London

1994

Online / Offline

69% / 31%

Memberships

Radius Travel

Specialises in sports, energy, public sector, professional services, oil and gas, marine, retail, technology, finance and entertainment. Launched a new version of Lightning so CTM customers can assign monthly, quarterly or annual carbon budgets by region, department or individual traveller.

CORPORATE TRAVELLER

corptraveller.com

300 UK staff, 7 locations globally

London

1996

N/A

N/A

Specialises in entertainment, energy, manufacturing, healthcare and pharma, mining, engineering, marine, finance and technology. Launched Melon travel management platform. Already live in North America, Melon will be rolling out to new customers in the UK and other international markets in the coming months.

CT BUSINESS TRAVEL

ctbusinesstravel.co.uk

82 UK staff

Tunbridge Wells

1988

30% / 70%

GlobalStar, UniGlobe

Minneapolis

1872

60% / 40%

N/A

Continued with the development of its wholly-owned booking technology and the creation of its CT Insight client data platform.

CWT

mycwt.com

12,000 staff in 150 locations globally

Specialises in energy, resources, marine, defence, government, professional, financial services, media, entertainment, life sciences, technology and telecoms. Has a dedicated meetings division, consulting arm CWT Solutions Group and hotel booking solution, RoomIt. Invested in messaging third-party integration, self-service flight cancellation, myCWT mobile and web self-service enhancements, Travel Essentials Covid content and hotel hygiene measures for myCWT.

DIALAFLIGHT CORPORATE TRAVEL

dialaflight.com/corporatetravel

130 UK staff

London

1980

0% / 100%

N/A

2007

26% / 74%

Advantage, Lufthansa City Center

Specialises in SME and across all sectors. Continued to invest in its staff and recruitment over the last 12 months, in particular its 24/7 support team.

DIVERSITY TRAVEL

diversitytravel.com

144 staff/ 3 offices globally

London

Specialises in humanitarian, non-for-profit, charity, NGO, academic and student groups. The first UK TMC to launch travel restrictions tool, Sherpa. Relaunched its student groups with its own brand identity, launched Diversity Study Trips, launched a brand-new consumer website and integrated rail into its online booking platform.

EFR TRAVEL LTD

efrtravel.co.uk

50 UK staff

Hertfordshire

2002

Not disclosed

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in corporate travel, luxury holidays, golf holidays, and private aircraft charter. In the last four years has acquired Matrix Travel, CSR Travel and WD Travel. Recently launched a new website for all brands. Became Official Travel Agent Partner for The Legends Tour and partnered with Lamb Associates to offer England cricket tour holidays.

ETON TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

etontravel.com

85 UK staff + 1 office in Ireland

Berkshire

1969

20% / 80%

Advantage, GBT Travel Partner Network

Specialises in corporate travel management for SMEs in pharmaceutical, information technology, finance, retail, manufacturing, legal and consulting, sport, entertainment, MICE and VIP travel. Acquired by Chris Thelen, entrepreneur and CEO of TakeTwo Travel Solutions in January 2021. Placed a renewed focus on all partnerships, particularly with American Express GBT and SAP Concur.

FCM TRAVEL

fcmtravel.com/en-gb

170 UK staff, 90 locations globally

London

2004

Not disclosed

N/A

Specialises in professional and financial services, established technology, legal, construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, and government. Rolled out its new omni-channel platform and developed FCM’s Smart Assistant for Mobile (Sam) from a mobile-only app to a fully-fledged digital assistant.

GLOBAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

gtm.uk.com

21 UK staff

Woking

1997

18% / 82%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in UK-based SMEs, high net-worth individuals, virtual PAs, automotive and aviation, brewing, business consultancy, entertainment, fashion, professional sport and emerging digital industries. Launched PinPoint, a duty of care, traveller tracking and Covid tool, and Your Concierge, a virtual assistant for travellers. Partnered with Trees4Travel and launched YouTube channel, Global Travel Management Matters.

GOOD TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

good-travel.co.uk

30 UK staff

Hull

1906

20% / 80%

Advantage, Altour, Lufthansa City Center

Specialises in SME business travel, marine and energy, and events and exhibitions. Became an independent contractor in Altour, joined the global network for Lufthansa City Center and launched GT Events, a new division offering specialist services to exhibitions, trade fairs and trade missions.

