Travel remains a vital ingredient for business success despite pressures including congestion, soaring fuel prices and stricter health and safety responsibilities, according to Elizabeth Dainton, Research Development Manager for the Royal Automobile Club Foundation, speaking today at the Institute of Travel Management ‘Wheels in Motion’ Focus Forum at the Canary Wharf De Vere, London (19).
Ms Dainton will emphasise the importance of business travel to thriving companies and will highlight the benefits of the car, which despite rising levels of congestion, remains the number one choice for business travellers. She will explain that public transport is rarely seen as ‘fit for purpose’ where business travel is concerned, whereas IT is playing an increasingly important role.
She will also highlight that research from the RAC Foundation and British Chambers of Commerce titled ‘Business Travel – Choice or Necessity?’ finds small medium businesses to be leading the way when it comes to encouraging more sustainable business travel practices, but without relevant company policies, senior-management buy-in and national and local government support, little will be achieved.
The RAC Foundation fact file on business travel finds that the average business traveller will:
* Travel one and a half times around the globe during the course of their working life
* Spend 22% of their annual mileage on business travel
* Travel 20.7 miles and for 39 minutes for each business trip
* Complete 69% of travel by car
* Be travelling alone
* Be travelling at times similar to the commute
Elizabeth Dainton, Research Development Manager of the RAC Foundation says:
‘Our research finds that business travel is essential to effective and efficient business operations. Small medium enterprises are leading the way when it comes to pioneering more sustainable ways of getting from A to B, but it must be recognised that the car will continue to play a vital role for business due to the flexibility and convenience it provides.’