ITM CONFERENCE WELLBEING STEALS THE SHOW

Wellbeing was the big topic at the ITM Conference in Brighton, where buyers discussed ways to ease the strain of business travel. Andy Hoskins reports

An increasing priority for travel managers, wellbeing was the focus of a packed breakout session and was also selected by delegates for the association’s Industry Affairs Group to tackle in the year ahead.

Research presented at the event showed 87% of organisations will be changing their approach to traveller wellbeing in the next 12 months. The high intensity of travel, lack of recovery time and poor quality experience were the biggest challenges.

One travel manager described her company’s introduction of a pre-trip ‘fit for travel’ assessment form “which prompts them to question whether they are OK to travel”, along with the trialling of heart monitors to help identify stress points.

Meanwhile, panellist Dr Lucy Rattrie revealed pre-trip questions that should

“help make a quick and fair assessment of whether the travel being asked of that person is fair”. These covered how someone feels about a proposed trip; what the company can do to protect their wellbeing; how the trip will affect their personal life; and what the organisation can do to mitigate risk before, during and post-trip.

Elsewhere at the event, sustainability was addressed by senior figures from British Airways and Airbus in separate sessions.

British Airways Chairman and CEO, Alex Cruz, said there has been a “change of mindset” at BA to cut CO2 emissions.

The ‘Future of Fuels’ is one strand of BA’S centenary celebrations that will see 13 universities present their findings to the airline, with the winner receiving funding for further research. In total, BA parent IAG will invest $400million on alternative fuel development over the next 20 years and has told all its suppliers that they want to see more sustainable options, “from tooth brushes through to product wrapping”.

Meanwhile, Airbus Senior Vice President, Katherine Bennett, highlighted its efforts to work with alternative fuels and design more efficient aircraft. “Short-haul all-electric flights aren’t necessarily that far off,” she said.