Google Travel speculation
April 17, 2006
Convergence and Behavioral Advertising
April 24, 2006
Show all

ITM Study on SBT in Europe

A recent study by the Institute for Travel Management, a UK based organization that focuses on corporate travel, highlighted the disconnect between pundit predictions on the adoption of self-booking tools (SBTs) and feedback from members on a recent poll. The conclusions drawn from this survey emphasized the gap between the expectations of buyers and the actual adoption as well as the disconnect with their TMCs. Based on recent research I conducted that will shortly be published by PhoCusWright, I understand the reason for this response, but differ in my opinion on why buyers voiced these concerns. Overall Europe is at a different evolutionary stage of SBT deployment. The UK and Nordic regions are the most advanced in SBT selection and deployment, but overall the market is still below 20% adoption for corporate self-booking tools. The US experienced similar disappointment and lack of TMC integration when SBT became the major trend in 2000. A good portion of the problem with TMC relationships lies in the second tier TMCs who don’t fully support self-booking viewing it as competitor to their standard services. The European market is now moving quickly to come up to speed with online corporate technology and thus it is my opinion that these issues will begin to fade as more companies embrace online channels and more 2nd TMCs come to the conclusion that Self-booking is a critical part of the travel management process.