No luxury: five people who have no choice in travel

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It’s easy to see the world only from your own point of view. After all, what choice do you have? Even the best efforts at empathy and telepathy will still leave you unable to truly put yourself in another person’s shoes. In the travel world in particular, it can be difficult to understand why the person with whom you’re jockeying for an armrest is on the plane at all. Try as you might, you’ll never really be able to grasp the whole story.

So, when I see sweeping pronouncements about why people travel, it makes me stop for a second. I ran into a tweet recently that proclaimed, “Traveling IS a luxury!” In some cases, this is doubtless true. While you may need to get out on vacation for a while, do you really need to go somewhere that requires a flight? Or, if you could suck it up and drive, even if it’s bit longer and something of a pain, you certainly aren’t forced to buy a ticket instead. Limit your perspective to these scenarios, and the statement makes sense.

But, what about everyone else?

There are many reasons why people travel, and there isn’t really a choice for some of them. It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Let’s take a look at five people who fly of necessity – not to satisfy an unnecessary urge.1. Business travel
Okay, this is pretty obvious. When your boss tells you to get on a plane, that’s what you do. There are legions of corporate folks out there who fly weekly (or more) for sales meetings, client service and other business-related reasons. Their jobs are on the road, and they fly to work the way some people drive. The formula is pretty simple: no travel = no paycheck.

2. Family emergencies
This may be infrequent, and it doesn’t matter until you’re the one going to visit a relative in need. With some families spread out over several time zones, responding to an urgent matter may require a flight. I’m not sure I’d call this sort of flying a luxury … let’s be realistic.

3. Children visiting parents
Visitation is a serious matter, and it’s often not left to chance. There are rules put in place for when separated or divorced parents can see their kids. Complying with a court’s decision is not a luxury … nor is the time that a parent and child spend together.

4. People in uniform
Well, they may not always be in uniform – but if you see great posture, little body fat and a short haircut, do the math. The passenger may be en route to a new duty station or training environment (not to mention parts unknown or undesirable). Flying doubtless is not a luxury for this passenger. Rather, it’s a means to ensuring your ability to move freely. Let’s not forget about the military!

5. Airline employees
Of course, these people aren’t flying recreationally. Realistically, they’re only flying because you are. So, whether you’re in the air for business or pleasure, keep in mind that they are with you strictly for the former.

[photo by The U.S. Army via Flickr]

The top factors that influence blended travel opportunities

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Vacations are getting squeezed out, either because of personal financial pressures or a fear of looking like you aren’t crucial in your cubicle. We keep cutting out the time we need for ourselves and our families, which can make the strain of recession-era employment even worse. You don’t need any more pressure … so why are you creating it? You need to get out on the road, and not just for the company. Whether it’s with family, friends or your favorite mistress, you need some time to recharge. Play it right, and you can get your company to pick up at least a piece of it.

“Blended travel” – tacking personal trips on to business travel – is becoming increasingly common. I’ve done this for most of my professional career, turning road warrior time in Paris (among many other cities) into subsidized non-solo trips. I’ve popped third cities between business destinations, met friends and flown family out to hang with me. And if I could show that it saved the company a few bucks, it would wind up doing the same for me.

With your fun money being pinched, investing some time to research your options can help you turn business travel into a great vacation. Here are five factors to keep in mind:1. The nature of your travel: How you travel and what you’re doing on the road can have a profound effect on your blended travel experience. If you work late and get stuck in meetings all the time, bringing your family isn’t going to work (unless they want to enjoy the destination without you). If you go back to the same place every week, it could constrain how much time you have available (focus on the weekends, for example). Get a sense of the rhythm of your travel schedule, and use that to determine your blended travel options.

2. Company savings: By modifying your travel plans to accommodate your personal aims (including having your family join you), could you wind up saving the company a few dollars? This may not bring the cost of the personal side of your plan down to zero, but it could take the sting out a bit. Finding a way to save the company some money can work to your advantage. I used to look at the timing of flights relative to hotel rates to pull this off. Sometimes, all you need is a relatively tolerant boss.

3. Corporate discounts: Many larger companies have employee discount programs on everything from consumer electronics to mortgages … and travel. This could help you chip away at the cost of your (partial) family vacation. Also, see if there is a way you can use your company’s negotiated rates, too.

4. Where you are (and where you can go): Not every location is worth turning into our annual getaway. I can think of plenty of business trips that I’d never use for a blended travel experience. If your spot is particularly undesirable, think about what’s in striking distance. Maybe you could set something up to meet your family at a third location.

Hint: Again, it’s a cost game. If you can show that the cost of your jaunt is less expensive than a straight shot home, you can make the case for “subsidization.”

