All News

TRAVEL BUYERS FIND IT HARD BEING GREEN

December 10, 2009
As world leaders congregate in Copenhagen to discuss Co2 emissions and the Climate Change Committee launches its report, a survey* by the Business Travel & Meetings Show (BTMS) has revealed that 67 per cent of travel buyers still do not have a green buying policy in place. As world leaders congregate in Copenhagen to discuss Co2 emissions and the Climate Change Committee launches its report, a survey* by the Business Travel & Meetings Show (BTMS) has revealed that 67 per cent of travel buyers still do not have a green buying policy in place.

21 per cent of the naysayers stated being green is simply not a priority and 12 per cent claim it’s ‘not economically viable right now’. In fact, 48 per cent of respondents admitted the recession has forced them to re-prioritise their commitment to buying environmentally responsible travel altogether. However, 21 per cent are planning to introduce a green strategy and the half of the 44 per cent of respondents who currently have one in place have plans to grow it.

“The business travel industry can no longer ignore the importance of being green,” commented David Chapple, event director, BTMS. "And though suppliers and buyers are being increasingly proactive in this area, there’s no denying they are finding it a challenge; a challenge that has been hindered somewhat by the recession.

“However, government and indeed global legislation is pushing green firmly back up the agenda and as an industry we need to act. To aid business travel managers in this transition, BTMS is hosting a wide range of free-to-attend educational sessions addressing critical green issues such as ‘tuning into sustainability’, ‘measuring, reducing and compensating travel related carbon emissions’, ‘reducing your carbon footprint’ and the pros and cons of video conferencing.’”

To register for a free pass to BTMS 2010 and save £30 on the door, visit www.businesstravelshow.co.uk

* survey size: 1,400 business travel managers