Self-booking tools to take off in 2005

The use of ‘self-booking’ tools for business travel is set to grow significantly in 2005, as more companies make arrangements online, according to Carlson Wagonlit Travel. The use of SBTs is currently running at around 3 – 5 per cent in Europe, but the travel management giant expects this to hit 10 per cent this year. And Carlson Wagonlit expects the growth of small to medium sized companies booking online to boost this figure even further in 2006. However, the UK and Europe is still lagging far behind the US, where around 31 per cent of transactions are processed online and this is expected to grow to around 60 per cent by 2007. Adoption rates throughout Europe vary, with more firms booking online in Scandinavia than in Spain and Italy. Meanwhile, Carlson Wagonlit claimed the recovery in the global hotel industry was expected to strengthen in 2005. The travel management company said the key areas for growth would by the US and Asia and also earmarked the UK for rapid progress over the next two years.