Asks USA Today last week in a piece they did on business travel trends, what will the impact of the global economic meltdown mean for business travel this year?
Ten trend recap below:
1. Air travel on sale. From 2007 through to the middle of 2008, fares were raised 32 times, according to FareCompare. com. We’re now back to pre-2007 levels.
2. Capacity cuts continue. Schedules continue to lighten meaning fewer seats available.
3. Ancillary fees proliferate. We’re now seeing annoying ancillary fees for pretty much everything. So before you think you’re getting a good deal, you may end up paying half the ticket price for checked luggage, meals and snacks, in-flight entertainment, seat selection and more. It’s stressful enough as it is to travel today – why add more things to think about? It’s like having your cell phone bill go up by 50% because you’re suddenly paying for voice mail and accessing your address book.
4. Trimming and downgrading travel spending. Travel cut 10-20% by corporations.
5. Pursuing the business traveler. The article says airlines are making an attempt at giving their best travelers additional services, but I’m not seeing it.
6. International bargains abound. International fares are coming down? Anyone need a housesitter for a month in their second homes? Hawaii, Mexico, the Virgin Islands, I’ll even take Brazil baby.
7. Empty hotel rooms and rental cars. Hotels are hurting they say. If hotels would drop the ancillary fees and up the service, it may not be so grim. When times were good, they forgot about service. Time to turn that around.
8. Decline in meetings and attendance. Companies I’m dealing with are cancelling shows, road trips and meetings so my experience matches up with their stats.
9. Right-sizing the regional jet (RJ). Apparently airlines continue to downsize and deploy RJs on routes formerly served by larger Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
10. Resurgence of Internet fares. With the industry in economic turmoil, distressed inventory is out there for the taking.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
