EVP 2018: trends of 2017 reaffirmed

This year's barometer primarily focused on traveller safety and experience; we take a look at the key findings.

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The 27th EVP (Espace Voyages Professionnels, 'business travel space'), the leading business travel event in France and Europe, was held in Paris on 7th March 2018. The event provided a unique opportunity to investigate the latest trends concerning both businesses and travellers

Just as in previous years, everyone was in attendance: this year's event drew in 350 business travel buyers and partners. From a sample of one million businesses surveyed, they were able to gain a basic understanding of the needs of businesses and travellers alike, gauging what has worked, continues to endure or has taken a back seat. So, what are these trends? In keeping with those noted for 2017:

SAFETY FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS

The primary concern for European businesses is still safety and security. For the third year in a row, travellers' safety comes up as the number-one criteria for travel policies. 65% of the businesses interviewed said that they had implemented a 'duty of care' policy, which is 1% more than in 2017. The difference is that now most large enterprises are doing this too, not just small businesses. 

EMBRACING THE BUSINESS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Another trend that was reaffirmed during this year's event is that more attention is paid to the traveller experience. According to 57% of business travellers, their accounts of previous experiences will be considered in travel policies, especially in the range of new booking tools to choose from (via applications), booking preferences and the duty of care to adopt. At the same time, there is still some progress to be made in this area: while most businesses do consider feedback from their staff, for the moment, only one third of these businesses will change their policy as a result. 

THE WAY WE BOOK BUSINESS TRAVEL IS CHANGING

Lastly, the trend concerning TMCs (travel management companies) is currently undergoing a transformation: there is no doubt that these agencies will have to face new challenges in the short and medium term as a result of technological progress and the ever-increasing number of possibilities available to travellers personally. At present, 79% of businesses still go through TMCs to arrange their business trips, but one fourth of these businesses say that they would like to see some development in their business model. 

The latest barometer attests to this: with an increase in the number of business-travel-related transactions, companies are all interested in finding simple and direct solutions. Their main objective? Cutting down travel costs by taking out all-inclusive packages that enable them to take advantage of reduced prices for all their travellers and membership benefits for the most frequent travellers.

Move towards a more streamlined process for business travel with Accor

Accor offers businesses the chance to benefit from a tailor-made package that’s put together based on their needs and the business travel policy that they have in place. The result is a customised solution tailored to each and every business. This package lets businesses take advantage of reduced prices for all their employees in more than 3,500 hotels around the world, as well as a wide range of hotel amenities. Accor can even provide more specific support in the form of monthly reports to complement this package, giving businesses the tools to better manage and control the expenses incurred on business trips.
Published by Magali on 08/06/2018 Photo credit: © sasun1990

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