Trips to emerging markets helped push corporate travel to pre-recession levels this year, and travel to those same markets is expected to buoy the industry in 2012, despite economic malaise in Europe and North America, according to the 2012 Industry Forecast released by BCD Travel consulting unit Advito.

Corporate travel programs can learn a lot from businesses that market directly to consumers. By harnessing widely available technologies and taking advantage of behaviors ubiquitous among private consumers, corporate travel programs can communicate more effectively with travelers, achieve higher traveler satisfaction levels and even increase leverage with suppliers.

As complexities mount in the managed travel space, progressive companies are transforming travel program paradigms to achieve better-than-policy results, according to this white paper exploring innovations in corporate travel management. Underwritten by Advito and published by Business Travel Media Group, the paper includes extensive commentary and analysis from Advito and BCD Travel thought leaders.

Corporate travel buyers will face a confluence of factors leading to an increase in the overall cost of travel in 2011, according to the 2011 Industry Forecast by BCD Travel consulting unit Advito. These factors include steadily rising demand, caution by suppliers in adding capacity, earlier closure of lower fare “buckets,” increased application of restrictions to lower fares, and a continuing trend toward ancillary fees and unbundled services.

Increasing numbers of corporate travel managers and buyers in the Asia-Pacific region are turning to online booking tools to drive savings, enhance effectiveness and improve compliance.

Merchant fees have become the single-largest distribution cost for airlines, and in recent years, several factors have led air carriers to search for ways to reduce or offset that cost. Unfortunately for corporate travel buyers, any likely move that airlines may take to reduce or offset merchant fees represents an increase in travel program costs.

Travel program managers are increasingly being asked to measure their success against corporate objectives. This white paper by BCD Travel’s consulting unit, Advito, provides travel managers with clear guidelines for directly linking travel program performance with corporate objectives using strategic key performance indicators, or KPIs.

Secure Flight is a behind-the-scenes process used by the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) to screen passengers against U.S. government watch lists prior to ticketing. Secure Flight is a separate program from current TSA security checkpoint procedures at airports.

The white paper explores what consolidation means in the modern travel industry and what companies can hope to achieve from the substantial effort required to consolidate travel policies, suppliers and other program elements on a country, regional or global scale. In addition to defining consolidation and exploring benefits such as cost savings and increased traveler safety, the paper details how to execute a successful consolidation.

Business travel-related risk management is making it to the top of the agenda at the corporate level. Most security and travel managers are aware of these recent developments but unsure how to initiate a successful travel risk management program that does not inhibit corporate mobility. The white paper explains why companies should adopt a systematic, strategic approach to travel risk management – and how to do it.