Security Lines and Flight Delays Are the Bane of Business Travelers

Thumbs Down to the Use of Cell Phones In-Flight

Saving Money and Expanding Globally Are Top Priorities

for Corporate Travel Programs

CWT Business Travel Indicator Reveals Optimism About

Business Travel Growth Around the Globe in 2006

PARIS, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether you are a business traveler
from New York City, Rio de Janeiro, London, or Beijing, you have more
in common than not with your flying brethren across the globe.
Security lines and flight delays top the list as the events that most
negatively affect travel. And, the majority of business travelers do
not want cell phone use allowed in-flight. As for travel managers,
they say expectations from top management are cost savings and
globalization of the travel program.

These are among the findings of the Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT)
global business travel survey, the "CWT Business Travel Indicator."
The survey was commissioned by the travel management leader to gauge
attitudes and perceptions of business travelers and corporate travel
managers about the current and future state of business travel. The
survey randomly sampled opinions of 2,100 business travelers and 650
travel managers, both CWT and non-CWT customers, in 12 countries.

For the purpose of reporting these results, regions are defined as
follows: Asia Pacific (Australia, China, India, and Japan); Europe
(France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom); Latin America
(Brazil, which represents 50 percent of the business travel market for
the region); and North America (Canada and the United States).

Business Travel Strong Again in 2006

The majority of business travelers and corporate travel managers
believe business travel will stay the same or increase in 2006, with
travel managers even more optimistic than their travelers. Nearly 60
percent of travel managers say travel expenditures will increase this
year. Slightly more than 30 percent of business travelers say they
anticipate traveling more, while most (48 percent) believe they will
travel the same amount as last year.

"Business travel is increasing," said Hubert Joly, president and chief
executive officer of CWT. "This is a reflection of strong economic
growth around the world and the globalization of the economy and
corporations."

The survey found Latin American travelers (represented by Brazil) are
the most optimistic about business travel with nearly 50 percent
saying it will increase this year, followed by travelers in Asia
Pacific (44 percent), Europe (32 percent), and North America (27
percent). Within the Asia Pacific region, 74 percent of travelers in
India and 45 percent of travelers in China say their business travel
will increase in 2006.

Top Priorities for Corporations

When asked about the most common expectation from company leadership,
the majority (54 percent) of travel managers answer cost savings, the
number-one response across every region.

A global travel program also proves to be a priority for many
companies. Sixty-two percent of travel managers report their companies
are uniting travel at some level, whether by undertaking a
comprehensive global consolidation (26 percent), consolidating over a
period of time by region (16 percent), or consolidating piece by piece
as the need arises (20 percent).

Business Travelers Weigh In

Airport security lines top the list as having the most negative impact
on business travel (25 percent of business travelers), with flight
delays coming in a close second (24 percent), followed by work-life
balance and customer service tying for third (21 percent).

If airlines are listening to their most frequent travelers, they may
want to shelve any thought of allowing cell phone use during flight.
Whether they are hesitant to give up their "alone time" or they simply
don't want to put up with noisy flights, 61 percent of business
travelers surveyed said they are not in favor of allowing people to
talk on cell phones in-flight. Europeans are most adamant about not
allowing cell phone use with 70 percent responding unfavorably, while
North Americans appear more tolerant with just 57 percent opposing
their use.

Of all the annoyances business travelers face, the biggest pet peeve
on a global basis is fellow travelers not checking luggage when they
should (18 percent), followed closely by crying babies (17 percent),
and those travelers who stow luggage far forward from their seat (14
percent).

Regionally, pet peeves vary. Business travelers in Asia Pacific are
most annoyed by crying babies; Europeans are bothered by travelers not
checking bags they should; Latin Americans dislike passengers who
disturb them; and North Americans are irritated by people stowing
luggage far forward from their seat. All agreed vacationing travelers
are the least of their annoyances.

