booking behaviour: the business traveller’s perspective · 2015-10-26 · executive summary...

Booking Behaviour: The Business Traveller’s Perspective A Survey of Business Travellers in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France February 2016

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Booking Behaviours: The Business Traveller’s Perspective © 2016 GBTA and its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ...........................................................................................................................p. 3

Executive Summary………………………………….. ..............................................................p. 4

Methodology..........................................................................................................................p. 4

Respondent Profile ...............................................................................................................p. 5

Pre-booking: Behaviours and Processes ............................................................................p. 9

Booking Policy .................................................................................................................... p. 14

Booking Behaviour ............................................................................................................. p. 19

Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... p. 26

Works Cited ......................................................................................................................... p. 27


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INTRODUCTION

In 2013, the GBTA Foundation published the Global Travel Management Study, based on a survey of

more than 1,400 Travel Managers, including 145 in Europe.1 Respondents rated their travel programme’s

success in achieving various goals. In Europe, only 55% of Travel Managers thought their programme

was successful when it came to traveller’s adherence to booking through approved channels. A similar

share (53%) thought it was successful when it came to traveller’s adherence to booking with preferred

vendors. These figures were lower than the worldwide rates of 68% and 61%, respectively.

The current study examines booking from the business traveller’s perspective. It is based on a survey of

741 business travellers who reside in Europe’s three largest business travel markets: Germany, the

United Kingdom, and France. Together, these countries accounted for $137 billion in spending on

business travel in 2014, representing about half of Western Europe’s total.2

Research questions for this study include:

1) What types of channels do travellers use to book business trips? Do they use company-provided

channels, supplier channels, or both? How often do they use these channels?

2) When do travellers decide not to use the booking channel(s) preferred by their company?

3) What types of booking channels do travellers prefer? If they had no restrictions, which channel

would they use?

4) How often do companies have in place a pre-trip approval process? When they have a process

in place, how often do travellers follow this process?

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Business travellers use various methods to book their travel. In each of the three countries, at least

one-third of travellers booked directly with a supplier in the past year. A similar share booked through a

Travel Manager or agent, while roughly one-fifth to one-quarter used a corporate online booking tool

(OBT).3

When business travellers knew they had the option to use an OBT, a decent share used one in the

past year. This includes half in the UK and Germany, and three out of five in France.

1 GBTA Foundation, Going Global: Global Travel Management Study 2013 – European Edition (Alexandria, VA:

GBTA Foundation, 2013).

2 GBTA Foundation, GBTA BTI™ Outlook: Annual Report and Global Forecast (Alexandria, VA: GBTA Foundation,

2015).

3 3 These figures are for all business travellers, including those who did not have the option to use an OBT. The

“Booking Behaviours” section presents these figures separately for all travellers and those who had the option to use an OBT in the past year.


4

However, even when business travellers have OBT access, they commonly use other channels,

too. Of those who had the option to use an OBT in the past year, roughly half in each country still booked

directly with a supplier or used an OTA / travel site.

Business travellers mention a variety of circumstances when they might not use their

company’s preferred booking channel(s). The most common are when (they) find a more convenient

option, when a preferred supplier is not available, and when (they) find a cheaper price somewhere

else.

Even though travellers commonly use alternative channels, many prefer using OBTs. In each

country, roughly half say an OBT is their “most preferred” booking channel, even if they could use any

method. This is higher than the rate for any other type of channel.

A good share of travel programmes do not have a pre-trip approval process in place. In each

country, about half of travellers say their company has a process in place for domestic business travel,

and two-thirds say it has one in place for international travel.

METHODOLOGY

An online survey was conducted of business travellers in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.

The survey was conducted by the GBTA Foundation using a business travel panel. Fielding took place

from October 26, 2015, to November 2, 2015. Respondents qualified if they were employed (full-time or

part-time), worked for a company that “required (them) to follow (its) published and enforced travel

policies” or “encouraged (them) to follow general guidelines” for travel, and had traveled at least twice

for business in the past year. Of the 1,037 participants who started the survey, 741 qualified and completed

it.

Quotas were set for age and gender within each country to obtain a sufficient number of respondents

from each demographic and to mirror the business traveller population, thereby allowing comparison

between groups. However, after sampling, a few groups remained underrepresented. As a result, the

data were weighted to roughly approximate the desired distribution within each country. All percentages

and sample sizes reported throughout the report are after weighting. The table on the next page displays

the weighted age and gender distribution of respondents.

Results were tested for significant differences between comparison groups at the 95% confidence

interval. When found, the significantly higher result is marked with the letter that corresponds to the

significantly lower result. Comparison groups include:

Number of business trips in the past year: two to five; six to 11; 12 or more;

Number of employees at company: Less than 500; 500 to less than 3,000; 3,000 or more;

Travel policy: Mandated policy (“I am required to follow my company’s published and enforced

travel policy”); Guidelines (“I am encouraged to follow general guidelines”).


