Higher Cost Is a Barrier
SPECIAL REPORT
FROM NBTA CANADA ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITOR SHOWCASE
CONTACT: Caleb Tiller , +1 703-236-1138
Tanya Racz , +1 403-503-0431
Toronto, ON (April 4, 2008) -- Demand is growing for “green” services in business travel, a panel of experts told more than 225 travel managers and suppliers gathered in Toronto yesterday at a two-day conference sponsored by the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Canada.
Panelist Michelle White, Director of Environmental Affairs for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, said many organizations’ requests for proposals (RFPs) for business travel agreements now include questions about what the chain is doing to mitigate its carbon footprint. Meeting planners, too, are looking to "green" their events, she said. "They are all looking at how to minimize the impacts of those meetings, and the expectation is that you will have these strategies in place because it is a key component of any venue selection."
Helen Brough, Director of Advisory Services for American Express, says the majority of American Express business travel clients are asking similar questions. The problem is that these questions about environmental programs are typically answered in vague language from marketing departments: They say, “‘We are very committed to this. We are putting procedures in place,’” she said, but, “There's no hardcore detail.”
Fairmont Hotels’ White says such vague assurances are no longer relevant; clients want concrete, measurable details. Fairmont recently signed a contract to have the World Wildlife Fund assess the company's carbon footprint and recommend a strategy for change, she says.
Until that plan is complete, White adds, “We largely focus on minimizing the environmental impacts of our hotels, looking at, for example, waste management strategies, energy and water conservation."
Assessments such as the one Fairmont is conducting are vital, according to panelist Charles Johnson, director of sales for Agresso Travel Industry Solutions. In the past, he said, CEOs might have announced their intent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10% with little or no idea of what that meant. Now, there is a trend toward releasing carbon statements similar to financial statements, he said.
Although green demand is growing, Brough said, higher costs for environmentally friendly products or services can be a barrier for travel buyers. "If a hybrid car rental is more expensive, that is still an issue." She added, however, that some companies are benefiting from being green, citing a survey in which 20% of American Express business travel clients said they had actually been awarded business based on their environmental programs."
Brough, Johnson and White were among more than 225 business travel industry professionals taking part in NBTA Canada’s 4th Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase, held this week in Toronto.
NBTA Canada, the leading organization for corporate travel professionals in Canada, is part of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the world’s premier business travel organization. U.S.-based NBTA and its regional subsidiaries – NBTA Asia Pacific, NBTA Canada and NBTA Mexico – serve more than 3,200 members in 30 nations around the globe. NBTA has 41 U.S. Chapters with more than 5,000 members. NBTA members are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than US$170 billion of global business travel expenditures annually. The association provides industry-leading networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. For more information, visit www.nbta.org and www.nbtacanada.org.
NBTA Canada, le chef de file de l’organisation des voyages d’affaires pour les professionnels au Canada, fait partie de la National Business Travel Association (NBTA), l’organisme de voyages d’affaires par excellence à l’échelle globale. La NBTA, dont le siège social est aux États-Unis, ainsi que ses filiales régionales – NBTA Asie Pacifique, NBTA Canada et NBTA Mexique – offrent des services à plus de 3 200 membres répartis dans 30 pays à travers le monde. La NBTA a 41 succursales aux États-Unis comptant plus de 5 000 membres. Les membres de la NBTA sont des gestionnaires de voyages et de réunions d’affaires provenant des milieux public et privé, qui, ensemble, gèrent un portefeuille de plus de 170 milliards $ en dépenses liées aux voyages annuellement. L’association offre un réseau parmi les meilleurs de l’industrie, un programme de formation et de perfectionnement professionnel ainsi que des services de recherche, de nouvelles, d’information et de plaidoirie. Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter les sites www.nbtacanada.org et www.nbta.org.
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