Corporate Travel Buyers Project More Trips, Business Travel Spend in 2011

A year after the Great Recession officially ended, corporate travel buyers have confirmed the economy and business travel are in recovery. In its 2010 Industry Pulse: Business Travel Buyers' Sentiment, the NBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), found that 72 percent of corporate travel managers surveyed feel the business travel industry is better today compared to one year ago, and 63 percent believe it will continue to improve over the next 12 months. 

Craig Banikowski, CCTE, C.P.M., CMM, NBTA President & CEO, said, "Business travel is coming back; there is no doubt about it. Given the difficulties the industry faced during this last recession, corporate travel buyers welcome the improved conditions, and companies are already getting their teams back on the road to help build business. Of course, with economic recovery comes higher costs and budget challenges, and to prepare accordingly, travel managers must have a comprehensive overview of what's to come." 

The annual report, which surveyed 170 North American corporate travel buyers this month, found that the average corporate travel budget was up 5.5 percent in 2010 compared to last year and will expand by another 4.45 percent in 2011 to $98 million. While buyers reported more travelers (38%) are taking more trips (51%) this year, higher rates and fares (67%) and an increase in airline fees (64%) are the most often cited contributors to increased spending.

With the exception of domestic car rentals, travel buyers expect domestic prices to rise between 3 and 4.5 percent in 2011.

Increasing outbound international business travel and higher costs are also large driving forces behind the increase in total travel spend. The international share of U.S. business travel spend in 2009 was 28 percent, and buyers expect this share to continue to increase. Outbound international spend per company is estimated to increase by 13 percent in 2010 to $28.2 million. Travel buyers expect their international business travel spend to further increase by 11.4 percent to $31.42 million in 2011.

Banikowski added, "As the economy continues to improve and both domestic and international costs rise, we will see airlines and hotels wield more negotiation power. Many travel buyers are already experiencing more strict market thresholds and expect this to result in smaller corporate discounts going forward. Now is the time for buyers to work closely with suppliers to strike a fair balance in services, while also keeping in mind that the 'buyers market' we've been able to take advantage of over the past few years may slowly be turning around. To face these challenges going forward, travel managers should consider tightening policies, implement Strategic Meetings Management Programs, and continue to monitor volume and market share thresholds to ensure proper leverage in negotiations." 

The 2010 Industry Pulse: Business Travel Buyer's Sentiment is free of charge to all NBTA Members (http://www2.nbta.org/foundation/resourcelibrary). Non-members may purchase the reports through the NBTA Foundation at [email protected]. Members of the media seeking report details should contact NBTA Communications at [email protected]. 

The report is one of two new industry outlook business tools NBTA announced earlier this week. The other is the first-ever quarterly business travel outlook offering a macro-economic analysis of business travel spending over the next two years. The Business Travel Quarterly Outlook - United States will be published in the coming weeks.

About the NBTA Foundation
The NBTA Foundation is the education and research foundation of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the world's premier business travel and corporate meetings organization. NBTA and its regional affiliates - NBTA Australia/New Zealand, the Brazilian Business Travel Association (ABGEV), NBTA Canada, NBTA Europe, NBTA Mexico and NBTA USA - serve a network of more than 15,000 business travel professionals around the globe with industry-leading events, networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. The foundation was established in 1997 to support NBTA's members and the industry as a whole. As the leading education and research foundation in the business travel industry, the NBTA Foundation seeks to fund initiatives to advance the business travel profession. The NBTA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, see www.nbta.org and www.nbtafoundation.org.