Brand new Meetings Industry Survey reveals close to one million foreign delegates visit Denmark

To co-inside with VisitDenmark’s brand new branding platform “Come and join us!” it appears that close to 1 million foreign delegates have already chosen to do so, with more expected to follow…

A new in depth analysis highlights “The Economic Contribution of Meeting Activity in Denmark” and now it’s official; 928,000 commercial[1] foreign delegates visited Denmark in 2010. DKK 3.5 billion was their contribution to the Danish economy and DKK 3,070 was the average daily spending/cost per person. The analysis, based on detailed venue, organiser and delegate surveys, has been conducted by VisitDenmark – the Official Tourism Organisation of Denmark – in corporation with Wonderful Copenhagen CVB, VisitAarhus, VisitEastDenmark and VisitSouthDenmark.

The report worthy of note sheds light on the number of meetings held in Denmark and their significance to the Danish economy on a national, regional and local level. It draws attention to the size of business tourism within the Danish tourism sector; the number of external meetings held, bed nights spent by foreign delegates, their daily spending and much more, and is the result of two years of methodical research and analysis.

Henrik Kahn, Director – VisitDenmark UK/Ireland and Project Owner of the study, explains:

“The tourism industry is a key contributor to economic growth worldwide and the purpose with this study has therefore been twofold: to prove the importance of business tourism to the Danish economy and thereby accomplish further recognition from local, regional and national governments of the meetings sector, and to map the volume, structure and characteristics of meeting activity in Denmark in detail – not least the foreign part of it!”  

“We’ve done our research and are encouraged by the findings in the report. Its entirety and the high number of respondents give credibility and validity to the analysis and sure enough, we will use the knowledge pro-actively in our future strategic plans for the further development and promotion of our professional meetings industry,” Kahn continues.

The Danish study is based on the recommendations from the UNTWO on how to establish national accounts of the meetings sector, in combination with the methodology used in a Canadian Study published in 2008; “The Economic Contribution of Meetings Activity in Canada, the Danish TØBBE-figures and more. It also corresponds with the “Meeting Satellite Account” and takes its point of departure in MPI’s definition of meetings.

The findings in the Danish report are the results of thorough research conducted in 2010-2011 and a second report is scheduled for 2013-2014 in order to trace the latest developments within the Danish meetings industry.

[1] Commercial foreign delegates is defined as delegates attending meetings in hired venues in Denmark.

The key findings in the report are:  

• The Danish tourism industry (leisure & business tourism) created a direct turnover of DKK 74.6 billion (€10.02 billion) in 2010.
• Thereof the Danish meetings industry created a direct turnover of DKK 20.8 billion (approx. €2.79 billion) of which DKK 11.4 billion (approx. €1.53 billion) is costs of meetings and DKK 9.4 billion (approx. €1.26 billion) is spending from delegates, incl. accommodation, transport and shopping.
• Gross Value Added (GVA) amounts to DKK 15 billion (approx. €2.01 billion), or the equivalent to 1.0 per cent of the Danish GVA, when including derived effects.
• Personal and corporate taxes as well as VAT make up for 1.3 per cent of the totals with DKK 7.8 billion (approx. €1.01 billion).
• Some 37,900 jobs are generated due to the direct and derived effects the industry has on the Danish economy, corresponding to 1.4 per cent of total employment in Denmark.
• The total no. of meetings held in Denmark in 2010 was 187.900 with the total no. of delegates being 6.9 million.
• Commercial foreign delegates contributed with DKK 3.5 billion (approx. €470,505,995) or 17 per cent of all meetings activity in Denmark.
• The no. of commercial foreign delegates in Denmark (2010-figures) was 928,000. Thereof, 201,000 delegates stayed overnight equivalent to 460,000 room nights in 2010, generating DKK 1.5 billion (approx. €201,664,126) of the above mentioned DKK 3.5 billion. Some 60 per cent of these overnight stays were in the Capital region.
• The no. of day delegates is higher than expected as is the turnover from these delegates; DKK 2 billion (approx. €268,860,568) of the above mentioned DKK 3.5 (approx. €470,505,995).
• The average total spending and cost per delegate is DKK 3,070 (approx. €412) thereof the day delegate spending is DKK 1,830 (approx.  €246) and the meeting cost DKK 1,240 (approx. €166).

Almost 40% of travellers forge relationships on flights

A new survey of international travellers by Skyscanner has found that 39% of travellers have developed friendships with someone they met on a flight, with 6% even admitting to a romantic liaison with a new acquaintance on-board.

The poll of over 700 flyers found while the majority of these connections were short lived, 5% spent time on holiday together as a direct result of meeting on their flight. Taking their friendship even further, 7% said they continued to stay in touch after their holiday.

Social media also appears to be prolonging these longer-term relationships, with 3% staying in touch on the social network with someone they met on a flight. It is perhaps this point that Dutch national carrier KLM are looking to exploit with their new Facebook app which allows passengers to enter their details and choose who they sit next to on their flight.

