DESTINATION

Summer 2014 A CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS PUBLICATION

TRAVEL STAY CONNECT

Dont visit Leeds Historic grandeur Why being social
without pocketing meets subtle chic at conferences
our guide to its at this Edinburgh means more than
venues and sights town house hotel just a handshake

GLITTERING
PRIZE
WHY HAS SPORTING
CARDIFF SET ITS
SIGHTS ON BUSINESS?

AIRPORT LOUNGES
TO MAKE YOU FORGET
YOURE IN TRANSIT
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM:
THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES
WE FACED LAST WINTER

Contents
Summer 2014
5 WELCOME
Trevor Elswood reflects on the year so far
and our new voice of the customer campaign
Minutes
8 10 THINGS TO TAKE ON BOARD
From US flights for a tenner to Travelodges
expansion and Heathrows new Terminal 2
via the latest updates on HS2 and Crossrail
9 THE HOTLIST
Sniff your way round York, carve your
own ice room and sleep among the clouds
(almost) at the Shards Shangri-La hotel
10 ZEITGEIST
Try before you buy: hotels are increasingly
putting their furnishings and dcor on sale
and letting guests literally own the room
11 HAVE YOU TRIED?
Extreme team building isnt just a workout,
but a way of strengthening trust in colleagues.
Should you be taking the plunge?
12 OVERNIGHT EXPERT
Become a member of Le Club and reap
rewards across Accorhotels
13 TALKING POINT
Our experts chat about putting a travel policy
in place and making it a hit with travellers
14 CALENDAR
Keep these events on your radar theyll
see you through the busy months ahead
15 10 TOP
From data to consolidation, tips for
getting the most out of your RFP
18 THAT FIGURES
The big numbers behind the story
of how were travelling by train today
p58
Features
20 DESTINATION: CARDIFF
The Welsh capitals won on the sports field
and now its setting its sights on business
29 USER-GENERATED CONTENT
Can delegates put themselves centre stage?
35 POCKET PLANNER
The lowdown on Leeds, to pull out and keep
40 THE ROXBURGHE
A historic Edinburgh hotel reconceived
46 EIGHT OF THE BEST: AIRPORT LOUNGES
Places to while away your pre-flight periods
50 CASE NOTES: SSE STORM BOOKINGS
The challenges of putting up tired engineers
when rain (and wind, and lightning) sets in
p40
IN THIS
ISSUE
Insiders Guide
55 THE INSIDER
Get to know the CEO: Paul Boyle
shares his insight and experience
56 TRAVEL CLINIC
Our experts share inspirational
incentive ideas and advise on
tackling low online adoption
58 INSIDE OUT
Tips on visiting Monte Carlo,
Brussels and Vienna plus
SnowDome fun in Tamworth
61 TAKE FIVE
Our pick of the best apps for
business travellers
63 ON TRACK
The latest news from inside
Capita Travel and Events
66 OUT OF THE OFFICE
A pop-up hotel, and the smell of
burning rubber, at Silverstone
C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S 3
W h e n fo u r
wa l l s a re n t
enough...
ow that
ve h o te ls , but we kn
We lo ore.
e s y o u ju st need m
sometim Events we
Travel and
At Capita w ith SilverD
oor,
rt n e rs h ip nt
work in pa d apartme
ad in g g lo bal service
the le
specialist. ou and
e r, w e e n sure that y
Togeth pace,
e rs h av e the extra s
ll
your trave t you need
a n d fa cilities tha
priva c y lling on
o m e when trave
to fee l a t h nights.
fo r m o re than a few
busines s
d Events
o u r C a p ita Travel an
Contact y 100,000
a n d c h oose from
tea m cities
e n ts in over 400
apart m wide.
7 0 c o u n tries world
across

I N PA RT N E R S H I P W I T H
 Capita Travel and Events
Meridian Court, 18 Stanier Way
Wyvern Business Park
Derby DE21 6BF
t: 0871 521 9800
e: travelandevents@capita.co.uk
@CapTravelEvents
www.capitatravelandevents.co.uk
THANKS Paul Boyle
ALL WHO TO Chief executive officer
FOR US IN VOTED Trevor Elswood
AWARDS. THE M&IT Chief commercial officer
WE
HAVE WO COULDNT
Ian Carron

