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Posted Aug 18, 2010
Many National Business Travel Association convention attendees cut out on the morning of the last day to avoid overbooked fights and delays, but I tend to stick around for the final education sessions. Along with a few stragglers, I attended the Federal Aviation Administration panel discussion last Wednesday hoping to gain a bit more clarity or information on the next-generation air traffic control system (NextGen), or to learn something new. Thirty-four slides later, I hadn't.
Posted Aug 17, 2010
I attended the NBTA Convention in Houston last week. Frankly I have been to so many NBTA conventions, I have lost count (this was probably my 22nd or 23rd convention). What was shocking to me was how there was so little change in the content of the program from those I attended back in the early 1990s. Sessions on travel policy, expense management, globalization, vendor negotiations and meetings management represented the bulk of the content. There were a few progressive sessions on the social Web and mobile apps (the session I spoke at), but in general the lack of innovation and progressive thought was quite evident. Why is the corporate travel industry so stagnant? What does this mean to the state of corporate travel technology? It is my belief that a major culprit is turnover.
Posted Aug 13, 2010
Jonas and I have a tradition every year at the National Business Travel Association convention of getting registered a few hours ahead of our networking responsibilities to leave enough time for recycling. All that crap. You know, in the bag. Then, we ask, what's that bag for? Anyway, this year NBTA deserves praise for not only cutting down on all the crap but also for giving us an app.
Posted Aug 3, 2010
We hardly cover awards, aside from our own of course, but in June I issued my " off-the-cuff opinions of only a semi-frequent traveler" regarding stuff that real frequent travelers are more qualified to assess: the nominees for the National Business Travel Association's first-ever Business Traveler Innovation Awards, in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal. The results are in. Let's see how I did ...
Posted Aug 2, 2010
A Congressional subcommittee last month noted that a non-binding IRS ruling leaves "unsettled" the question of whether ancillary airline fees for bags and add-ons should be taxed. As the National Journal's Transportation Experts blog explores the debate, the National Business Travel Association is undecided for now, executive director Mike McCormick said.
Posted Jul 29, 2010
Mike D recently released his 2010 NBTA packing guide to critical acclaim. As a complement to this fine piece of work, I'm pleased to present my own guide. While Daly and I will both be carrying on our luggage, that crazy guy will be packing his stuff, white dinner coat included, in a ratty Nike duffel that is shabbier than what you used for treks home while in college. To each his own.
Posted Apr 30, 2010
Posted Dec 14, 2009
A few very fascinating trends and facts emerged from this week's NBTA webinar "The Next Big Thing in Travel: 2010 and Beyond," and I'd like to share a few with you.
Posted Dec 4, 2009
Posted Dec 3, 2009
National Business Travel Association leaders went with an industry insider when they hired their executive director this summer. By next April, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives should have its own new head of staff after taking applications this month and conducting interviews in the new year. It could be eventful.
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