New research, from Censuswide, released ahead of the Business Travel Show this month, finds over four in five (83%) managers say that membership of ABTA is very important or important when they select a travel management company (TMC) for their business travel needs.

According to the research, managers at companies with an annual turnover of GBP 50-99.99 million especially value ABTA membership, with over nine in ten (92%) stating that membership was very important or important when selecting a TMC. Managers at even larger companies also particularly value ABTA membership with 86% of managers at a turnover of GBP 100-499 and over GBP 500 million saying it is very important or important to them.

Using a TMC that is a Member of ABTA is also particularly important for senior decision-makers such as directors (92%) as well as business owners (83%).

Victoria Bacon, director of brand and business development at ABTA – The Travel Association said: “This latest research shows that the vast majority of managers regard ABTA membership as important or very important when choosing a TMC. ABTA membership is particularly valued by larger companies and senior decision-makers such as business owners and directors. As well as the strong association with ABTA’s brand, TMCs and their clients benefit from a wide range of ABTA services and expertise, all available at no extra cost.”

Booking business travel through an ABTA Member allows corporate managers to book with confidence, knowing that their travel provider has passed ABTA’s financial fitness tests, including minimum capital requirements, balance sheet net asset strength and the provision of financial security and that it follows ABTA’s Code of Conduct. ABTA members also have access to its operational crisis support and operational bulletins which provide out of hours crisis support and keeps them informed of the latest worldwide incidents that may impact their businesses.