Business Travel More than Pays for Itself: Study

A new study says it establishes “for the first time” a clear link between business travel and corporate performance and growth.

Conducted by global research firm Oxford Economics, the study, titled “The Return on Investment of U.S. Business Travel,” found:

• Economic analysis and executive surveys both confirmed a high delivery of ROI: for every dollar invested in business travel, companies realize $12.50 in incremental revenue.

• Curbing business travel can reduce a company’s profits for years. The average U.S. business would forfeit 17 per cent of its profits in the first year of eliminating business travel. It would take more than three years for profits to recover.

• Both executives and business travellers estimate that 28 per cent of current business would be lost without in-person meetings.

• Both executives and business travellers estimate that roughly 40 per cent of their prospective customers are converted to new buyers with an in-person meeting, compared to 16 per cent without such a meeting.

• Executives stated that in order to achieve the same effect of incentive travel, an employee’s total base compensation would need to be increased 8.5 per cent.

• An increase in government travel spending of $1-million will increase government worker productivity and therefore output by between $4.6-million and $6.3-million.

The study was commissioned by the US Travel Association.

The First 10 Minutes of Your Car Rental

If most auto accidents occur within one mile of the departure or destination site, then most car rental auto accidents must occur within a few hundred feet of the car rental parking lot.

We've all done it -- hopped into the rental vehicle, started it up and headed out into the streets. Then, in the midst of airport traffic with buses bearing down on you and taxis nearly swiping you, you're trying to read utterly illogical signage as you start groping for knobs, posts, headlights, windshield wipers, window controls, defroster/heat controls, the radio seek button.

As you get your bearings, you find yourself making every error of every bad driver you've ever hated. To safely find your way into the big bad world in your next gutless rental car, follow this guide.

00:01
Check for scratches, dings, tears. If the car rental agent is circling your car with a pad making notes of scratches and blemishes, make sure you do the same. I've rarely failed to find a scratch or two that the agent missed, and if they're going to hold you to this process, you should do the same in return.

01:01
Start the car. Although it wastes gas and pollutes, you might find that allowing the car to warm up is a good call. It also affords you the opportunity to make sure the car is running fairly well, with no strange noises. Although most people take a good look for scratches and dings so they won't be charged upon return, they rarely check how the car is running.

01:15
Find and turn on heat/air-conditioning. This will allow the interior to heat up or cool down depending on the season while you get your bearings. A dark blue Neon is going to be blistering hot in the summer. Turn on the air-conditioning and let the car cool down while you continue your orientation program.

01:45
Consult your map. Car rental lots are often inconveniently located in the outer reaches of the airport loop road organism. If you take a wrong turn out of the lot, you may find yourself back at the baggage claim before you know it. Most car rental agencies will give you a map of the area that pinpoints the location of the rental lot; take out and consult this map, and formulate your intended route out of the car rental void and into the world. Next, hand the map to a copilot if you have one, who can conceive any enhancements to the plan.

04:15
Fix your mirrors. A quick adjust to the rear view won't do it -- you gotta deal with the side mirrors. If you’re traveling with someone, he or she can help. This will save you some heartbeats when you first have to merge into heavy traffic. Read more›››

Canadians to get e-passports
CANADA has announced plans to introduce e-passports to its citizens as early as next year.

Canadians who apply for passports will now receive a document with a chip that contains their photo and personal information such as their age, gender and date and place of birth. Only special and diplomatic passport applicants have received e-passports until now.

It is hoped that the introduction of these passports will increase security and provide better protection against fraud.

There are still a few issues that need to be ironed out and a major online consultation will also be taking place with Canadians to find out their ideas about this service. E-passports will also be valid for 10 years as opposed to the normal five.

Air Canada streamlines service with "credit card only" cabin

Beginning May 1, Air Canada will transition to "credit card only" for the purchase of all in-flight products such as Onboard Café, bar or duty-free boutique items. The simple and easy change will allow flight attendants to move more quickly throughout the cabin without having to make change and will eliminate the need for our customers to carry smaller bills and coins on board.

ACCESS LOUNGES AROUND THE WORLD

Whether your travellers are catching up on jet lag with a nap at Charles de Gaulle, relaxing to the sounds of the grand piano in Incheon, or freshening up before their next meeting in Munich, Star Alliance™ member lounges provides them an exclusive environment in which to do it.

With the Star Alliance Gold status (Air Canada Super Elite®, Air Canada Elite®), travellers enjoy the benefits of lounge access no matter what class of service they travel in. This includes network lounges, and a number of specially designed Star Alliance lounges in Cairo, London, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo.

To find out more about the Star Alliance lounge network, and other benefits of Star Alliance Gold status, visit staralliance.com.

AMERICAN Airlines have changed the baggage fees between Canada and the US, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Customers who purchase economy-class tickets on or after March 29, 2010, will be charged US$25 each way for the first checked bag and US$35 each way for the second checked bag.

Customers who purchase economy-class tickets prior to March 29, 2010, will be charged US$15 each way for the first checked bag and US$25 each way for the second checked bag.

The changes apply for travel on American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection® flights.

Europe

Loews Hotel Vogue - Montreal

Epicurean pleasures await you at Loews Hôtel Vogue, their warm and inviting luxury hotel set in the heart of Montreal. Enjoy the stylish comfort of their oversized rooms and suites…and get in the swing of Montreal’s legendary joie de vivre with a cocktail downstairs at L’Opéra Bar.

UNIGLOBE Travel has a special rate of only $169 from now until May 16, 2010 ( May 17th - November 14th, 2010 the exclusive rate is $199).

Take advantage of these special rates only by booking with your UNIGLOBE Travel Counsellor.