Business travel is on the rise, after a 12 per cent increase in transactions in the first three months of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010, said Klaus Busch, managing director of travel payment firm AirPlus International, speaking at AirPlus' annual press briefing.
Using the example of a large global customer based in Germany, AirPlus reported that since the beginning of 2011 total travel expenses have risen 33 per cent compared to 2010. While the price of an individual flight has not yet returned to 2008 levels, it is also on the rise, said Busch.
Busch said a "key demand" from travel buyers was to be able to analyse data and use it to negotiate with suppliers. He said by using a corporate card, buyers could prove how far their travellers' plans matched up with what actually happened during a trip.