Welcome
N Chief information officer
SIXTH CO FOR THE Alan Hardy
NSECUTIV Chief financial officer
YEAR WIT E
HOUT
YOU! Neal Poole
Head of marketing

BUILDING ON SUCCESS Editor

Would you believe it? The days are
getting longer, the World Cup and
Commonwealth Games are looming
at last, were looking forward to summer.
The past few months have sped by for us
at Capita Travel and Events as weve been
working hard to further our understanding
of our customers needs and tailor our
services accordingly.
I look back on the first half of this year
with pride, safe in the knowledge that
theres already been a lot of success. Back in
February, we took the Business Travel Show
by storm at a stand abuzz with familiar faces
and plenty of new ones (and Im confident
this wasnt just down to the free sweets!).
When we werent soaking up the wisdom
of industry greats, we were sharing our
own insight and expertise. I took to the
stage to discuss the future of technology
in business travel, while our director of
consulting services, Sam Welch, looked at
ALAMY
Laura Evans
Editorial assistant
market (read more on p13). And the bubbly Lily Howes
Senior sub-editor
was in full flow as Raj Sachdave, head of rail
Gemma Dean
product UK and international, launched our Art director
integrated taxi booking service. Previewed Shelley Varley
in the last issue of Destination, this allows Account director
customers to book a taxi that coordinates Rachel Walder
Managing director
with their trains arrival continuing our Polly Arnold
aim to make your travel experiences as easy
as possible. Destination 2014
Were also basking in the glory of ISSN 2052-4536
Published on behalf of
winning the Meetings & Incentive Travel
Capita Travel and Events by
Best Intermediary Agency (more than 40 Think
employees) Award for the sixth consecutive The Pall Mall Deposit
year (p63). Thank you to all who took 124-128 Barlby Road
the time to vote; we couldnt have done it London W10 6BL
t: 020 8962 3020
without you. What you think matters, and e: destination@thinkpublishing.co.uk
because we want to continue to provide a
valued service, were launching a voice of the
customer campaign. Keep an eye out wed
welcome suggestions and comments on how
we can make our service and technology as
forward-thinking, and as relevant to your

policy compliance in the light of a hardening needs, as we can.

Printed by
Taylor Bloxham,
Leicester

Capita Travel and Events

does not necessarily agree with,
nor guarantee the accuracy of,
statements made by contributors
Trevor Elswood, or advertisers, or accept
chief commercial officer, responsibility for any opinions they
Capita Travel and Events may express in this publication.

C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S 5
 This is Oxford.
The next stop is Singapore.
Minutes
IN BRIEF

This issue:
TRAIN MEETS PLANE
ICE ARCHITECTURE
OWNING THE ROOM
AIRLINE ALLIANCES
TEAMS AT EXTREMES
TALKING POINT
CARD CLASH
Your round-up of news, views, trends, tips and must-know insights ACCORHOTELS LE CLUB
RFP HEALTH CHECKS
from across the travel, accommodation, meetings and events industry TRAVEL CALENDAR

First Great Western, Heathrow Express and Singapore Airlines have teamed up to form the UKs first rail-fly partnership

C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S 7
 NEWS DIGEST

10 THINGS TO We round up some of the key industry

stories from the past few months

TAKE ON BOARD

3bn
4 The total investment
Lufthansa is making
across its fleet. As part of this
spend, the airline is joining 40
others in offering a premium
economy service. Travellers will

1 Singapore Airlines, Heathrow Express and First Great Western

have partnered to create the UKs first rail-fly partnership.
enjoy 50% more room thanks
to seats up to 3cm wider and 5 The HS2 project could
help resolve the housing
Travellers jetting off from 11 destinations in south-west England, with a 97cm pitch as well as a crisis in the South East. HS2
including Bath, Bristol and Cardiff, can now arrange, through welcome drink, individual power chairman Sir David Higgins
www.rail-fly.com, international flights and rail fares under one socket, meals served on china, said better rail links with the
booking, meaning a journey from the heart of Bristol to Brisbane in one additional checked bag and Midlands and the North would
Australia can be carried out using just one ticket from end to end. an amenity kit containing travel not only boost economies,
The scheme aims to simplify long-haul trips for both business and accessories. The new service but also ease the pressure to
leisure travellers the rail-fly website recommends the best train will be available on Lufthansas live and work in London. The
to catch to make a specific flight, for instance. But its not just about Boeing 747-8 long-haul flights former Network Rail boss
convenience. Someone travelling from Bristol to Brisbane could save from November, and across the made his mark on the project
as much as 140 on an economy SaverExpress fare, or 190 with a fleet by the end of 2015. this spring with proposals to
BusinessExpress ticket. accelerate its second phase by
building the 43-mile stretch to
Crewe in the first construction

