Cost control unsurprisingly is the most important
consideration for corporate travel programs while environmental concerns continue
to take a back seat, according to a recent AirPlus survey.
Based on a poll of 98 corporate travel buyers in North
America between April 23 and May 7, cost control generated an aggregate score
of 4.13 on an ascending 1-to-5 scale measuring the influence of various program
and policy concerns. Forty percent of respondents indicated that cost control is
a "significant" influence and another 40 percent described it as a "heavy"
influence.
At 3.84 on the 5-point scale, travel safety/security ranked as
the second-greatest concern influencing travel programs. It
was followed by supplier management and technology integration/data capture,
both at 3.42.
Green/environmental issues ranked last, with an average
score of 2.19. Employee retention/traveler centricity and virtual travel
alternatives also received relatively low scores, 2.81 and 2.51, respectively.
Among AirPlus survey respondents—including 47 percent from
organizations with annual travel spending above $10 million and 20 percent
above $50 million—nearly 45 percent indicated that travel management within
their organizations reports to finance. Thirty-two percent identified the
procurement department.
"No matter what department is responsible for the
travel category, the priorities of travel management remain the same:
controlling costs and ensuring traveler safety and security," according to
the AirPlus report.
Meanwhile, when asked about how the level of "internal"
scrutiny on travel management practices changed in the past 12 months, 55
percent reported an increase and 44 percent indicated no change.