An integrated business travel booking is still a dream, according to the majority of corporate travel buyers in a study.
A survey from the Association of Corporate Travel Executives reveals that 72% say their business travel program is only somewhat integrated.
The study, supported by American Express Global Business Travel, highlights online booking tools, corporate cards and expense management platforms as the most commonly integrated element of programs.
Interestingly, only about a fifth (22%) say they have no plans to integrate the processes further.
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Travel managers also say there are a number of barriers to integration, including the business travelers themselves, according to 37% of respondents.
However, this is in contrast to travelers also being a driver for integrated programs, according to 34% of those questioned in the survey.
Other drivers of a more seamless process include spend visibility, duty of care and improved user experience.
Further challengers to an integrated process include lack of internal and stakeholder support according to 30%, and lack of resources, according to 25%.
However, 28% say incompatible systems is holding back further integration.
The report also highlight the necessity of buy-in from internal and external stakeholders with 62% of travel managers citing support from tech platform providers, 59% saying travel management companies and 39% citing payment providers, as instrumental in helping achieve integration.
* The Journey to Integrated Travel Management report can be downloaded here.