Half of travel buyers worldwide expect health and wellbeing to have a strong influence on managed travel in 2014, according to a report from corporate card firm AirPlus.
This year buyers expect to have an increased responsibility for employees’ health and welfare and to adopt policies to ensure a better work-life balance for their travellers, the study of almost 1,000 travel managers found.
The study showed buyers will monitor stress levels more frequently and review travel practices so they are more “health friendly”.
Airplus’ International Management Study 2014 provides information on the annual development of global and local trends in the managed travel sector.
It asked buyers how ‘mega-trends’ such as diversity, technology and environmental issues are affecting business travel. Some 49 per cent of buyers predicted environmental awareness to have a strong influence on business travel in 2014, this is followed by ‘the data era’ (47%), flexible working (41%) and the ageing society (28%).
The ‘data-era’ is the increasing power of data, including smart analysis, and social media analytics, but also increased concern about data protection.
Travel costs
The study found 42 per cent of buyers expect business travel costs to rise in 2014 compared to the previous year.
It showed when it comes to rising travel costs, air travel is the category for which most travel managers believe they will pay more (39%). This is followed by hotels (34%), meetings, events and conferences (24%) and car rentals (22%).
The study found whereas one-third of all travel managers worldwide expect business travel volumes to increase, expectations differ widely in the various markets and regions.
Travel managers in Turkey take the most positive view of the year ahead as 73 per cent of them stated more business trips will be taken in 2014, compared with 50 per cent last year. This is the same in other emerging markets such as Brazil (60%), India (53%) and South Africa (47%).
The situation is different in countries that are still beset by the economic crisis, such as Spain where a larger proportion of travel managers expect a decrease in business travel spend, the study found.
Airplus’ UK managing director Yael Klein said the results are an “eye-opener” and reveal significant opportunities but also warnings for businesses.
“The challenges are posed by growing worries about the rising cost of travel – there is a surge in the number of companies which fear spend will grow in the 12 months ahead,” she said.
“It’s great news that we are investing in travel again, but 2014 is going to be a year for double-checking every travel pound is well spent.”
The Airplus survey was conducted in September – November last year. 958 individuals responsible for travel management within their company were surveyed in 24 countries around the world.