That is the verdict of a new white paper from GlobalStar Travel Management and consultancy Nina & Pinta.

The organisation surveyed nearly 200 travel managers, three-quarters of whom represented companies spending less than $30million annually on business travel.

Although a notably higher definition of an SME than is the norm in the UK, the report concludes that 42% have increased the number of countries in their travel programme over the last two years and 49% believe further countries will be incorporated by 2022.

It also found 86% of SME respondents manage travel in more than one country, 71% manage travel in more than three countries and 29% in more than 20 countries.

Moreover, 96% of SME respondents have benefitted from taking their travel programme multinational, including increased compliance and savings, improved risk mitigation, administrative efficiencies and improved traveller experience.

“Improved duty of care, better policy compliance, and reduced costs are three goals almost all companies, regardless of size, list as critical for their travel programmes,” says Jo Lloyd, founding partner of Nina & Pinta.

“Our survey results indicate that many SMEs have reached these goals by going multinational.”

Steve Hartwell, GlobalStar President & CEO, adds: “A common misconception we’ve found is that consolidating travel spend, policy and supplier choices internationally only works for the world’s biggest companies.

“This paper is intended to dispel that myth by sharing an accurate picture of SME travel programmes today and outlining the many benefits that come with taking programmes multinational.”

The full report can be downloaded on the Nina & Pinta and GlobalStar websites.