ISSUE 10 A CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS PUBLICATION
TRAVEL Find out how your company policy could work harder
STAY Discover a home from home in our round-up of cosy retreats
CONNECT How meetings and events are evolving in the digital age
THE NEW NEWCASTLE Why the northeast has never been a better place to do business
001_CAPITA_COVER.indd 1 03/07/2015 14:58 Free Wi-Fi | Convenient Locations | Free Global Loyalty Programme
Business trips shouldn’t be bland and characterless. At Best Western you can stay in a medieval castle, a hotel that makes its own chocolates or even a hotel with its own vineyard.
With 4,000 personality packed hotels in over 100 countries Best Western is the world’s largest hotel family. With consistently high quality standards our hotels make the perfect base for business stays. Photography (clockwise from main image): BEST WESTERN PREMIER Queen Hotel, Chester BEST WESTERN Leigh Park Country House Hotel & Vineyard, Bath BEST WESTERN PLUS Maldron Hotel, Cardiff For more information contact Capita Travel and Events BEST WESTERN Mornington Hotel, London
Best002_CAPITA_Issue10_15.indd Western_Captia_Issue10_15.indd 2 1 09/06/201502/07/2015 09:4712:09 capita.indd 1 18/03/2015 16:24 IN THIS ISSUE ContentsISSUE 10
5 WELCOME p65 James Parkhouse returns to the helm as chief executive officer of Capita Travel and Events Minutes
8 10 THINGS TO TAKE ON BOARD Low-cost rail services, six key ‘traveller tribes’ and luxury at Heathrow – we round up key industry stories
9 SERVICE UPDATE From new accolades to green initiatives: the latest from Capita Travel and Events
11 10 TOP Smart ways to make the most Features of your time on the move 24 DESTINATION: Insider’s guide 12 A TO B NEWCASTLE Key facts and stats about How the city on the Tyne went 57 TRICK OF THE TRADE London’s new Night Tube from industrial powerhouse Gamification made easy to sustainable business hub 13 YOU KNOW YOU’RE ON A… 58 TRAVEL CLINIC Discover the USPs of a journey 30 BRIEFING Delegate issues, staying well – with Virgin Trains, from great From super-smart apps to advanced your issues sorted by our experts destinations to fabulous first class videoconferencing: the meetings p18 and events sector is evolving fast 59 EXPERT EYE 15 TALKING POINT Business travel strategy specialist Is sharing caring? We ask the experts how the 39 EIGHT OF THE BEST: COSY RETREATS Betty Low explains airline sharing economy will affect business travel Booking ahead for winter? You’re sure of revenue management a warm welcome at these inviting hotels 16 ZEITGEIST 60 INSIDE OUT Generation tech: how the travel industry 42 THE GUIDE A guide to some of the latest hotels is responding to the needs of millennials Essential advice for stays in Southampton and venues across the globe
17 HAVE YOU TRIED… 44 ROOM IN A VIEW 62 IN THE EVENT Business travel needn’t mean a traditional A peek inside a business class room at the Event manager Nicole Unsworth hotel – try these digs with a difference Radisson Blu Hotel, East Midlands Airport plans the perfect festive party
18 AROUND THE WORLD 48 AMBA HOTEL CHARING CROSS 65 TAKE FIVE Growth is up in Madrid, the Spanish capital, Check into the ‘newest old hotel’ in London Even seasoned travellers will be and there are plenty of reasons to book a visit amazed by these unique runways 52 CASE NOTES 22 THAT FIGURES Could your company travel policy work 66 DAY IN THE LIFE Your infographic guide to the latest UK rail harder? Find out how we’re working with On the road with TBR Global
COVER IMAGE: CORBIS IMAGE: COVER booking figures and trends Direct Line Group to keep travellers happy chauffeur David Molesworth
CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS 3
003_CAPITA_CONTENTSv2.indd 3 03/07/2015 15:01 EXPERIENCE MEETINGS ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS IN MORE THAN 24 ICONIC HOTELS ACROSS UK AND IRELAND! EXPERIENCE MEETINGS IS RADISSON BLU’S CONCEPT FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS THAT HARMONISES THE MEETING ESSENTIALS: BREAKOUT ROOMS, FOOD AND CONNECTIVITY WITH SERVICE, SATISFACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY. EXPERIENCE SUCCESS
