Travel management firm HRG is predicting in 2015 that smarter data analysis will lead to an increased understanding of traveller behaviour.
A better understanding of data will also lead to buyers being able to drive policy change and deliver wider visibility of travel spend. Travel risk management will also feature at the top of buyers’ agenda next year, HRG said.
“Buyers are becoming smarter in the way they use their travel data and this is a trend that is likely to continue in 2015,” according to HRG group commercial director, Stewart Harvey.
“Clients are using their travel data in ways we could never have imagined three years ago. What used to be the realm of the data analyst can now be understood by anyone who can use a mouse and keyboard,” he said.
“Meanwhile, geo-political instability and weather related incidents are becoming more frequent; both represent greater risk to travellers. Clients have a legal requirement to ensure the safety and well being of their workforce. Improving travel risk management programmes is a growing requirement that we expect to see continue into 2015,”
The predictions come from HRG’s suggestions of what parts of managed travel will be important to buyers in 2015.
HRG predicts there will be greater programme integration next year. It said single sourcing of travel technology and services is not always achievable, as such clients are looking to stitch together their technology to “deliver a common and consistent programme” in order to deliver compliance, control and cost savings.
The travel management company said that buyers’ duty of care obligations will ensure that travel risk management will remain at the top of the agenda in 2015, particularly in the face of increasing geo-political instability and the adverse effects of extreme weather related incidents.
“Travel risk management is an area that clients know they should be doing more in order to meet their duty of care requirements” said Harvey. “However, as risk covers multiple business areas it is difficult to ascertain who is responsible for each component of a travel risk management programme. This means when something goes wrong the response is not as prompt or effective as it should be.”
Last month, HRG said more than half of all UK business travel bookings made through them are completed online through self-booking tools.