2 Flights to the US for

under 10 are on the
cards, courtesy of Ryanair.
Michael OLeary, the airlines
chief executive, hopes to offer
tickets to New York and Boston
for 10 (8.35), with flights
back to Europe even cheaper,
although passengers would
have to pay extra for everything
from meals to baggage. It could,
however, be five years before the
tickets are available.
FR 4332
2
21/03/2014
3 The new and improved
Terminal 2 at Heathrow
is to open in June, following
a 2.5bn revamp by Spanish
firm Luis Vidal + Architects.
Designed with the overarching
aim of making every journey
better, the redevelopment
includes a simplified check-
in process, wider use of
self-service technology, and
shorter walking distances
between transportation and
airport gates. Terminal 2, The
Queens Terminal, will be
home to Heston Blumenthals
Perfectionists Caf and the first
airport branch of John Lewis.
Heathrow Airport served a
period, and to postpone the
700m plan to connect the HS2
line to HS1, which runs from St
Pancras station to the Channel
Tunnel. Mayor of London
Boris Johnson, meanwhile, has
backed calls for a cycle route
alongside the HS2 line between
London and Birmingham.
6 Hilton Worldwide has pledged to open doors for one million
young people by 2019. Announcing its global commitment
at the World Economics Forum Annual Meeting 2014, the company
said it will focus on programmes and partners that connect, prepare
and employ young people around the world, as well as continuing
to employ young people across all divisions of its 4,000-plus hotels,
and offering mentorships and apprenticeships to help prepare them
for the world of work. The travel and tourism sector as a whole

record number of passengers is the worlds largest employer, accounting for almost 10% of the
19:00
London

during 2013: 72.3 million, global workforce; it is expected to generate 73 million new jobs by
New York
Business
5A
almost 10 million more than 2022. Almost 300 million 15- to 24-year-olds around the world are
the total population of the UK. currently neither studying nor in work.

8 S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 | D E S T I N AT I O N
 IN BRIEF

THE HOTLIST

High speeds

100,000,000 Travellers could be able to fly

from London to New York
in as little as three hours
on the S-512. If it takes off,
the supersonic jet will reach
speeds of Mach 1.8, versus a
7 The amount Travelodge is investing in developing and
improving its estate, including building 15 new hotels Boeing 777-300s Mach 0.8.
and creating 1,000 jobs. Five of the new hotels will be located in
London, adding to the 60 hotels the company currently operates
in the capital; in all, the new properties will bring the Travelodge Skyscraper suites
estate to 514 hotels and more than 39,000 rooms. The hotel chain
will also continue its modernisation programme, rolling out new-
The Shangri-La Hotel at the
look contemporary rooms with signature Travelodge Dreamer beds Shard, London, opened in
across every property. These investments, combined with ongoing May, making the skyscraper
business development, mean Travelodge is looking to recruit 1,000
people in hotel management, reception, restaurant, customer-
home to western Europes
service and guest-room-cleaning roles. loftiest hotel.
Plane spotting
8 Canary Wharfs new
Crossrail complex 9 Birmingham City Council
is set to sell the National Heathrow has opened an
will open in May 2015, three
years before the station itself
Exhibition Centre (NEC) to help
settle a 1bn wage bill owed to
observation deck in Terminal
becomes operational. The serving and former employees. 4. The 270-degree viewing
six-storey building, which will The NEC is expected to be sold platform gives plane spotters
connect to the recent Jubilee for up to 300m when it goes
Place shopping centre extension, on the market alongside the
a view of the southern runway,
will include a semi-open balcony LG Arena, the National Indoor the control tower and British
where diners will be able to Arena and the International Airways Concorde.
look over the water. It will also Convention Centre. Opened
be home to the first Everyman in 1979, it hosts more than 140
Cinema in east London and events and attracts 2.1 million City scenter
feature a landscaped park and visitors a year. Female staff, Visit York has launched a
community facility. But its not including home-care workers
just the shopping and dining and school cooks who were paid scratch-and-sniff visitor
complex thats ahead of the less than men for work of equal guide. Aromas are inspired by,
curve. Developer Crossrail Ltd
has been praised for employing
value, are among those receiving
payouts from the council.
among other things, Yorks
women in almost a third of its railway heritage and rural
roles, compared with an average environs. You can even get a
of only 20% in the construction
industry as a whole.
whiff of horses galloping to
the finish at York Racecourse.