HOTELS DESIGNED TO SAY YES! ‘For more information, contact Capita Travel and Events’ MEETING ROOM, RADISSOB BLU WATERFRONT HOTEL, JERSEY
167854004_CAPITA_Issue10_15.indd LONPH NB Ad EXME Capita 4 travel Magazine UK (215x275).indd 1 02/07/201508/06/15 13:5812:14 Welcome Planning a FIT FOR THE FUTURE winter event or conference and looking for somewhere cosy can’t tell you how good it feels to be back in the to connect? Look no driving seat of such a great business as Capita Travel further than our Iand Events. Having returned to the role of chief round-up of the most executive officer in May, some of you may already know inviting getaways – me. I’ve received many messages of support from both see page 39 our employees and customers, and the warm response has confirmed for me that coming back to lead the business was the right decision. The five years of leading Capita Travel and Events travel and events to our growing number of customers, from 2008 to 2013 were the most professionally and we won your respect, and that of our industry, for and personally fulfilling of my career – heading up a building something that you needed. fantastic team in the creation of a unique business. We As we head towards 2016, we continue to focus on set out to shake up the travel and events market, and by the objectives for our business, for our people and for bringing together leading industry players Capita you, our customers. Our proposition has been built on Business Travel, BSI, Expotel and Venues Event delivering specialist skills and expertise to customers Management, we did just that. Each additional across all our areas of work, and through people who business brought us people with pride in, and know and understand the value of specialised services. passion for, their area of expertise, resulting in We’re making sure that this remains at the heart of what our ability to create Capita Travel and Events. we do, and Destination will be just one of the ways we We carved out a place as a specialist provider of will keep you updated – so thank you for reading.
James Parkhouse, chief executive ocer, Capita Travel and Events
Destination © 2015 ISSN 2052-4536 For Capita Travel and Events: Capita Travel and Events Head of marketing Neal Poole Published on behalf of Capita Meridian Court, 18 Stanier Way Senior marketing executive Suzi Johnson Travel and Events by Think Wyvern Business Park, Derby DE21 6BF Marketing executive Toni Byrne Capital House t: 0871 521 9800 For Think: 25 Chapel Street Calls will cost 13 pence per minute, plus your telephone Group editor Claire Sargent London NW1 5DH company’s access charge Staff writer James Pulford t: 020 3771 7200 e: [email protected] Senior sub-editor e: [email protected] @CapTravelEvents Camilla Cary-Elwes www.capitatravelandevents.co.uk Art editor Clair Williams Printed by Capita Travel and Events does not necessarily agree with, nor guarantee the accuracy of, statements made by contributors or Account director Rachel Walder Taylor Bloxham, advertisers, or accept responsibility for any opinions they may Managing director Polly Arnold Leicester express in this publication.
CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS 5
005_CAPITA_WELCOMEv2.indd 5 03/07/2015 15:02 More space. More service. More than comfortable.
The new Premium Economy Class: for those who want more
We know it’s the little things in life that mean the most, which is why we’ve packed the new Premium Economy Class full of extras, including wider seats and additional legroom for up to 50% more space, double the baggage allowance and a free welcome drink when you board the plane. So all that remains is for you to sit back, relax and en oy your flight e en more. Premium Economy Class will be available across the entire long-haul fleet by the end December 2015.
