ITM Ground Transport Strategy Guide for business travel buyers

The Institute of Travel Management (ITM) has published a Ground Transport Strategy Guide to provide business travel buyers with practical advice, areas to consider, and questions to ask vendors in order to build a successful ground transport programme. The guide is the output of a joint ITM and GBTA Ground Transport volunteer working group of travel buyer and supplier members from both organisations.

The guide is split into four main sections as follows:

• Part One – covering the basics of why a ground transport strategy might be necessary, where to start and who to talk to. Recommendations include engaging with security and risk teams to gain input on acceptable means of transport from a risk perspective; speak to those in your organisation responsible for business travel insurance; understand from finance departments the type of ground transport that employees are allowed to expense; ask sustainability teams for their reporting requirements for ground transport.
• Part Two – focusses on different ground transport categories including rail, chauffeur cars, car rental, ride hailing, taxis, scooters, and MaaS (mobility as a service). It looks at the opportunities and challenges for each category that buyers should consider, bearing in mind there are nuances in each category dependent on region of the world.
• Part Three – outlines how buyers can engage with their TMC and OBT to discuss ground transport categories to be included in the strategy, and their recommended approach based on experience with other organisations. This section also suggests a series of questions buyers can ask, such as: does ground transport feature on your technology roadmap? what payment solutions can you support and for which categories?
• Part Four – provides links to useful resources already produced by the GBTA Foundation such as its Sustainability Toolkit which includes a module covering sustainability opportunities and challenges in ground transportation.

Kerry Douglas, Head of Programme, ITM commented: “Ground transport is increasingly gaining more prominence as buyers seek to meet sustainability objectives with their travel programmes, and this focus will continue to grow. Ground transport, if feasible as an alternative to form of travel, can help meet those sustainability objectives. But at the same time the scope of ground transport has shifted to include multi-modal options, not just the traditional rail, car hire and chauffeur drive, but ride-hailing and shared mobility such as e-scooters. Many travel buyers are looking for guidance as to the best way to incorporate all these ground transport modes into their travel programme. We therefore decided to create this guide, to identify practical tools and tips for buyers to take forwards, regardless of the size of their travel programme.”

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.