10 The events industry has more work to do when it comes

to embracing apprenticeships. That was the message from
Icy nights
MP Nick de Bois when he opened International Confex in March, Rooms in Swedens Ice
maintaining that there are not enough apprenticeships in the Hotel can now be carved
industry at present and that too few people are taking up event
apprenticeships as alternatives to degrees. Industry experts believe to suit a residents taste.
there are too many tourism qualifications available more than 600 Creations have included a
and that simplifying the offering will make it easier for prospective
apprentices to find the most suitable schemes.
pole-dancing polar bear and
a London Underground train.
C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S 9
 ZEITGEIST
OWNING THE ROOM
Shop till you drop off: hotels are letting guests buy the look of their sleeping quarters
Depending on your luck and location,
the dcor of your next hotel might
be anything from plain to plush to
outright garish. If the fittings and
furnishings strike an aesthetic chord,
rejoice. Whether its a unique piece
of art, signature silk sheets or a
lampshade you just cant do without,
hotels from boutique B&Bs to global
groups are increasingly letting guests
buy it as is, right there and then.
Take Marriott Hotels. If youve
stayed in a Marriott and cant stop
thinking about the comfortable sleep
or the intensity of the shower spray,
youll want to stop by the companys
online shop, where everything from
your rooms mattress and duvet to the
shower head or mirror is but a couple
of clicks and a card payment away.
Other hotels are embracing the buy
the look mantra even more literally,
by making it part of their raison dtre.
Take the Laura Ashley hotel, opened
A TO B
FLYING IN FORMATION
Whats the deal with airline alliances? Air product coordinator Josh Collier picks out the pertinent points
Whats an airline alliance?
Several airlines linked together
by a formal partnership.
Theyre designed to cover
the customer wherever they
are in the world, and theyre a
great way of ensuring you get
the best value and the greatest
convenience especially
when your itinerary is on
the complex side.
What airlines are involved?
There are three major alliances.
Airlines within an alliance
complement, rather than
compete, in terms of their
coverage. So Oneworld includes
British Airways, American
Airlines and Iberia, whereas
SkyTeam has Air France, KLM
and Delta. Star Alliance boasts
the likes of Lufthansa, United
Airlines and Singapore Airlines.
10 S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 | D E S T I N AT I O N
To find out more about
try before you buy hotels
such as Marriott, contact Book
Capita Travel and Events a stay
last year in Elstree, Hertfordshire,
which is adorned entirely in dcor and
furniture from the design company.
There isnt a better way to trial a colour
scheme or test-drive a chaise longue
than living with it for a day or two.
Art is one area thats particularly
open to the takeaway market. In our
Spring 2013 issue, we looked at the
rise of hotels bucking the trend for
bland bought-in-bulk wall decorations;
the good news for guests looking to
build their own collections is that many
dont just display art, but act as dealers,
too. The Omni Dallas Hotel in Texas, for
instance, features in its guest rooms
and public spaces more than 7,000
original pieces of art from 150 local
artists, all of which are purchasable.
So wherever youre staying, if an
item catches your eye next time youre
away from home, its worth a word
with the concierge. Who knows? For
Laura Ashley bedroom furniture for sale
a modest sum, it could be yours.
Whats the point?
Its just much simpler! Using
members of a single alliance
makes everything cheaper
and more consistent. Want to
travel around the world? They
can tailor-make a trip for you.
Changing planes? Your baggage
allowance will stay exactly
the same, so you dont need to
worry about jettisoning luggage
midway through your journey.
Whats the future?
Rather than new alliances being
formed, its likely the three
existing alliances will grow even
more. If youre looking for the
next wave of carriers set to join
up, keep your eyes on the Gulf
states. Qatar Airways recently
joined Oneworld, but many of the
other Middle Eastern carriers
havent signed up yet.
 IN BRIEF

HAVE YOU TRIED...