For more information, contact Capita Travel and Events
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This issue: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS MAXIMISE YOUR TIME THE NIGHT TUBE VIRGIN TRAINS MARRIOTT MEETINGS THE SHARING ECONOMY REACHING MILLENNIALS MinutesYour round-up of news, views, trends, tips and must-know insights DIFFERENT DIGS COLOURFUL MADRID from across the travel, accommodation, meetings and events industry GLOBAL GLEANINGS
Don’t miss our essential guide to Madrid for business travellers on page 18 GETTY
CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS 7
007_CAPITA_MINUTES OPENER.indd 7 03/07/2015 15:23 NEWS DIGEST Our round-up of top industry THINGS TO stories from the past few months TAKE ON BOARD
Gatwick Airport will South West Trains will double its rail capacity invest £50m in service over the next five years. From improvements by February spring 2016, new Thameslink 2017. Smart ticketing and an trains will serve the station on improved online booking system the Brighton to Bedford line, are among the improvements while from 2018 the airport will to be made on the Stagecoach- be directly connected to both owned franchise, as well as a new Peterborough and Cambridge, website and mobile app. There thanks to a £6.5bn upgrade The value of the UK will also be extra train services in programme. The Gatwick events sector in 2014, the evenings and at weekends, as Express is also due to roll out according to this year’s UK part of the new investment deal brand new carriages, built by Conference and Meeting authorised by the Department Bombardier, from early 2016. Survey. The research found for Transport. Stagecoach is Gatwick has promised to start a there were around 1.28 million currently trying to extend the £20m fund to support new business events last year in the current South West Trains domestic flight routes, if it were UK, the combined value of which franchise, due to end in 2017, to get the go-ahead to build a had increased by £2bn from until April 2019. new runway. 2013. It also found the average event duration to be 1.6 days, although 64% of events lasted one day or less. The average daily x2 delegate rate for business events was £46 including VAT. A similar level of growth is expected in 2015, with events such as the Rugby World Cup, the Barclays ATP World Tour and the World Travel Market strengthening the sector.
India will enjoy a business travel boom over the coming decades, according to a new report. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) predicts total business travel spend in the subcontinent will shoot up by 9.8% this year and by a further 10.9% in 2016. “India is poised for economic harmony, as the region is strongly growing in the short-term and is also in an excellent position for the long-term,” said GBTA’s Michael W McCormick.
FirstGroup is hoping to launch a fast, low-cost rail service between London and Edinburgh to compete with the According to research by travel tech firm Amadeus, there are budget airlines already serving the two cities. The proposed six key ‘traveller tribes’. Its Future Traveller Tribes 2030 report single-class trains would run five times a day from London King’s identified ‘social capital seekers’, who share their travels online; ‘cultural Cross and Edinburgh Waverley, and could be in operation from 2018 purists’, who immerse themselves in local life; ‘ethical travellers’, who if FirstGroup’s application is successful. Two-thirds of trips between choose responsibly; ‘simplicity searchers’, who outsource for an easy life; the capitals are currently made by plane. In a similar attempt to lure ‘obligation meeters’, who need to be in a certain place at a certain time; business travellers, Virgin Trains East Coast has reduced fares by 10% and ‘reward hunters’, who seek self-indulgence. Amadeus stresses the on its London-Leeds and London-Edinburgh services, and will need for a more sophisticated approach to retailing to these ‘tribes’. introduce faster trains from 2018.