Although 57% of people thought the service was ‘weird’ and would not be using it, one in five said they would use the app and an inquisitive 23% also said they would consider using the service.

However, despite the app being dubbed the ‘Mile High app’, the results of the Skyscanner survey actually show that the likelihood of friendship is far greater than that of romance with only 6% admitting to a fling at 30,000 feet and only 2% having a lasting relationship.

Sam Baldwin, Skyscanner’s Travel Editor said: “It’s clear that many travellers want to make more of their travel experience than simply getting from A to B, and our findings show that on-board friendships and romances are now quite common. Part of the fun of travelling is meeting people, and of course this can start on the flight itself!”

Hotel Room Rates in Ukraine Soar up to 1335% for Euro 2012, Survey Uncovers

A trip to the Ukraine to support their team at Euro 2012 is going to hit Englanders’ wallets hard. And it’s not tickets to the games, which are still reasonably priced, that will be their financial undoing. Rather, it’s the cost of a hotel room, which has risen substantially in anticipation of the June competition dates. This is the result CheapHotels.org has compiled after comparing available hotel rooms for the group games of the Three Lions.

Games between France and the Ukraine, which are being hosted by Donetsk, correspond with the hardest-to-come-by hotel rooms. In response to heated demand, the 4-star Shakhtar Plaza in the heart of the action has hiked its rates 400% to GBP 500 per night in comparison to its regular GBP 100 rates.

Bargain hunters are particularly in for some disappointment. All remaining rooms in the Ukrainian host city are going for more than GBP 300. In fact, the lowest price they’ll find for an accommodation is at the budget Agat Hotel. This prime locale near the Euro 2012 stadium is charging GBP 296 more than its usual GBP 39, a hike that equates to a 758% increase.

The Agat Hotel, however, isn’t the Games’ biggest price-gouging offender. The second game against Sweden in Kiev will take matters to an even greater extreme as rooms become few and far between. The Hostel Downtown is a good case in point. Its typical GBP 59 rooms have soared to GBP 847 per night, representing a 1335% price elevation. On the upside, travelers who are willing to stay in Kiev’s outer fringe can snag some rooms for under GBP 100.

Waiting until the last minute may be the name of the savings game. CheapHotels.org has it on good authority from the UEFA’s official tour agency that many of the rooms that had been reserved by the association are no longer needed and will be released to the public at the end of April.

For more information about this survey, visit http://www.cheaphotels.org/press/euro-2012.html

French Still Rulers of Rudeness but China Placed Fifth in Skyscanner Poll

SINGAPORE, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

A poll conducted by international travel search site Skyscanner reveals the French have taken the title as the rudest nation in the world. Taking 19% of the vote, the French have been known by many of their European neighbours for their abrupt and curt nature, especially when dealing with foreign tourists, which has often been taken as rudeness by visitors.

However, surprisingly China was ranked fifth in the poll, deemed ruder than Americans. With growing numbers of Chinese now travelling to Europe and the nations’ tourists now among the biggest spenders in the UK, Brits are now rubbing shoulders with more Chinese than ever before.

Brits were voted third rudest nation, taking 10% of the vote. The accolade comes just months after Brits voted themselves the world’s worst tourists.

Yi Bao, Skyscanner Market Manager for China, said: “Whilst China has been voted as the fifth rudest nation in this poll, I think it is more about cultural differences that are being misinterpreted rather than actual rude behaviour.

“For instance Brits are stalwarts for queuing but this is not a common behaviour for Chinese people so could be interpreted as being rude if they do not adhere to this custom when holidaying in the UK. With so many Chinese tourists now coming to the UK, there is more chance of Brits seeing this behaviour and interpreting it as rude.”

At the other end of the scale, Brazilians, those from the Caribbean islands and Filipinos were voted least rude.

World’s Rudest Nationalities:

1. French 19.2%

2. Russian 16.6%

3. British 10.4%

4. German 9.9%

5. Chinese 4.3%

6. American 3.3%

7. Spanish 3.1%

8. Italian 2.3%

9. Polish 2.2%

10. Turkish 2.1%

VOK DAMS.Consulting publishes “User generated Incentive” study

Customization is the No.1 success factor for incentive programmes – this is the most important key finding of the current trend study of VOK DAMS.Consulting, the consulting agency of the event specialists of VOK DAMS. A total of 142 marketing managers from 58 companies were interviewed for the study.

The study supports the point that also in the field of incentives, the digital networking and with it the user generated content, acquire an increasingly important role. Only the feedback the internet-based communication channels enable, guarantees an individual approach. The integration of social media and the direct exchange become more and more decisive criteria.

Next to customization, constancy is another important success factor for incentive measures. 41% of the respondents indicated that they already perform each measure over a longer period of time; a trend, clearly away from individual activity.

