Travelogix Presents… Clive Wratten

Travelogix Presents… Clive Wratten

In a world that needs unwavering flagbearers, we are lucky to have Clive Wratten, Chief Executive at the Business Travel Association (BTA).

The battle to highlight the business travel industry’s plight during the pandemic has demanded a united effort. We have banded together, collaborated, and refused to keep quiet.

As a key representative for our industry, Clive has been fighting the good fight every single day since the pandemic struck in March 2020.

Countless interviews (this being one of them), press releases, meetings aplenty, an infinite number of Zoom meetings and yet he continues to bang on Government doors.

Why?

Because it matters. Travel matters. Our people matter. The net effect business travel has on our economy and UK GDP matters. It is also far greater than people realise.

For this reason, Travelogix has partnered with the BTA to provide vital data that illuminates what is really going on – and the extent to which our economy is haemorrhaging money due to the stuttering approach towards a business travel renaissance.

In our third edition of Travelogix Presents, we take a moment with Clive to get his views on the current state of play and to simply check in with the man himself.

How are you, Clive?

On entering the call, we simply wanted to find out how Clive was holding up.

Clive and his wider BTA team have relentlessly lobbied the Government on behalf of the business travel industry and continue to do so. These endless conversations and brick walls take their toll on people, so it would have been remiss of us not to ask how he was faring.

Clive said: “To be honest, at the time of this interview, I am tired. We have had some real highs in recent months, namely the Travel Day of Action back in June, but then followed by various lows in the stuttering ‘release’ of the green list countries.”

Which at the time of writing, continues even now.

Speaking about how the events of the past 17 months have impacted upon him personally, Clive states: “I, like many others, have had points where I’ve felt very low, and I think as leaders it’s important to share these feelings.

That said, the togetherness and unity we share is incredible. One thing our industry has over many other industries is our people. Our spirit and resolve.

“Everyone is willing to collaborate and work together for the common goal and what I have found reassuring is the fantastic banter and energy that has resulted from the community coming together  during this crisis, that’s what makes this industry special”.

“I, like many others, have had points where I’ve felt very low, and I think as leaders it’s important to share these feelings.

That said, the togetherness and unity we share is incredible. One thing our industry has over many other industries is our people. Our spirit and resolve.”

We couldn’t agree more. The banding together and supporting each other’s journey has been a pleasure to watch. We will be stronger for it, both as individuals and as an industry.

We also asked Clive about the struggle that’s been and the road that lies ahead. Clive replied: “It’s been and remains a huge battle. Yet in many ways there are positives to take from this experience. I have been involved in areas that I would never normally be involved in, which has been a real force for good.

“I have been in the industry for 40 years, so for me it is easy to get up in the morning and continue to fight when travel has given me so much.”

A powerful statement that goes some way to highlight the reason why Clive is so determined to stand by the industry he loves.

“I have been in the industry for 40 years, so for me it is easy to get up in the morning and continue to fight when travel has given me so much.”

The Business Travel Tracker: Monitoring the pandemic’s impact on UK GPD

How does any one person, or organisation, make enough noise for the people in power to listen and take notice?

Screaming and shouting doesn’t seem to be the done thing, even though the majority of us have been screaming and shouting in the confines of our home offices for the best part of 17 months. Raising your hand politely doesn’t seem to be much of a winner either.

We asked Clive what the ministers and wider government listen to traditionally? What makes the difference when it comes to being heard?

“Data is the way to get traction in the media. It cuts through the noise.” Clive said.

He continues: “Combine that with a myriad of personal stories from individuals in the travel industry, people who have been genuinely affected by the pandemic and you have a strong case. Data and emotion are so heavily linked to being noticed and listened to.”

That said, it seems data is coming at the Government from all angles. Clive states: “They’re having a multitude of data sets land on their desk from every direction. Sometimes, it feels as though they will only look and assess the data that affects them personally, or their constituencies.”

Enter the Business Travel Tracker. In line with a strategic partnership formed with the BTA, we here at Travelogix have delivered the data needed to document the impact business travel restrictions have had on UK GDP.

“Data is the way to get traction in the media. It cuts through the noise.

