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Business travel still suffering from economic crisis
Dark clouds still hang over the business travel
sector – latest VDR survey reports an increase in
video conferences – ITB Berlin with a new Mobile
Travel Services section
Berlin, 22 October 2009.
Many companies in Germany have yet to feel the
effects of the current boom on the international
stock markets, and what experts are predicting as a
foreseeable end to the global financial crisis. Few
companies anticipate the business travel sector to
recover in the coming months. By contrast, video
conference organisers have benefited significantly
from the global economic and financial crisis.
According to the latest survey by Verband Deutsches
Reisemanagement e.V. (VDR), 40 per cent of the
companies polled are making increasing use of
virtual conferences in order to reduce business
trips. A further twelve per cent use this method of
communicating for other reasons. “Video conferences
are not the only popular trend. Efforts to save
money have unleashed a real mobile communications
boom“, said Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Travel
& Logistics Competence Center at Messe Berlin. ”ITB
Berlin 2010 has responded with the launch of its
Mobile Travel Services
section.
The global travel industry’s leading trade show with
its specialist convention and informative stage
shows provides a broad platform for the fast-growing
market for modern methods of communication.”
With its new Mobile Travel Services section ITB
Berlin also provides a significant impetus for
alternative solutions in the business travel sector.
Close to 40 per cent of the VDR members polled
either do not believe the crisis is over or will not
risk making any predictions. Only 17 per cent
anticipate an upturn in the business travel sector
this year. 23 per cent expect a recovery in the
first half and 18 per cent in the second half of
2010.
Dirk Gerdom, President of Verband Deutsches
Reisemanagement: “VDR members are unsure as to what
the future holds. Small wonder, with so many
surveys, expert forecasts and export figures
appearing daily in the media, at times contradicting
themselves. The only reliable indicator genuinely
reflecting the economic situation is the number of
trips, and for a year these have been in sharp
decline. Our quarterly trend survey clearly shows
that since October 2008 company travel has gradually
decreased, with trips costing less and less. Thus
the economic pressure is mounting.“
This flash survey was conducted in early October
among the 548 companies belonging to the VDR. Their
combined business travel turnover is more than ten
billion euros a year. 126 companies took part.
About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2010 will take place from Wednesday, 10
to Sunday, 14 March. ITB Berlin will be open to
trade visitors only from Wednesday to Friday.
Parallel with the trade fair, the ITB Berlin
Convention will be held from Wednesday to Saturday,
10 to 13 March 2010.
For full programme details click on
www.itb-kongress.de.
ITB Berlin is the world’s leading travel trade show.
In 2009 a total of 11,098 companies from 187
countries exhibited their products and services to
178,971 visitors, who included 110,857 trade
visitors.
About ITB 2009
ITB Asia will take place at the Suntec Singapore
Exhibition & Convention Centre from 21 to 23 October
2009. It is organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore)
Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition &
Convention Bureau.
The event will feature hundreds of exhibiting
companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the
Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering not
only the leisure market, but also corporate and MICE
travel.
Medium-sized enterprises from the travel industry
will be represented with exhibition pavilions and
company presentations.
Exhibitors from every sector of the industry,
including destinations, airlines and airports,
hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions,
inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines,
spas, event locations, congress centres and travel
technology companies are all expected to attend. |
