Alexandria, Va. –  (November 28, 2012) – The average salary for travel buyers has increased by 3.4% in the past year, according to new research being released today from the GBTA Foundation’s 2012 Travel Management Compensation and Benefits Survey. Sixty-three percent of travel buyers are satisfied with their overall compensation and benefits. These findings are based on the responses of 529 corporate travel and meetings managers working in the United States and Canada. 

“We are encouraged that salaries and job satisfaction remain high in the travel buyer profession, despite the uncertainty of the global economy. As a travel manager myself, I am convinced that one of the keys to strengthening the economy is through face-to-face interactions among businesspeople – interactions that require a continued commitment to business travel,” said GBTA President and CEO, Jim McMullan.

Key Findings:

Salary:
 
Compensation levels for travel professionals tend to increase as total domestic travel spend increases. In 2012 average compensation by title is as follows:
 
Directors: 4.1% increase to $140,650
Managers: 3.3% increase to $92,407
Coordinators: 2.7% increase to $60,157

Responsibilities:
 
Travel managers are responsible for global programs, with 63% of respondents indicating their program covers travelers in other countries.

The travel managers’ roles are varied and vital. They are responsible for administering their corporate travel programs (87%); negotiating with travel vendors (87%); and, developing and administering their travel policy (84%). 

Travel managers also have responsibilities in other areas such as event planning (43%), evaluating new technology (79%) and developing strategic meetings management programs (38%).

Professional Development:
 
Over 80% of respondents reported their convention attendance and professional associations dues are benefits paid fully by their employers.

Three out of four respondents (75%) said their employers also covered continuing education.

About the 2012 Travel Management Compensation and Benefits Survey
The 2012 Travel Management Compensation and Benefits Survey from the GBTA Foundation is an annual report based on the responses of 529 corporate travel and meetings managers working the United States and Canada. The report is designed to allow individual travel managers to compare their compensation levels and benefits with those of their peers.  The report provides detailed data on respondents’ gender, job titles, professional certification, years of experience, and more. The full report is available exclusively to GBTA members by clicking here and non-members may purchase the report through GBTA Foundation by emailing Paul Yachnes at pyachnes@gbtafoundation.org. Members of the media seeking the report details should contact GBTA Communications at pr@gbta.org.

About the GBTA Foundation
The GBTA Foundation is the education and research foundation of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s premier business travel and corporate meetings organization.
Collectively, GBTA’s 5,000-plus members manage over $340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA provides its network of 21,000 business and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education & professional development, research, and advocacy. The foundation was established in 1997 to support GBTA’s members and the industry as a whole. As the leading education and research foundation in the business travel industry, the GBTA Foundation seeks to fund initiatives to advance the business travel profession. The GBTA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, see gbta.org and gbta.org/foundation .