2011 Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis

Transcription

1 2011 Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis Through the first quarter of 2011, companies have begun to reinvest in corporate travel with a continuing focus on cost control and efficiency. Based on Egencia s Q1 global supply research, the following is a summary of the 2011 pricing environment: For air travel, European points-of-sale, ATPs (Average Ticket Prices) for European destinations decreased 4% YoY; yet increased 8% in North American destinations. The increased ATPs can be attributed to rising fuel prices, tightly managed capacity by airlines, and airline consolidation and alliances. For air travel, North American points-of-sale, ATPs showed increases in nearly all business destinations due to increasing cost pressures, especially higher fuel prices. For air travel, ATPs for intra-apac destinations decreased 2% YoY and decreased 1% in North American destinations. The hotel environment worldwide saw Average Daily Rates (ADRs) increase in the majority of destinations, which reverses the previous trend of declines. In this guide, Egencia examines both the supply environment at a market-level for nearly 40 destinations in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, as well as the results of research of nearly 350 global travel buyers. In addition, we will share recommendations and best practices on how to manage your travel programme amidst the 2011 supply landscape. Air Pricing Environment...Pg. 2 Europe North America Asia-Pacific Global Hotel Environment...Pg. 4 Review from nearly 40 global markets Travel Management Trends...Pg. 7 Review of research from nearly 350 travel buyers Negotiating environment Challenges facing corporations today Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis

2 European POS ATP Change YoY European POS ATP Change YoY Munich 9% Amsterdam -7% Dublin 3% Stockholm -10% Frankfurt am Main 1% Marseille -10% Brussels 0% Barcelona -11% Paris 0% Manchester -13% Moscow -3% Milan -13% London -3% Chicago 13% Madrid -4% Los Angeles 9% Berlin -4% New York 7% Glasgow -5% Sources: ARC, Smith Travel Research, OAG, Expedia Internal Analysis, Local currency Air Fares Overview Europe European airlines are tightly maintaining their capacity discipline in European businesses are slowly increasing travel demand both domestically and Internationally; this has resulted in an increase in average ticket prices for specific business destinations (Dublin, Munich and Frankfurt), though the picture is more varied and not as clear cut as in North America. Increased ATPs can be attributed to rising fuel prices (although the fuel price in Euros hasn t risen as much as the fuel price in USD due to currency fluctuations), tightly managed capacity by airlines, and airline consolidation and alliances. Tax increases in UK and Germany have also contributed to rising prices. Largest increases were in Munich (up 9%) and Dublin (up 3%) North American destinations saw increases including Chicago (up 13%), Los Angeles (up 9%) and New York (up 7%) Conversely, in some areas of Europe, prices are being driven downward. The main factor is that competition between airlines has increased, especially due to low-cost carriers and high-speed rail. Airlines have adjusted their products and services accordingly. Many major European destinations are slightly down including Moscow (down 3%), London (down 3%), Madrid and Berlin (both down 4%) Cities such as Barcelona and Milan saw much larger decreases in air ticket prices down 11% and 13% respectively. Compared to 2010, the trend of ATP changes YoY has stayed the same; i.e. the ATP upward trend for North American destinations and downward trend for European destinations in general. North America As a result of increasing cost pressures, especially due to higher fuel prices, airlines have continued to tightly manage capacity discipline into With increased demand for corporate travel in Q1 2011, this has resulted in an increase in average ticket prices. Largest increases were in Canadian destinations such as Montreal (up 20%), Calgary (up 28%) and Toronto (up 19%) Other North American destinations saw significant increases including San Diego (up 17%), Houston (up 17%), Seattle (up 16%) and Los Angeles (up 13%) Higher fuel prices, strong demand on major corporate/business routes, and anti-trust immunity on international route pricing for many alliance partners has also resulted in upward pressure on ticket prices for major North American destinations Compared to a similar study conducted last year (2010), the trend of ATP changes Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis

