Demonstrable increases were also recorded for expenses made in South Africa. In the first six months, German business travelers spent approximately 47 percent more than in the same period last year. The surge in expenses was particularly high for rental cars (plus 84 percent), followed by hotels (plus 27 percent) and food (plus 12 percent). Compared with the pre-crisis year 2008, current figures are still 18 percent higher. These are the results of the latest AirPlus Business Travel Index, gathered from the latest business-travel figures by AirPlus, the leading international provider of solutions for business-travel management.

A remarkable change was recorded for the year 2010 in terms of travel-booking times: the closer the bookings were to the beginning of the Soccer World Cup, the more trips were booked on short notice. Travelers who booked their flights to South Africa in January took the flights 32 days later on average. In June 2010, there were only 23 days between the bookings and the actual flights.

Moreover, the most recent AirPlus International Travel Management Study 2010 shows that the increase in business flights is not in one direction only: 49 percent of South African travel managers anticipate growth in business flights for the next twelve months. This estimate was the most optimistic among the travel managers of 20 business-travel markets surveyed.

The AirPlus Business Travel Index is based on the evaluation of more than 100 million business-travel bookings per year made by more than 33,000 companies worldwide.

The airspace closing forced European business travelers to seek alternative means of transportation. Most travelers used trains and rental cars. During the entire week affected by the volcano ash, the number of purchased train tickets was consistently one third above average. The increase in rental car bookings was 17 percent higher. At the same time, hotel overnight stays rose by 19 percent. For restaurant meals, business travelers spent 15 percent more in the crisis week. These are the results of the latest AirPlus Business Travel Index, carried out by the leading global travel payment provider AirPlus International based on the current business-travel figures for Europe.

As flights were grounded during the days of the ash cloud, cancellations of flight tickets went up sixfold as compared to the average. However, the temporary close-offs had only minor effects on the general booking behavior of European business travelers – volumes were approximately the same as normal. Changes were noted regarding the time periods before the actual trips took place: in the crisis week, bookings were made at much shorter notice. This was particularly the case with business-class travelers. On average, they booked their flights just about one week before the take-off. In comparison: on an annual average, business flights in business class are booked approximately 14 days in advance.

The exceptional situation during the ash-cloud also affected average prices for alternative means of transportation  – as recorded in trains and rental cars. Business travelers rented 17 percent more cars, but paid 26 percent more. These figures reflect the short-term changes in usage behavior: above-average distances, longer rental periods and surcharges for one-way rentals. As a matter of course, business travelers also frequented gas stations more often and spent 18 percent more on gas.

In terms of train bookings, figures are similar: one-third more tickets and a plus in expenses of more than 50 percent. This shows that business travelers opted for trains as clear alternatives to air travel and covered comparably long routes by train. On 17, 19 and 21 April, they spent more money on train tickets than on any other day in 2010.

Due to the closing-off of airspace following the volcano eruption in Iceland, European business travelers have mainly resorted to the railways. At the peak of the crisis at the beginning of this week, the number of booked train tickets was fifty percent above regular volumes. These days, cancellations of flight tickets due to airport closings have risen tenfold in comparison to the average. However, the temporary closings had virtually no impact on general flight-ticket booking behavior. It appears that business travelers in Europe do not allow the current interruptions to air traffic to affect their future travel plans. On average, business flights are booked 17 days in advance.

The AirPlus Business Travel Index is based on the evaluation of more than 100 million business-travel bookings per year carried out by over 33,000 companies worldwide.

The travel managers’ estimates for the individual destinations show how the expected increase in business travel depends on the global intertwining of companies. While 26 percent of the respondents expect a plus on intercontinental routes in comparison to the same period last year, only 22 percent assume that travels within Europe will step up. In contrast, with business travel to domestic destinations, estimates are much more restrained: only 12 percent of the travel managers figure on a growth in this segment.

In 2009, on a European average, expenses for air travel amounted to 48 percent of overall budgets, as compared to 53 percent last year. With a current share of 7 percent of overall expenses each, the railways and rental-car companies profited from the recession (railways plus two, rental cars plus one percent).

This is the finding of a market study conducted by AirPlus, the leading international provider of business travel payment and reporting solutions. The AirPlus Business Travel Index is based on the evaluation of more than 12 million annual flight bookings made by over 32,000 companies worldwide.

These figures also represent the significance that travel management is assigned in different organizations. In smaller companies, it is one of many administrative tasks of the responsible people, and full-time travel managers are the exception. In contrast, the situation in large companies: in view of the significantly larger volumes, providing travel support to an average of 351 staff members requires very different strategic skills, for example, when negotiating corporate rates, consistently analyzing costs or continuously controlling the contingencies used.

These findings are the results of the AirPlus International Travel Management Study 2009 that interviewed 1500 travel managers in 15 business-travel markets around the globe on trends, costs and the organization of business travel.

The “new media” have now surpassed “traditional media” as the most frequently used information source while traveling.This is the result of the most recent AirPlus survey “How do you stay informed about current issues while traveling on business?”. Particularly interesting: over 80% of those responding obtain current news online or via mobile channels. Only 8% still read a newspaper; a further 8% listen to radio or watch television to find out the most important news.

A new survey is now being held on the right-hand side under the headline ‘Poll’.

You can find the overview of all polls here:
http://www.airpluscommunity.com/pollarchive/

]]> http://www.airpluscommunity.com/2010/01/07/poll-the-internet-is-the-leading-source-of-information-for-travelers/feed/ 0 http://www.airpluscommunity.com/2009/12/22/business-flights-by-european-companies-59-percent-are-travels-abroad/ http://www.airpluscommunity.com/2009/12/22/business-flights-by-european-companies-59-percent-are-travels-abroad/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:14:55 +0000 Florian Gränzdörffer http://www.airpluscommunity.com/?p=1723 Where are you heading? European business travelers most frequently take flights to destinations abroad – 59 percent of all business trips in 2009. Forty-five percent of business flights were within Europe, 14 percent were intercontinental, and 41 percent to domestic destinations.

On a European average, the global recession surprisingly did not cause notable shifts in  domestic, continental and intercontinental routes. Despite the decrease in overall volumes, the apportionment of business travel to the different destinations has remained virtually unchanged. This is the latest finding of a market research conducted by AirPlus, the leading international provider of travel payment and reporting solutions. The AirPlus Business Travel Index is based on the evaluation of more than 12 million annual flight bookings made by over 32,000 companies worldwide.

As a result of the global recession, companies around the world have reduced the number of business flights and lowered the booked service classes. Cutting down on the number of business trips is connected with another, little acknowledged development: the duration of business travel is increasing. In 2007, the global average duration for business flight trips was 2.2 days; in 2009, this share had increased to 2.4 days. This is the result according to the latest market survey conducted by AirPlus, the leading international provider of travel payment and reporting solutions.

The AirPlus Business Travel Index is based on the evaluation of more than 12 million annual flight bookings made by over 32,000 companies worldwide.

An increasing number of companies are bundling volumes with fewer airlines for their business flights. This is the result of the latest market survey conducted by AirPlus, the leading international provider of travel payment and reporting solutions. What experts have recommended for some time is now being more frequently implemented: companies are bundling their flight volumes and actively guiding their travelers towards a smaller number of airlines when purchasing flight tickets. An average company flies 12.3 different airlines for staff business travel; in 2008, the average was 13.7 carriers.  Further, the average was 14 airlines in 2007.

The AirPlus Business Travel Index is based on the evaluation of more than 12 million annual flight bookings made by over 32,000 companies worldwide.