Business travel buying into sharing economy now more than ever

It's becoming increasingly easier and more important to integrate the sharing economy into business travel, especially as young people on the road for work regularly order rides on Uber and book lodging on Airbnb, according to a recent study from the CWT Travel Management Institute.

The global study from the research arm of business travel management company Carlson Wagonlit Travel looked into the impact of emerging technology on business travel. As the report states decidedly:

Companies should not ignore the sharing economy. As brands adapt their offerings to the managed travel market, barriers to use in the managed travel are coming down.

The study predicts what we all already know — that this is "just the beginning for the sharing economy" — and that many travel managers already know what's up, with 43% recognizing the importance of the sharing economy for ground transport and 31% for accommodation. It also makes note that, "Whether they like it or not, companies should be mindful that corporate travelers are probably already using these services." Unsurprisingly, Millennials/Gen Y-ers lead the charge with frequent usage.

The study hones in on Airbnb and Uber, detailing the pros and cons (in this case "benefits" and "considerations") for each.  It also details examples of how both companies have introduced services to make it easy for business travelers to use 'em, like direct billing, reporting data including spending and integration such as direct booking with Airbnb through Concur TripLink.

Figure 34: Uber benefits and considerations for corporate travelers and travel managers

Figure 35: Airbnb benefits and considerations for corporate travelers and travel managers 

The study also includes a case study about a "large tech company" that decided in spring of 2014 to update its travel policy to include Airbnb as an option. The conclusion: While Airbnb accounts for less than 1% of the company's total lodging spending, "employees benefit from additional lodging choices when they travel," particularly to cities like New York, London and San Francisco.