3 North America POS ATP Change YoY North America POS ATP Change YoY Calgary 28% Denver 11% Montreal 20% Dallas 10% Toronto 19% Vancouver 10% San Diego 17% Minneapolis 9% Houston 17% Atlanta 7% Seattle 16% Washington DC 4% San Francisco 15% Boston 3% Chicago 15% Hong Kong 5% Phoenix 15% Tokyo -4% Los Angeles 13% Paris -4% New York 12% London -4% Philadelphia 11% Sources: ARC, Smith Travel Research, OAG, Expedia Internal Analysis YoY has remained the same: Average Ticket Prices continue to go up on domestic destinations, while going slightly down for overseas destinations. Asia-Pacific (APAC) Asia-Pacific represents a varied air pricing landscape, fluctuating on a market-by-market basis. Greater demand for travel into China and India, as well as the strength of the US dollar are driving price increases, resulting in higher fuel costs for many APAC carriers. Largest increases were in Hong Kong (up 5%), and Singapore (4%) Many North American destinations were down: Los Angeles (down 4%), San Francisco (down 8%), although conversely New York saw a substantial increase (up 17%) Asia-Pacific POS ATP Change YoY Asia-Pacific POS ATP Change YoY Hong Kong 5% Sydney -5% Singapore 4% Delhi -7% Melbourne 2% Tokyo -10% Mumbai 0% New York 17% Beijing -1% Los Angeles -4% Shanghai -2% San Francisco -8% Sources: ARC, Smith Travel Research, OAG, Expedia Internal Analysis, Local currency Many markets also showed decreases due to increased competition in the local markets, increased capacity on a majority of routes, and a domestic and International pricing war for Australia. Sydney, Delhi and Tokyo saw the largest decreases Sydney (down 5%), Delhi (down 7%) and Tokyo (down 10%) Other major APAC destinations showed a slight decrease in price Beijing (down 1%), Shanghai (down 2%) and Mumbai (flat) Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis

4 Considerations for the Travel Buyer Consolidate Bookings Airlines are more agreeable to negotiating discounts if bookings are consolidated, supported by strong policy tools and backed by reporting and historical data. Airline partners will want a concrete demonstration that travel buyers have implemented strong policy controls to increase share and target incentive goals, allowing corporations to shift business to preferred partners. While buyers should ask for increased discounts for consolidated share, current trends have created an environment where airlines are less willing to expand existing discounts without expanded share. In addition to fares, consider negotiating airline amenities and perks, such as waived baggage fees, status matches, cabin upgrades, and soft-dollar funds. Companies with international business may want to seek lane fares and/ or flat fares, which allow for a better discount than standard percentage discounts. Streamline Pre-Trip Approval Processes Because of constrained capacity and fare accessibility, it s important that organisations respond quickly and efficiently to passenger requests. By responding in a timely fashion to trip approval requests, companies can ensure that their travellers can book and confirm lower priced tickets. Take Advantage of Increased Competition Certain global markets and routes are experiencing pricing battles between established and/or low-cost carriers. This can represent an opportunity for savings, but organisations should be cognisant of ticket restrictions from many low-cost carriers while ensuring they are comparing total prices, which include ancillary fees, when shopping for tickets. Also, some hidden costs of flying low-cost airlines should be considered, such as time to travel to far away airports, waiting time at airports, flight frequency, and the quality of support in case of disruption. Monitor Airlines Ancillary Revenue Airlines continue to grow their ancillary revenue, lessening the pressure to garner the full value of a trip solely through ticket prices. Ancillary revenue includes baggage fees, reservation change fees, and miscellaneous operating revenue (e.g. standby passenger fees.) Travellers should ensure they research the total cost of a trip with a particular carrier when comparison shopping. Book Early In an era of constrained capacity and rising ticket prices in many markets, booking in advance remains even more critical. While not every trip is planned early, encourage your travellers to book as early as possible to get their choice of route options and lower ticket prices. Be Flexible Educate your travellers on the value of being flexible in their travel plans. By opting to travel slightly earlier or later or to make one stop versus a direct flight, they can find additional savings on air ticket prices. Summary If a company can bring incremental revenue opportunities to a carrier, increased discounts are possible, though 2011 will continue to be a challenging year. For successful negotiations, travel managers must have a good understanding of their travel spend, use strong policy tools, and have historical data in place to manage their travel programme. While not all classes of service will receive discounts, travel managers should look to other Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis

5 areas to find value, such as waived fees, upgrades and status matches. Global Hotel Landscape With corporate demand rebounding, higher air capacity than the year before, and improved occupancy in almost every top business market worldwide, average daily rates (ADRs) have increased in the majority of business destinations, which reverses the previous trend of declines. In addition, the occupancy rate has strongly increased in certain markets, which has resulted in a reduction of last minute room availability. In Europe, markets that showed solid rate increases include Amsterdam (up 9%), London (up 9%) Munich (up 9%) and Paris (up 10%) Similarly, major Asia-Pacific destinations were up including Hong Kong (up 25%), Beijing (up 9%) and Sydney (up 8%) North America destinations were up as well across the board, including San Francisco (up 17%), Dallas (up 10%), and Los Angeles (up 7%) Conversely, there were a few downward pressures on prices worldwide. Vancouver hotel rates were down 27% as the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver led to high ADRs comps in Q The Meetings & Incentive business has yet to recover in several markets, and high fuel prices have cut into discretionary income for some travellers. Compared to a similar study conducted last year (2010), the trend over ADR Changes YoY has changed: while 2010 was reporting a clear downward trend over these ADR changes, it is now in a strong upward trend. We can see a clear shift in that regard compared to Considerations for the Travel Buyer Now is the right time to establish or update preferred supplier strategy, which can be achieved through the following tactics: Monitor Your Programme Monitoring creates visibility and can help a travel manager stay ahead of out-of-policy practices. Accessible travel programme data can help companies negotiate better rates and volume discounts, by providing greater clarity of: Travellers who routinely overspend Underutilisation of specific hotels Top cities for the travel programme Analyse Spend Analyse your total hotel spend in each market and on a regional basis. A common best practice is to try and consolidate one hotel for every 250 room nights at a particular property. Consider Department-Specific Restrictions By segmenting traveller groups, organisations can still provide a solid level of service and amenities while decreasing costs. Provide Support By demonstrating a consistent effort to drive share towards preferred suppliers, corporate travel buyers have a stronger place at the bargaining table. Mandating bookings via an agency of record will also aid in this discussion. Consider Independent Hotels Without the need to subsidise costly loyalty programmes, these properties may offer better rates and amenities Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis

