GetThere says 35 percent of its UK customers mandate self-booking tools

GetThere has announced that 35 percent of its UK customers are now mandating use of corporate self-booking tools.

The company has predicted that by 2007 the figure will have reached 50 percent, as “a weakened economic environment, consolidation and cost savings influence more corporations to automate travel management and mandate booking online.” 

Floyd Widener, European vice president of GetThere and corporate travel at Sabre Travel Network, said that the UK market is still behind the US in terms of online adoption. 

“However, when we started GetThere in the UK seven years ago, we never could have imagined what our corporate customers would accomplish with online booking and the millions of pounds they would save as a result.  UK companies using GetThere are achieving between 50 – 80 percent online adoption within their first three months of usage and reducing their overall annual travel spend by over 15 percent,” said Widener.

According to the company, the growth prediction for the UK market comes shortly after GetThere announced the results of its fifth annual Corporate Travel Benchmark Survey, which tracks business travel patterns at America's leading corporations.  It revealed that 65 percent of travel reservations at corporations surveyed are made online, a five percent increase on the previous year.  It also revealed that trips booked online averaged 49 percent lower agency fees and 14 percent lower airfares - representing approximately $100 (£60) in savings per booking.