Nearly two-thirds of corporates are considering introducing
a risk assessment process as part of new post-Covid travel policies, according
to research from Clarity.
The TMC polled more than 100 travel and procurement
managers, supplemented by a number of roundtable events, to help establish a
ten-step guide to restarting business travel. Not surprisingly, traveller
safety was considered paramount by all participants.
Although 95 per cent of those surveyed said they are working
on plans to safely re-start business travel, three-quarters expect
international travel volumes to be at less than 50 per cent of pre-pandemic
levels for the rest of the year.
The survey also showed 80 per cent intend to make more use
of video conferencing.
“At the very heart of this is the wellbeing of the
traveller, the responsibility of the employer to ensure a safe journey and a
realisation that the world has changed, so video conferencing will be a huge
factor moving forward,” said Clarity CEO Pat McDonagh.
“We are proud to have a varied client base, with a strong
voice. They have made it clear just how important getting travel started again
is to them.”
The TMC has recently invested in its online booking tool
Go2Book to include the latest supplier safety policies and procedures.
“We’re seeing an increase in suppliers wanting to support
the travel restart and that begins with traveller trust,” said Clarity’s commercial
director Sue Chapman. “By working with suppliers to provide accurate safety
information, we’re able to instil that trust.”
The Manchester-based TMC employs more than 600 staff and
manages in excess of two million trips a year.