Data security and the safety of travellers are the biggest concerns for travel managers about using “sharing economy” services such as Airbnb and Uber.
A survey of buyers by Carlson Wagonlit Travel found that 43 per cent thought that data security was the biggest negative of using sharing economy providers, followed by 41 per cent who viewed safety as a potential problem.
Safety and security was also the most common concern for business travellers themselves -both for accommodation sites such as Airbnb and ground transport services including Uber.
The quality of the product or service was more of a concern for those using accommodation services, while the second biggest issue for ground transport users was possible trip disruption.
“These concerns are legitimate when the market is used to certain assurances from established brands and the media has publicised incidents ranging from road accidents to fraudulent requests for payment and credit card billing errors,” said CWT in its report entitled Faster, smarter, better?, which looks at the latest trends in business travel.
“A number of legal battles have also drawn negative coverage. However, these issues should be put into perspective. Each sharing economy brand has its advantages and disadvantages but providers and legislators are working to reassure people and offset the risks”
The report also identifies other areas of change in corporate travel, such as the use of “big data”, virtual credit cards and social media.
CWT said that these developments were leading to increased customisation within business travel, which made travellers “feel they are being treated exclusively” as they are being offered more services tailored to their personal preferences.
David Moran, CWT executive vice president, global enterprise strategy, said: “As the pace of technological change is accelerating, so is market readiness for new ways of buying, managing and experiencing travel.
“In this increasingly connected world, the role of the TMC is also continuing to change – we’re helping clients to navigate these changes, providing new technology as well as ensuring they see all the benefits from the data that these new technologies provide.”
The report was compiled following a survey of more than 127 travel managers and 1,080 travellers.
The study found that 35 per cent of travel managers are planning to incorporate these new technologies and trends into their travel programmes, while 38 per cent are actively considering doing this.