The survey also finds business travelers are more hesitant than their
company's travel managers realize to travel to various regions of the
world. The Middle East is the region most travelers say they are
hesitant to travel to (74 percent of travelers versus 67 percent of
travel managers), followed by Africa (53 percent versus 38 percent),
Latin America (46 percent versus 26 percent), Asia Pacific (38 percent
versus 18 percent), Europe (22 percent versus seven percent), and
North America (11 percent versus seven percent).

Peering into the Crystal Ball

Travel managers most often believe technologically advanced security
check-in procedures, such as fingerprint or iris scans, will be a part
of business travel in five years. An interesting second choice
indicates 83 percent foresee virtually all bookings online in that
time frame.

"This enthusiasm for online booking is what we are experiencing with
our own clients around the world," said Joly. "There is intense growth
in Australia, where CWT's online bookings are up 160 percent over last
year, in Europe where they are up 71 percent, and in the United
States, where there's an increase of 43 percent. Online booking is a
key factor for those companies looking to save money in their travel
program."

In North America, however, where online booking is more prevalent than
in other regions, travel managers are less aggressive in predicting
mass online use, compared to their global counterparts. Eighty-one
percent of North American travel managers say it is very or somewhat
likely all bookings will be online in five years, versus a higher
prediction in Latin America (90 percent), Europe (87 percent), and
Asia Pacific (83 percent).

Travelers Undaunted by Current State of Airlines

The Indicator clearly shows frequent travelers are relatively
unaffected by the state of some air carriers today, including those
experiencing financial instability and labor issues and offering fewer
services and amenities. For example, when business travelers were
asked what impacts their travel negatively, only seven percent
selected frequently for airline management issues, such as strikes and
bankruptcies.

At the same time, they've resigned themselves to the fact that airline
food and beverage service will continue to be limited five years down
the road. Additionally, nearly 70 percent of travelers say it is very
or somewhat likely there will be fewer major airlines and more
discount carriers in five years, while 61 percent predict flight
crew-size reductions.

Low-Cost Carriers Carrying Business Travelers

Sixty-six percent of business travelers report having used a low-cost
carrier at one time or another and 14 percent of them do so 61-100
percent of the time. Business travelers in Latin America are the most
frequent users with 28 percent of them saying they use a low-cost
carrier for more than 60 percent of their business travel. In North
America, 16 percent of travelers say the same, and in Europe just nine
percent. In Asia Pacific, China and Japan do not have low-cost
carriers, but in Australia and India combined, 16 percent of travelers
use them for more than 60 percent of their business travel.
Conversely, nearly 50 percent of European business travelers say they
have never used a low-cost carrier.

Business and Pleasure

Fifty-eight percent of business travelers extend their business trip
to include leisure or vacation time, at least one time a year, either
at the beginning or end of their trip. Of those, 47 percent said they
occasionally or frequently have family or friends join them for the
leisure portion of the trip.

About the Survey

The "CWT Business Travel Indicator" survey, conducted by KRC Research,
was fielded October 27 to November 23, 2005. The survey included
responses from 2,100 business travelers and 650 travel managers in 12
countries. The data files were weighted to accurately reflect the
current business travel landscape. The margin of error for the total
sample of travel managers surveyed is N=650 +/- 3.8 percentage points.
The margin of error for the total sample of business travelers
surveyed is N=2,100 +/- 2.1 percentage points. The survey did not
target CWT clients but does include some as randomly selected through
the research process.

About Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Carlson Wagonlit Travel is a world leader in business travel
management, partnering with large corporations, small and medium-sized
companies, and government institutions. CWT designs and implements
superior travel management programs for clients based upon its
recognized consulting expertise, strong purchasing power,
technological strength, and consistent delivery of high- quality
service. CWT has operations in more than 145 countries and services 60
of the world's 100 largest companies. Annual sales of $19 billion are
generated under the Carlson Wagonlit Travel brand. For more
information, visit http://www.carlsonwagonlit.com . SOURCE Carlson
Wagonlit Travel