5

RESPONDENT PROFILE4

Respondent Demographics

Gender (n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Male 55% 57% 56%

Female 45% 43% 44%

Age (n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

18 to 24 11% 9% 5%

25 to 34 22% 19% 21%

35 to 44 20% 21% 25%

45 to 54 19% 27% 25%

55 to 64 17% 20% 19%

65 or over 10% 4% 5%

Estimated average 43 years 44 years 44 years

# of Employees at Company5 (n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Less than 1,000 41% 41% 40%

1,000 to less than 3,000 20% 17% 14%

3,000 or more 37% 41% 45%

Estimated Average 1,700 employees 1,800 employees 1,800 employees

Employment Status (n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Full-time 87% 91% 98%

4 Note: All percentages shown are after weighting.

5 Note: One percent of business travelers in Germany and France, and 3% in the United Kingdom, are “not sure” of their company size (not shown in table).


6

Part-time 13% 9% 2%

Position (n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Support staff 16% 16% 4%

Middle management 47% 53% 48%

Upper management 27% 21% 37%

C-level 6% 5% 9%

Other 4% 4% 3%

Number of Business Trips in Past Year

(n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

2 to 5 41% 31% 39%

6 to 11 29% 33% 29%

12 or more 30% 36% 32%

Estimated average 11 trips 12 trips 11 trips

Most Common Reason to Travel for Business

(n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Client meeting 26% 29% 20%

Internal company meeting 25% 27% 29%

Conference / training 23% 34% 24%

Off-site work 16% 5% 17%

Trade show / expo 5% 2% 6%

Other 5% 3% 4%

Types of Business Travel Destinations in the Past Year

(n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Domestic 60% 56% 57%

International within EU 54% 53% 49%

International long-haul 26% 26% 23%

All of the above 15% 18% 15%


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Company’s Travel Policy (n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

I am required to follow my company’s published and enforced travel policies

57% 69% 55%

I am encouraged to follow general guidelines

42% 29% 43%

My company has a travel policy, but I don’t know what it is

0% 2% 2%

Does Company Use Preferred Providers?

(n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Yes 71% 72% 76%

No 21% 20% 17%

Not sure 8% 8% 6%

Company’s Preferred Providers Policy

(n=177) (n=176) (n=188)

I must use travel providers or a travel agency chosen by my organisation when available

59% 60% 63%

I am encouraged to follow general guidelines when choosing providers, such as choosing a reasonably priced hotel or airfare

41% 40% 37%

Do You Know Who Your Organisation’s Travel Manager / Travel Team Is?

(n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Yes 64% 60% 62%

No 12% 16% 15%

My organisation does not have a Travel Manager or a Travel Team

22% 22% 21%

Not sure 3% 3% 3%

Does Your Organisation Use a TMC for Any Product / Service?

(n=250) (n=245) (n=246)

Yes 58% 64% 70%

No 26% 22% 25%

Not sure 15% 15% 4%


8

Has Organisation / TMC Given You the Option to Book Using a Corporate Online Booking Tool in Past Year?

(n=201) (n=199) (n=193)

Yes 31% 55% 42%

No 55% 34% 55%

Not sure 14% 12% 4%


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PREBOOKING: BEHAVIOURS AND PROCESSES Where do travellers search for

information?

Prior to booking business trips,

travellers conduct research using a

variety of sources. The most

important source of information may

be the booking channel itself. In

addition to examining which channels

travellers use to make bookings, one

goal of this study was to examine

how travellers rely on these channels

to gather information. Which

channels do they use to research,

discover, and compare travel

options? Are these the same

channels they use to make

bookings?

When researching travel options,

business travellers commonly rely on

supplier websites, their travel

department / TMC, corporate online

booking tools, and online travel

agencies / websites.

Of the travellers who had the option

to use an OBT in the past year, more

than half say they use their OBT(s) to

“find out information about flight/train

itineraries, lodging options and

costs.” However, a good share of

these travellers still conduct research

using other channels, such as

supplier websites, their travel

department / TMC, and OTAs / travel

sites. This may suggest that OBTs

are a valuable source of information,

but are not always sufficient on their

own. Alternatively, this could reflect

that those who have OBT access do

not always book through their OBT

(see p. 16), and when this happens,

they not only book through another

channel, but also conduct research

through this same channel.

2%

2%

13%

21%

34%

30%

42%

3%

2%

11%

35%

36%

35%

42%

3%

3%

13%

34%

29%

31%

31%

United Kingdom (n=250) B

Germany (n=245) C

France (n=246) D

0%

2%

11%

21%

60%

25%

36%

1%

0%

11%

35%

51%

35%

44%

4%

3%

14%

27%

52%

35%

35%

United Kingdom (n=64) EGermany (n=109) FFrance (n=81) G

Methods Used to Research Travel Options

All Business Travellers

Business Travellers with Option to Use an OBT

I go directly to the supplier’s websites

I contact my travel department or travel management company

I visit my organisation’s online booking tool

I visit an online travel website such as Expedia, Kayak, etc.