8 ISSUE 10 | DESTINATION
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SERVICE UPDATE
The latest news from Capita Travel and Events
Rising star Championing Heathrow Airport is opening an independent luxury lounge Capita Travel and Events’ sustainability and spa at Terminal 5 this summer. The new facility, a joint event director Alex Beaken Capita Travel and Events’ venture between Collinson Group and Swissport, will be available to was named among the director of partnerships, every passenger, regardless of ticket class. The airport has also unveiled rising stars on Conference Leigh Cowlishaw, has taken plans to increase penalty charges for noisy, polluting aircraft, in a bid to & Incentive Travel (C&IT) on a new role chairing the encourage airlines to fl y cleaner, quieter planes. Meanwhile, with the magazine’s annual ‘A List’. Hotel Booking Agency Airports Commission backing a new runway at Heathrow rather than Now in its seventh year, Association’s (HBAA) new Gatwick, a recent report from the London First business lobby group the list brings together the Technology, Innovation suggested that the capital’s businesses also favour Heathrow expansion. top 35 UK event agency and Sustainability (TIS) professionals aged 35 committee. It was launched and under. at the Business Design The total area of meeting Alex’s inclusion is a Centre in Islington, London, space in the brand new ringing endorsement of his to champion sustainability Hilton Barra Rio de Janeiro is work and testament to the among the association’s 1,300m2. The hotel is the wider team’s commitment agency and venue group’s fi rst in the Brazilian city. to delivering results for members. It replaces the Facilities include 10 meeting its brands. Technology, Innovation and Virgin Trains’ East rooms, 298 bedrooms, a Environment Committee. Coast Main Line carried restaurant and a rooftop Treasured success 4.3 million customers during swimming pool. The hotel is Finance professionals Outstanding efforts its fi rst 100 days of operation. just 30 minutes from Galeão travelled to London from Two members of Capita Meanwhile, Virgin Trains International Airport and fi ve across the globe in June Travel and Events’ team revealed the new livery for its minutes from the Olympic Park, for the annual Adam (pictured below) were East Coast Main Line trains set to host next year’s Games. Smith Awards, a global among the fi nalists at The on a service departing from In other hotel news, Marriott benchmark for achievement People Awards, the yearly Edinburgh Waverley this International has opened a new in corporate treasury. business travel awards summer. The red and white property in Anji province, east of Capita Travel and Events ceremony in partnership branding was unveiled on an Shanghai, the group’s 11th hotel was awarded Best Card with The Business Travel Intercity 125, on the route in China, while Accorhotels Solution for a 2014 project Magazine. Nickie Grimston Virgin started running in has unveiled plans to open a to implement a system made it to the fi nal in the March. The company expects Mercure property in Derby and enhancing effi ciency Reservations Consultant to have repainted all of its an Ibis Styles hotel in Leeds. and quality control. Joy of the Year category, while fl eet of 14 Intercity 125 trains Elsewhere, Center Parcs has Knapp, Capita Travel and Chris Piggin was shortlisted and 31 Intercity 225 trains announced it will open its fi rst Events’ head of fi nance for Account Manager of by November this year. holiday village in Ireland in 2019. operations, said: “I’m the Year. The ceremony at delighted our team is the Park Plaza Westminster recognised for completing Bridge Hotel recognised this while maintaining the outstanding individuals and high level of service that our teams across all aspects of customers expect.” the business travel sector.
Growth for premium airline tickets remains fl at, according to fi gures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The demand for premium fl ights within Europe slowed to a growth of 0.4%, while global premium air travel grew by just 2.3% in February 2015, compared with 4.1% growth for the same month in 2014. Economy tra c, on the other hand, grew by 4.8% during the same period.
CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS 9
008-009_CAPITA_NEWS DIGESTv2.indd 9 08/07/2015 12:21 Stay switched on. Join On Business.
On Business is the loyalty programme for smart business travellers. Members can choose to collect and redeem On Business points across British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia, or enjoy discounts on selected flights, as well as member-only offers. Plus, join free today to enjoy a welcome bonus of triple points on the first six eligible flights within the first 12 months of membership.
For more information contact Capita Travel and Events.
