Corporates may be forced into a "total review" of their hotel programme because of the increasing complexity in the buying process, BCD Travel Consulting warned.
In its 2007 Industry Forecast, the travel management company said that demand was currently outstripping supply in many parts of the world, although no tin most of Europe.
This was leading to increasing occupancy levels and higher rates. It said that hotel daily rates could rise by 6% although in Europe, where there was overcapacity, it has been rising at only 0.3% a year.
But the forecast said "other challenges" were facing buyers, including the "new dynamic pricing model, room availability changes and the rising cost of amenities."
The Forecast said these with increased brand differentiators and electronic data offering were adding "new components and layers of complexity to the 2007 negotiating process."
These together might require a total review of a company's hotel programme as well as traveller surveys to ensure that savings were being realised through compliance.
The Forecast predicted that air fares, car rental rates and meetings costs would rise across the world over the next two years.
It said corporate air fares could rise by as much as 11% but it also said that corporates might be in a position to negotiate better deals with their preferred airlines.
Car rental rates could rise by between 5-7% mainly from increased fuel costs and, in the USA, local tax increases.
It said that extra charges, like the $50 no show levied in America and other extras would force buyers to review what charges were included in their negotiated rates.
Meeting were also being affected by rising costs, like air fares and room rates. Suppliers, BCD said, might also offer fewer concessions and be less flexible with meetings organisers.
It predicted that group hotel rates would rise by 3-5%.
On rail, BCD said it expected more rail fares would be available on the GDSs and that consequently there were likely to be more interlining agreements between rail and air carriers.
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