I call the supplier (airline, hotel, or car-for-hire company)

Other

None of the above

When you know you need to travel for work, where do you go to find out information about flight/train itineraries, lodging options and costs? Please select all that apply. *Data on right side filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool?”

.

B

B

D

D

D

9


10

When it comes to group comparisons, high frequency travellers are more likely to research trips on a

supplier’s website, compared with their low frequency counterparts. In each country, low frequency

travellers use their OBT to gather information at a similar rate as medium and high frequency travellers.

Pre-trip approval

Pre-trip approval can be an important component of a managed travel programme. Having in place a pre-

trip approval process can enable companies to fulfill their duty of care responsibilities, ensure travel policy

compliance, and limit costs. About half of business travellers in each country say their company requires

them to get pre-trip approval for domestic business travel, and two-thirds say it requires them to get pre-

trip approval for international business travel.

Surprisingly, adoption of a pre-trip approval process does not appear to depend on company size (see

next page). This suggests companies can have a pre-trip approval process even when they do not have

an extensive travel programme. There are, however, differences when it comes to company travel policy

(see next page).

22%28%

34%30%

41%

29%

I go directly tosupplier's website

I visit myorganisation'sonline booking

tool

United Kingdom

2 to 5 trips (n=99) B

6 to 11 trips (n=74) C

12 or more trips (n=77) D

31%

43%37%

27%

56%

39%



tool

Germany

2 to 5 trips (n=76) E

6 to 11 trips (n=81) F

12 or more trips (n=88) G

38%32%

39%32%

51%

39%



tool

France

2 to 5 trips (n=95) H

6 to 11 trips (n=72) I

12 or more trips (n=79) J

Channels Used to Research Travel Options by company travel policy

When you know you need to travel for work, where do you go to find out information about flight/train itineraries, lodging options and costs? Please select all that apply.

B EF

F


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Are You Required to Get Pre-Trip Approval for…?

Domestic Business Travel International Business Travel

Yes 48% 52% 48% 68% 68% 64%

No 46% 45% 48% 24% 27% 28%

Not sure 6% 3% 4% 8% 4% 7%

Adoption of a Pre-Trip Approval Process Group Differences

% saying “yes”

42%62%56%

72%

44%

69%

Domestic businesstravel

Internationalbusiness travel

United Kingdom

Less than 500 (n=61) B

500 to less than 3,000 (n=92) C

3,000 or more (n=92) D

43%

68%59% 66%

50%

72%



Germany

Less than 500 (n=50) E500 to less than 3,000 (n=92) F3,000 or more (n=101) G

45%65%

49%59%

50%68%



France

Less than 500 (n=54) H

500 to less than 3,000 (n=78) I

3,000 or more (n=110) J

# of employees at company

Company travel policy

58%74%

34%

60%



United Kingdom

Mandated policies (n=143) B

Policy guidelines (n=106) C

57%74%

42%57%



Germany

Mandated policies (n=169) D

Policy guidelines (n=72) E

53%68%

42%61%



France

Mandated policies (n=135) F

Policy guidelines (n=106) G

Thinking about domestic business travel, does your employer require that you get pre-approval prior to booking?

Thinking about international business travel, does your employer require that you get pre-approval prior to booking?

Thinking about domestic business travel, does your employer require that you get pre-approval prior to booking?

Thinking about international business travel, does your employer require that you get pre-approval prior to booking?

C C

E E


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When business travellers say

their company has a pre-trip

approval process in place for

international business travel,

they most often indicate it is a

formal single-approver process

or an informal off-line manager

approval process. An informal

off-line manager approval

process is especially common

in the UK, indicated by almost

half of travellers in the country.

Only one-fifth or fewer in each

country have to follow a formal

multi-approver process.

When travellers have to follow a

pre-trip approval process, an

overwhelming majority in each

country say they follow it most

of the time or always.

C C

E E

2%

23%

20%

56%

1%

35%

9%

55%

1%

41%

14%

44%

Other

Informal off-line managerapproval process

Formal paper or automatedmulti-approver process

Formal paper or automatedsingle-approver process

Pre-trip Approval Process for International Business Travel

- among those required to get approval

United Kingdom (n=172) B Germany (n=167) C France (n=158) D

You mentioned you have to obtain pre-approval prior to booking your international business travel. Which of the following best describes the process you have to follow? Note: Only displayed to respondents who indicate they have to get approval for international business travel.

D D

5% 8%

22% 25% 32%

69% 65% 66%

United Kingdom (n=172) Germany (n=167) France (n=158)

How Often Do Business Travellers Follow Their Organisation’s Pre-Trip Approval Process for International Travel?