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10 TOP WAYS TO MAXIMISE YOUR TIME ON THE MOVE Long journeys and hanging around at airports and stations can be frustrating for business travellers, but waiting time needn’t be wasted time, says James Pulford
Hone your concentration skills. up on all the industry news and trends you’ve you go. And take your IT team’s contact 1 Airports, train stations and hotel been meaning to read. Streamline your details, in case you need them on the move. lobbies aren’t always the most conducive reading matter with apps such as Flipboard environments to work – but learning to or feedly, which bring you a personalised Make contacts. Certain airlines now focus is key if you want to be productive. feed of news and content. 8 oer business travellers the unique Start by tackling low-level tasks in small experience of networking at 39,000 feet. chunks of time and you’ll build up your Pamper yourself. Why not invest KLM’s Meet & Seat service, for instance, ability to concentrate on the go. 5 some time in your wellbeing in means travellers flying from Amsterdam order to start your trip feeling relaxed, Airport Schiphol can check out the LinkedIn Tick some boxes. While you’re refreshed and confident? Spas, salons and and Facebook profiles of other passengers, 2 waiting at the airport or train station, grooming lounges are popping up in airports and see where they’re sitting. put together a checklist of what you want to around the world, oering everything from achieve on your trip. Define your objectives massages to mud baths and oxygen therapy Touch base with your team. If you’ve and set yourself manageable steps to achieve to aromatherapy. Heathrow, Gatwick and 9 made a schedule for your trip, pass them. So-called dead time is a chance to Edinburgh are among the UK airports now it on to your team so they know when to tackle admin such as to-do lists or schedules. oering spa and massage therapies. contact you – and when not to. A few spare minutes can be the ideal time to check in Read up on your destination. …or get in training. More and with your colleagues by phone or email and 3 Whether you’re en route to Rio or 6 more airports are acquiring their make sure everything’s going smoothly. Reading, it’s worth learning a bit about own gyms and fitness centres, so arrive where you’re going, even if it’s just working early to make full use of the facilities. Dubai Relax and take it easy. Laptops, out where your hotel is or sussing out places International Airport, for example, boasts 10 tablets and mobile devices have to entertain colleagues or customers. Our treadmills, exercise bikes, weights and even made it so easy to work on the go, it can be knowledgeable travel team at Capita Travel a sauna, and is open 24 hours. You’ll be hard to switch o. However, there’s much and Events can oer advice. You can also opt smashing through sets and reps in no time. to be said for unplugging yourself and taking to add maps to your booking confirmations, some time out. to give you a head start on getting around. 7 Prep your tech. Download any apps you might need, such as currency Find Catch up on the non-essentials. converters or language translators. Check in out Need help managing your travel 4 If you can’t get on with your day job advance if there’s Wi-Fi on the train or plane, more plans? Contact the experts at
GETTY IMAGES on the move, take the opportunity to swot and if not, fire o any last messages before Capita Travel and Events
CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS 11
011_CAPITA_TOP10v3.indd 11 03/07/2015 15:21 A TO B THE NIGHT TUBE With London’s population set to soar to 10 million by 2030, its Underground services 560,000 will start running 24 hours a day at weekends from September to meet demand. m e of eo le e e a e some ey facts and fi g es ehind the so called ight T e who currently use the T e afte m on T ains ill n th o gh the night idays and at days on idays and at days f om 12 SEPTEMBER 2015
EVERY 10 MINUTES OR LESS ve age frequency of ight T e t ains
£360m By 2017 it could The oost it ill give be rolled out to London’s economy 170% to the London over 30 years The inc ease ve g o nd in night and by 2021 to bus use the oc lands since 2000 ight ail ay o eve y £1 spent on the ight T e the economic enefi ts ill be £2.70 Service update
m e of stations that ill initially 144 e se ved y the ight T e 180,000 8 TRAINS Estimated number of trips that will be PER HOUR made between 00.30am and 6am 6 TRAINS n the o the n line 20 MINUTES PER HOUR ve age time the ight T e ill save n the ent al travellers per journey (or up to an ilee iccadilly hour on certain routes) and Victoria lines The iccadilly line ill n all the ay to eath o giving t avelle s ith a ight efo e 7am an easy way of getting to the airport T T © T T
