For buyers and arrangers of business travel and meetings FIVE YEARS ON...
FIVE years into The Business Travel Magazine and we are still debating similar – if not the same issues – as we did in November 2006, our very first issue, when we looked at how to adopt an online booking tool, put procurement into practice at
SMEs, predicted that the future would be palm-sized, debated whether rate or relationship with your supply chain was more important, and looked at the pros and cons of booking hotels through a TMC or HBA. All those issues still have great relevance today. In this issue, we are still debating why airlines continue to woo individual travellers with loyalty schemes that undermine corporate deals (see page 38), we’re tracking charge card companies still trying to convert corporates to what they see as an alien concept (see page 62),
and looking at why the government still isn’t taking aviation’s contribution to GDP seriously by holding back expansion at Heathrow (see page 53). The phrase, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, sums it up beautifully: the more things change, the more they stay the same. This idea couldn’t have had greater resonance during our annual conference this year – TBTC 2011 – also in its fifth year. With an uncertain global economic outlook, going back to basics reverberated through the conferences sessions and workshops: gain stakeholder support, obtain the right data and content, consider mandating policy to gain compliance, and to make good use of your agent. You’ll find our round-up of the two-day event from page 14. Two old chestnuts, price transparency and price rises, rear their ugly head also: in our Debate on page 18 tackling VAT exclusive hotel rates, and on page 28 in our cover story on how train companies will have to deliver more quality to justify the price hikes.
In getting older we haven’t lost sight of the basics either. THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE (Print) ISSN 1754-8543
Publishing Director & Managing Editor: Alan Orbell Publisher: David Clare
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thebusinesstravelmag.com Editor: Gillian Upton
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andy.hoskins@thebusinesstravelmag.com Senior Editor: Steve Hartridge Editorial Assistants: Julie Baxter & Laura Gelder Creative Director: Matt Bonner Art Director: Dan Franklin Designer: Tina-Lee McDougall Production Manager: Clare Hunter Production Controller: Steve Hunter Subscriptions Manager: Cheryl Staniforth Managing Director: Martin Steady
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CONTRIBUTORS
Mike Swindell TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Mike is a veteran of the travel industry, specialising in business travel, trade technology and aviation. He has been features editor of Travel Trade Gazette and deputy editor of Airline World.
Tricia Holly Davis
JOURNALIST Tricia is a freelance journalist specialising in business travel, the environment and corporate social responsibility issues, and is a contributor to The Times, The Sunday Times, and The Independent.
Dave Richardson JOURNALIST Dave has more than 30 years' experience as a travel industry writer. He is a previous winner in Carlson Wagonlit's Business Travel Journalism Awards and has visited over 70 countries.
Adam Coulter JOURNALIST Adam is travel consultant for The Spectator and Spectator Business. Previously he was editor of ttgbusiness. He writes for a number of publications including the FT, Times Online, Routes News and Breaking Travel News.
Gillian Upton EDITOR
*This issue of TBTM feels a lot heavier because it includes supplements on both serviced accommodation and hotel booking agents. If you would like additional copies of either of these supplements, pleas email David Clare at
david.clare@
bmipublishing.co.uk
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE! 4 I THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
Colin Ellson JOURNALIST Colin is a highly experienced travel journalist, specialising in the aviation sector and the Middle East. Before venturing into the travel sector, Colin was an award-winning journalist on the TV Times.
Roger Gardner CONSULTANT Roger is an aviation environmental expert with nearly 30 years experience of policy development, regulation and research management, currently providing consulting advice to various stakeholders.
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TRAVEL TRADE
PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2009 & 2010 THE TRAVEL
PRESS AWARDS
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