GRAY DAWES TRAVEL LTD

gdg.travel

159 UK staff

Colchester

1865

60% / 40%

Radius

Specialises in construction and engineering, retail, luxury, energy, creative, marine, pharma, manufacturing, education and sports. Launched new programmes and tools including TRAVELLER TOOLKIT, with destination tracker and travel checklist, YOURTRIP+, incorporating GrapeVine's AI engine, wellbeing programme PODIUM, and sustainability initiative LEGACY.

HARRIDGE BUSINESS TRAVEL

harridgebusiness.com

15 UK staff

London

1983

20% / 80%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in business and first class travel. Remained an independent run, family-owned company despite the challenges of Covid.

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TMCs / The 2022 Directory

TMCs 2022: WHO DOES WHAT

Your guide to a selection of leading travel management companies in the UK (I to W) Travel Management Company

Website

Company size

Head office

Established

INNTEL LTD

inntel.co.uk

92 UK staff

Feering, Essex

1984

Online / Offline

75% / 25%

Memberships

Advantage, Focus, Radius

Specialises in rail and rail services, construction, utilities, telecomms, financial services, membership organisations, insurance, freight and manufacturing. Implemented its proprietary online booking tool, LOGiC and updated meetings management portal LOGiC Meetings. Integrated Re-open EU data and supplier Covid-Safe policies in its online booking tool.

INTERNOVA TRAVEL GROUP

internova.com

672 UK staff

London

1983

30% / 70%

Advantage, Virtuoso

Incorporates ALTOUR UK, Global Travel Collection UK, Barrhead Corporate and Your Event Solutions. Specialises in finance, private equity, insurance, law, marine, media, music, touring and entertainment, oil and gas and group travel.

Introduced Exlog and Sherpa. Launched multi GDS platforms offering Sabre, Galileo, Amadeus and a sustainability programme in partnership with Thrust Carbon.

KEY TRAVEL

keytravel.com

150 staff in 9 countries

Manchester

1980

50% / 50%

N.A

Specialises in humanitarian, academic, and faith-based travel. Invested in digitalisation including a new agent booking platform, sales/service cloud and enhancements to proprietary OBT. Launched 'Do good' hotel rates, Carbon Free Hotel Rooms in partnership with Expedia, a Sustainable Travel Programme, an Enhanced Travel Risk Programme, and Student Travel portals for universities.

MEON VALLEY TRAVEL

meonvalleytravel.com

35 UK staff

Petersfield

2002

50% / 50%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in insurance, banking, finance, emergency medical assistance and repatriations, FMCG, retail, luxury brands and services, recruitment, oil, gas and marine and others. Introduced programmes across 2021 including diversity and inclusion, duty of care, and sustainability. LOVEMEON launched in 2022.

MIDAS TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

midas-travel.com

50 UK staff

London

1998

85% / 15%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in finance, professional services, SMEs, advertising, media and creative, construction and manufacturing, technology, telecomms, retail, legal and pharma. Focused on establishing and maintaining key travel partnerships for suppliers, visas, duty of care and sustainability.

NORAD TRAVEL LTD

noradtravelgroup.com

28 UK staff

Liss, Hampshire

1981

20% / 80%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in all commercial sectors. Made continuous updates to duty of care systems and contributed to consortium efforts to lobby governmental departments as part of the BTA. Introduced new upgrades to underpin current tech.

OMEGA WORLD TRAVEL

omegaworld.co.uk

21 UK staff, 350 globally

London

1972

20% / 70%

Advantage, Focus, GlobalStar

Specialises in financial services, oil and gas, pharma, engineering, media, banking, government, education, design and advertising. Introduced its complex Covid Concierge and Testing Services to support the oil and gas industry.

PHOENIX TRAVEL

phoenixnorthwest.co.uk

8 UK staff

Manchester

1992

30% / 70%

Advantage

Specialises in logistics, print and wholesale foods. Nurtured relationships with airlines and hotel partners to offer competitive rates and value on premium airfares and negotiated rates.

QCTM

quintessentiallyctm.com

22 UK staff, 2 in the US

London

1971

90% / 10%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in financial services, oil and gas, legal, media, advertising, lifestyle, high-net-worth individuals and private family offices. Introduced Focus PinPoint, QCTM Online Profile Management solution and Dynamic Scripting.