- among those required to get approval

Never Rarely Sometimes Most of the time Always Not sure

C

How often do you follow the process identified above? Note: Only displayed to respondents who indicate they have to get approval for international business travel.

B B


13

There are a few differences across comparison groups when it comes to compliance with pre-trip

approval processes. In general, employees of large organisations are more likely to always follow their

company’s pre-trip approval process for international travel, compared to employees of small

organisations (see below). Thus, while companies of different sizes are about equally likely to have a

process (see p. 11), they may not be equally capable of enforcing compliance. Alternatively, this may

reflect that large organisations are more likely to have a mandated travel policy, which also correlates

with the share of travellers who always follow their process.

% of Business Travellers Who “Always” Follow Pre-Trip Approval Process for International Business Travel

Group Differences

72%

57%

78%

Less than 500(n=38) B

500 to lessthan 3,000

(n=66) C

3,000 or more(n=65) D

United Kingdom

50% 54%

81%

Less than 500(n=34) E


(n=61) F

3,000 or more(n=72) G

Germany

49%59%

77%

Less than 500(n=35) H


(n=47) I

3,000 or more(n=75) J

France

# of employees at company

Company travel policy

80%

50%

Mandated policies(n=108) B

Policy guidelines(n=64) C

United Kingdom

73%

42%

Mandated policies(n=124) D

Policy guidelines(n=41) E

Germany

78%

48%

Mandated policies(n=91) F

Policy guidelines(n=65) G

France

C E

How often do you follow the process identified above? Note: Only displayed to respondents who indicate they have to get approval for international business travel.

EF HIU

C

C E

G


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BOOKING POLICY Of the business travellers who used

an OBT in the past year, at least

three out of five in each country are

always required to do so.

However, majorities of travellers are

allowed to book through various

alternative channels at least in some

situations (see next page). This is

true even of those who had the

option to use an OBT in the past

year.

Thus, there appears to be a

discrepancy. Why do some travellers

say they are always required to use

an OBT, but at the same time are

allowed to use alternative channels

at least in some cases? There might

be several reasons why. First, the

results are not directly comparable.

The results at right—about OBT

requirements—are shown for

travellers who used an OBT in the

past year. The results on the right

side of the next page are shown for

those who had access to an OBT in

the past year, even if they did not

use one. Another possible factor is

the type of business trip a business

traveller is taking: Travellers may

always be required to use an OBT,

but also encounter situations when

they cannot use one, such as

attending a conference at a non-

preferred hotel. In these situations,

their companies may allow policy

exceptions allowing alternative

channels.

10%

18%

71%

8%

26%

66%

8%

31%

61%

It depends

No

Yes

Are You Always Required Use Your Organisation’s OBT?

- among those who used an OBT in the past year


You mentioned you have used your organisation’s online booking tool to book your business travel in the past 12 months. Are you always required to book through this method? Note: Question only asked of business travellers who indicate using an OBT in the past year.

.


15

14%35% 30%

48%33%

21% 39%15%

51% 41%29% 31%

Directly withhotel (n=238)

Directly withthe rail

provider(n=238)

Directly withairline

(n=238)

Online travelagency

(OTA)/travelsite (n=238)


Never In some situations

In many situations / Always Not sure

Thinking about your organisation’s travel policy, when does it allow you to book business trips through the following channels?

When Do Companies Allow Business Travellers to Use Alternative Booking Channels?

22% 27% 21% 32%

32% 29%25%

21%

44% 40% 50% 40%



(n=249)


provider(n=249)

Online travelagency



United Kingdom

30% 37%19%

39%

35% 32%32%

18%

33% 28%44% 34%


Directly withairline(n=64)


provider(n=64)

Online travelagency


Business Travellers with Access to an OBT

Germany

12% 26% 18% 28%32%

34%29%

26%

53% 35% 46% 35%



(n=241)


provider(n=241)

Online travelagency



13%31% 22% 35%

43%40%

36%32%

43% 26% 38% 24%



(n=108)


provider(n=108)

Online travelagency



France

14%30% 35% 48%33%39% 21%

15%51%

29% 41% 31%



(n=238)


provider(n=238)

Online travelagency



14%38% 42% 53%38%

39% 24% 13%48%

23% 34% 33%

Directly withthe hotel

(n=79)

Directly withairline(n=79)


provider(n=79)

Online travelagency




16

BOOKING BEHAVIOUR What booking channels

do business travellers

use?

In Europe, business travellers

use various methods to book

their travel. In each of the three

countries surveyed, at least

one-third of travellers booked

directly with a supplier in the

past year. A similar share

booked through a Travel

Manager or agent, while

roughly one-fifth to one-quarter

used a corporate online

booking tool (OBT). However,

these figures are for all

travellers, including those who

did not have an OBT at their

company.

