Michael Broadhurst, Executive Vice-President
While travellers going “rogue” (booking their own travel arrangements rather than complying with corporate agreements) is always a challenge in this industry, there are a few newer wrinkles to be on the alert for.
Michael Broadhurst recently returned from the Four Season Hotels Conference in San Francisco and says he was astonished to speak with corporate travel planners who are allowing their clients to book with Airbnb. “I was stunned when I heard this, as these significantly-sized companies are allowing travellers to use whatever supplier they want, staying in potentially unsafe, uninspected accommodation. This flies in the face of all that we and our client corporations are trying to achieve when it comes to duty of care.”
UberTaxi is also a problem for the same reasons, according to Broadhurst.
“Companies should stick pretty rigidly to a policy that lays out what they consider a minimum standard of care for their employees for when they are travelling on company business,” he adds. “The use of licensed, inspected and properly insured services is crucial and may avoid nightmarish lawsuits – not to mention placing the employee in a situation which may be uncomfortable at least, actually dangerous at worst.
“After all, would you drive out to your local flying club and hitch a ride with a pilot you don’t know but who happens to be going your way?”
Michael Broadhurst, Executive Vice-President
While travellers going “rogue” (booking their own travel arrangements rather than complying with corporate agreements) is always a challenge in this industry, there are a few newer wrinkles to be on the alert for.
Michael Broadhurst recently returned from the Four Season Hotels Conference in San Francisco and says he was astonished to speak with corporate travel planners who are allowing their clients to book with Airbnb. “I was stunned when I heard this, as these significantly-sized companies are allowing travellers to use whatever supplier they want, staying in potentially unsafe, uninspected accommodation. This flies in the face of all that we and our client corporations are trying to achieve when it comes to duty of care.”
UberTaxi is also a problem for the same reasons, according to Broadhurst.
“Companies should stick pretty rigidly to a policy that lays out what they consider a minimum standard of care for their employees for when they are travelling on company business,” he adds. “The use of licensed, inspected and properly insured services is crucial and may avoid nightmarish lawsuits – not to mention placing the employee in a situation which may be uncomfortable at least, actually dangerous at worst.
“After all, would you drive out to your local flying club and hitch a ride with a pilot you don’t know but who happens to be going your way?”