Consultia Business Travel brought Andalusian companies together at the Hotel Meliá Sevilla, opposite the Plaza de España, to discuss the challenges of managing business travel today. The working session put on the table the questions that most concern the people who organise and oversee corporate travel. The conversation revolved around one shared idea: the range of travel options is growing and diversifying, but managing it must not become more complicated. These were the main questions raised by those attending.
The sector's main concerns
The first concern was how to keep spending under control when there is so much fragmentation. The arrival of new operators and the spread of the NDC (New Distribution Capability) model in air travel have multiplied booking channels, and attendees voiced their worries about leakage. "Efficiency is lost when every employee books on a different website. It becomes harder to apply the travel policy and consolidate information, and it also creates a risk when it comes to locating travellers, because the booking falls outside the traceability of the travel programme," Ignacio González, managing director of Consultia Business Travel, pointed out during the event.
The answer shared during the session was the need for a comprehensive end-to-end travel management system, able to centralise the booking process, ensure compliance with corporate policy from the moment of purchase and offer the most competitive fares in a single solution.
"The market is going through a transformation. NDC is changing air distribution, and companies need solutions that can integrate an ever wider range of options. That is why we have recently added Air Europa's NDC content to Destinux®, our comprehensive solution for efficient business travel management, which digitalises the entire management process. It joins the NDC content of Iberia, British Airways, American Airlines, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, TAP Air Portugal and Vueling, among others. The same is happening with rail: the new high-speed operators offer more choice but also more fragmentation, which is why Destinux brings together Renfe, Iryo, OUIGO and other European rail companies. Our aim is for more choice to mean not more complexity for companies, but more opportunities and better fares," Ignacio González added.
Information security and the backing of an expert team: key issues for companies
Information security was another topic that drew strong interest from attendees. With sensitive data on travellers, bookings, corporate expenses and payment methods being handled, companies wanted to know what guarantees travel management solutions should offer to protect information and minimise risk. Consultia stressed the importance of working with providers that operate to the highest security standards, and noted that Destinux holds ISO 27001 certification, the international benchmark for information security management.
Alongside technology, participants also highlighted the human factor. Although digitalisation speeds up bookings and makes management more efficient, when changes, cancellations or incidents arise, companies need specialist support that can resolve complex situations quickly and with an understanding of each client's circumstances. Combining advanced technology with an expert, approachable team was one of the most widely shared conclusions of the meeting.
"What Andalusian companies have told us confirms that technology makes the difference in efficiency and control, but it is not enough on its own. Travellers and travel managers want a complete solution, from start to finish, backed by real knowledge of the sector and able to keep pace with the market. That is the idea that drives us to make sure Destinux is the 360° solution to put an end to grey business travel full of friction, unreliable data and decisions that are barely strategic, if at all. And all of it, of course, supported by specialist, proactive people," said Miriam Castro, client director at Consultia Business Travel.