Mobile IT can revolutionise corporate travel

Travel firms realise the potential of mobile technology but service innovation is poor, says report

The uptake of mobile IT in the travel sector has been slow

Travel firms believe mobile technology will revolutionise business travel by saving time and generating cost savings, but they have made little progress in implementing changes to their infrastructure, according to research.

A study by travel specialist Amadeus and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) polled 100 corporate travel managers and technology experts worldwide on their views of how mobile IT is impacting the sector.

Completing travel-related administration procedures such as expense forms while on the move, online check-in, virtual room keys, as well as electronic boarding passes sent directly to a mobile device. are all seen as catalysts for increasing productivity and supporting corporate policy compliance, said the report.

And all the respondents felt that tracking and communication of travellers for "security purposes” was one of the chief benefits of mobile technology.

But despite the fact that 80 per cent of businesses are aware of the benefits of the use of mobile IT, very few have incorporated new mobile services into their corporate travel programmes.

"The benefits of mobile technology are significant, from increases in productivity of travellers, to improvements in safety and tracking of staff,” said Amadeus’ corporations head of department Frank Palapies.

“The findings prove the potential of mobile technology to transform corporate travel forever for both the business traveller and the corporate travel manager - it is the next logical step in travel technology,” he said.