EXTREME TEAM BUILDING?

And, more importantly, should you? Its time to don your camouflage and protective headgear
as we investigate the (teetering) highs and (plummeting) lows that can test teams to their limits

E
xtreme team-building
activities fall decidedly
into the Marmite
category, loved and loathed
in equal measure. Swinging
from treetops or battling army
obstacle courses isnt everyones
idea of an enjoyable day out of
the office, but it could be just
what your team needs to get
back to basics and bond.
In a world where many of us
fall into a working rut sat at
the same desk, day in, day out,
working on similar projects that
exercise the same skill sets
its high time we got out of our
comfort zone and into the great
outdoors. Whether its reliance
on your colleagues aim, strategy
or intuition, trust is at the heart
of most team-building exercises.
But its never more imperative
than when youre physically
dependent on someone.
Perhaps your peers are
directing you as you drive, Activities with different The alternative? Andy create a pitch for sponsors and,
blindfolded, through a stages enable everyone believes an objective-based team eventually, race as a good
racecourse. Maybe the boss is build offering a collaborative example of a balanced activity. It
at the other end of your rope as
to get stuck in approach is of far greater benefit ticks the right boxes for creative
you abseil down a vertiginous activities, he adds, include team when it comes to building an minds, strategic thinkers and
wall. When your safety (and bonding, providing a memorable effective team. Its a perspective those with the gift of the gab.
success) is in someone elses activity, confidence building and Ben Parkinson, commercial Similarly, Beat the Clock 101
hands, trusting them and their trust exercises. director of corporate events varied challenges, of which
judgement is paramount. Of course, extreme company Bluehat Group, teams must complete as many
High-adrenaline and physically pursuits arent without their agrees with. Team-build as possible in two hours gives
challenging activities force drawbacks. Accessibility, for days should give everyone the people the opportunity to stick
individuals to face their fears one challenges that depend opportunity to shine, he says. to the physical side of things or
and form make-or-break bonds on physical strength and That said, Parkinson doesnt steer well clear. As Parkinson
with those around them. ability often exclude those with believe the fact that they puts it: The most successful
These types of activities disabilities or health issues, invoke knee-quivering teams are those that plan,
offer trust-based objectives and pregnant women or older team apprehension in some should understand each others skill sets
a physical aim for the group. members, and those whod mean writing off extreme and play to their strengths.
For those that love the great rather lose their jobs than crawl activities entirely. Activities At the end of the day, a
outdoors or enjoy exhilarating through mud or get shot at with with a variety of different team-building event that fails
activities, this can be a very good paintballs. While some are keen stages enable everyone to to incorporate everyones skills,
WORDS BY LILY HOWES

choice and cannot be replicated
with other, low-key challenges,
says Capita Travel and Events
senior event specialist Andy
Edwards. The benefits of such
to show their physical ability,
a vast amount of people shy
away from this type of activity,
points out Edwards. Its not
for everyone.
get stuck in.
He suggests Bluehats
Chequered Flag exercise which
requires teams to design and
build a pedal-powered kart,
abilities and preferences is likely
to fail before its even begun. But
if everyones on the same page,
theres a lot to be said for pushing
a team to the brink.

C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S 11
 who knew? Commuters
in the capital will have noticed the
new phrase: card clash. Transport for
London has coined it to describe the
chaos caused by contactless payment
cards and Oyster cards interfering
with each other, resulting in double
payments. Contactless cards are
already in use on buses, and will be
accepted on the tube and trains later
this year. The solution is to separate
the two cards. Youve been warned!

