Middle East and Africa strategy working for BCD Travel

Having celebrated its second year in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) marketplace last month, BCD Travel has established itself in the region as a serious contender in the managed corporate travel program arena.

The vision to become a market leader driven by innovation, technology and outstanding customer service is fast becoming reality with the brand more widely recognised, new clients wins and a unique approach to streamline operational processes all playing their part.

Over the last 24 months BCD Travel has embarked on quite a transformation across the Middle East and Africa. Initial analysis on both market and regional levels identified opportunities for the organisation to fulfil its goal to become market leader in the provision of managed multi-national corporate travel programmes.

The opportunities ranging from increased support on the ground, technology innovation and process standardisation, among others, all form part of the long term strategy.

A pivotal element of this strategy was to introduce a regional 'hub' structure within the growth and emerging markets which enables a more focussed regional approach, supported with dedicated staff.

In March of this year, BCD Travel announced the recruitment of two accomplished industry individuals, Rehan Ali and Tosan Woode, to join the organisation as Strategic Development Managers each representing a key region, Rehan the Middle East and Tosan the African continent. These Strategic Development Managers are responsible for increased coordination and business development combined with strengthening the regional presence.

They will also drive internal communication and training initiatives across these markets ensuring the delivery of consistently high service levels and strong marketing messaging synonymous with the BCD Travel brand globally.

In coordination with BCD Travel's global operations, existing client-led travel programme consolidation opportunities are increasing rapidly for the MEA regions, with a significant volume of potential new business in the pipeline from a number of the worlds leading multi-national corporations. In addition to this are the national, regional and global new client wins, currently being implemented.

BCD Travel's strategy for further growth in the MEA regions is also being led, not only by potential opportunities, but by actual client commitments in markets where they are aware of the benefits that BCD Travel can deliver, particularly in terms of overall travel program savings, increased supplier leverage in negotiations and traveller security and risk minimisation. BCD Travel anticipates growing further into 3 to 5 new markets in the Middle East and up to 10 new countries in Africa by the end of 2008.

BCD Travel is now perfectly placed to take advantage of stability and economic growth throughout much of the Middle East and Africa which is reversing the trend of business flow from these regions out to the rest of the world. With the growth of multinational corporations out of such countries as South Africa, Nigeria and most of the Middle Eastern countries, the added value of efficiency and productivity as well as traditional cultural care cannot be overlooked.

A good reflection of this growth is the rapid development shown by the UAE operations of BCD Travel. The Managing Director of BCD Travel UAE, Sumit Acharya, explained that "In line with BCD Travel's global strategy, we listened to our customers and invested in the resources and tools required to meet their expectations. Today we are very delighted that, from one branch at the inception of the office in September 2006, our operations will, by June of this year, grow to a total of 4 branches in Dubai and one branch in Abu Dhabi, servicing the travel requirements for a growing list of multinational and local corporations"

Supporting this growth is a dedicated team with expertise in multiple disciplines ensuring each BCD Travel operation is aligned with global standards and processes, delivering consistent, high quality and measurable service levels. The spectrum of disciplines from marketing, business development, operations, technology through to account management are all included in the training, implementation and ongoing management of each BCD Travel office. This commitment to resources and training has already revolutionised corporate travel management processes in the region.

"We have taken significant steps forward in terms of our development and solution platform across both the Middle East and Africa as our long term strategy rolls out", comments BCD Travel's Greg O'Neil, Managing Director and Senior Vice President for Growth & Emerging Markets.

"The new business prospects in the pipeline are signs of what we've achieved in the two years since the brand was launched, but we're not stopping there, far from it in fact, our investments in technology and resources, coupled with new business growth will help us achieve our aim to become the leading provider of managed corporate travel programs in the region."

Senior executives from BCD Travel's eight business units in the Middle East, along with representatives from the Africa unit, are attending the Arabian Travel Market event whilst also hosting the next meeting in a series of MEA strategy and planning summits. This will be followed at the end of May by further events scheduled in Kuwait.