When business travellers had

OBT access, they were more

likely to use it than any other

channel. However, these

travellers commonly used other

methods too. In each country,

at least one-third of the

travellers who had the option to

use an OBT still booked direct,

one-fifth to one-third booked

through a Travel Manager or

agent, and roughly one-fifth

used an online travel agency

(OTA) / travel site, in the past

year.

These findings lead to two

important conclusions. First,

even when travellers have OBT

access, they commonly book

directly with suppliers, or using

an OTA / travel site. Second,

OBTs have not entirely

displaced the role of travel

professionals when it comes to

booking.

22%

19%

35%

29%

36%

24%

27%

31%

34%

36%

18%

28%

33%

36%

42%

United Kingdom (n=232) BGermany (n=237) CFrance (n=226) D

61%

18%

22%

21%

33%

49%

22%

30%

33%

33%

54%

16%

23%

34%

38%


Methods Used to Book Business Trips in the Past Year

Directly with an airline, hotel, or car-for-hire company


Business Travellers with Option to Use an OBT*

Calling or emailing a Travel Manager / travel agent

Someone else (not a Travel Manager / specialist) booking for me

Online travel agency (OTA) / travel site

Corporate online booking tool provided by my organisation

In the past 12 months, which of the following specific methods have you used to book your business travel? Please select all that apply.

*Data on the right side filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool? (Note: These do not include consumer OTAs or travel websites such as as Expedia, Kayak, Opodo, Trivago and Skyscanner that can be used without your organisation having a contract or subscription).”

Note: Readers should exercising caution in directly comparing all business travellers to those with OBT access; those with OBT access report a higher travel frequency in the past year.

D

D

16


17

The different types of booking channels can be grouped into two categories.6 “Traditional” channels

include OBTs and Travel Managers or agents, while “alternative” channels include direct booking and

online travel agencies (OTAs) or websites.

In the past year, roughly three out of five business travellers in each country used a traditional channel to

book a business trip, while a similar share used an alternative channel (see below). Of those who had

OBT access, roughly four out of five used a traditional channel, while about half used an alternative

channel.

There are several differences across comparison groups when it comes to booking channel selection.

Unsurprisingly, employees of large companies are most likely to use traditional channels (see next page).

Larger companies appear more likely to have these channels available7, and require travellers to use

them.8

6 One of the five channels tested—“someone else at my organisation (not a full-time travel manager or agent) booking for me through any method”—was excluded from this analysis because it could be either traditional or alternative. Thus, the figures reported are only for those respondents who indicated at least one of the other four options.

7 In the U.K. and Germany, when compared with employees of small organisations (less than 500 employees), employees of both mid-sized (500 to 3,000 employees) and large (3,000 or more employees) organisations are more likely to indicate their “organisation or its travel management company/agency (has given them) the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool” in the past year.

8 In all three countries, employees of large organisations are most likely to say their company has a mandated travel policy, and least likely to say it has policy guidelines.

Types of Channel(s) Used to Book Business Trips in the Past 12 Months*

All Business Travellers Business Travellers Who Had Option to Use OBT

Used traditional channel

(calling or emailing a travel manager/ travel agent and / or using an OBT)

59% 61% 61% 81% 79% 81%

Used alternative channel

(booking directly with a supplier and/ or using an OTA / travel site)

64% 60% 60% 49% 51% 46%

Only used traditional channel(s) 36% 40% 40% 51% 49% 54%

Only used alternative channel(s) 41% 39% 39% 19% 21% 19%

Used both traditional and alternative

23% 21%

21% 26% 29% 30%

*Figures calculated based on recodes of responses to the question, “In the past 12 months, which of the following specific methods have you used to book your business travel? Please select all that apply.”


18

Similarly, when employees are “required to follow (their) company’s published and enforced travel

policies,” they are more likely to use traditional channels. When they are “encouraged to follow

guidelines,” they are more likely to use alternative channels.

68%

51%49%

78%

Traditionalchannel

Alternativechannel

United Kingdom

Mandated policies (n=102) B

Policy guidelines (n=93) C

71%

51%41%

81%

Traditionalchannel

Alternativechannel

Germany

Mandated policies (n=133) D

Policy guidelines (n=61) E

62%56%

61% 64%

Traditionalchannel

Alternativechannel

France

Mandated policies (n=94) FPolicy guidelines (n=80) G

40%

80%

62% 64%70%

52%

Traditionalchannel

Alternativechannel

United Kingdom

Less than 500 (n=53) B500 to less than 3,000 (n=72) C3,000 or more (n=68) D

42%

74%

58% 61%

73%

52%

Traditionalchannel

Alternativechannel

Germany

Less than 500 (n=42) E500 to less than 3,000 (n=72) F3,000 or more (n=82) G

50%

79%

57% 59%

71%

49%

Traditionalchannel

Alternativechannel

France

Less than 500 (n=44) H500 to less than 3,000 (n=56) I3,000 or more (n=75) J

Types of Channels Used to Book Business Trips in the Past 12 Months by number of employees at company

H IJ

Types of Channels Used to Book Business Trips in the Past 12 Months by company travel policy

E G

B B

C

D



B C

E

D


19

When do business travellers use different booking channels?

