Leading hospitality technology provider Cvent and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) have released a groundbreaking report that delves into the transforming role of corporate travel managers and sheds light on their experiences before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Titled “The Life and Times of a Corporate Travel Manager: Travel Manager Reflections on Their Career and the Evolving Role,” this report uncovers crucial insights into the industry’s dynamic and evolving landscape.
The report underscores corporate travel managers’ vital contribution to their organisations’ success and employee travellers’ satisfaction. However, it also highlights the significant disruptions faced by the profession during the pandemic, including travel restrictions, safety concerns, and volatile pricing. With business travel now rebounding and a new generation of travel managers entering the workforce, Cvent and GBTA seized the opportunity to explore travel managers’ evolution and relevance in the current and future corporate travel structure.
Anil Punyapu, Senior Vice President of Sales at Cvent, emphasized the importance of understanding the changing role of travel managers. He stated, “The past few years have required navigating unprecedented changes and a new landscape for business travel, and that includes for our industry’s workforce. With this report, by going straight to the source, we explore how they view themselves as part of the current and next era of global business travel.”
Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA, echoed the sentiment, stressing the need to examine the position of travel managers in a forever-changed world. She stated, “It’s essential for us to examine how travel managers fit into this forever-changed world. With this report, by going straight to the source, we explore how they view themselves as part of the current and next era of global business travel.”
Key findings from the report include:
- PAY INCREASES: U.S.-based travel managers expect a median salary of $117,500 in 2023, reflecting a 3.5% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, their European Union counterparts anticipate earning an average of €70,000, indicating a 1.9% increase. However, it is essential to note that expected salary raises are not projected to keep pace with inflation rates in both regions.
- MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS: Travel managers come from diverse professional backgrounds and enter the field through various pathways. Approximately 49% of current travel managers have previous experience working for a travel supplier such as an airline or hotel. Additionally, 28% transitioned from procurement positions unrelated to travel, while 17% originated from finance or accounting backgrounds.
- DE&I OPPORTUNITIES: The report reveals an opportunity to enhance the representation of racial and ethnic minorities within the travel management field. Of the survey respondents, 11% identified as underrepresented racial or ethnic minorities, with 14% in North America and 3% in Europe. Furthermore, 74% of participating travel managers identified as women, 75% in North America and 71% in Europe.
- JOB SATISFACTION: A remarkable 90% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their careers, with 58% stating they “like” and 31% saying they “love” working in the field. Travel managers value work-life balance and engagement with their day-to-day responsibilities.
The online survey included responses from 186 qualifying travel managers based in the United States, Canada, and Europe/UK, collected in February 2023.
To delve deeper into the report’s findings, a free webinar will be held on June 21, 2023, at 11 am ET. The webinar will feature insights and discussions led by Kelli Romig, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Cvent; Carol Fergus, Global Travel Manager at Fidelity International; and Mark Sharoff, Research Senior Manager at GBTA. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights. Register for the webinar here.
With corporate travel gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, this comprehensive report is a valuable resource for travel managers, organizations, and industry professionals. The findings offer critical insights into the evolving role of travel managers, enabling them to navigate the changing landscape of corporate travel confidently.
Written by: Jill Walsh
