SAP Concur announced it has terminated its relationship with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) at national and international levels, citing allegations of misogyny in its workplace, incendiary comments by its CEO, and reports of a hostile work environment. SAP Concur also announced it will host its inaugural SAP Concur Travel Industry Summit on September 17, 2020, free to attend.
The article explores the rise of bleisure travel (business + leisure), with a market size of $692.7 billion and projected CAGR of 17.8%. 83% of workers have taken bleisure trips, and 22% would decline a business trip without extension options. Companies need policies to manage costs, compliance, and employee well-being.
SAP Concur and TripIt provide a guide for travelers attending conferences in Orlando or on bleisure trips. Orlando International Airport (MCO) is one of the top-15 busiest U.S. airports, with one main terminal and four airside concourses. Orlando is the world's largest rental car market, with major agencies on-airport and off-airport options via complimentary shuttle. Public transit includes SunRail commuter rail and LYNX bus, with a single ride at $2.00 and an all-day pass at $4.50. Recommended accommodations include Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa near the Orange County Convention Center, Marriott Orlando Downtown, and Hyatt Regency inside MCO.
In an SAP Concur podcast conversation, Marchelle Klippenstein, VP of the Value Experience Group at SAP Concur, and Katheryn Nolfo, Consulting Director at Huron, discussed the recovery of business travel post-pandemic. Experts emphasized that communication is key, requiring employees to understand travel requirements and vaccination requirements; duty of care has become a central element of travel approval; organizations should develop contingency plans and leverage pandemic data to prepare for the next disruption; pre-approvals are seen as the 'secret sauce' to an innovative hybrid program, simplifying processes and improving efficiency.
In a SAP Concur podcast conversation, Danny Smout, Principal Solution Consultant at SAP Concur, and Hansini Sharma, Practice Lead for Corporate Travel at Acquis Consulting Group, discussed how business travel is changing after the pandemic. Sharma said virtual meetings heightened appreciation for in-person interaction and that she is seeing the most personalization of travel ever, with employees given more choices. She noted that pre-pandemic compliance was the priority, while companies now value duty of care most, asking whether employees are safe when they travel.
SAP Concur's blog emphasizes the importance of sustainability in business travel, suggesting companies start with supplier selection, traveler guidance, and progress tracking. It notes airlines are increasingly using sustainable aviation fuel, and businesses should craft policies making sustainable choices the default.
A SAP Concur blog post notes that the sharing economy continues to grow, with U.S. users projected to reach 86.5 million by 2021 and revenues more than doubling to $40.2 billion by 2022, according to Juniper Research. The sharing economy makes travel more affordable and convenient but brings three risks: regulatory uncertainty, lack of government oversight, and data privacy leaks. The article recommends proactive duty of care measures, including gathering pre-travel reports, sending real-time travel alerts, establishing two-way communication, protecting employee PII, and ensuring T&E management solutions collect minimum PII and follow ISO 27001 standards. SAP Concur can consolidate travel d…
SAP Concur blog gathers expert panel insights on managing travel costs. 96% of employees are willing to travel in the next 12 months. 45% feel unable to develop business connections completely virtually. 89% will add personal vacation time to business trips in the next 12 months. 40% would prefer to sit next to a crying toddler rather than relinquish control over how they travel. Experts recommend AI/ML auditing and corporate card programs.
The article addresses safety risks for female business travelers and offers mobile phone tips. These include setting up emergency alerts, connecting to embassies, using translation apps, and researching TripWhistle. It also advises locking devices, updating software, deleting unused apps, setting a PIN, turning off Wi-Fi and location tracking, and enabling Find My Phone and remote wiping. SAP Concur's TripIt app provides safety scores and embassy info.
Lyft Business integrates with SAP Concur's Concur Expense to help travel managers reduce ground transportation costs and improve traveler satisfaction. The integration automates expense reporting, and travelers can earn rewards with Lyft's airline and hospitality partners. Currently available only in the U.S., it has already enabled over 20,000 end-users. Lyft Business can result in 30% savings on company-wide travel spend, and travelers earn $5 in personal ride credit for every 5 business rides.
Part 3 of SAP Concur blog focuses on returning to travel. CDC recommends only essential business travel and emphasizes risk assessment. The article lists questions to consider before travel, such as outbreak at destination, community spread risk, and quarantine ability. Best practices include prioritizing traveler health and safety, developing resilient travel policies, phased approach to travel, focusing on ground transportation, reassessing suppliers, and enhancing user experience.