In addition to examining which booking channels travellers use, it is important to consider how often they

use them. In general, when travellers have OBT access, a majority use an OBT in many situations or

always. This is especially true in France (80%), compared with the United Kingdom (63%)9 and Germany

(52%). However, in each country, at least one out of five business travellers use their OBT in some

situations or never.

Despite the prevalence of OBTs, travel agents maintain a role in booking business trips. In each country,

roughly one-third of all business travellers say they book on the phone with (their) corporate travel agency

in many situations or always. Moreover, in each country, the share is at least 25% even among those who

had the option to use an OBT in the past year.10

9Another recent GBTA Foundation study, TMCs Today and Tomorrow: A Survey of Business Travellers and

Corporate Travel Managers, found that a higher share (77%) of U.K. -based business travellers who had the option to book using an OBT in the past year used one “most of the time” or “all of the time.” It is unclear why the figure obtained in the current study is so different. 10 Readers should exercising caution in directly comparing all business travellers to those with OBT access; those with OBT access had a higher travel frequency in the past year.

C E

D

16%26%

27%

13%

63% 52%80%


When Do Business Travelers Use Their Corporate Online Booking Tool?*% among business travellers who had option to use an OBT in the past year

Never In some situations In many situations/always Not sure

When Do Business Travellers Book on the Phone with their Corporate Travel Agency?

32% 28% 30%

35% 30% 36%

31% 37% 31%

United Kingdom(n=250) B

Germany (n=245) C France (n=241) D


12%29% 29%

46%39% 42%

40% 28% 29%

United Kingdom(n=64) E

Germany (n=109) F France (n=79) G

Business Travellers with Option to Use OBT

How often do you actually book business travel through the following channels? Corporate online booking tool

*Data filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool?

How often do you actually book business travel through the following channels? On the phone with your corporate travel agency

*Data on right side filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool?”

D D

BC

E E

B


20

While business travellers frequently use OBTs and TMCs when these are available (see previous page),

they frequently use alternative channels, too. Majorities book directly with various types of suppliers at

least in some situations, even when they have had the option to use an OBT (see below). Unsurprisingly,

travellers book directly with airlines less frequently than they book with hotels and rail providers.

22% 30% 22% 37%

35% 31%30%

28%

41% 38% 45% 32%


Directly withairline (n=250)

Directly withrail provider

(n=250)

Online travelagency / travel

site (n=250)


D

When Do Business Travellers Use Alternative Booking Channels?

United Kingdom

26% 32% 22%42%

44% 40%34%

25%

28% 28% 43% 28%




(n=64)


site (n=64)

Travellers Who Had Option to Use OBT

18%35% 28% 38%

34%29% 27%

25%

45% 34% 42% 34%




(n=245)


site (n=245)


20%39% 33% 45%

37%33% 32%

27%41% 26% 33% 27%




(n=109)


site (n=109)


Germany

France

18% 32% 36%53%

35%38% 27%

21%45%

26% 33% 23%




(n=241)


site (n=241)


18%48% 48% 54%

46%

41% 33% 20%37%

11% 19% 25%




(n=79)


site (n=79)


How often do you actually book business travel through the following channels?

*Data on right side filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool?


21

4%

17%

27%

33%

49%

37%

47%

1%

39%

21%

35%

30%

40%

54%

1%

27%

30%

32%

42%

42%

50%

Other

Ability to purchase seats,upgrades, amenities,

bundles at time of booking

More selection

Better descriptions of hotel,rooms, flights, seat maps,

car types, etc.

More convenient

Earn loyalty status / receiveloyalty benefits

Better pricing / offers

Reasons for Booking with Suppliers- among travellers who have booked directly

with suppliers in the past year


Germany (n=85) C

France (n=81) D

Why do business travellers use alternative channels?

As shown earlier, at least one-third of business travellers in each of the three countries booked a

business trip directly with a supplier in the past year, even when they had the option to use an OBT.

These travellers indicate a variety of reasons “why (they) usually book direct with a supplier” (see below

left) They most commonly indicate better pricing / offers, the ability to earn loyalty status / receive loyalty

benefits, and more convenience.

When it comes to online travel agencies or travel sites (see below right), travellers used them for largely

the same reasons they cite for booking directly with suppliers. However, a larger share mention more

selection, and a smaller share mention the ability to earn loyalty status / receive loyalty benefits.

0%

25%

36%

25%

46%

25%

45%

1%

28%

52%

33%

48%

20%

44%

4%

23%

39%

33%

43%

29%

58%

Other

Ability to purchase seats,upgrades, amenities,

bundles at time of booking

More selection

Better descriptions of hotel,rooms, flights, seat maps,

car types, etc.

