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Online Booking Tools Growing In Popularity

July 8, 2004

Online Booking Tools Growing In Popularity
July 8, 2004 – According to the July 2003 Technology Trends Survey co-sponsored by PhoCusWright Inc. and the National Business Travel Association, more than nine in ten companies with managed travel programs will be using an online booking tool for transient travel and, more than four in ten will be doing so for meetings/group travel by the end of the year.

This trend in online booking is attributed to bottom line savings, traveler ease of use and continued budget scrutiny. By 2005, corporations expect the average rate of online adoption will increase 15 percent above current levels for transient travel and more than 11 percent of a company’s meeting spend will go online within the same period.

"Clearly, we have only begun to scratch the surface of the savings potential afforded by online booking tools," says Philip Wolf, president and CEO of PhoCusWright Inc. "Now we have further confirmation that travel and procurement are relying on these same tools for transient and group travel."

Some additional survey findings include:

  • Almost two-thirds of companies are optimistic about corporate travel industry growth through 2005
  • More than four in ten corporations will save at least ten percent off their 2003 travel budget from implementing an online booking tool
  • The greatest corporate return from using online booking tools has been from transaction fees

The survey is based on responses from 206 of NBTA’s 700 direct corporate members and represents a cross-section of industries, travel budgets and domestic/global programs. Visit http://www.phocuswright.com/ for further information.

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