REED & MACKAY

reedmackay.com

500 UK staff, 230 globally

London

1962

Not disclosed

R&M's International Partnership

Specialises in law, insurance, finance, marine, energy, oil and gas and media. Was acquired by TripActions, launched partnership to offer Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to all clients. Added meeting booking capability R&M/Meet.

Extended Meetings, Events and Group Travel services across the TripActions Group and launched Advisory Services.

REVIEW TRAVEL

reviewtravel.co.uk

Not disclosed

Cheshire

1982

55% / 45%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in engineering, manufacturing, sport, legal, professional services, technology, media, and oil and gas. Introduced Focus Pinpoint and partnered with Trees4Travel.

SELECTIVE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

selective-travel.com

85 UK and Ireland staff

Belfast

1974

27% / 73%

Advantage

Specialises in higher education, government, manufacturing, and financial. Introduced online booking platforms, profile suite, management information platform and duty of care platforms. Has integrated directly with multiple clients’ finance systems.

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The 2022 Directory / TMCs

Information supplied by TMCs to The Business Travel Magazine.

Travel Management Company

Website

Company size

Head office

Established

SIMPLEXITY TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

simplexitytravel.com

14 UK staff + 2 independents

London

2011

Online /

Memberships

Offline

100% / 0%

Advantage, Focus, Virtuoso

Specialises in SMEs, sports, TV, music and media, events, and group travel. Developed its online booking tool and managed to get through Covid without making any of its staff redundant.

SUNWAYS BUSINESS TRAVEL

sunwaystravel.co.uk

15 UK staff

Longfield, Kent

1973

20% / 80%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in finance, insurance, manufacturing support, information technology, architecture, commodities trading, media, and accountancy. Launched a Sustainable Business Travel Brand and new partnership with Trees4Travel. New partnerships with Amadeus Cytric and Jyrney.

TAG

tag-group.com

242 staff in 12 offices globally

London

1983

4% / 96%

Advantage

Specialises in entertainment, production, VIP, financial services, investment management, professional services, talent, and conference and incentive travel. Developed TAG Digital and implemented new enterprise-level security tools from Microsoft Azure for digital security.

TAKETWO TRAVEL SOLUTIONS

mytaketwo.com

50 staff globally in 3 locations

London

2021

20% / 80%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in high-net-worth individuals and VIPs, meeting, events and group travel, charity, entertainment, academia and luxury leisure travel. Partnered with PSNGR1 on interactive digital booking platform. Partnered with SAP Concur and launched a global Meetings and Events division in December 2021, expanding into the Irish market in January 2022.

TRAVEL COUNSELLORS FOR BUSINESS

business.travelcounsellors.com

270 in UK head office, 1,400 TCs

Manchester

1994

0% / 100%

GlobalStar

Specialises in finance, pharma, sports, manufacturing, professional services, marine, entertainment, oil and gas, construction and F&B. Integrated NDC content via API directly into Phenix. Launched Green Leaf sustainable certification for hotel suppliers and Trees4Travel CO2 reporting and offsetting. Launched a new partnership with GlobalStar and launched Traveldoo.

TRAVELPERK

travelperk.com

800 staff globally

Barcelona

2015

97% / 3%

N/A

Specialises in tech, software, telecoms, manufacturing, transportation, finance, business services, retail, healthcare and medical supplies, consumer services, governments and organisations, media and online entertainment and energy.

Acquired Susterra and ClickTravel and launched TravelPerk Events and GreenPerks API.

TRIPACTIONS

tripactions.com

2,000 staff globally in 12 locations

California

2015

90% / 10%

N/A

Acquired Reed & Mackay and launched TravelXen 2.0 and Lemonade. Rolled out Team Travel, a tool that allows for small group bookings directly in the platform, plus a partnership with Neste on Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Acquired Comtravo in Germany and Resia in Sweden.

VENTUR

ventur.partners

45 UK staff

Leeds

1971

10% / 90%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in groups, sports, oil and gas, manufacturing and engineering, professional services, production companies, VIP, FMCG, motoring, and education. Rebranded from Traveleads. Launched the Ventur Traveller App and enhanced its CO2 and Risk Management platforms. Launched Ventur Luxury Travel.