More convenient

Earn loyalty status / receiveloyalty benefits

Better pricing / offers

Reasons for Booking with an Online Travel Agency (OTA) / Travel Site in the Past Year- among travellers who have booked through

an OTA / travel site in the past year

United Kingdom (n=66) E

Germany (n=65) F

France (n=44) G

Which of the following are reasons why you have booked through an online travel agency site (OTA e.g. Expedia, Kayak, Opodo, Trivago or Skyscanner, etc.) in the past 12 months? Please select all that apply. Note: Question only displayed to those who indicated booking with an OTA/travel site in the past year.

Which of the following are reasons why you usually book directly with a supplier (hotel, airline, car-for-hire, etc)? Please select all that apply? Please select all that apply. Note: Question only displayed to those who indicated booking directly with a supplier in the past year.

C

D


22

Why do business

travellers use non-

preferred providers?

Even when travellers use

alternative channels,

they may still book with

their company’s

preferred suppliers.

Thus, travellers were

also asked a different

question—“Under what

circumstances will you

not book your travel with

air, car, hotel or rail

companies that are

preferred by your

organisation?” They most

commonly do so when

(they) find a more

convenient option, when

a preferred supplier is

not available, and when

(they) find a cheaper

price somewhere else.

This suggests that in

many cases travellers do

not ignore their

company’s travel policy

because they prefer a

particular brand, or an

expensive option. In

some cases, when

preferred suppliers are

not available, travellers

have no choice but to use

non-preferred vendors. In

addition, when travellers

use them, they are often

looking to save their

companies money. It is

possible, however, that

some of their other

motivations conflict with

this end, including finding

a more convenient option.

6%

1%

12%

12%

29%

51%

38%

47%

10%

0%

18%

25%

22%

47%

45%

40%

12%

3%

14%

21%

12%

42%

40%

32%


Germany (n=81) F

France (n=72) G

9%

2%

12%

11%

25%

40%

38%

53%

10%

1%

15%

22%

26%

37%

42%

37%

14%

1%

12%

17%

24%

35%

36%

34%


Germany (n=176) C

France (n=188) D



When Do Business Travellers Not Use Preferred Providers?

When I find a more convenient option

When a preferred supplier is not available

When I find a cheaper price somewhere else

When my elite/tier status with a supplier can get me a better deal

When I have tier status with another provider

When a supplier provides me the best points for my tier status

Other

None of the above

Under what circumstances will you not book your travel with air, car, hotel or rail companies that are preferred by your organisation? Please select all that apply.

*Data on right side filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool?”

BC

D

E


23

Booking channel preferences

While business travellers

use alternative channels for

a variety of reasons, many

prefer using OBTs.

Travellers ranked the

booking methods they

would prefer “if (they) had

no restrictions on how to

book (their) travel.” In each

country, almost half of all

travellers indicate a

corporate online booking

tool as their top choice,

including about one-half

who had the option to use

one in the past year. This is

higher than the rate for any

other channel.

These results are perhaps

surprising. They suggest

that even though travellers

frequently use alternative

channels (see p. 17), many

appear to prefer OBTs in

general. There are a

number of possible reasons

for this including the ease of

locating preferred suppliers,

comparing different options,

knowing which options are

in-policy, and forwarding

itineraries for approval (see

next page for a specific

reasons given by

respondents).

1%

9%

13%

30%

47%

1%

14%

15%

21%

49%

1%

10%

17%

26%

45%


Germany (n=239) C

France (n=237) D

1%

6%

10%

26%

56%

1%

12%

11%

23%

52%

2%

10%

18%

23%

48%


Germany (n=107) F

France (n=78) G

If Business Travellers Had No Restrictions, Which Channels Would They Use?

% ranked as top choice



Online corporate booking tool

Direct with supplier (hotel, air, car-for-hire, etc.)

Online travel agency (e.g. Expedia, Kayak, Odopo, Trivago, etc.)

Travel management company (TMC)

Other

If you had no restrictions on how to book your business travel, please rank the following methods where your most preferred method= 1? *Data on right side filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool?”

.

C


24

When it comes to group comparisons, preferred channels may vary depending on travel frequency. While

generally not statistically significant, high frequency travellers appear most likely to indicate direct booking

as their top choice. These travellers may be more likely to have favorite suppliers, or know how to locate

policy compliant travel options on their own.

Business travellers give a variety of reasons for selecting their favorite channel. Selected responses are

shown below.

16%

29%36%

2 to 5 trips (n=94) B6 to 11 trips (n=71) C12 or more trips (n=77) D

If you had no restrictions on how to book your business travel, please rank the following methods where your most preferred method= 1?

.

