Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), the global travel management company, today reported strong results for 2016, highlighted by US$2 billion in sales attributable to new business.
"We are making changes to our business as the new dynamics of the marketplace and the needs and expectations of our customers evolve, and we are beginning to see the benefits of our new 3.0 strategy,” said Kurt Ekert, President and CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
“Our strategy is simple: to create an unbeatable offering and provide increasing value to our clients and partners. This includes delivering a consumer-grade experience to our travelers – giving them access to best-in-market travel inventory, a comprehensive hotel offering, and driving personalization – however they choose to interact with us.”
In the financial year ending 31 December 2016, CWT recorded over 58.7 million transactions1 across the business. Its award-winning app CWT To Go saw an increase in users of almost 40%. Hotel attachment also grew substantially, with the introduction of new content and capabilities.
The CWT Energy, Resources & Marine business was again adversely impacted by further reductions in travel spend as lower commodity prices and political changes continued to affect the sector, resulting in a total transaction volume decline of 23%2. Despite this, CWT closed 2016 with $23 billion3 in total transaction volume.
CWT Meetings & Events organized almost 35,000 meetings and events – up 27% on 2015 – as global companies sought new opportunities to consolidate, make the most effective use of their budgets, and improve their meeting and event delegate experience.
CWT’s consulting arm, CWT Solutions Group, further strengthened its customer offer and achieved 13% revenue growth.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people moving. CWT is the global leader in business travel and meetings & events – serving clients in nearly 150 countries. Blending technology with the expertise of over 18,000 people, we help our clients get the best possible value from their travel programs, while providing travelers with best-in-class service. In 2016, we posted a total transaction volume of US$ 23 billion