WAYTE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

waytetravel.co.uk

41 UK staff

Stoke on Trent

1903

0% / 100%

Advantage, Focus

Specialises in financial, mining, marine, pharma, banking, manufacturing, law, construction, recruitment and entertainment. Launched a new London office and an online management information suite.

WEST END TRAVEL

westendtravel.co.uk

17 UK staff in 2 locations

London

1972

0% / 100%

N/A

London

1970

35% / 65%

Advantage

Specialises in academic, charity, defence, entertainment, finance, health/medical, legal, media, sports and transport.

WEXAS TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

wexastravelmanagement.co.uk

61 UK staff

Specialises in legal, financial, information technology, software, luxury, retail, telecomms, aviation, creative, media, start-ups, oil and gas, and groups. Worked to drive and increase its NDC adoption.

WINGS TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

wings.travel

47 UK staff, 322 globally

London

1992

12% / 88%

Advantage

Specialises in banking and financial services, energy, legal and professional, marine, media, pharma, private equity investment, public sector, sports and telecomms. Introduced new traveller smartPhone app, Wings Mobile, and traveller tracking and security service, Wings Alert.

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TMCs / Duty of care

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Duty of care / TMCs

Lines of duty

Duty of care has grown in significance amid Covid and TMCs are responding, says Gill Upton

T

he Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2017 was a wake-up call for many corporates in terms of the health and safety of their employees. With no upper limit set on penalties, the act prioritised employee welfare. Five years on, the complexities of travelling in the Covid age have renewed that impetus.

Corporates were already demanding reports to flag up road warriors taking too many red-eye flights or multiple back-toback trips. Today employers need to instil confidence in their travellers by minimising travel stress, which means 24/7 support, instant travel alerts and constant contact throughout the journey by email, SMS, social

Some road warriors can’t wait to get back but there are those who don’t ever want to get back and would prefer to walk their lockdown puppy"

media and phone. Companies need to know if border controls have changed, for example, and support their travellers with relevant information. All this has served to reinforce the value of the TMC. ”TMCs are the great simplifiers of the complex and can help put their arms around it,” says ITM CEO Scott Davies.

Industry observers believe incentives and schemes such as gamification may return to cajole reluctant travellers. “Some road warriors can’t wait to get back but there are those who don’t ever want to get back and would prefer to walk their lockdown puppy,” says Simone Buckley, VP Marketing EMEA at TripActions. TripActions is using free UberEats as an incentive to get their own staff to return to TripActions offices.

“You need to give people time,” adds Buckley. “They have changed their work-life balance during Covid and there is a moral obligation not to put people under pressure to travel again.”

ITM’s Davies believes the definition of duty of care has widened during Covid to a traveller’s work-life balance, prompting a more gently, gently approach, which has 

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TMCs / Duty of care

triggered innovation and fresh demand for different services.

Midas Travel, for example, has noted an upsurge in the use of Fastrack VIP, meet and greet, chauffeurs and private jets. The company’s online booking tool now displays a ‘joy factor’ offering a rating based on comfort, ease and value. Clients are requesting access to duty of care platforms to assess risk levels, track travellers and to keep in touch.

The TMC has also augmented its existing country risk profile maps to show Covid restrictions. “Technology has adapted to incorporate the new requirements,” says Nicola Cox, Director. “And travellers need more info on the go than ever, so mobile apps have also seen a resurgence.”

At the Focus Partnership of 49 mainly business-focussed TMCs, PinPoint was launched in 2021 to provide travel tracking and an update this spring provides a Brexit report to check which travellers are reaching their 90-day limit for travel in the EU. “Following Covid, corporates are really taking this seriously,” says Dani Ives, Focus Partnership Project Manager.

Last month TripActions launched a wellness dashboard which shows number of hours flown, type of flight and class of travel and allows a corporate to set flight limits per traveller. “You could drill into the data before but now the demand is for automatic reports,” explains Buckley.

Agiito has effectively replaced the client company intranet with a portal that hosts wellbeing and health tips for downtime, such as walking options at destinations.