Combine that with a myriad of personal stories from individuals in the travel industry, people who have been genuinely affected by the pandemic and you have a strong case. Data and emotion are so heavily linked to being noticed and listened to.”

Clive commented on the tracker by adding: “The Business Travel Tracker has been critical to document the economic impact of the pandemic.

“This is very much a long-term goal as, ultimately, we want to document a recovering industry with a view to turning to the Government and almost saying – ‘I told you so’ with regards to the commercial impact the industry has suffered – and also the wider economy.”

Chris Lewis, Founder & CEO at Travelogix, has been working directly with Clive on this project. Chris added: “We are hugely supportive of the activities and lobbying that Clive and the BTA have led on behalf of our industry, and we are proud to be supporting their initiatives via the provision of data that the UK Government would otherwise not have access to.

“For us, the partnership with the BTA is about nothing other than doing the right thing at a time when the industry needs all the help it can muster, and we sincerely hope that our contribution strengthens the BTA’s calls for action at a time when it is needed most.”

The profile of the corporate travel sector has been bolstered due to the efforts of the BTA and alike. We could highlight a significant list of names who should be applauded for their efforts in bringing the plight of our sector front and centre.

We asked Clive whether other travel sectors (like leisure) were getting slightly more media attention. Clive said: “The populous view is more focused on holidays and leisure travel, but it has been our job at the BTA to try and level the playing field and alter that narrative.

“Business travel is featured in publications like CityAM, The Telegraph and The Times to name but a few. So, they’re beginning to recognise there is a story to tell around the importance of business travel.”

 Picking up the pieces: Life after the pandemic

With business travel still hampered by the ongoing and somewhat futile traffic light system, what does this spluttering return to business travel actually mean? Can we move forward as quickly as we would hope?

We know that vaccination numbers in any given region will drive traveller confidence and give the Government confidence to ‘open the doors’ for business travel.

Clive agreed that: “It will certainly be a key driver. There needs to be a globally recognised agreement of what vaccination passports will look like. Frankly, if we are to travel in a connected world once more, this is an absolute must. However, I believe when confidence starts to flow, uninterrupted, it will come back quickly.

”During Sajeed Javid’s first speech as Secretary of State for Health, he said “No date we choose comes with a zero risk for Covid – we cannot simply eliminate it – we have to learn to live with it.” This was the first time anyone in the UK Government said anything like this, which was honest and refreshing to hear.”

Does education play a role in the recovery of business travel? We were keen to get Clive’s thoughts on this and how the Travel Management Company (TMC) needs to shape their offering to meet the demands of corporate clients in a post-pandemic society.

Clive said: I think there are two main areas that will get a foothold in where they sit amongst a company’s new business objectives: sustainability and duty of care.

“They will, and rightly so, rise in their importance when not only planning and booking travel, but also in the selection of travel suppliers with whom they wish to work with.”

”During Sajeed Javid’s first speech as Secretary of State for Health, he said “No date we choose comes with a zero risk for Covid – we cannot simply eliminate it – we have to learn to live with it.” This was the first time anyone in the UK Government said anything like this, which was honest and refreshing to hear.”

As companies look to book travel, much of the cost and data metrics may come in second to the duty of care and sustainability provisions being offered to them by their TMC partner. We will see ‘greener’ choices down the supply chain and smarter decision making on routes.

This is where the value of an adapting TMC will come to the fore. They will need to consult with the client and work tirelessly to deliver sustainable trip options, whilst also leaning heavily on the duty of care piece and in-trip communication.

To conclude

We know the pain suffered by our industry deeply. We are all interconnected by the approach taken by the Government on a multitude of key decisions.

However, do we understand and appreciate the toll this pandemic has taken on our people? On speaking with Clive, we truly felt his resilience and passion for our industry as he continues to fight so hard on a daily basis.

But we also know that there is an entire network of supportive colleagues behind key individuals like Clive, Julia Lo Bue Said – CEO at the Advantage Travel Partnership, David Clare – MD at the BTN and Abby Penston – CEO at the Focus Travel Partnership.

It’s this togetherness that will see us through this difficult time and make our industry unbreakable as we move into the future.