A SAP Concur blog post cites Wakefield Research whitepaper data to explore employee attitudes toward returning to business travel. 37% of travelers expect to limit their use of public transportation, with 26% saying they'll use their personal vehicle. 31% of business travelers are excited to get back out there, while 36% are worried. 51% anticipate fewer contracts or deals requiring in-person meetings, and 43% expect declines in new business due to lack of in-person meetings. 28% plan to prioritize shorter, more direct flights, and 21% will try to avoid larger airports. 22% expect to be in forced quarantine upon reaching their destination. The article suggests companies understand employee…
A SAP Concur podcast features TCG's Sally Crotty discussing corporate sustainability. The article divides ESG into social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Business travel can account for more than half of a company's carbon footprint. Travel represents 5% of global emissions, of which corporate travel makes up 30%, meaning roughly 1.5% of all global emissions is directly related to corporate travel. Sustainability goals have become key to attracting and retaining talent. Organizations like CDP and science-based targets can help companies disclose environmental impact and set emission reduction paths.
SAP Concur published a blog post introducing a new email setting in TripIt that allows users to control which itineraries are shared with SAP Concur. Users can customize plan-sharing preferences for each connected email address, such as setting work email to auto-share and personal email to not share. Users can also edit individual trips to choose whether to share. The feature aims to help users separate business and personal travel while streamlining expense reporting.
SAP Concur offers integrated travel solutions for small businesses to streamline travel and expense management. The mobile app and TripIt Pro enable travelers to book flights and hotels, track loyalty programs, and automatically sync receipts to Concur Expense. Companies can choose from lightly managed options like TripLink or fully managed programs with Concur Travel and a TMC.
This SAP Concur blog post provides a business travel guide to San Diego. It covers transportation options from San Diego International Airport (SAN) (taxis, rideshares, free shuttles), hotel recommendations (from the luxury Hotel del Coronado to the conveniently located Manchester Grand Hyatt), public transit (MTS Trolley), and dining and activity suggestions (like Little Italy and Balboa Park). The article also mentions hotel discounts for Concur Hipmunk users.
A whitepaper published by BTN Group reveals that 54% of small to midsize business leaders are concerned about traveler safety, well-being, and satisfaction. Executives cited cyber threats, trade conflicts, and terrorism as chief concerns impeding travel, along with fears of infection and economic downturn. The whitepaper also notes that most executives found the following cost-avoidance methods highly effective: reviewing regular travel budget reports (77%), enforcing travel policy compliance (72%), proactively educating travelers about preferred suppliers (70%), and using a pre-trip approval system (70%).
In a C-Suite panel hosted by SAP Concur, former executives from Andeavor, Kennametal, and Florida Crystals shared insights on the return of business travel, risk management, and cloud technology. More than half of respondents in a recent Economist research report expect to rely on business travel as much or more than pre-pandemic. Almost three-quarters of U.S. respondents say they have experienced an increase in 'maverick spending' by employees, largely due to more employees working from home. The panel recommended adding a pre-trip approval process and using AI and ML to turn transaction data into insights.
An SAP Concur article mentions that Concur Travel now includes CO2 emissions data for flights, helping travelers assess environmental impact. Companies can use this data to implement policies that promote eco-friendly choices. 81% of global respondents believe companies should help improve the environment.
SAP announced the appointment of Charlie Sultan as President of Concur Travel, responsible for travel solution management, supplier merchandising and customer needs, market awareness and market growth for SAP travel solutions. Sultan most recently served as COO and SVP of Strategic Planning at SAP Concur, and over eight years held senior leadership roles overseeing supplier relations and content strategy for Concur Travel, including Concur TripLink. He previously spent 15 years at American Airlines, bringing a deep travel and distribution background.
SAP Concur commissioned Wakefield Research to survey 4,850 business travelers and 800 travel managers in May-June 2020. 59% of travelers felt positive about their next business trip, but 45% identified the trip itself as the most stressful stage, a 50% increase from last year. 96% of travel managers said their company was not fully prepared to manage evolving travel demands during the outbreak, and 65% of travelers placed personal health and safety in their top three considerations.
A survey commissioned by SAP Concur reveals that 88% of U.S. travel managers believe business travel in their industry will increase by the end of 2022. However, nearly four in five (79%) travel managers say their department's FY22 budget and resources are insufficient to meet anticipated travel demand. The survey also found that the travel manager role has become more challenging, with added paperwork, HR tasks, and staffing shortages, but they also feel more empowered to make demands of travel providers than before the pandemic.
