93% of Companies Have Sustainable Travel Programs, According to New Business Travel Show Europe Data

According to new data released by Business Travel Show Europe, 93% of corporates have now implemented a sustainable travel programme.

The poll, which gathered responses from 289 travel and procurement managers, also revealed that 19% are investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and an equal number have blocked air options over rail in their online booking tool (OBT). However, 77% of respondents do not set or monitor carbon budgets, with only 18% managing this through their OBT. Over half of those surveyed (57%) reported that their OBT lacks the necessary functionality.

The Business Travel Show Europe, the top corporate travel event in Europe, will take place on June 28-29 at ExCeL London and offers two days of meetings, content, and networking specifically for business travel buyers. 289 travel and procurement managers from around the world, including 64% from the UK, 22% from Europe, and 14% from the rest of the world, participated in the poll. The event will bring together over 750 buyers and 200 exhibitors for high-level networking opportunities and a premium conference agenda.

BTN Group Executive Vice President Louis Magliaro said: “We talk to corporate travel and procurement managers daily. We know that sustainability is high on their agenda and getting buy in from stakeholders – particularly for travel managers – to create and deliver more sustainable programmes is a big priority for them.

“But we also know that the pandemic halted progress in this area for many and, now that costs are rising and the pressure to make savings is increasing, this will also impact the speed of progression. The good news is there is so much innovation and content at Business Travel Show Europe designed to help everyone to invest in our planet and be more environmentally conscious and responsible.”

Business Travel Show Europe’s survey also assessed the sustainability of corporate travel programs, and the comparison of this year’s responses with the previous year’s data revealed a potential cause for concern in several key areas. For instance, the number of corporates actively reducing internal travel decreased from 25% to 6%, while those restricting the number of individuals traveling overseas to the same meeting declined from 18% to 13%. The poll also showed a decrease in the number of companies offsetting aviation-related emissions, from 22% to 13%, and those restricting unnecessary trips, from 26% to 16%.