iTP for Global Travel Leaders

iTP (Innovation for Travel Performance) is in its ninth year working with many of the best travel leaders in the world on innovation and performance. It began as a task force determined to understand the factors driving performance in travel, and to help members launch innovative solutions to improve performance. The program has three principal elements:

  1. Innovation Conferences: Members come together for at least  two face-to-face conferences per year, hosted by members on a rotating basis. These conferences cover a range of topics that are driven by the members’ interests, and usually focus on sharing innovations that have produced measurable results in one or more companies.
  2. Quantitative Benchmarking: We collect a variety of data to compare 12 key performance indicators (KPIs) across companies. We also collect and compare air prices on common routes and track trends in overall travel spending and volume. We develop detailed reports and conduct in-person performance feedback meetings annually at each member’s office. The annual quantitative benchmarking sdemonstrates how each program compares with others and identifies specific improvement opportunities.
  3. Strategic Information Resource: In addition to the quantitative benchmarks, we devote significant effort to capturing and sharing other information that assists members as they evaluate opportunities, set strategies, plan transformations, and make decisions. Examples include our annual comparison of travel policies and practices and ad hoc conference calls to address specific topics of interest.

Read what our members say about the value of iTP.

Benefits of Membership – Our members say this about the value of iTP:

  • Meaningful dialog with experienced and sophisticated travel leaders on topics that are most relevant
  • Credible source of information, knowledge and perspectives in a “supplier-free” forum
  • Excellent benchmark data to aid in planning and to inform leadership
  • Acceleration of improvements based on idea sharing across the broad scope of travel management
  • Ready network of peers, who are dealing with most of the same issues, to collaborate with on issues and opportunities, whether at scheduled conferences or other times.

Plan for 2021

Our consortium for 2020 and plan for 2021 have been affected somewhat by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our benchmarking, reporting and survey activities were unchanged last year and we expect this to be the case in 2021 as well. Our conferences have shifted to an online format ever since our last in-person meeting in Derby, UK in January, 2020.

Our 2021 began with the first on-line conference of the year on January 12 and 13. We will continue to hold regular on-line meetings quarterly until international business travel is normalized in late 2021 or sometime in 2022.

Our analytical activities begin in the spring with key performance indicator reporting for the year just ended. During March and April, we work with you to collect performance data and develop detailed benchmarking reports that we will discuss with you in one-to-one sessions.

Quarterly benchmarking of travel costs and volumes for managed expense categories will continue as before, as will the annual travel policies & practices benchmarking in the fourth quarter of the year.