Why did you choose the above as your most preferred method for booking business travel? Please elaborate why this is the case?

*Indicates responses translated from German or French using Google Translate.

**Response paraphrased from German with help of Google Translate.

.

% Ranking Booking Directly with Suppliers as their Top Method by # of trips in the past year

20% 17%26%

2 to 5 trips (n=74) E6 to 11 trips (n=79) F12 or more trips (n=86) G

26% 28%35%

2 to 5 trips (n=90) H6 to 11 trips (n=71) I12 or more trips (n=76) J

B

United Kingdom France Germany


25

How do business

travellers make

changes to their travel

plan?

Business travellers

sometimes make last

minute changes to their

travel plans. A previous

GBTA Foundation study that

included UK business

travelers, found that 25% of

U.K.-based business

travellers identify changing

or modifying reservations on

short notice as one of the

top five areas (out of 15

measured) where they want

their organisation / TMC to

improve in the next five

years.11

In the current survey, more

than half of business

travellers in each country

say they never or rarely

change their plans after

booking. Roughly two out of

five say they change their

plans after booking

sometimes, most of the

time, or always (see above

right).

The most common method

of changing plans is to

contact a Travel Manager or

travel team, followed by

using an OBT and

contacting a supplier

directly.

11 GBTA Foundation, TMCs Today and Tomorrow: A Survey of Business Travelers and Corporate Travel Managers

(Alexandria, VA: GBTA Foundation, 2015).

10%

50% 53% 51%

25% 22% 27%

9% 12% 11%

United Kingdom (n=250) Germany (n=245) France (n=245)

How Often Do Business Travellers Change Their Travel Plans After Booking?

Never Rarely Sometimes Most of the time Always

How often do you change your business travel plans once you have booked them?

.

2%

19%

23%

22%

33%

2%

17%

20%

21%

39%

3%

12%

23%

23%

39%

United Kingdom (n=250) BGermany (n=245) CFrance (n=245) D

1%

22%

14%

34%

28%

2%

14%

15%

31%

38%

3%

15%

8%

36%

37%


How Do Business Travellers Usually Change Their Travel Plans?


Business Travellers with Option to Use an OBT

Contacting my travel manager / travel team

When you make changes to your business travel plans, how do you usually make these changes? *Data on right side filtered for those who indicated “yes” in response to the question, “In the past 12 months, has your organisation or its travel management company/agency given you the option to book business trips through a specified online booking tool?”

.

Through my organisation’s online booking tool

Directly with the supplier (airline, hotel, car-for-hire company)

Contacting my organisation’s Travel Management Company

Other

B


26

CONCLUSION Business travellers in the UK, Germany and France book through a diverse number of booking channels.

For those who have a corporate booking tool (OBT) available to them and use it, this channel is identified

by the travellers as their most preferred. Even though this is the case, business travellers still book

through alternative channels (directly with a supplier or through online travel agencies) under certain

circumstances, even when they have the option to use an OBT.

Travel Managers and their programs should keep this in mind and address the exceptions to the rule

when booking outside of the corporate channels. This is key in order to keep as much visibility as

possible, not only to be able to keep track of travellers, but to be able to identify leakage and opportunities

for savings among others. For those programs where booking outside of the OBTs or directly with a TMC

or Travel Manager is allowed, it is important to have in place a clear protocol to follow (sharing an itinerary

back with the Travel Manager), and technology to capture travel details should be in place.


27

WORKS CITED

GBTA Foundation, GBTA BTI™ Outlook: Annual Report and Global Forecast. Alexandria, VA: GBTA Foundation, 2015.

GBTA Foundation, Going Global: Global Travel Management Study 2013 – European Edition. Alexandria, VA: GBTA Foundation, 2013.

GBTA Foundation, TMCS Today and Tomorrow: A Survey of Business Travellers and Corporate Travel Managers. Alexandria, VA: GBTA Foundation, 2015.


28

ABOUT THE GBTA FOUNDATION

The GBTA Foundation is the education and research arm of the Global

Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s premier business travel and

corporate meetings organization. Collectively, GBTA’s 5,000-plus members

manage over $340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures

annually. GBTA provides its network of 21,000 business and government travel

and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education &

professional development, research, and advocacy. The foundation was established in 1997 to support

GBTA’s members and the industry as a whole. As the leading education and research foundation in the

business travel industry, the GBTA Foundation seeks to fund initiatives to advance the business travel

profession. The GBTA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, see

gbta.org and gbta.org/foundation.

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linkedin.com/company/gbta

gbta.org/twitter

ABOUT CONCUR

Concur imagines the way the world should work, offering cloud-based services that make it

simple to manage travel and expenses. By connecting data, applications and people, Concur

delivers an effortless experience and total transparency into spending wherever and

whenever it happens, so businesses can focus on what matters most.

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booking behaviour: the business traveller’s perspective · 2015-10-26 · executive summary...

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