Independent, SME travel management companies are best placed to withstand the ramifications of the Trump administration and other economic impacts, according to the CEO of the Advantage Travel Partnership.
Talking to delegates on the first morning of the consortium’s conference in Malta this week, Julia Lo Bue-Said said there is “a degree of caution” in the corporate travel market, specifically around the direct impact to sectors following The Trump Administration’s brutal Tariff regime, and unpredictability of policies.
She said changes in border controls, including the UK Government’s introduction of ETA – the Electronic Travel visa requirement for non-visa holders – could also impact the UK’s international competitiveness.
“However, despite macro impacts our members continue to thrive and are best placed to withstand these impacts, with SMEs having the ability to remain agile, continuing to prioritise duty of care, cost control, and traveller experience emphasising meaningful in-person connections,” she said.
According to figures from the last financial year, members of the Advantage global network generated over £17bn in global sales annually, with over £8bn from its UK membership and 70% of this coming from business travel volume.
In the past 12 months Advantage has added a further £550m of growth to its turnover and has welcomed over 50 new branches to the network, some due to expansion by existing members.
Lo Bu Said expects the group’s global turnover to grow to £20bn within the next 18 months to two years.
