2010 Business Travel Budgets Will Focus
on Growing Revenue
from BusinessTravelDestinations.com
 Business travel budgets were battered in 2009. Meetings were cancelled. Tighter corporate transient travel restrictions were implemented. The recession played a role in these decisions. And so did tactics of public and political intimidation – accusations of corporate greed and extravagance were attached to business travel investments. But the year wasn’t a complete waste.
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Six Months after Swine Flu Virus Identified No Doomsday,
But This Story Isn't Over Yet
from The Baltimore Sun
It was six months ago that scientists discovered an ominous new flu virus, touching off fears of a catastrophic global outbreak that could cause people to drop dead in the streets. Doomsday, of course, never came to pass. Now that the initial scare over the swine flu has subsided, health officials warn we are not out of danger yet.
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Taiwan Talking to U.S. on Visa Waiver Program
from The China Post
Foreign Minister Timothy Yang said last week that Taiwan and the United States are discussing the possibility of including Taiwan in a U.S. visa waiver program, but he gave no specific timetable. “Both Taiwan and the U.S. understand the importance of the visa waiver program issue, which are already under discussion by the two sides. However, I cannot tell you a certain timetable,” Yang said.
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NEW Study on International Travelers!
Join a comprehensive study that will help your organization learn more about international travelers. The International Traveler Study will take a comprehensive look at needs, behaviors, and experiences of international travelers in the United States, with focus on the top 5 inbound markets: Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, and the UK. Sponsors can submit proprietary questions. The study is being conducted by the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council and Shop America Alliance in conjunction with Mandala Research. For more information contact Laura@MandalaResearch.com.
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U.N. Promotes Virtual Events as Green Alternative
from Successful Meetings
During its first-ever virtual event, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), one of the United Nations' specialized agencies, called on the U.N. to include information and communication technologies (ICTs)--including virtual meetings—in its efforts to fight global warming.
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Conference Centers Get Real about Going Green
from Successful Meetings
In order to ensure greenwashing does not occur in the conference center industry, the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) has implemented a Code of Sustainability, that encourages member properties to follow environmentally sound practices. The industry has to get serious about the issue. Going green is no longer a fringe concern. A recent survey of corporate travel managers by the National Business Travel Association indicates that nearly 30 percent of the hospitality industry incorporates green issues into their travel policies and that nearly 25 percent prefer green meeting suppliers. More
Pressure Mounting Over Tarmac Delays
from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After years of discussion, an airline passenger bill of rights may move closer to reality this fall after high-profile strandings brought more attention and momentum to the issue. Passenger advocates say travelers need basic protections, including the right to get off a plane three hours into a tarmac delay.
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It's Time to Admit Flying is a Luxury
from The Independent
British Airways boss Willie Walsh, recently told the BBC that people don't fly because they like it but because they have to. Walsh was talking principally about business travellers and attempting to make the case that it was only with the deepest reluctance that business travellers jet off to the far side of the world. This is a fairly commonplace fantasy and one that's often repeated by business people.
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Despite Downturn in Traffic, Los Angeles Plans
$1.3 Billion Airport Overhaul
from The New York Times
Airport traffic is down, airlines are consolidating routes and Southern California’s business and tourism economy is reeling from the recession. But city officials cast a vote of confidence on Monday in the future of Los Angeles International Airport, awarding contracts for a major overhaul of the airport’s international travel facilities, including adding more than one million square feet of terminal space.
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Volunteer Vacations: Making a Getaway a Way to Help Others
from The Denver Post
The U.S. Travel Association has identified volunteering while on vacation as one of the fastest growing travel trends. But now we're in a travel slump, with international trips taking a nosedive, and even staycations feeling the squeeze. One possible exception to the travel downturn: volunteer-based trips.
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Marketing Outlook Forum: Prepare for What’s Ahead
from the U.S. Travel Association
With so many questions facing the outlook for our industry, U.S. Travel’s Marketing Outlook Forum (MOF) in Little Rock, Ark., October 26-28 is a worthwhile investment to arm yourself with the latest data and marketing insights to improve your business. Working with this year's planning committee, U.S. Travel's Dr. Suzanne Cook, Senior Vice President of Research and the event General Manager, has assembled an outstanding program. Starting with an up-to-the-minute economic forecast, this year's program includes outlooks for major travel industry sectors, newly released consumer research, and an in-depth look at the state of U.S. business, meetings and incentive-related travel, including highlights from a study conducted by Oxford Economics.
Register today.
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