Don’t let the budget dampen your travel initiatives

As a qualified Chartered Accountant and the CEO of one of the largest corporates in the travel industry, BidTravel, I obviously took a keen interest in the Budget speech and the ramifications thereof, for not only my own business but for the man in the street and other businesses big or small. Various aspects of budget 2019, coupled now with the latest petrol price hike, will certainly place strain on not only the travel industry but all its clients.

I would like to offer some basic advice to our clients as businesses cannot afford to lie down and say they simply can no longer travel if it has always been an important requirement of doing business.

These are a few ways that the smallest SMEs, to the largest corporate entities, can beat the ‘budget blues’ 

Use a good TMC

Don’t make the mistake of thinking if you get a staff member to surf the net and try to book the cheapest fare available that you can get better deals. Many of these so-called ‘cheapies’ incur additional charges for checked luggage, charges to secure your seat, meals, preferential boarding etc.

Rather use a good globally connected TMC and here are just a few advantages of doing so, particularly with regard to international travel.

Be more flexible

Be prepared to follow your travel professional’s advice and go where the going (and pricing) is good. Conferencing, in particular, is an area where a company could show more flexibility. There is a tendency to return to old favourite spots time after time, but remember there may be more cost-effective places to go and your delegates will probably welcome a bit of a change of scenery anyway.

A few more advice tips that travel industry personnel should be giving clients are:

Book carry on only

Regarding smaller local travel for regular daily ups and downs for business, think about booking ‘carry on only’ airlines who are a little cheaper, because you save on luggage costs.

Airport parking

Check out what parking at the airport costs you as opposed to other modes of transport. When you add up the parking fees of a number of Executives going on a conference, as opposed to a group travel option, you could be astounded at the saving. Once again your TMC will be able to advise you on cost differences and offer suitable alternatives.

Cost cutting is not necessarily compromise

I am a great believer that cost-cutting need not necessarily mean a compromise of quality. These are just a few personal corporate travel cost-cutting tips, but they can make the difference between having to compromise on – and actually improving on, your travel.

Every budget is theoretically designed so that the government can try to best serve their people. Our travel industry partners always make it our business to best serve our clients by working around budgets – and finding creative ways to ensure they never dampen travel initiatives!

Adopted from, Lidia Folli, Chief Executive Officer at Bidtravel