In an industry where every measurement must be precise, whether the subject is productivity, money saved, or the return on an investment it has been incredibly difficult to gauge specific elements of travel buyers' focus, or the degree of that focus, especially important now in these tough economic times.
Now we can track that focus thanks to ACTE Connect.
ACTE Connect was designed to serve as the world’s business travel data repository. It transcends global boundaries, competitive bias, commercial messages and industry politics. Travel buyers and suppliers, human resource executives, travel writers and educators can use this system free of charge--regardless of whether or not they are ACTE members--to research any one of over 600 reports, white papers and studies covering everything from cost containment to corporate social responsibility.
Since its inception four months ago, ACTE Connect has been receiving an average of 2,000 hits per month, 80 percent of which have come from corporate travel buyers. For the first time, we are now able to provide statistics on the research being viewed on ACTE Connect and the results reflect that travel buyers are heading back to basics to address the global economic issues that have impacted the travel industry.
The return to basics is reflected in the fact that "Travel Management Best Practices" and "Industry Trends" were the two most researched categories in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the United States. But then local nuances began to become evident as "Online Booking" held the top interest spot for the Middle East and Africa, was in second place for Canada and third place for Europe. The "Expense Management" category came in third place for the United States and "Air" was in third place in Asia.
So, travel buyers are very busy these days--looking at best practices to make sure their travel programs are optimally supporting their companies' goals in challenging times and then keeping an eye on the future (expense management, online or air programs), depending on their region of the world.
The global travel community can continue to support each other through the sharing of learnings that have happened in various parts of the world. The wheel doesn't have to be recreated each time a travel buyer decides to look into something new; but rather, they just need to log on to www.acteconnect.com.
We appreciate those entities that have supplied ACTE Connect with their research papers and case studies and we encourage others to give to this open and free travel community.
Regular updates on the research being viewed with be provided so that the global travel community can respond accordingly and the information will assist ACTE in pinpointing its educational program regionally and to more closely coordinate its efforts to provide valuable education content worldwide.
~ Greeley Koch, Chair, ACTE Centre for Research and Education