The Business Travel Magazine June/July 2019

ARRIVALS
EVENT REPORT
Advantage Travel Conference
Future proof
Cadiz in southern Spain welcomed
delegates to the travel consortium’s
annual conference. Sasha Wood reports
Technology and how TMCs can plot a path to
the future through the shifting landscape of
business travel were two of the key themes at
this year’s Advantage Conference.
More than 400 delegates gathered in Cadiz
for networking and advice on topics as
diverse as RFPs and defining business image
to embracing new technology and AI.
In the opening plenary session, Advantage’s
Chief Executive, Julia Lo-Bue Said, noted that
legislation and technology continue to create
challenges for the industry, while Advantage’s
Global Product Director, Neil Armorgie
agreed: “We all recognise that tech is playing
an increasing role in TMCs.”
This was addressed in a session looking at
the role of future tech and AI in the travel
business. “AI is moving into the travel industry
and it’s not letting go,” said Steve Dunne,
CEO of Digital Drums. There’s now big data
on all our travel habits and it’s allowing AI
algorithms, customised search platforms and
website chatbots to spread.
Speaker Michael McSperrin from Alexander
Mann Solutions said we need to maintain a
balance between human interaction and
efficient automation. Thankfully robots won’t
be taking our jobs any time soon: “AI will
augment the business, taking over mundane
tasks, freeing you up for more in-depth work.”
Another session, TMC Identity Crisis, looked
at strategies for defining a business. On the
basis that “nobody can be all things to
everyone”, Festive Road’s Louise Kilgannon led
a two-hour role-playing workshop in which
TMCs adopted a persona. The TMCs of the
future included a crème de la crème premium
model providing outstanding service no
matter the cost, and a new breed of digitallydriven
TMC that uses new technology,
including data analytics, to their advantage.
In another lively breakout, dubbed RFP
Tennis, travel managers were pitted against
TMCs to debate issues around RFPs, with both
sides conceding the process needs to be more
transparent. “From what I’ve been hearing,
there needs to be more dialogue between
buyers and TMCs,” said session umpire and
The Business Travel Network MD, David Clare.
TO BOT OR NOT TO BOT
Well over 70% expect
artificial intelligence to
fundamentally transform
their customer experience
strategy and how consumers
view their brand, while 87%
are already evaluating and
integrating AI
WISE WORDS
“IN 250 RFPs, I HAVE NEVER
BEEN ASKED BY A TMC,
'CAN I MEET YOUR INTERNAL
CUSTOMERS?'. THERE ARE
HIDDEN COSTS TO NOT
ENGAGING THE TRAVELLER,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO STRESS AND WELLBEING"
NEXT PORT OF CALL
Portugal is the next port of
call for the annual Advantage
Travel Conference. It will be
hosted in Funchal on the
Portuguese island of Madeira
from May 15-18, 2020
30 THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM