Who are the least likely business travelers to use an online booking tool? Millennials, of course.
They grew up with technology that is considerably less clunky than a typical OBT, and they don’t like rules.
But, perhaps surprisingly, a new survey by the GBTA Foundation found that high-frequency travelers are nearly as likely to spurn them.
The study, titled Booking Behaviour II, queried business travelers based in Europe’s three largest business travel markets – Germany, the UK and France – and found that business they are increasingly booking direct with suppliers and embracing mobile and "sharing economy" services.
But their booking habits are a mixed bag.
Nearly one-third of business travelers in each country said they expect to use "alternative channels" more often in the next year, but many of these same travelers also expect to rely on an OBT more often in the next year.
Three in five business travelers with access to a corporate OBT used one in the past year to book a work trip.
These same travelers also used alternative channels: At least one-third in each country booked directly with a supplier and one-fourth used an online agency, despite having access to an OBT.
Business travelers’ appetites for alternative channels can make it harder for companies to ensure duty of care and to achieve cost savings.
Monica Sanchez, GBTA Foundation director of research, says:
"It’s important for travel professionals to plan for this growing trend in their programs, ensuring they capture and manage employee travel no matter where or how it was purchased."