OVERNIGHT EXPERT

LE CLUB,
Horsley Park, a De Vere Venue

ACCORHOTELS YOU KNOW YOURE IN A

From Novotel to Sofitel, via Mercure or ibis, one of the DE VERE

benefits of this loyalty scheme is the broad network of
hotels it covers. We take a look at its other plus points
I wont turn down a shiny
new loyalty card, but what
does it actually get me?
That depends on your
loyalty level. The higher
your tier, the more youll
earn. You can rack up points
from all sorts of purchases
at Accorhotels, including
(of course) hotel stays, but
also food and drink in the
restaurant and bar, and
spa treatments. The perfect
excuse to treat yourself
to a late-night tipple,
hearty breakfast or
well-deserved massage!
If you insist! Can I earn
points in any other way?
You can indeed. Earn bonus
points using Le Clubs
Facebook app specifically,
by checking in to hotels,
collecting themed badges
and challenging your
friends. Just make sure the
app is synchronised with
your Le Club account.
Sounds fun. You
mentioned tiers
care to elaborate?
You start on Classic status,
but get more stays or points
climb the ranks. Silver status
is reached after youve
stayed 10 nights or earned
2,500 points; Gold after 30
nights or 10,000 points. The
big one, Platinum, kicks in at
60 nights or 25,000 points.
You need to stay at least
once a year to make sure
your points dont expire.
And what exactly do
those points get me?
What dont they get you,
more like it. You can use
your points to book hotel
rooms or redeem them
across the Accor network
in exchange for a host of
privileges, from free Wi-Fi
and priority check-in to
room upgrades, executive
lounge access, discounted
spa treatments and, if youre
in need of a little smoothing
out, a complimentary
pressing service.
Not too shabby. But can
I trade them in outside
Accors estate?
Certainly. You can cash
them in with Accors
partners, including Club
Med, Europcar, Shell
swapping them for air miles
to spend with selected
international airlines.
Where do I sign up?
Join Le Club online and
your card will be sent to
you after your next stay
at a participating hotel. You
can earn points at more
than 2,700 hotels in 92
countries, but redeemable
rewards differ per hotel.
In a nutshell
l Great for: Frequent
travellers who want to
make their hotel stays
all the more luxurious.
l Hidden bonus:
Le Club members can
also bag access to VIP
events, including film
premieres, sporting
events and musicals.
l Aspire to: Platinum level,
where youll be treated like
a VIP all year round. Enjoy
early check-in and late
check-out, welcome drinks,
room upgrades, access to
private online sales and
guaranteed room availability
VENUE
WHEN each event or conference space is unique
and adaptable to your needs. De Vere Venues portfolio is
broad, ranging from castles and historic country homes
to contemporary conference centres and luxury hotels
with dedicated meeting spaces. Its properties span the
UK, so whether youre in central London or rural Cheshire,
theres a convenient space at your fingertips.
WHEN space, booking and budgets are flexible.
Whether you need a meeting room for a one-hour
catch-up, a high-tech auditorium for 3,000 people or
something altogether more bespoke, De Vere Venues
will deliver. Hand over your brief and budget, and the
team will work to give you what you need.
WHEN top technology costs nothing. All venues have
the latest AV gubbins available, from videoconferencing
tools to wireless projectors not to mention free Wi-Fi!
And theres a team of fully trained experts on hand should
(heaven forbid!) any technical difficulties arise.
WHEN good grub goes without saying. De Vere
prides itself on high-quality food thats perfect for any
given occasion. Tuck into the extensive menu at its
award-winning Steam, Bake & Grill restaurants or ask
the team to whip up some mid-meeting refreshments,
put on a group BBQ or host an intimate private dinner.
WHEN your loyalty is rewarded. With De Veres
Showtime Rewards you earn one point for every 1 spent
on your venue booking and as the same scheme works
across De Vere Hotels and De Vere VILLAGE properties, too,
theres plenty of opportunity to ratchet up your balance.
Redeem your points on a range of products, from cameras
and clothes to champagne, or exchange them for vouchers
ALAMY

under your belt and youll and Fiesta, as well as up to two days before arrival. to spend at Amazon, John Lewis and M&S, among others.

