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Posted Dec 22, 2009
It goes without saying that 2009 was a challenging year for our industry and many others. However, I remain proud to be part of a group of business travel professionals that have led the industry through these difficult times and will be the leaders that define the new reality for 2010 and beyond. ACTE members around the world have again demonstrated themselves to being the leaders of leaders. Â Furthermore, I am honored and privileged to have the opportunity to serve the association as your president. Â
Posted Dec 21, 2009
As we close out 2009, the focus for most of us is on the year ahead. In fact, I've heard some industry colleagues say that the best they can report on the year we've just been through is that it is almost over. In the final 2009 edition of The Wire...from AirPlus, we gauge the attitudes of travel managers in the U.S. and Europe on the future. The most interesting result to me is the fact that the respondents' view of how 2010 will develop seems to depend on how aggressively the company made travel program changes this year.
Posted Nov 24, 2009
With all the discussion over ancillary fees there seems to be one that is missing the attention of corporate travel professionals responsible for a global program. In the recent edition of The Wire…from AirPlus, it is clear that travel industry insiders lack awareness of the U.S. Travel Promotion Act--even in countries that stand to be most affected by possible new fees.
Posted Nov 9, 2009
For years airlines have made statements that the merchant fees that they pay when they accept cards as a form of payment were ‘next on the list’ of distribution costs that would be in focus. And more recently we are beginning to see evidence that this is true with examples such as United Airlines' reported change of policy when it comes to [some] travel management companies' use of their merchant agreement and KLM’s announcement of a credit card surcharge of EUR 7.50 being debated.
Posted Oct 5, 2009
Marketers know the Four P’s of Marketing: Product, Placement, Promotion and Price. And the most recent edition of The Wire…from AirPlus shows that buyers in this hotel RFP season are focused on just one: Price. However, I think there is one missing from this list…and it’s Partnership.
Posted Aug 20, 2009
Meetings have received a lot of attention over the past year. There is discussion about policies, locations, and convergence with the management of transient business travel. This month in The Wire…from AirPlus we asked for a reality check on what is really happening at corporations in the US and Europe.
Posted Aug 5, 2009
Over the last few weeks much has been said and written about a merger of ACTE and NBTA and the potential benefits this would bring the global travel industry. It has been interesting to see how throughout the letters and articles, the strengths of the different associations have been outlined. Specifically it has been stated (even by NBTA officials themselves) that ACTE clearly has a stronger program and presence outside the US and a lead when it comes to educating the industry.
Posted Jul 27, 2009
We all know the old adage, but how often is it applied by corporations when selecting preferred travel suppliers? In the most recent edition of The Wire…from AirPlus, we asked travel professionals exactly that--which criteria are most important to them in several supplier categories. What we found was not surprising in this economic climate. Cost was the largest factor in selecting airline, hotel and car rental vendors. However, in the TMC and payment categories, it was data that reigned supreme.
Posted Jun 23, 2009
More and more news stories seem to want to declare the bottom of the decline or even the end of the recession. While this is the news many of us are longing to see and I’m hopeful the next year will be one of recovery, what does this mean for the business travel industry?
Posted May 11, 2009
"E-mail is not a business tool."
As crazy as that statement may sound to us today, fifteen years ago, this was the prevailing wisdom among many executives. They felt that if it needed to be said then you should pick up the phone or, better yet, say it face to face. Today we face a similar skepticism around the usefulness of online social media tools and services. I hear people call them a "waste of time" or "something for my kids." The truth is these tools give us a glimpse into the way we will communicate in the future.
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