Taking off Travel blog

Here are the latest business travel news updates.

GBTA Predicts Slowdown in Business Travel Spending

Travel industry professionals have been energized by an upswing in business travel this year as travel buyers unlocked their wallets, but according to the latest figures from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), it’s likely that business travel spending will shrink next year.  The GBTA expects final-year business travel figures to show a 6.9% growth over 2010, with a value of $250.2 billion. Growth for 2012 is expected to be a more moderate 4.3% growth, with a predicted spend of $260.9 billion.

Michael W McCormick, GBTA’s executive director and COO says that this won’t be a dramatic slowdown. He comments that:

“Companies are still investing in travel because they have become smarter and more conscious about the level of business travel that is critical to driving growth,” McCormick added. “They recognize where they cut back too much during the recession and won’t make the same mistakes twice, because they know there is great value in personal relationships and business travel is a critical component in sealing those bonds.”

What growth there will be will come from the increase in the prices of some travel good and services. Spending on group travel is also predicted to slow, registering half the growth of 2011 at 3.5% for 2012.

BTN Annual Airline Survey

In other business travel news, the Annual Airline Survey from Business Travel News is now out. The survey polled 406 high spending travel buyers to assess criteria such as  the value, price flexibility, complaint resolution and customer service of the five largest domestic airlines. Delta was a first-time winner this year, with top ratings in 5 of the 10 assessed categories. The United/Continental group was in second, with US Airways in third, American Airlines in fourth and Southwest Airlines/AirTran Airways in last place.

Scores were generally lower than last year and 36% of corporate travel buyers said service had declined. However, 46% said there was no change. Buyers were generally unhappy with add-on fees and wanted to see better discounts and lower published fares. Buyers felt that flexibility in structuring pricing was one reason that contributed to Delta’s deserved win. Get the full story here.

Park Ride Fly USA – Airport Parking Offer

Finally, some news of our own. Watch this space next Monday for details of how you can get a free $25 Restaurant.com voucher by booking 4 days or more of off airport parking via Park Ride Fly USA. We’ll also update you via Twitter and Facebook.

I only thought about it recently but Jamaica seems to be a place that I visit once every 20 years. My first trip there was as a child, and I don’t remember that much about it. I next visited in the late 80s. I spent three weeks and had a pretty good time. The trip was notable for the acquisition of my first sunburn. I don’t burn easily but with cloudless skies and temperatures in the high 90s to 100s, it was no surprise.

A the end of this week, I’ll be going again for an extended weekend, staying in Port Royal, an old pirate haunt which these days is much more likely to be filled with tourists than buccaneers.

I don’t really know what to expect – 20 years is a long time, in which a place can change beyond recognition. One thing that will certainly be the same is the hospitality and welcome offered by the Jamaicans. That really struck me on my last trip and I’m sure it will again.

Jamaica is popular with US tourists. You can fly to Kingston or Montego Bay via a number of airlines and you don’t need a visa for stays of up to six months. (If you’re flying from JFK, a popular departure point, then check out our JFK airport parking opportunities.)

While I’m there, I expect to check out the beach, visit the mountains and, since you can’t go to Jamaica without sampling some Blue Mountain coffee, drink some great coffee. As the birthplace of Bob Marley, the soundtrack to the trip will almost certainly be reggae. Watch out for some trip reports next week.

Image: Christian y Sergio

Parking at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport has become a headache for passengers and drivers, according to this report from NBC. With construction taking place at Terminal A, there are now 1,600 less available spaces at the airport, and that’s likely to continue for 16 months. With parking chaos at the airport many travelers are choosing other options, such as getting someone to drop them off or relying on off airport parking solutions – and that’s where we can help. Our FastTrack Airport Parking facility is not far from the airport, has a free airport shuttle and operates year round, so whenever you’re traveling it’s a good option. Here are some of the benefits of this DFW parking facility:

• Guaranteed airport parking reservations
• Short-term or long-term
• Self-park, Covered
• Secure and well-lit fenced lot
• 24-hour surveillance
• Best available discounted rate
• We’ll handle all your luggage
• No walking – through rain or shine, hot or cold
• Complimentary, comfortable shuttles
• Continuous departures from our lot and terminal
• Quick and convenient
• Curb-to-curb service
• Earn Rewards towards free days
• Accessible parking

Now, isn’t that better than circling the airport for 45 minutes, as some have had to do?

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has released its annual Independence Day Travel Forecast, in conjunction with IHS Global Insight. The figures predict a 2.5% decline in travel by car for the upcoming holiday weekend. Still, some 39 million travelers will be on the road, going at least 50 miles from home. The survey sees gas prices as a key contributor to the downward trend:

Gas prices remain a significant headwind for not only the overall economy, but also for the travel and tourism industry. While almost 25 cents less than the nearly $4 a gallon peak of early May, the national average price for regular gasoline is still more than a dollar higher than at this time last year. The 37 percent year-over-year increase in prices far outweighs any short-term benefit that the recent five percent decline in prices over the last several weeks might provide.

However, there is some good news. For those who are traveling, holiday spending is forecast to increase. Party on!

The full report is available for download here. And if you’re one of the people on the road to the airport for the Independence Day holiday, don’t forget to check out our coupon for off airport parking savings.

Yesterday I mentioned the Embassy Suites survey of business travelers. One of the other interesting things in that survey was the information on business travelers’ favorite airports and cities for their business trips.

The best cities, according to survey respondents, are:

1. New York (voted by a resounding 20 per cent of respondents)

2. Chicago (12 per cent)

3. Los Angeles (10 per cent)

The best airports are:

1. John F Kennedy (JFK) and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airports (each got 10 per cent of the vote)

2. Los Angeles International (LAX) and O’Hare International (ORD) (with 8 per cent of the vote each).

Just so you know, you can make airport parking reservations for all of those airports both online and through Facebook and our mobile site.

What are your picks for the best airports and cities for business travel in the US? What about the world’s best airports? Feel free to share in the comments.