More than
a quarter (28 per cent) of buyers have switched travel management companies
(TMCs) over the last 12 months, according to new research by Business Travel
Show Europe.
The study
of 313 European business travel managers found that a further 36 per cent plan
to move their business by summer 2022.
A lack of
support during the pandemic was cited as the reason for switching by 52 per
cent of those surveyed, while a further 28 per cent said that the pandemic had
given them the time to review their supplier relationships.
“We’ve
seen some TMCs reporting their most successful new business revenues for years
because so many organisations are switching partners and, once travel returns
in earnest, those wins will really come into fruition,” said Louis Magliaro, executive
VP of BTN Group.
“But for
those who are not picking up new business, now is the time to get out there,
meet buyers face to face and really understand what you need to be offering
them to replenish that pipeline. The volatility in the market when it comes to
supplier negotiations is only going to heat up as buyers start demanding more
value across technology, pandemic support, sustainability, duty of care and
savings.”
The
relationship between travel managers and TMCs features on two sessions in the
show's conference programme. On Thursday 30 September from 1240-1340, Parexel’s
Ben Park, ekaterra’s Kyra Dietern, the BTA’s Clive Wratten and Nina &
Pinta’s Jo Lloyd join the session 'Let’s fix the way we pay TMCs'. On Friday 1
October from 1000-1040, Audrey Muir of Baillie Gifford, Leigh Cowlishaw of
Advantage and Hazel Dawson of Focus discuss 'Choosing a travel management company
and other partners'.