Business Travel March-April-2021

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ACCOMMODATION home-cooked food, and be in control of what we are eating – and apartments give us this extra degree of flexibility. I also believe travel and expenses will increasingly be married together to look at the true cost of the stay, rather than the room rate discounts alone and T&E on a separate line item. Coming out of this pandemic, there could be a degree of anxiety among travellers who will be looking for more private space and ways to avoid unnecessary contact. Loyalty schemes won’t be just about getting upgrades but will allow travellers to preallocate their room, do advanced check-in, and pre-order room service – all reducing contact with others during their trip. Above all, as we come out of the pandemic crisis travellers will want reassurance that while their employers needs to balance costs they also value their employees and have their best interests at heart. Debbie Male Head of Sales, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts Responsible travel, risk management and employee wellbeing are high priorities for most travel buyers and the pandemic has accelerated this due to changing regulations, traveller confidence and a higher focus on duty of care. The focus on acting responsibly is not only driven by senior management but also by travellers themselves. In our recent global survey of 9,000 travellers, 53% agree that Covid-19 has made them more socially and environmentally conscious about their impact when travelling, with younger travellers leading the charge. The same survey also showed that 80% think it is important to choose a hotel brand that operates responsibly. Booking decisions are being made based on a brand or hotel’s Travel buyers might see this as the ideal moment to overhaul their sourcing strategy, but this only makes sense if they have sufficent volume” sustainability credentials, which is reflected in growing attention from OTAs, as well as corporate clients who are demanding more data in this area as part of RFPs. The recent launch of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Journey to Tomorrow is our responsible business plan to drive change for our people, communities and planet over the next decade. Progress is best achieved when we work together, and we will continue to collaborate closely with those who stay, work and partner with us to drive positive change. B A C K T O B U S I N E S S The Ascott Limited A leading international lodging owner-operator, Ascott's award-winning portfolio spans more than 190 cities spanning more than 30 countries across Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA. Ascott provides a safe environment with its comprehensive health and safety guidelines, Ascott Cares, and it has been awarded the SafeGuard Label by Bureau Veritas confirming the properties have the appropriate health, hygiene and safety procedures and processes. Deutsche Hospitality stands for an exceptional portfolio of over 160 hotels in 19 countries on three continents, including 40 hotels that are under development. The varied Deutsche Hospitality portfolio includes the Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, MAXX by Steigenberger, Jaz in the City, the IntercityHotels and the Zleep Hotels. Travel bookers - we invite you to take part in our research, where you will also be entered into our raffle to win an Amazon gift card worth £25.00 form.jotform.com/bigblueroad/ Your-answers-matter-to-us Frasers Hospitality is a leading global hospitality operator of Gold-standard serviced, hotel residences and boutique lifestyle hotels with more than 140 properties in over 70 cities across UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa, North Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia. A globally-awarded leading hospitality operator, Frasers Hospitality aims to anticipate and exceeds customers’ evolving expectations and lifestyle preferences through continuous innovation and intuitive service to deliver memorable experiences. Madison Hill A Safe & Secure Home Private Front Door Dedicated Work Space Fast Reliable WiFi Private Outdoor Space Parking Available Central London - 15 Minutes ISAAP Quality Accredited with 2020 Infection Control the-ascott.com reservation@the-ascott.com deutschehospitality.com tanu.narula@deutschehospitality.com frasershospitality.com sales.london@frasershospitality.com madison-hill.com enquiries@madison-hill.com 24 THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.com
