A growing number of business travel managers are now taking responsibility for their companies’ meetings and events programmes.
The Business Travel Show carried out a survey of more than 180 senior travel managers and found that 58 per cent now managed MICE as well – up from 55 per cent in 2012 and 40 per cent in 2011.
The study also found that 42 per cent of the buyers who managed meetings still did not have a strategic meeting management policy (SMMP) in place – although this was higher than the 59 per cent who did not have a SMMP during the previous two years.
Buyers have voted meetings management and virtual meetings as two of the biggest issues they face in the next 12 months in a poll carried out by BTS organisers.
Carole Poillerat, president of GBTA France, will moderate a session ‘Am I ready to integrate my travel and meetings programmes?’ during the show on February 4-5, 2014, at London’s Earls Court exhibition centre.
“We still have a long way to go but there are already some key initiatives from buyers and suppliers that we can share and learn from,” said Poillerat.
“The willingness of suppliers to help buyers in this way is there, and we have to now help increase the collaboration of procurement teams internally.
“Travel buyers who suddenly inherit the meeting category need to better understand the similarities and differences with travel.”
Other sessions focusing on meetings include: ‘How do I create a strategic meetings management programme?’.
businesstravelshow.com