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The latest business travel insights, technology trends, vacation specials and travel tips!

Creating a Traveler’s Notebook

Years ago we knew a Sales Manager named Eddie Kislan who was whip smart and spent as much time on airplanes as he did at the dinner table.  Eddie never left town without his Travelers Notebook, a small (pocket sized) address book he put in his briefcase which had vital numbers and account numbers should…

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Are Non-Refundable Hotel Rates Coming Back?

During the lockdown non-refundable hotel rates pretty much disappeared. Along with airline and car rental suppliers, hotels were hungry for business, so they dropped cancellation and change fees and just about every product across the board was refundable, and in the case of Southwest Airlines, even non-expiring ticket credits became standard. Well, we’re not in…

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Why Hotels are Rebounding with Ease Post-Pandemic, While Airlines Struggle

A cursory examination of the Hotel and Airline industries reveals a huge disparity between how the two sectors have fared after a return to travel. Both experienced a crippling lockdown, a sharp reduction in staff and costly requirements for increased sanitation protocols. They both also experienced the same vigorous resurgence of business as pent-up demand…

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Going the Extra Mile: Defining World Class

How do you know you have a top-notch travel agent? Here are a few signs: They don’t take an hour to get the details of your reservation. Everyone loves a personable conversation. Your agent can chit-chat, make recommendations for your destination and even ask about your children, and yet not waste your time. But if…

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Taming the Problem Traveler

Travelers aren’t created alike. There are those who never cause any trouble. They always book in advance, always use preferred suppliers and never misplace itineraries or receipts. Their expense reports are flawless, and they never, ever, complain. Then there are the other kind…And that’s not to say travel isn’t frustrating for everyone right now, with…

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A Deeper Dive on Refueling Your Rental Car

The part of your corporate travel policy which deals with refilling the gas tank of a rental car can have a big impact on your travel spend, especially if you have a large number of travelers who like to rent cars. The fact that gas is overly expensive at the moment just adds fuel to…

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The Zen of Merging Travel Accounts

Everybody loves their travel agent. (Whether they should or not. That’s a hot topic for another time…) But, it is true. That time the CEO was stuck in Reno and airports were snowed out all across the Northwest and your travel agent saved the day and got him home in no time flat. These kinds…

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The Car Rental Merry-Go-Round

Rental car suppliers are right to feel like they are on a merry-go-round. First the pandemic slowed business down to a stop. Then after laying off staff and selling inventory to stay in business the suppliers felt the merry-go-round start back up. And start to spin faster and faster. But, surprise, there are no new…

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Will the Pandemic Cause Travel Levels to Go Up Substantially?

While it may seem counter-intuitive to suggest that an event that had such a drastic, negative effect on an industry, will eventually become a great boon, boosting volume moving forward…it’s quite likely that may be the case. Two factors contribute to this point of view… Factor #1: Telecommuting The following telecommuting/remote work statistics were compiled…

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Alternate Airports

Sold-out situations sometimes require extraordinary solutions. Flight times may not match up, or worse a traveler is stranded after a cancellation. Or perhaps it’s the weather making life hard for travelers. Whatever the situation, the best travel agents will already know most of these and can shift plans to accommodate travel when the first choice…

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