CWT and the GBTA have published a new report that reveals the
drivers, opportunities and constraints to improving sustainability in the
travel industry.
“The Big Idea: How can we make business travel more sustainable?”
features findings that stem from a brainstorming session on the topic hosted
during the GBTA Conference 2019 Munich and attended by senior industry
professionals representing TMCs, hotel, air, car and ancillary services, as
well as the corporate buyer community from across Europe.
When asked how confident they were in the industry’s ability to
make the future of business travel more sustainable, 65 per cent of delegates were
either broadly or very confident. That percentage grew to 71 per cent when they
were polled on the willingness of the industry to change.
Francoise Grumberg, CWT’s vice president of global responsible
business and diversity and inclusion, said: “At CWT we are seriously committed
to being a positive force for change in the world, which is why we did not
hesitate to sponsor this important session at GBTA in order to gain first-hand
industry feedback around both demand and drivers for sustainable business
travel. Our planet is under critical environmental strain and CWT is committed
to driving and contributing to industry debate and forums such as this to drive
as much positive action as possible.”
Drivers for change
The growing “social conscience”, especially among younger travellers, is
putting pressure on companies to develop more sustainable travel programmes,
according to the report. Organisations will also need to step up their game to
maintain their reputation. Suppliers will also need to adapt their offer if
they want to remain relevant for a traveller audience who is choosing to book
with more environmentally conscious providers.
Opportunities
A shifting mentality in the industry will open the door for more eco-friendly
alternatives, such as biofuels, improved recycling at airports, better waste
reduction, eradicating single-use plastics, fewer empty flights, modernised
aircraft fleets and more eco-friendly cleaning products – all of which will
ultimately lead to a reduction in carbon emissions.
By adopting a proactive approach, combined with state-of-the-art
technology and data capacities, TMCs can play a key role in making travel more
sustainable. They can help companies create a greener programme by helping them
to choose the best suppliers by offering carbon reports and by developing
travel policies around gamification and reward systems for those employees who
are more conscious.
Constraints
The restrictions identified by delegates during the session ranged from employer
apathy to a perceived lack of alternative options. The implementation cost of
more sustainable air and accommodation options as well as a lack of reporting
or measurement were also named as challenges.
Scott Solombrino, GBTA’s COO and executive director, said: “In the
end, pressure from the traveller will translate into positive action.
Advancements in technology will be required to help solve the more complex
environmental issues such as the guest accommodation experience and carbon
neutrality in the aviation industry, but opportunities are aplenty to work with
supply chains who already implement and track sustainable practices across the
customer journey. As an industry, we need to work together to find some
solutions to help corporate travellers to make the right decisions when
traveling on business.”
gbta.org; mycwt.com