Greg O’Neil, President, Asia Pacific, BCD Travel
Q: What are the three things you think will happen in the corporate travel space in 2011?
• Great focus on Asia Pacific travel management capabilities and forced alignment with global programmes – while challenging, we will be forced to do so for greater compliance.
• Increased use of Mobile, reliance on social media continues to gain
• Demand for consistency, innovation and integration with tools.
Q: What are the three things BCD will be investing in in the new year?
• Asia Pacific Infrastructure (resources)
• Front-mid-back office global alignment and Telephony
• Skill set training – growing new and innovative employees (a bright future) and greater enhanced career path programs.
Q: What are your predictions for travel distribution and marketing next year and how that will impact TMCs?
• Direct channels to suppliers
• More challenging existing environments –“testing the waters of change” (ie.. AA/Travelport/Orbitz)
• Profiles will revolutionize our market
• Authorization Products
• Low cost will continue to grow
Q: Three important events that happened this year that you think will have significant impact on travel in the future.
• Asia consistent growth – focus on travel will be more towards Asia than ever before
• Data Security
• PCI Compliance
Q: Most over-used word of 2010?
• Consolidation
• Centralization
Q: Most under-estimated word of 2010?
• Talent Management
• Market challenges
• Content
Q: What word/s will disappear from the corporate travel vocabulary?
• Can’t
• Won’t work
Q: As the year winds to an end, what will you remember most about 2010?
• Growth versus expectations – educating the world on Asia Pacific
• While we are one world, we are very unique and each want something different from an employer
Q: What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
• Becoming the employer of choice in the region
• Changing mindset – increase our consultative approach at employees at point of sale (Fresh Approach)
• Introducing our new innovations
• And a very long vacation ….
Featured image credit (Vector Set of 25 Airport Icons): Ockra/iStock
