Managed U.S. Business Travelers: Monitored or Manhandled?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Cathy Schetzina
+1 860 350-4084 x380
cschetzina@phocuswright.com
New PhoCusWright study examines U.S. business traveler behavior, travel policy, compliance and more
Sherman, CT USA, March 1, 2012 – A new report from travel industry research authority PhoCusWright reveals that despite being governed by travel policy, a majority of managed business travelers in the U.S. still have considerable discretion over which travel brands and booking channels they use. According to PhoCusWright's U.S. Business Traveler: Managed, Unmanaged and Rogue, less than 15% of managed business travelers are required to use a particular airline, hotel or car rental company when they travel, and less than a third must use their company's preferred booking tool or agency. While companies frequently encourage the use of certain brands or booking methods, their policies are flexible and provide business travelers the leeway to make travel planning decisions based on convenience, price and other factors.
Based on comprehensive survey of more than 2,000 business travelers in the U.S., PhoCusWright's U.S. Business Traveler: Managed, Unmanaged and Rogue explores the behavior of managed and unmanaged business travelers, and provides an overview of managed travel policy structure, flexibility and compliance. The report highlights key similarities and differences between managed and unmanaged travelers, including the need to obtain authorization for business travel, and the formality of the authorization process.
"While business travelers often get to have their pick of travel brands and booking methods, companies are keeping a firmer grip over trip authorizations for their employees," says Carroll Rheem, director, research at PhoCusWright. "Organizations are constantly balancing the desire to grow with the very real need to keep a tight rein on expenses. Some form of pre-trip authorization is required for a majority of managed travelers and more than four in 10 unmanaged travelers."
PhoCusWright's U.S. Business Traveler: Managed, Unmanaged and Rogue includes:
-Analysis of general business traveler behavior, including trip frequency, purpose and duration; travel spend; and travel components purchased (air, hotel, car rental and rail travel)
-Discussion of the impact of video conferencing and other virtual meeting technology on certain types of business trips – training, conferences and trade shows, sales/client meetings, etc.
-Examination of business travel policies, structure, compliance with managed travel programs and key drivers of rogue behavior
-Detailed metrics of the travel planning processes for managed and unmanaged business travelers, including information sources, booking channels and factors that influence decision making
PhoCusWright's U.S. Business Traveler: Managed, Unmanaged and Rogue (US$995), a Global Edition publication, provides a comprehensive look at business traveler attitudes and behavior, and is a valuable resource for any travel company that targets this lucrative segment.
About PhoCusWright Inc.
PhoCusWright is the travel industry research authority on how travelers, suppliers and intermediaries connect. Independent, rigorous and unbiased, PhoCusWright fosters smart strategic planning and tactical decision-making.
PhoCusWright delivers qualitative and quantitative research on the evolving dynamics that influence travel, tourism and hospitality distribution. Our marketplace intelligence is the industry standard for segmentation, sizing, forecasting, trends, analysis and consumer travel planning behavior. Every day around the world, senior executives, marketers, strategists and research professionals from all segments of the industry value chain use PhoCusWright research for competitive advantage.
To complement its primary research and learning solutions in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia, PhoCusWright produces several high-profile conferences in the United States and Germany, and partners with conferences in Canada, China and Singapore. Industry leaders and company analysts bring this intelligence to life by debating issues, sharing ideas and defining the ever-evolving reality of travel commerce.
The company is headquartered in the United States with Asia-Pacific operations based in India and local analysts on five continents.
PhoCusWright is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northstar Travel Media, LLC.