Business and pleasure: Blended travel gains momentum

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Vacations are casualties during recessions, as you saw yesterday: two-thirds of Americans have canceled theirs already. Well, you may have a chance to recapture the family experience by combining it with a business trip. This “blended travel” approach, which got me to Savannah, Georgia and Little Rock, Arkansas as a kid, has become more popular, according to some industry experts. To me, it’s hardly surprising, given that one of the plane tickets is already covered and, depending on how you structure it, you can get at least some of the hotel room picked up by the company, too.

Of course, there are other opportunities to recapture some cash, too. If you work for a large company with an employee discount program, you could be able to add nights to your trip at a low cost, cut the cost of meals and attractions and maybe even save a little on your flights.

And, it looks like this is going to become the norm. According to MSNBC:

A survey conducted earlier this year by the Meredith Corporation, the publisher of Family Circle magazine, found that of readers who travel for work, 77 percent took along a family member or significant other on their last business trip, and 47 percent do so the majority of the time.

[photo by ToastyKen via Flickr]

Five business travel factors for Obama and the midterm elections

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Leisure travel is irrelevant during the election season, but the woes of business travelers seem to resonate. With the midterm contests two months away, all eyes are on the White House … and President Obama‘s success rate with road, rail and runway repair.

This is the one time business travelers make the presidential agenda, according to Portfolio.com: “Presidents (or people campaigning for any office) only talk about business-travel infrastructure during election season. Our issues almost never seem to rate presidential attention at any other time in the cycle.”

Well, let’s take a look at what Obama’s done for the white collar travel crowd. Here are five business traveler issues that could attract some attention in November:1. Secretary of Transportation appointed: With passengers’ rights considered and a solution implemented (and one that seems to be working), Ray LaHood seems to have been a savvy secretary. And, airlines have been slapped with some hefty fines, proving that they need to take responsibility for their actions.

2. Not so much at the TSA, though: While Portfolio.com gives Obama high marks on behalf of business travelers for LaHood, it’s a little tougher on his choice for top dog of the TSA. The president waited a year to tap someone for the job, suffered through Senate procedural tricks and eventually had to go with his third nominee.

3. Security is solid: The system is relatively safe, Portfolio.com opines, but expect some rancor over the body scans that are set to be implemented, as “the TSA is about to ratchet up the security kabuki at airport checkpoints.”

4. Travel consumer rights on the rise: It took 47 passengers getting stuck overnight on a Minnesota runway, but passengers finally got some rights. The airline industry warned of (self-servingly) of unintended consequences … which have yet to materialize. The Obama administration has airline fee structures on the agenda now.

5. Merger-mania managed: Despite the fact that the “balancing act is tricky,” the administration has done a decent job of facilitating healthy competition without impeding too much of the urge to merge.

[photo by jurvetson via Flickr]

Five signs that the hotel meeting business is recovering

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Business meetings are back in style. Group customer is on the rise for the hotel business, signaling that the corporate crowd Is getting back out on the road. Joining the party are other groups, such as associations, sports teams, religious groups, social organizations and the military, according to USA Today.

The U.S. Travel Association is predicting a 7 percent increase in meeting and convention spending this year, with a forecast of $90.7 billion. Last year, this measure fell 15 percent, as the effects of the financial crisis and subsequent recession led to cancelations.

To get the big bucks back in the door, hotels and convention bureaus have been rolling out favorable pricing and sweetheart deals, and it’s starting to work.

So, how do we know this sector’s coming back? Here are five hints:

1. The meeting planners say so: A June survey by Meeting Professionals International showed 61 percent of respondents saying “that they’re seeing more favorable business conditions, including attendance, budgets and number of meetings,” according to a USA Today report. Only 15 percent responded this way in August 2009.

2. Hotel groups say so: InterContinental Hotels Group has announced that its group and corporate revenue climbed 10 percent in the first half of 2010 relative to the same period in 2009. Denihan Hospitality Group’s eight New York City hotels are showing an increase in group revenue of 26 percent year-over-year.
3. Even Grand Rapids has good news: The JW Marriott in Grand Rapids, Michigan has sold more than 1,500 group room-nights so far this year, up 20 percent from last year.

4. So does Fort Lauderdale: In this Florida town, group revenue is up 30 percent at the Harbor Beach Marriott. Corporate deals are still down from last year, but other groups are more than making up the difference.

5. Hotels understand what’s going on: Even though the market is coming back, hotels realize that they still need to price aggressively. Notes George Aquino, general manager of the Grand Rapids JW Marriott Everyone’s felt the turmoil of 2009. We don’t want that to happen again.”

[photo by msprague via Flickr]