The recession’s impact on business travel was the main theme at a Business Travel Summit held in New York by travel industry executives representing Best Western International, Southwest Airlines and MasterCard Worldwide. The roundtable also provided tips for companies and individual business travelers.
- Hotels
According to Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western, business travelers are opting for shorter trips rather than canceling travel across the board.
Dorothy Dowling says, in the effort to reduce costs, more companies are looking to mid-market hotels for corporate travel where chains incorporate all-inclusive pricing, with room rates including amenities such as Internet access, breakfast and parking.
- Business-To-Business Partnerships
Travel brands are using the economic slowdown to grow business-to-business relationships in an effort to provide new value-added services to their customers. Southwest Airlines and Best Western recently announced a partnership that provides Best Western Rewards members the opportunity to earn Rapid Rewards credits for each qualifying hotel stay.
- Expense Management Tools
Linda Rutherford, vice president of communications and strategic outreach for Southwest Airlines, said Southwest’s corporate booking tool SWABIZ continues to attract business travelers. SWABIZ offers Customers a wide range of tools that help road warriors efficiently plan, book and purchase business travel.
George Zilvetti, vice president, co-brand development for MasterCard Worldwide, says: “Small business travelers can reduce costs and receive perks such as rental car upgrades and cash back for purchases, while also eliminating certain fees for checked bags that some airlines have implemented, [...] Some of these cards also provide the technology which eases the expense management process, thereby giving travel managers better control over their employees’ expenses.”
- Loyalty Programs
Increasingly, business travelers are taking advantage of loyalty programs and associated benefits, which allow them to take business trips that might have otherwise been cancelled. Best Western has tracked record numbers of loyalty point redemption in the past several months, with a 23 percent year-over-year increase in 2008. (source)