HOTEL: HYATT REGENCY THE CHURCHILL, LONDON DEPARTURES Reality check THE HOTEL This five-star 440-room hotel in Portman Square, managed by Hyatt for the last 16 years, turned 50 last year but the planned celebrations were scuppered by the pandemic. COVID STRATEGY The hotel has been awarded GBAC (Global Biorisk Advisory Council) STAR facility accreditation, regarded the gold standard for outbreak prevention, response and recovery and part of Hyatt’s Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment. THE CHECK-IN Doorman and two reception staff, all wearing masks, took my bags and directed me to a machine to check my temperature (similar to an airport biometric passport check). All approved, I checked in at the screened reception desk. I was told the restaurants and bar were closed due to lockdown restrictions but full room service was available. THE ROOM My Regency Executive Suite (room 345) was super spacious (58 square metres), with a living room large sofa, coffee table and work space, leading to a bedroom with an enormous king-size bed. A large ensuite bathroom had a bath, large walk-in shower and a Japanese-style toilet. Remote controls for the two 42” flatscreen HDTVs were wrapped in plastic for Covid hygiene, mini-bar items had been removed and a packet of antibacterial wipes was provided. THE BUSINESS WiFi was free, fast and easy to access. The desk in my suite was huge, although I was a little disappointed there were no in-built power sockets, which meant a bit of scrambling around to find floor-level sockets nearby. Last autumn the hotel opened a fabulous new Churchill Residential Suite, with a full office space, modelled on Sir Winston Churchill’s own office, and with two terraces with rooftop views. THE FACILITIES Sadly, the gym, bars and restaurants are were all closed due to Covid. Instead, I went for a run around Hyde Park and ordered from the room service menu. My rib eye EVERY CONSIDERATION HAD BEEN GIVEN TO COVID AND I HAD NO SAFETY CONCERNS steak was perfectly cooked and breakfast was equally as good, particularly the ice-cold fresh fruit salad. THE VERDICT Every consideration had been given to Covid and I had no concerns about my health and safety. THE DETAILS 30 Portman Square, Marylebone, London W1H 7BH. hyattregencylondon.com Nightly rates from £218, room only. Day rates start from £120. Bev Fearis CHAUFFEUR DRIVE: ROLZO BUSINESS THE BACKGROUND ROLZO is a booking platform for all types of car travel – car rental, chauffeur drive (by the journey, hour, or day), plus airport transfers and special deliveries. In October 2020 it launched ROLZO Business, providing various services, including instant quotation and booking confirmation, secure payment, real-time invoicing, smart reporting and analytics. COVID STRATEGY All cars, whether chauffeur drive or rental cars, are completely cleaned with the Purespace disinfection system before and after each journey. Chauffeurs wear facemasks and gloves at all times and are checked for signs of Covid-19 twice a day. Passengers are also provided with hand sanitiser, disinfectant wipes, masks and gloves. Instead of being greeted by a handshake, passengers are welcomed with a slight bow. THE BOOKING The bookings took just a few minutes. I immediately received confirmation emails and another email offering any further assistance, including a link to 10 short video tutorials showing me how to carry out various actions, such as modifying my booking. THE PRE-JOURNEY In the days before my journey, and on the day, I received a number of email updates, including one confirming the name and telephone number of my driver. THE PICK-UP My driver, Dimitri, arrived early and waited by the car smartly dressed in a dark suit and with a black Covid mask and black gloves. The Mercedes was gleaming. He took my luggage and opened the door and told me where I could find a mask and gloves in the central armrest. I masked up before he got back in the car. THE JOURNEY I relaxed and enjoyed the smooth ride, generous legroom and comfortable headrest. Any chats were instigated by me and Dimitri made no personal calls (my pet hate in previous airport taxi pick-ups after a long flight). As well as the gloves and mask, the car had bottled water, mints, a packet of tissues and antiseptic wipes. THIS WAS A SLICK OPERATION FROM START TO FINISH THE VERDICT This was a slick operation from start to finish. The booking process was straightforward and intuitive and the pre-trip communication was just right – not too much but also enough to reassure me that everything was in hand. I also felt safe in regards to Covid thanks to all the new measures in place. THE DETAILS rolzo.com/business bookings@rolzo.com Bev Fearis THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM 25
Page 1 and 2: 84 March/April 2021 BRIGHTER HORIZO
Page 3 and 4: UP FRONT Contents MARCH-APRIL 2021
Page 5 and 6: Welcome Spring into action Whether
Page 7 and 8: UP FRONT SPEAKING OUT We have come
Page 9 and 10: Think you know serviced apartments?
Page 11 and 12: THE NEWS REVIEW T H E B U S I N E S
Page 13 and 14: THE NEWS REVIEW T H E B U S I N E S
Page 15 and 16: TRAVEL MANAGEMENT CoMPANIES Y O U R
Page 17 and 18: Introduction / TMCs TIME out The bu
Page 19 and 20: Introduction / TMCs 38% said they e
Page 21 and 22: Covid response / TMCs THEBUSINESSTR
Page 23 and 24: Traveller safety & cost control? Ye
Page 25 and 26: Consolidation / TMCs Size is no gua
Page 27 and 28: Strike a balance Do you spend every
Page 29 and 30: The 2020 Directory / TMCs Business
Page 31 and 32: The 2020 Directory / TMCs Business
Page 33 and 34: Fees / TMCs Underlying health condi
Page 35 and 36: Good Good Travel Travel Management
Page 37 and 38: A lot is changing in business trave
Page 39 and 40: taxis GrOUnd and transPOrt transfer
Page 41 and 42: Eco solution Go Electric. Operate y
Page 43 and 44: WELLBEING POSITIVE thinking As comp
Page 46 and 47: ACCOMMODATION Rise and SHINE Four e
Page 50 and 51: DEPARTURES Reality check FLIGHT: QA
Page 52: Save the date SEPTEMBER 14-15, 2021

Business Travel March-April-2021

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