CLOSER SCRUTINY of travel budgets and policy for corporates have been highlighted in a review by Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) as key trends emerging across the business travel industry.
According to Stewart Harvey, director of client management, there is now a realisation that a certain amount of travel is essential and important. "What is becoming more apparent is that companies are paying more attention to the reason behind a trip," he says.
"There is no question that clients understand the business benefits of face-to-face meetings, but increasingly they are opting to consider - and offer - alternative solutions, whether that is best fare on the day or a teleconference.
"There is also a trend for corporates to avoid booking highly restrictive fares and preferring, where possible, to select the lowest mid-range fare which has flexibility, rather than choose a low-cost carrier option with full cancellation penalties."
One of the more interesting developments to emerge, according to the HRG review, is a real sense of camaraderie. "Our clients appreciate the stability of their preferred carriers, realising that they are going through difficult times and supporting them to ensure that certain routes, which may be at risk of cancellation as airlines prepare their winter schedules, will remain available," says Harvey.