More than half of all UK business travel bookings made through travel management firm HRG are completed online through self-booking tools.
HRG said that 53 per cent of all client transactions in the UK were being self-booked – up from 46 per cent for the same period last year.
The ratio of UK online bookings was also higher than HRG’s global average of 46 per cent, which itself was an increase from the figure of 40 per cent in 2013.
Although the US rate of self-booking is still above the UK’s at 58 per cent, up from 55 per cent in 2013. While in Australia, the rate is even higher at 66 per cent of all bookings (up from 62 per cent year-on-year).
HRG admitted that the speed of online adoption had come at a “faster pace than originally anticipated” which has led to job losses at the company.
“We continue to respond to this, making further reductions to the size of our network and reorganising so that geographical boundaries become less of a feature,” said HRG in its half-year financial report. “Sadly, this has meant the departure of a number of HRG staff and we wish them well for the future.
“There will always be a need for good, highly skilled travel counsellors offering a quality service. HRG employs some of the best people in the industry. Therefore, redeployment and home working continue to be a feature as we retain their skill set whilst lowering our cost base.”