6 North America ADR Change YoY YoY YoY San Francisco 17% Paris 10% Hong Kong 25% Dallas 10% Amsterdam 9% Singapore 16% Boston 7% Frankfurt 9% Beijing 9% Los Angeles 7% London 9% Shanghai 8% New York 6% Munich 9% Sydney 8% Philadelphia 6% Brussels 7% Mumbai 3% Phoenix 6% Stockholm 4% Melbourne 2% Chicago 5% Madrid 2% Dehli 0% San Diego 5% Milan 2% Tokyo -1% Seattle 5% Barcelona 1% Calgary 5% Berlin 1% Montreal 5% Denver 4% Houston 3% Washington DC 3% Toronto 3% Minneapolis 2% Atlanta 1% Vancouver -27% Europe ADR Change APAC ADR Change Sources: ARC, Smith Travel Research, OAG, Expedia Internal Analysis. Reflected in local currency for each city Leverage Hotels That Offer Free or Discounted Amenities Encourage travellers to book at and leverage hotels with free amenities such as Internet service, shuttle service, breakfast, and hosted evening events. Negotiate for Better Terms and Conditions Favourable cancellation terms or decreased early check-out fees can add up to significant savings. Negotiate Last-Room Availability Clauses This means that properties must offer negotiated rates even if only one room type is available, resulting in lower ADRs throughout the year. Regularly Upgrade Room Category Pricing The ADR ceiling or cap in large metropolitan markets can be tight due to city wide sell-outs, which are more common in these business hubs. Property-Specific Agreements Property-specific agreements typically lead to better savings. While chain-wide agreements provide the advantage of a regional discount to companies with geographically dispersed travel patterns, property-level agreements at individual chain properties offer greater discounts. Chain- wide agreements are also very difficult to negotiate without significant travel spend. Consider Timing Corporate travel buyers may have more favorable results when the negotiation is timed during a slower period for the hotel. Work With Your Travel Management Company Work with your TMC to take advantage of powerful discounts and perks. In many cases, travel management companies can consolidate the buying power of a broad range of clients and offer benefits that companies may not be able to achieve on their own Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis

7 Summary Now is the time to work with your hotel partners. Companies that can show incremental demand may be able to negotiate favourable agreements. Hotel rates continue to rise, however, there still remains an opportunity to negotiate for amenities that are meaningful to your travellers as well as favourable conditions such as early check-out. Travel Management Trends According to respondents of Egencia s survey of nearly 350 travel buyers, 54 percent of buyers expect their travel volumes to increase during the remainder of 2011, with 17 percent planning to change their travel policies during the year. Additionally, 38 percent of travel buyers said they will negotiate more this year than they did in Travel Managers universally identified cost control/reducing spend as the greatest challenge facing travel programmes. Specific rankings of travel programme challenges are as follows: Cost control/reducing expenses (79%) Traveller satisfaction (43%) Traveller compliance/policy enforcement (42%) Research Methodology Data and insight based on the statistical analysis of the past and present industry trends, macroeconomic factors, market research and vendors capacity forecasts for Smith Travel Research (STR) and OAG filings were leveraged for a marketlevel analysis of both Lodging and Air capacity. ARC, STR and Expedia Internal Data were used for market-level analysis of pricing. Average Ticket Price Calculations Average Ticket Price (ATP) is the average airfare paid by consumers including taxes and fees Based on round-trip, economy class tickets to the listed destinations ATPs are in local currency, based upon the point of sale and are weighted by ticket share for that point of sale Average Daily Rate Calculations ADR or Average Daily Rate, is the average daily rate paid for lodging including taxes & fees Based on date of stay in the listed destinations ADRs are in local currency, based upon the point of supply Capturing a full view of travel spend (40%) Compared to a similar survey on travel management trends conducted last year (2010), the challenges reported in 2011 are mainly the same. Contact a Sales Consultant Today Global Supply Benchmarking Research and Analysis