AirPlus International and ACTE Release New Whitepaper on the Current Travel Management Landscape and its Future

Joint whitepaper highlights the top levers of cost saving for current travel management and which shall remain after the financial crisis

ALEXANDRIA, Va. & PRAGUE — AirPlus International, a leading global provider of corporate travel payment solutions, released a whitepaper today at the ACTE Europe Global Education Conference in Prague titled: Post-Recession – Has the travel management landscape changed permanently? The whitepaper examines travel management today, highlighting changes from the recession and whether the landscape will be forever changed. The whitepaper is available for free download at www.airplus.com and the www.acteconnect.org site.

Within the study are results from a recent ACTE member survey. Findings include that a majority (84 percent) of respondents who have introduced advance booking requirements, and instilled tougher enforcement of policies, do in fact expect to retain these measures post-recession. And still another 81 percent think they will retain their implemented pre-trip approval process. Only 5 percent do not expect to retain any tougher controls introduced or increased during the recession.

“This whitepaper provides powerful suggestions to corporate travel professionals in the current economic climate and in preparation for the future landscape. One example is open communication to management and travelers about why their travel policy and strategies implemented now are also sensible to retain for control in the future,” said AirPlus International, Inc. and ACTE President, Richard Crum.

The white paper concludes that several changes to corporate travel will prove permanent:

• Volume – Number of trips per employee and travel costs as a percentage of corporate revenues will not return to pre-recession levels.
• Control – Companies will not give up control over how much travelers spend on a trip and whether they will take the trip at all.
• Status of travel management – Travel management will continue to command its newly enhanced status within corporations.
• Strategic planning – Travel management has transformed from a reactive process to a strategic one.
• Buying best on day versus contracted fares – balancing these two purchasing methods has become an increasing dilemma.

For your complimentary copy, please visit www.airplus.com.

About AirPlus International:

AirPlus International is a key provider of savings to over 32,000 customers worldwide through a suite of business travel payment solutions which include central bill accounts, corporate cards and online management tools. AirPlus is travel agency neutral, the leading issuer of UATP worldwide and the preferred partner of various airlines such as Air China, British Airways (NYSE:BAB), Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL), Luxair, Lufthansa German Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Portugal and Singapore Airlines. For more information, please visit online at www.airplus.com, contribute to our blog at www.airpluscommunity.com, fan us at www.facebook.com/airplusinternational and follow us at www.twitter.com/AirPlus. Press may contact Rana Walker, Marketing and Communication Manager at +1 (703) 373-0947 or rwalker@airplus.com.

About ACTE:

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) represents the global business travel industry through its international advocacy efforts, executive level educational programs, and independent industry research. ACTE's membership consists of senior travel industry executives from 82 countries representing the €463 billion business travel industry. Our members serve more than 12 million business travelers worldwide. With the support of sponsors from every major segment of the business travel industry, ACTE develops and delivers educational programs in key business centers throughout the world. ACTE has representation in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and the United States. For more information on ACTE, please visit www.acte.org and follow us on twitter at: www.twitter.com/ACTECONNECT.