Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) today released its seventh Travel Management Priorities report, the second in a two-part analysis of CWT’s annual travel manager survey.
The global report shows travel managers will put more emphasis on data and mobile technology to direct their travel programs in 2015, with a continued focus on cost-saving and traveller engagement. The research highlights the top priority (at 63 per cent) is leveraging travel data to build predictive analyses and benchmarks. This underlines that with better data visibility, travel managers are able to steer their travel programs towards their particular business objectives.
Subsequent top priorities include deploying a fare tracking and rebooking solution, which 62 per cent of respondents agree is a high priority, while promoting mobile apps to increase travel efficiency on the go remains a key topic, in third place at 60 per cent. CWT’s report underlines the continued importance of mobile technology, which will play a pivotal role for both travel managers and for travellers on the go.
Respondents in North America ranked their top three priorities as:
- Leveraging travel data to build predictive analyses and benchmarks (67 per cent)
- Deploying fare tracking and rebooking solution (59 per cent)
- Promoting mobile app to increase traveller efficiency on the go (58 per cent)
Travel managers in Asia Pacific ranked their top three priorities for 2015 as follows:
- Deploying fare tracking and rebooking solution (64 per cent)
- Leveraging travel data to build predictive analyses and benchmarks (62 per cent)
- Promoting mobile app to increase traveller efficiency on the go (59 per cent)
In EMEA, respondents ranked their top three priorities for the next 12 months as:
- Promoting mobile app to increase traveller efficiency on the go (60 per cent)
- Deploying fare tracking and rebooking solution (59 per cent)
- Leveraging travel data to build predictive analyses and benchmarks (58 per cent)
In Latin America, travel managers ranked their top three priorities:
- Deploying fare tracking and rebooking solution (81 per cent)
- Streamlining expense management system (71 per cent)
- Promoting mobile app to increase traveller efficiency on the go (67 per cent)
Commenting on the report, David Moran, CWT’s executive vice president with responsibility for global marketing & enterprise strategy, said: “Travel managers are looking to translate data into insights and promote mobile technology to improve traveller experience. Ultimately it’s about refining travel programs, and we’re working with clients to develop the best tools and benchmarking they need to make the most of their travel programs in 2015 and beyond.”
In December, CWT released the first part of the research, showing travel managers expect data security, the global economy and mobile technology to be the three trends most impacting their travel programs in 2015, indicating a clear influence on their priorities for the year ahead.
This is CWT’s most comprehensive trends report to-date. More than 1,100 travel managers were asked about their plans for 2015, and this year, as well as ranking 12 program priorities, they were asked to predict the impact of 11 market trends, established and emerging. Since December, travel managers have been able to benchmark what they expect to be 2015’s trends against the expectations of their peers, through an interactive website.
