The pandemic was a wake-up call not only for corporations with loose or non-existent travel policies but also for collegiate travel, an area notorious for lagging program compliance. Some universities enacted travel policy mandates or found strong rationale to maintain them, and adjusted program rules to match their vaccine requirements. Like in the corporate world,…
The innovation in virtual payment is clear, as are its challenges. New standards hold some promise for a primary use case, lodging, but have a ways to go. A Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association and Hospitality Technology Next Generation joint task force has been working on specifications under the Open Payments Alliance umbrella for a…
The pandemic made more companies question the value of business travel, but at the same time, reliance on the partners that help manage it grew. According to a Global Business Travel Association survey last month, 52 percent of more than 300 travel buyers said their organizations’ reliance on travel management companies for service and support…
Automaker General Motors is shooting for a “world-class travel and expense operation” after this year bringing SAP Concur’s Travel to 19 countries and Expense to 29. While the travel management program is decades old, the $123 billion company had not quite established its travel and reimbursement processes across all markets with employees. With that and…
The steady stream of sustainability-related announcements this year became something of a deluge from all corners last month. It’s not only travel suppliers looking to enhance their green credibility. In growing numbers, corporate buyers and program managers appear ready to walk the walk. Click through to read about the latest corporate travel cutbacks from green-minded…
What some once saw as largely penny-pinching paperwork, pre-trip approval now is a crucial component for assessing risk and determining how best to accomplish missions. It’s also helping to bring sustainability to the fore. Increasingly, organizations apply the process on all proposed trips. More also scrutinize trips before travelers book. Who does the approving is changing,…
In the works since 2018, the initial version of ISO guidance on travel risk management is scheduled for release this month. It will provide a roadmap and a set of best practices that could evolve into a more formal standard and associated certification. Travel risk management experts welcome the publication and see it as a…
