The biggest challenge facing business travel buyers is cutting costs according to a recent survey carried out by Business Travel Show. The polls travel buyers also revealed that Brexit stress appears to be subsiding, while sustainability has shot up the agenda. Travel manager Jef Robinson claims its compliance keeps him awake at night, specifically, ‘influencing traveller behaviour in changing times.’ Jef Robinson also believes it is possible to have an ethical travel programme, which would include: “Reducing non-essential travel where it can be easily replaced by other forms of engagement; enhanced planning and analytics relating to internal business travel. For example, team meetings, quarterly business reviews, and prioritising ethical suppliers that have robust ethical/environmental programmes and eliminating the worst offenders/suppliers.” Perhaps the biggest news is that ‘sustainability’ has finally made its debut on the poll, albeit at number nine; a reflection of the stratospheric rise in awareness and the power shift in action directed at halting and reversing climate change.
