Corporate Travel in China Means Managing Complexity
Photo Credit: Business travelers at Qingdao Train Station in China. Flickr / Dan Nevill
Skift Take
While China is an attractive market, it’s traditionally been a tough place for corporate travel. Joint ventures between global travel management companies and Chinese travel providers are combining local market expertise with travel management standards to reduce friction for corporations.
As China’s economy grows and trade flourishes (aside from the current tariff tensions), more Western organizations find themselves having to manage corporate travel for remote operations in the Asian powerhouse.
The most common option, especially for those businesses with a global corporate travel contract, is to use a Western travel management company's Chinese presence.
This requires deep-rooted experience in China and systems and processes suited to the market nuances. Corporations also need to ensure the local travel management company understands how to balance local needs with the global requirements of the multinational.
As more secondary cities become business travel powerhouses, local expertise has become vital for travel programs sending employees into China.
“For many companies with a global travel program, Asia can be the biggest pain point. China can offer even more complications,” said Jamie Pherous, founder and CEO of Australian-based Corporate Travel M