12 S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 | D E S T I N AT I O N

TALKING POINT
POLICIES ON POLICY
Sam Welch of Capita Travel and Events and procurement contractor Jon Bolger
share their thoughts on why and how travel guidelines should be implemented
THE ADVISER
Sam Welch, director of consulting services
accommodation and meetings
When implementing a travel policy, before anything else,
make sure you do your research. Analyse your management
information, and your expense and payment data. Make sure you
understand any existing policies or guidelines. Talk to budget
holders and industry colleagues, as well as your travel and events
agency and any suppliers, to ensure you get a full picture of where
your company is currently, and where you should aim to be.
One common mistake is neglecting to engage the travellers
within your company. This is your chance to challenge the status
quo, and invite them to join you in doing so. Ask them where
theyre travelling to, and why and what they think of the current
suppliers. This is also the time to explain to staff why a policy is
needed, and answer any initial questions they might have.
After that, its time to document what youve found out by
researching and engaging. Agree your core business objectives
and preferred booking methods; consider any budget constraints,
and whether the policy you put in place will be a series of
guidelines or an absolute mandate. Will one policy work for the
whole business, or do different divisions need different versions?
This is the time to look in detail at your needs when it comes to
rail, air, car rental, accommodation, and meetings and events.
Once your policy has been drawn up, youll need to begin
educating your community of travellers. Draw up a
recommendations and benefits paper to make it easy for them
(and help bring them round to your way of thinking). Get buy-
in from stakeholders, and communicate clearly to all frequent
service users whats changed, and whats expected of them. Make
use of all relevant media, including intranet sites and online
booking tools, to get the word out. This is the time for you to make
people see why a policy is good for them, as well as the company.
Finally, even when your policys in place, dont forget to keep
monitoring its success. Every month, review performance and
compliance, take a look at your costs, and seek ongoing feedback
from those who are actually using the
service: the travellers. Oh, and dont cling
to your original
vision. Its likely
youll need to
refine your
policy over time
to make it as
good as it can be.
IN BRIEF
THE ENFORCER
Jon Bolger, interim travel and fleet
category manager for Capita group
Capita used to have a policy that was very much traveller-led.
You could book hotels, as long as you didnt breach the relevant
rate cap for the area. We wanted to change that and implement
a policy where we could properly leverage our considerable
volumes, meet our duty of care obligations and drive costs down
without sacrificing the quality of hotel.
Once people understood the policy and why we were changing
it, the vast majority came round to our way of thinking.
We spent a huge amount of effort on the initial communications
with travellers, providing detailed information on the policy
changes and why they were being made. We also held several calls
and meetings with stakeholders to explain why the policy change
was beneficial, both operationally and financially why, for their
safety and welfare, the company needed to know where they
were staying in case of emergency. Another benefit was that
they wouldnt need to search so hard to find a hotel, because the
online tool would do all the work for them, and any property they
stayed in was well known and used by other Capita travellers.
Travel is a very emotive thing. Everyone has an opinion.
Of course we had people who werent initially happy with the
new policy, either because they didnt like being told what to do
or because they couldnt necessarily use the same hotels as prior
to its implementation. But once they saw the policy was not
focused on reducing quality or choice and why the change was
needed, most, if not all, accepted the change.
When we get complaints, we have to try and understand the
reasons and take appropriate action. Any complaint is taken
very seriously. We ask for details, and whether they raised the
problem during their stay. Then our dedicated complaints team
investigates and takes action as appropriate. In most cases, the
hotel is in the best position to resolve the issue there and then.
The perfect travel policy doesnt exist. You have to make tweaks
as it matures and as requirements change. The ideal policy is
black and white you need as little grey
as possible. Cost is important, but dont
sacrifice everything
for it. The key
is balance,
and getting
that right is
an ongoing
challenge.
13
 E
JARGON BUSTING CALENDAR

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Sporting events, travel shows and party conferences are taking over venues up and down
the UK throughout the next few months. Whether youre planning an event or simply
attending some, keep these busy dates in mind when booking accommodation and travel

AUGUST
OCTOBER

End on end Lib Dem Party

A travel 2-9 Aug Cowes Week,
Isle of Wight
4-8 Oct Conference,
arrangement Glasgow

that combines Super League DECEMBER

two itineraries 8-31 Aug
Edinburgh
International 11 Oct
Grand Final,
Old Trafford, 5-9 Dec
Clothes Show Live,
NEC, Birmingham
into one ticket Festival Manchester
for example, TMI (Tourism King George
flying from New Notting Hill Carnival,
16-18 Oct
Management
26 Dec
VI Chase,
24-25 Aug
York to Hong London Institute) annual
convention, Durham
Kempton Park,
Surrey
Kong and Hong
Kong to Sydney MotoGP British JANUARY
29-31 Aug Grand Prix,
on a single ticket, Silverstone,
2015

