DUBAI
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry saved Dh1 million in just over a year from simply booking corporate travel further in advance, according to Sara Al Madani, one of the chamber’s board members.
“It was a hidden cost we just weren’t paying attention to, to start with. Then we realised that early bookings and planning ahead not only makes us more professional, in terms of our calendar and creating content, but also in terms of cutting costs,” Al Madani said in an interview on Wednesday morning.
“We’ve saved around Dh1 million already,” she added.
The cost cutting measures come at a time of wider economic diversification efforts on the part of the Sharjah government.
This strategy, however, is not without hazards, according to Al Madani.
“It is risky, because plans change over time, and if you cancel there’s no refunds.”
“There’s a lot of risks that come with saving money and being cost efficient. The travel market is greedy and looking to get whatever they can out of a consumer. But it is important for us to take those risks.”
The issue of encouraging staff to book business travel much further in advance to initiate cost savings was prominent amongst attendees at the 5th annual MICE Arabia and Luxury Travel Congress.
