Business travel programmes are being “undermined” due to travellers still booking through non-traditional channels, a study has found.
According to research from the GBTA and Concur around half of European travellers who had access to a TMC or online booking tool used alternative channels such as going direct with a supplier or using an OTA site.
They cited pricing, ability to earn loyalty status and more convenience as the main reasons for booking out of policy.
The study, Booking behaviour: The Business Traveller’s Perspective, also showed differences by company size and policy. Employees of large companies are most likely to use traditional channels as larger businesses appear more likely to have these channels available, and require travellers to use them. Even at large companies, however, nearly half of business travellers have used an alternative channel to book at least one trip in the past year.
The study said that when employees are required to follow mandated travel they are more likely to use traditional channels, while those encouraged to follow guidelines are more likely to use alternative channels.
“Business travellers in the UK, Germany and France book through a diverse number of booking channels and this survey showed that even when travellers have OBT access, they commonly book directly with alternative channels,” said Monica Sanchez, GBTA director of research.
“Travel buyers and their programs should keep this in mind and address the exceptions to the rule when booking outside of the corporate channels and put in place a clear protocol to ensure duty of care responsibilities are met,” she added.
Concur executive VP of travel, Tim Macdonald, said: “Unmanaged, out-of-channel bookings can undermine a travel program’s savings benefits, policy enforcement, duty-of-care obligations and supplier contract commitments.”
The study surveyed 741 business travellers in the UK, Spain and Germany between October and November 2015.