BRITISH BUSINESS STILL ON THE MOVE

ACCORDING TO LATEST GBTA SURVEY

travel management companies still needed in web-booking world

British business is still on the up if figures from the influential Guild of Business Travel Agents (GBTA) are anything to go by.

The GBTA's latest Quarterly Transaction Survey shows that the steady growth in business travel which began at the beginning of 2004 is ongoing.

Figures also reveal however that, despite more business travellers booking their own trips on the net, travel management companies (TMCs) have a valuable role to play in managing the whole business travel process.

The number of air travel trips booked by the GBTA's 35 travel management company members in the second quarter of this year saw a 13 per cent increase to total 1,461,409, against 1,296,985 in Q2/03. Rail travel was also up six per cent to reach 488,380 compared with 459,859 for the same period last year.

But the really positive indicator comes in the category "others", the extras and specialist services which a travel management company can provide as a one-stop shop, and which take the hassle out of arranging business travel. GBTA members saw a massive 35 per cent leap from 205,560 transactions between April and June in 2003, to a total 277,045 for the same months this year. "Others" include passport and visa services, travel insurance, meet and greet services and currency exchange.

"These figures are very encouraging," said Philip Carlisle, chief executive, Guild of Business Travel Agents. "Business travel is like a barometer for the economy. If business travel is up then UK commercial activity must also be on the up.

"But it is particularly gratifying to see such significant growth in other services provided by TMCs," added Carlisle. "There is no doubt that booking your own flights and hotels on the internet has increased, and will continue to do so. But travel management companies still have a key role to play in managing the whole corporate travel process and ultimately saving their clients time and money."

Figures for hotel bookings remained unchanged and car hire fell by four per cent. Carlisle points out, however, that both types of booking are often referrals and may not show up in the survey. Hotel and car hire bills are also often paid direct by the traveller, so again would not appear in the transaction totals.

GBTA Quarterly Transaction Survey Results

Transactions Q2/03 Q2/04 +/-

Air 1,296,985 1,461,409 +13%

Hotels 488,170 490,158 0%

Rail 459,859 488,380 +6%

Car Hire 76,620 73,903 -4%

Others* 205,560 277,045 +35%

Totals 2,527,194 2,790,895 +10%

* "Others" includes such transactions as passport and visa services, travel insurance, airport parking, foreign currency exchange, chauffeur drive services , meet & greet services

Ends

For further media information: Vanessa Aves/Keira Garrigan/Steve Dunne, Brighter PR, tel: 020 7603 2168. email: Vanessa.aves@brightergroup.com

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