World Travel Market (WTM) is looking to increase content and opportunities for the corporate sector.
Its executive networking group, the Meridian Club, held a private dinner for senior industry figures, including bosses of consortia, airlines and TMCs, to talk about the key issues facing the sector, and how WTM could best serve their needs.
Among topics discussed were the prospect of “unmanaged” business travel – online deals driving a move towards allowing corporate travelers to book trips within a defined budget, rather than restricting them to preferred suppliers. One delegate observed that the federal government in the US was starting to adopt this approach.
Many agreed the request for proposal (RFP) process needed a radical overhaul to become streamlined and simplified, possibly using a standardised template. Other topics included social media and the impact of aviation taxes.
WTM said it welcomed suggestions as to the best ways of providing further networking opportunities for the business travel community in 2012.