A SAP Concur blog post notes that sustainability has become a business fundamental, not just one metric among many. It cites Martin Biermann, Chief Product Officer at HRS, and mentions that 4 out of 5 travelers would rather work with an organization with a sustainability policy. The post recommends travel managers educate themselves on emissions metrics and use tools and policies to steer travelers toward greener travel and lodging choices.
IDC research sponsored by SAP Concur, 'The Connected Journey: Evolving to the Next Level in Business Travel,' indicates that connecting travel to the cloud can improve employee experience and productivity. The research shows cloud-managed travel can reduce travel planning time by 49%, expense report creation time by 70%, and increase compliance by 35%.
A SAP Concur blog post highlights the impact of the pandemic on SMBs and their resilience. According to an Aberdeen report, 24% of SMBs expect to remain in survival mode in 2021, 29% expect revenue growth, and 57% plan to resume business travel. SAP Concur's expense management solutions helped customers like CAF America and Genevant Sciences adapt to remote work. The article also mentions resources for SMBs, including free trials and partner integrations.
The first part of an SAP Concur podcast series explores the meaning of corporate sustainability. Expert Sally Crotty explains the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions and cites data showing that business travel can account for more than half of a non-manufacturing company's carbon footprint. The article also introduces the GHG Protocol's Scope 1, 2, and 3, and methods for measuring and managing sustainability, such as science-based targets.
A SAP Concur blog post notes that the return of business travel is inevitable. According to the 2020 Global Business Traveler Report, 39% of business travelers feel worried and 32% feel excited. The post recommends that finance, travel, HR and IT, and procurement departments prepare respectively, including updating policies, establishing return-to-travel processes, ensuring employees can submit expenses via mobile tools, and focusing on supplier availability and safety provisions. SAP Concur solutions can help create more flexible, compliant, and safe travel programs.
A SAP Concur blog post shares predictions from its global team of experts for 2022 across business travel, digital transformation, sustainability, and employee experience. Predictions include: settlement replacing expense reports, hybrid spend management, bleisure travel, standardized sustainability reporting, and travel as an antidote to the Great Resignation.
SAP Concur's global experts share 2021 predictions covering responsible business travel resumption, accelerated AI adoption, DE&I progress, changing consumer travel, and SMB responses. Predictions include travel providers potentially requiring COVID-19 health status disclosure, digital health passports and travel corridors becoming mainstream, and sustainability becoming table stakes.
SAP Concur podcast conversation with Anshuman Singh, Director of Digital Product Management and Experience at American Airlines, discusses building a customer-centric, frictionless business travel booking experience. Singh says American Airlines keeps the customer at the core, embedding available features at every touch point of the booking process to simplify the employee travel experience and increase efficiency across departments. The article also notes post-pandemic hybrid work trends mean employees may start trips from cities other than headquarters, and biometrics could further streamline travel.
A survey commissioned by SAP Concur and conducted by Wakefield Research in April–May 2021 polled 3,850 business travelers across 25 global markets and 700 travel managers in seven markets. It found 96% of business travelers are willing to travel for business over the next 12 months, including 65% very willing. 68% are pushing for a return to business travel, while just 32% feel their company is requiring it. Flexibility is now the most pressing need, ahead of vaccination-related demands (72% vs. 62%). 89% plan to add personal vacation time to business trips. If companies fail to meet health and safety expectations, 31% would ask to limit travel and 20% would look for a different position.
SAP Concur blog emphasizes the importance of international business etiquette, covering valuing introductions, handling business cards with care, punctuality, staying for the duration, considering gift-giving, and embracing social opportunities. Cultural differences are significant, and travelers should research destination customs in advance.
SAP Concur blog offers seven tips to help business travelers combine work and leisure, including scheduling extra vacation days around business trips, attending conventions at ideal destinations, exploring locally, visiting friends and family, using fitness facilities, doing things that make you happy, and bringing family.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Mexico travel advice on 28 September 2026. The latest update states that Hurricane Polo will impact Baja California Sur on the afternoon and evening of 28 September and is forecast to continue into Sinaloa and Sonora states over the following days, bringing high winds, dangerous sea conditions and heavy rains, with risks of life-threatening flooding and landslides. The FCDO continues to advise against all but essential travel to parts of multiple Mexican states, including areas in Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero and Chiapas. The FCDO notes that tr…