Business travellers attracted by "sexy" technology

"Sexy" technology like the iPhone will soon be an everyday part of the corporate travel process, a panel at the Business Travel Show and Meetings predicted.

Jerome Drevon-Barreaux, ACTEAssociation of Corporate Travel Executives: A non-profit association that represents the global business travel industry. It provides executive-level educational programmes and carries out independent industry research. Its members come from all areas of business travel - from corporate buyers to suppliers. Provides members with a forum for sharing ideas and also offers independent advice. Europe regional chair, said leisure travel had been first to embrace the internet.

"For business travel, online was not sexy, but it was for leisure. I think the same thing will happen with the mobile phone. The Blackberry is not sexy, but for leisure the iPhone is very sexy and I think it will come to the corporate world."

The vast majority of applications or "apps" are made for the iPhone, with mobile internet surfing set to outstrip that done in the home or office.

"By 2014, mobile web browsing will be bigger," said Clare Murphy, director of business travel consultants Bouda.

She said that Eye for Travel had estimated that mobile initiatives were yielding $44 for every $1 invested.

"In our company, we are big iPhone fans," she said. "When the phone was initially launched it had something like 14 apps. Now there are hundreds of thousands."

Murphy singled out Trainline.com as an example of how the phone had entered the corporate world.

"Trainline has done a really neat job of putting their technology onto the iPhone.

It is free, whereas you have to pay £3.99 for Network Rail's."

However, Murphy pointed out that a stumbling block was the current reluctance by consumers to purchase anything using mobile devices. Murphy said 78% of people said they would not buy anything using a mobile, but added that the other 12% was a "massive opportunity".

Panel chairman Tony D'Astolfo, Rearden Commerce vice president worldwide sales, added: "Twelve per cent of a big number is a big number."