CALENDAR T avel sho s fashion ins i ation s o ting fi t es the e’s lenty coming ove the ne t fe months If you’re planning to attend one of these events, now’s DATES FOR YOUR DIARY the time to book your travel and accommodation
November 2015 December 2015 January 2016
2-5 November 11-12 November 4-8 December 8-10 January World Travel Market, The 50+ Travel Clothes Show Live, Telegraph Travel Show, DATES ExCel, London Show, SECC, Glasgow NEC, Birmingham ExCel, London
5-8 November 15-22 November 15-21 December 21-24 January The Luxury Travel Fair, Barclays ATP World The London International Destinations, EventCity, Olympia, London Tour Finals, The O2 Horse Show, Olympia Manchester
12 ISSUE 10 E T T
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YOU KNOW YOU’RE ON A THE BIG TICKET VIRGIN TRAINS JOURNEY MARRIOTT MEETINGS When… You’re en route to one of the UK’s A new partnership between Marriott Hotels and First Great Western is making greatest destinations. Edinburgh, Glasgow, it easier than ever to organise meetings and events. Get ready to go west… Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London are among the cities served. What is it? meeting session. At the IN A NUTSHELL... When… First class is truly exceptional. First Great Western has end of the day your group As well as a range of tasty meals served at your teamed up with Marriott will enjoy dinner in the hotel Great for: Getting table, you’ll have plenty of personal space, otels to o e an all and comfy Marriott beds out of the capital and a reclining seat and complimentary Wi-Fi. inclusive rail travel and to sleep in. In the morning booking travel and There’s also at least one quiet coach per train. hotel package for meetings you’ll have breakfast and meeting space in and confe ences of anothe half day meeting the west of England and South Wales When… delegates. Just one booking session, followed by lunch. You can choose from the latest ticket in one handy, cost- options. E-tickets allow passengers to print out covers First Great Western Once the work is done, your e ective package. at home, while mobile tickets – accessible via rail travel to your chosen delegates can travel back to the Virgin Trains app – mean you’ll never have Marriott venue from London or Reading in style. Hidden bonus: to queue at the ticket desk again. Naturally, London or Reading, plus Inclusive means however, paper tickets are also available. meeting space, overnight What does it cost? inclusive. This not accommodation and meals. The all incl sive ac age only applies to the When… Travelling by train can be easier – of services outlined above accommodation if not faster – than travelling by plane. You Sounds handy. comes at a ate of e and meals, but your meeting room might only be in the air for less than an hour How does it work? person in standard class will include all the It’s simple – you’ll get a t avel o e e son when fl ying from London to Manchester, but essential kit you’ll when you factor in waiting and transfer times, return train ticket from in fi st class need, plus unlimited it can make more sense to go by rail and arrive either London Paddington light refreshments. right in the city centre. or Reading to your choice How do I fi nd out more? of locations served by First Contact Capita Travel Tip: Want to stay on When… You can travel from Birmingham or Great Western and Marriott and Events for more longer? No worries. Manchester to Europe in one easy booking. otels a di he sto information. Your basic package Since Virgin Trains teamed up with Eurostar Bristol, Swansea or Swindon. can easily be extended it has o ered fares from Birmingham to for business or leisure purposes. Brussels or Paris, and Manchester to Paris. What happens next? ALAMY Bon voyage! Once you arrive at your chosen hotel venue, lunch will be served, preparing the group for the afternoon
DON’T For advice on organising your travel, meetings and events around busy dates, FORGET or to arrange a trip to any of these events, contact Capita Travel and Events
February 2016 March 2016 April 2016
23-24 January 4-7 February 10-13 March 7-9 April 16 April – 2 May The Adventure Travel Destinations, Crufts, The Grand National, Betfred Snooker World Show, Olympia, London Olympia, London NEC, Birmingham Aintree Championship, The Crucible Theatre, 29-31 January 24-25 February 15-18 March She eld The France Show 2016, The Business Travel Show, Cheltenham Festival, Olympia, London Olympia, London Cheltenham Racecourse
CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS 13
012-013_CAPITA_ATOBv2.indd 13 03/07/2015 15:26 IN BRIEF
TALKING POINT IS SHARING CARING? From renting out rooms to running taxi services, there’s a DIY app or site for everything these days – and the so-called sharing economy is big business. But how will peer-to-peer providers such as Airbnb and Uber impact the business travel industry?
