TECHNOLOGY is beginning to play an increasingly important part in the lives of business travellers, according to the results of the 1999-2000 Company Barclaycard Travel in Business Survey.
Nearly one-third (31%) of respondents said they had used a ticketless travel scheme, compared to 19% in 1998/99 programme.
Some 87% of respondents said they would consider using such a service in future. In 1999/2000, 8% of business travellers had used the Internet to book tickets, but in 1999/2000, the figure has increased to 28%.
The trend looks set to be growing, with 79% of those surveyed saying they would consider using the Internet in the future.
Business travellers are also becoming less likely to travel for business meetings, preferring to use video-conferencing technology instead.
In the past three years, the number who have used this medium has doubled from 15% in 1997/1998 to 30% in this latest survey.
Over the same period, the amount of business travellers willing to consider video-conferencing as an alternative to travelling has risen from 42%-72%.
Meanwhile, the survey also revealed that men are allowed more than double the travel allowance of women when on business in the UK.
The average daily amount for men is £734 compared to £274 for women.
However, the trend is reversed when travellingoverseas.