Information and advisory are the buzzwords. “We’re back to more business as usual and both parties need to look at what good looks like. In an ideal world you don’t create traveller burn-out and we’re guiding employees to take the best options,” says Steve Banks, Agiito CCO. Reed & Mackay is doing something similar, says Ian Ferguson, Partner, Advisory Services. “We increased our point-of-sale health and wellbeing intelligence, partnered with numerous specialists to create an ecosystem of care for our clients and increased our Incident Management resource.”

The TMC also created an Advisory Services division to help clients navigate the complex landscape via various modules, including a



20

traveller hearts and minds analysis and a 30-point policy benchmarking for post-Covid travel service.

Agiito is busy revising policies so they dictate items such as no car hire allowed after alighting from flights of 10 hours or more and the pros and cons of day versus night flights.

“We’re challenging clients to ask whether the policy is allowing travellers to be refreshed and able to work," adds Banks.

He points to improvements in the supply chain, such as hotel programmes with wellbeing at their heart offering good leisure facilities and female traveller awareness programmes. Ultimately he predicts that duty of care in this new Covid era will see travel policies become selling tools in recruitment programmes. “Travel allows people to do their jobs and candidates want to know the class they can travel before they decide whether to join a new company.”

Travelling execs are also expecting TMCs to provide a similar booking experience to the one they enjoy outside the workplace.

“The corporate travel sector has been a bit behind the B2C world in this respect,” says Flight Centre CTO EMEA, David Owens.

With this in mind, FCm and sister TMC Corporate Traveller have been developing their respective platforms to give users the freedom to book through the likes of Expedia and booking.com but with the duty of care controls, tracking and reporting that travel bookers require.

Travel allows people to do their jobs and candidates want to know the class they can travel before they decide whether to join a new company” David Zimmer, Global Head of Travel Experience & Optimisation for CWT, says technology is playing a key role.

"We’ve created hybrid human-bot messaging capabilities that go beyond ‘pure chat’ and leverage both the speed of an AI-powered bot and the intuition of an agent to support travellers," he explains.

"Additionally, deploying flexible connectivity technologies and API platforms allow TMCs to more easily integrate new content and services like safety and security partners and additional Covid-relevant data layers for better travel insights and decisions."

AI capabilities, such as machine learning and natural language processing, are also helping CWT to quickly identify and interpret instantly the urgency and intent of a call, email or message.

But Zimmer admits human connectivity is also vital. "A well-connected, professional and empathetic travel counsellor can make the difference between a good trip and a challenging one, particularly when the travel environment is so changeable," he adds.

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With us, it’s personal Travel management with integrity

After 53 years of providing a premium corporate travel service to small and medium size businesses, we’ve acquired a reputation for reliability and going the extra mile.

If we didn’t, why would so many companies place their trust in us?

Eton Travel Management is a TMC with traditional service values, powered by clever technology and a modern outlook. As you’d expect, we’re very hands on. That’s because we take a genuine interest in all our clients.

We’ve got the expertise, knowledge and tech needed to manage your personal and company travel, keeping your travellers safe and your travel policies up to date.

If that’s the kind of service you prefer, we’re looking forward to welcoming you.

Making it personal www.etontravel.com

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TMCs / Insight

R F P G ui d e

10 wayS to ease the pain It's a process often dreaded by buyers and TMCs but follow these tips and your next RFP should be easier

1

Engage with stakeholders

In order to understand how your travel needs have changed, speak to all the relevant people and departments within your business, such as HR, IT, finance, security, C-Suites, PAs and, of course, your frequent travellers. Ask them what is currently working well and what isn’t.

2

Establish your priorities

3

Share the current pain points

istock.com / joecicak

Based on these conversations, draw up a list of your key requirements and decide what is a ‘nice to have’ and a ‘must have’.

Rank your requirements in order of priority.

Even if you’re not 100% sure what you need from a new TMC, if you’re going out to tender you will hopefully have a good idea of what’s wrong with your current one.

Don’t be afraid to share this with your new prospects. Be honest. It will help them understand what you require and know whether they can make a difference.

22

4

Don’t jump straight in

5

Keep it relevant

6

Make use of virtual and video

7

Be realistic

Make sure your first interaction with a potential TMC partner is not sending the RFP. Make contact first, even if it’s just a phone call, but ideally meet face-to-face. In the new era, this is likely to be more than just a transactional relationship so culture fit is key.