rather than two Northamptonshire

Destinations,
separate ones. Champions 15-18 Jan EventCity,
SEPTEMBER 18 Oct Day, Ascot, Manchester
Berkshire
Great North
7 Sep Run, north-east The France
23-25 Jan Show, London
England Procurex Live
21 Oct (Scotland) SECC
EP London Fashion
In hotel 12-16 Sep Week Spring/ 24 Jan
Excursions,
Alexandra Palace,
terminology, Summer 2015
NOVEMBER London
this stands for
Labour Party
European plan, 21-24 Sep Conference, 3-6 Nov
World Travel
Market 2014, 29 Jan Destinations,
but has nothing Manchester ExCel, London 1 Feb Olympia, London

to do with
geographical Ryder Cup, The Luxury Travel
Fair, Olympia,
23-28 Sep Gleneagles,
location. Its a Perthshire
6-9 Nov
London For advice on
rate that covers organising your travel,
meetings and events
only room cost 28 Sep
Conservative
Party
Barclays ATP
World Tour
around busy dates, or to
arrange a visit to any of
and not meals; 1 Oct Conference,
9-16 Nov
Finals, The O2, these events, contact
an American Birmingham London Capita Travel and
Events
plan, in contrast,
includes three
meals a day.
14 S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 | D E S T I N AT I O N
 IN BRIEF

10 TOP

WAYS TO CUT
THROUGH
YOUR RFP
CONFUSION
Could your approach to choosing suppliers
benefit from a little clear thinking? Lisa
Fry, Capita Travel and Events sourcing
manager RFPs, shows you how

1 Understand
your data 2 Engage with
stakeholders 3 Put a policy
in place 4 Agree on
a strategy 5 Consider costs
and added value
Know how much is being Listen to your people; Budget for your Outline your objectives Ensure you take into
spent, where and with theyre the ones with the travellers, considering for the RFP, from budgets account costs such as tax,
which suppliers. Look valuable information price, room grades and and cost reduction transport to the hotel, car
at areas such as room about new projects and the seniority of staff. targets to policy rate caps parking, breakfast and
types and meal plans, locations that may be on Senior stakeholder buy- and new projects. Set Wi-Fi. Negotiating free
any long-stay bookings, the cards. They might in of the policy may help timelines, and consider extras think breakfasts,
and use of day delegate also have feedback on you encourage people the tool that will be used Wi-Fi, flip charts or
or basic room hire rates. the current preferred to book specific hotels; to manage the RFP. There meeting rooms, or simply
This information may suppliers that could increasing volumes is a are many benefits such tea and coffee will add
put your agent in a better help enhance the great way to maximise as accuracy and efficiency value, but only for things
position for negotiation. user experience. rate negotiation. to using an eRFP tool. that are needed anyway.

6 Availability
is everything 7 Be open to new
opportunities 8 Understand
the market 9 Consolidate
Make sure you 10 Combine spend
Bring hotel spend
Its no good negotiating For longer stays, think Benchmark, benchmark, have all locations together with meetings
a rate you cant actually about independent hotels benchmark against covered, and enough and events spend.
book! Ensure your or apartments; make sure industry rate increases, hotels to cope with the Negotiate with venue
agent works to secure you check out properties market forecasts, rates demand for each location. providers alongside your
specific room allocations that have opened submitted versus any Consolidating your hotel preferred hotel suppliers
and agree last room recently. Consider previously negotiated programme will put to get the best rates. And
availability rates, as the type of property and industry peers. your agency in a better dont forget to consider
well as managing choosing a budget brand Dont forget to consider position for negotiation how your company uses
blackout periods and may not always be the performance against with suppliers. its own meetings space.
keeping these to a cheapest option. You both rate caps and key
minimum. That way, can often negotiate a pricing terms; you need
whenever you need a three-star full-service a balanced proposition
Find
out
room from a preferred alternative for the same that doesnt sacrifice too more If you need help streamlining your supplier
supplier, youll have one. price, if not cheaper. much for the sake of cost. processes, contact Capita Travel and Events

C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S 15