BCD Journey has launched a examine on enterprise journey insurance policies that examines the present traits. The examine is predicated on findings from an internet survey performed in April 2024 amongst over 200 patrons and journey managers worldwide.
In accordance with the examine, obligation of care, compliance, and price management are the highest priorities in company journey packages. These priorities have elevated in significance in comparison with the 2023 survey. In distinction, traveler satisfaction has decreased in significance and now solely ranks fourth. Fee & Bills additionally acquired decrease scores in comparison with the earlier yr.
That means of a Company Journey Coverage
Most patrons and journey managers surveyed say they’ve a company journey coverage. Seven out of ten consider that their journey coverage aligns with firm aims and is supported by the administration. Six out of ten outline it as cost-oriented, whereas three out of ten see it as travel-centric. Solely 15% of respondents say the coverage is predicated on key efficiency indicators (KPIs) and traveler suggestions.
What Does Company Journey Coverage Cowl?
A journey coverage is an organization’s information for managing enterprise journey. It helps management journey bills and describes what staff should take into account when planning enterprise journeys. The matters lined by the journey coverage vary from the aim of journey to traveler wellbeing to bleisure journey. In accordance with a survey, probably the most generally lined matters are the aim of journey (e.g., conferences with shoppers vs. inner conferences) and pre-travel approvals.
Whereas sustainability is turning into more and more necessary within the trade, lower than half of the respondents mentioned sustainable journey was included of their coverage. A July 2023 survey confirmed this, with solely 45% of corporations stating they’d sustainable enterprise journey objectives. Bleisure journey, distant working, range, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) are the least generally lined matters.
Many corporations have particular journey insurance policies for senior executives, particular enterprise items, and frequent vacationers. Solely 12% of respondents present insurance policies for vacationers who require accessibility or are neurodivergent. Fewer than one in ten tailor their insurance policies to staff with particular wants (e.g., breastfeeding moms) based mostly on gender, faith, or age.
Company Journey Coverage Communication and Compliance
Based mostly on respondents, updates to the journey coverage are mostly communicated by means of the corporate intranet and junk mail. A 3rd of respondents share updates on the web reserving instrument (OBT) or throughout coaching. Specialists advocate introducing the journey coverage throughout onboarding, which is a win-win scenario. This method creates transparency from the outset, helps new staff orient themselves, and fosters a tradition of preparation and accountability.
Whereas greater than half of patrons and journey managers take into account their journey coverage very efficient, solely a 3rd affirm the identical degree of confidence in coverage communication. Almost half price it reasonably efficient, indicating the general problem of training vacationers concerning the coverage.
Essentially the most generally used strategies to make sure journey coverage compliance embrace:
- Highlighting compliant journey choices within the On-line Reserving Instruments
- Reviewing journey prices
- Usually speaking journey coverage adjustments by means of varied channels
Price Management Insurance policies
Greater than half of respondents have acknowledged that they lowered their journey finances lately. On the identical time, nearly all have applied cost-control measures. The preferred measures purpose to cut back journey volumes, equivalent to selling on-line conferences, lowering non-essential journey, encouraging fewer however extra prolonged journeys, and limiting the variety of staff per journey. Different measures embrace utilizing instruments to cut back journey prices (e.g., worth assurance), strict value management, reserving decrease service lessons on flights, and inspiring public transport as an alternative of taxis.
Firms ought to repeatedly overview journey insurance policies to fulfill vacationers’ altering wants and trade developments. A well-designed journey coverage gives a constant, safe, managed, and cost-controlled framework that results in sensible journey selections.
Developments Shaping Journey Insurance policies
Most patrons and journey managers anticipate sustainability and security & safety to considerably affect company journey insurance policies within the coming years. Different important traits embrace know-how, new distribution functionality (NDC), wellbeing, and new traveler wants. Alternatively, regardless of being important matters, DEI and bleisure are anticipated to have minimal affect on journey insurance policies.
Though the significance of traveler wellbeing has barely decreased, corporations ought to know that enterprise journey might be nerve-racking and have an effect on traveler satisfaction. Contemplating traveler wellbeing can positively affect worker retention, significantly in mild of the present abilities scarcity.