THE ACCOMMODATION INSIDER THE TRANSPORTATION EXPERT
The best way to describe the e ect of the sharing economy There are clear limits to the impact the sharing economy on business travel is to say it’s a new disrupter in the digital can have on transportation. It’s very much focused on the world. For the millennial generation, apps that let people share ‘front-of-station’ zone – it works for taxis and limos, but you’re and sell skills or resources online have become essential. The rapid rise of not going to have the average business traveller chartering a plane, train a site like Airbnb shows how the sharing economy has really caught the or boat from their smartphone. For a commodity like a car, ride-sharing or interest of younger travellers. car-sharing services can be relatively straightforward, but the same doesn’t apply to all modes of transport. But it’s not without problems. Security, for instance, is a major concern. Staying in someone’s house or spare room clearly isn’t as safe as staying in a The di culty of regulating peer-to-peer networks makes it hard to hotel – and businesses will be put off if they’re concerned about the security incorporate the sharing economy into a corporate travel policy. So of their employees. Sites such as Airbnb have also experienced problems with although certain companies have started allowing their employees to use laws in diff erent jurisdictions around the world. That’s a major issue they will services such as Uber, this is still far from commonplace. have to overcome in order to meet the needs of business travellers. If you live in a city, the services o ered by the sharing economy can There isn’t a huge appetite in the corporate world to stay in have huge benefi ts. For instance, you can fi nd a taxi to come and meet someone else’s spare room, and this kind of accommodation can you at any time of the night, wherever you are. But it’s a diff erent story away lack the facilities o ered by hotels. If it’s just a normal block of fl ats, from the big cities, in areas with far fewer providers. A cab-fi nding service like there won’t be a restaurant, gym or bar on site, for example – and that’s a ours, which allows you to prebook a taxi to coincide with your rail arrival time, signifi cant downside for many business travellers at the end of a working day. off ers peace of mind, hassle-free booking – and clear costs upfront.
Costing can also be a challenge. When you book a hotel, the price of Once companies can relay the data and usage information a room for the night is clear, but with a peer-to-peer network it isn’t always from peer-to-peer services back to their travel teams, it will be obvious how much you’re spending. There can be extra costs such as revolutionary. Business will be able to modify their travel policy based on cleaning or booking fees. Time-conscious business travellers want to book the behaviours of business travellers – but we have to overcome the issues with one price that has no hidden extras. to do with security and legality fi rst.
We’d be interested in integrating our accommodation services I’m interested to see how we can use the sharing economy within with those of the sharing economy in the future, but it the corporate world in the future. Most companies using peer- will have to become smarter and safer fi rst. Our primary to-peer networks can’t guarantee the same level of safety as our concern is the wellbeing of our corporate customers – we current partners – but that might not always be the case. If it need to know that hotels meet minimum requirements. was better regulated, it would be a totally diff erent story.
Sam Welch is director of consulting services – Chris Truss is director of consulting services – accommodation and meetings air, rail and ground transportation
GREEN GIANTS WE RAISE A GLASS TO THOSE CHAMPIONING SUSTAINABILITY Did you know? Water may cover 71% of the planet, but only 1% of this is actually drinkable. Radisson Blu recently partnered with international charity Just a • Hotel Indigo has ambitious plans • SilverDoor is working hard to minimise • Regus is going the extra mile in Drop to improve access to clean for a new development in Dubai that its environmental impact. As well as its commitment to environmental water in some of the world’s will be 100% powered by solar energy. running a paperless reservation system, care by replacing lighting with Due to open in 2017, the so-called the serviced apartment expert recycles low-energy lamps and fi ttings, and poorest communities. Sustainable City will include a grass printer and photocopier cartridges, ensuring machinery such as boilers and The scheme aims to provide amphitheatre, organic farms and and encourages sta to car share air-conditioning units are operating safe drinking water for life to a waste water recycling facility. wherever possible. e ciently across its properties. 12,000 children each year.
CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS 15
015_CAPITA_TALKING POINTv2.indd 15 08/07/2015 12:21 A to B like a VIP
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It’s a departure from the ordinary. It’s Red Carpet from Virgin Trains.
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014_CAPITA_Issue10_15.indd 14 02/07/2015 12:18 THERE ARE 1500 HOTELS IN LONDON. AND 12 TO CHOOSE FROM.
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068_CAPITA_Issue10_15.indd 68 02/07/2015 12:40 83430 EGL Advert Capita Destination 275x215 V2.indd 1 20/06/2014 15:37