Keep your RFP document to a size that reflects the size and complexities of your travel account. There’s no point asking hundreds of questions and requesting tonnes of information unless it’s going to be useful, particularly when time and resources are precious. Try to avoid using a standard template too. Each company’s requirements will be different so it doesn't make sense to send a standard RFP document containing irrelevant questions.

Try before you buy

9

Keep up to speed

If possible, spend some time in the TMC’s offices to get a feel for the company culture. You’ll know very quickly if it’s a culture that suits your own. Ask if you can contact some of the TMC’s existing clients to ask for their feedback. You’ll get a more honest response than a written reference.

Test a TMC by creating a scenario, perhaps asking them to evaluate and suggest how you can improve a particular aspect of your travel programme.

Mergers and acquisitions have stepped up in the pandemic so keep track of what’s happening in the TMC landscape by reading the trade press. If you’ve got a TMC in mind, put their name into the search button on The Business Travel Magazine's website, thebusinesstravelmag.com, to see recent developments, such as changes of ownership, key appointments or investment in new products. And, of course, use our annual TMC Guide and Directory.

10

Don’t get fixated with pricing

Negotiating pricing can be the most complex and time-consuming part of the RFP process so unless your relationship will be purely transactional leave it until as late as possible in the selection process, when you will have a better idea of who the strongest contenders are.

Meeting in person is clearly ideal, but make use of virtual technology if you want to gain access to more people within the TMC, such as teams in different parts of the country or overseas. Consider accepting video proposals too. It will help you get a better feel for the company’s culture and whether it will fit with yours.

Be mindful that responding to an RFP is a huge task for TMCs, particularly in the current climate where they’ve had to scale back on their teams and resources are low.

Responding to an RFP can require a big investment and for potentially no return, so be realistic with timeframes and the amount of information you require.

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

E

ven before pandemic pressures came along, the TMC RFP was a process neither side enjoyed.

Described as a “pain point” in a recent White Paper by the Business Travel Association, RFPs can be costly, timeconsuming, unnecessarily complex and often not fit for purpose.

As business travel comes back, what you want and need from your TMC might have changed considerably, but with reduced resources on both sides it’s more vital than ever to get the selection process right. If you’re about to embark on an RFP, here are 10 top tips to help you get the best result.

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A pioneer of modern nursing Florence Nightingale introduced effective sanitisation in military hospitals during the Crimea War in 1854 and laid the foundations of modern nursing. Surprisingly, the ‘Lady of the Lamp’ was a sharp statistician too. Her ability to visualise data revealed in one study that 89% of 18,000 military deaths were from preventable diseases not battle. This helped revolutionise military medical care but also

BULGARIA

shaped civilian hospital nursing the world over.

DIAGRAM OF THE

ST GU AU R BE EM

DISEASE

T EP S

IN THE ARMY IN THE EAST

CRIMEA

U A RY

MORTALITY

1854-55

FEBR

CAUSES OF

JULY

WOUNDS OTHER CAUSES

MA

RC H

Businesses get judged by how they look after their employees How many corporate websites declare ‘our people are our most valuable asset’?

So, when did we lose sight of treating business travellers with appropriate due care and attention? Whether you are a global corporation or a fledgling SME business, is the mental and physical wellbeing of your travellers truly a priority?

Global opportunities have driven expansion at an unprecedented rate, and expectations for travellers being available 24/7 wherever they are in the world have increased dramatically. But the cost to human capital has also escalated. And the downsides of reduced productivity, demotivated employees, and mental burnout often undermine business goals, risking project disruption and potentially dissatisfied customers.

Blue Cube is pioneering a shift in corporate expectations, moving away from a narrow cost-driven focus to treating travel as an investment. And the best way to invest in future success is to look after your people, especially when they travel on business.

We’re here to help you integrate traveller wellbeing into your travel programme as a crucial part of a wider approach to making travel safer, productive, and more sustainable.

TO FIND OUT MORE TALK TO US ON 0208 948 8188 - OR EMAIL sales@bluecubetravel.co.uk

www.bluecubetravel.co.uk

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Is your TMC distracted ? sustainable? collaborative? responsive? too big ? viable?

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