Hence, the way to future success is clearly predetermined by the incentives of employees: Orientation towards the individual needs of the participants, execution of the measures over a longer period and enduring motivation and involvement.

The study provides informative content for the development of incentive measures in the coming years. The clear trend to user generated incentive has to be taken under consideration in the conception and implementation. VOK DAMS offers a solution to this, through its Präm.Kom system that addresses the needs of every individual participant.

The study, as well as, the former ones, are available on www.facebook.com/vokdams or upon request by email at info@vokdams.de.

Travelodge Research Shows Over a Third of British Adults Still Sleep With a Teddy Bear

Its not just kids who need a bed time cuddle from their favourite teddy to send them to the land of nod. Over a third of British adults also rely on a bear hug, to send them to slumber; new research has revealed.

The survey conducted with 6,000 Britons by Travelodge revealed 35% of adults admitted they sleep with their teddy because they found cuddling their bear comforting. Also the calming feeling of a bear hug also helps them to de-stress after a hard day – which aids sleep.

The survey was conducted to investigate the nation’s fascination with sleeping with a teddy bear. As in the last 12 months, the hotel chain has had to reunite over 75,000 forgotten cuddly bears that have been left in its 452 hotels with their owners.

Research findings also revealed 25% of male respondents reported they take their teddy bear away with them when going away on business. As it reminds them of home and a bear cuddle helps them to nod off as they miss a bedtime cuddle from their partner.

Corrine Sweet, Psychologist, said: “cuddling a teddy bear is an important part of our national psyche as it evokes a sense of peace, security and comfort. It’s human nature to crave these feelings from childhood to adult life, which is why 35% of British adults sleep with their teddy bear. It’s not surprising, then, that taking a cuddly bear on a business trip is so popular, even among men (25%). As a bedtime bear evokes the secure feelings of home and warmth which can aid sleep – just like in childhood.

Further findings from the research revealed that over half of British adults (51%) still have a teddy bear from their childhood and Britons average teddy bear is 27 years old.

One in ten single men surveyed admitted they hide their teddy bear when their girlfriend stays over. Fourteen per cent of married men reported they hide their teddy bear in the wardrobe or under bed when any family and friends come to visit.

Interestingly more men at 15% compared to 10% of women reported they treat their teddy as their best friend and will share their intimate secrets with their bear.

Also over a quarter (26%) of male respondents stated it is quite acceptable to have a bear regardless of your age.

‘Dawn James, Arctophile and editor of Teddy Bear Times said: “Teddy Bears represent happiness and security in childhood. They are the best friend that always listens and never criticises. This is why so many adults hang on to their childhood bears, because they see them as a lifelong friend.”

“The popularity of teddy bears is going from strength to strength. There are collectors across the UK who have thousands of bears in their houses.”

The research also looked into which bear has the ‘Zzz ‘factor and is the nation’s favourite bedtime bear. Topping the ‘Zzz’ factor bear poll was the traditional teddy bear – which has also appeared in cult TV programmes such as: Playschool (Big Little Ted), Andy Pandy (Teddy) and Brideshead Revisted (Aloysius.)

Listed below is the nations all time top ten favourite cuddly bears:

- The classic teddy bear

- Winnie the Pooh

- Paddington Bear

- Tatty Bear

- Sooty

- Care Bears

- Yogi Bear

- Fozzie Bear

- Rupert the Bear

- Super Ted Baloo

Dawn James, Arctophile and editor of Teddy Bear Times said: “Im not surprised that the traditional teddy is the nation’s favourite bear. It’s a design that has lasted for well over a hundred years and most people have had a traditional teddy bear as part of their toy collection whilst growing up. The movie industry has recognised the importance of teddy bears and has included a new character in Toy Story III a beautiful big pink teddy bear called Lotso.”

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “We are definitely a nation obsessed with teddy bears. We have never had as many as 75,000 cuddly bears left behind in Travelodge hotels before. Our hotel staff have worked extremely hard in reuniting the bears with their owners. Interestingly the owners have not just been children, we have had a large number of frantic businessmen and women call us regarding their forgotten teddy bear.”

Other key findings from the research were:

- Over a quarter of adults 26% use a teddy bear hot water bottle so that they can have a warm bear hug to help them nod off.

- Fourteen per cent of parents surveyed said they had passed down their favourite teddy bear to their children as a keepsake.

- Eight out of ten parents reported the first toy they brought their child was a teddy bear

- 62% of parents said it is important for a child to grow up owning and loving a teddy bear as it helps them to develop a more caring nature.

Love Struck Britons Will Boost the Economy

This Valentine’s Day, love struck Britons will boost the economy by £880 million on romantic gifts

(Men will spend £611m and women will spend £269m)

For decades, British men have suffered a bad rap for being less romantic than women but new research released today has revealed a new movement in the British male species. Findings from a study of 5,000 adults has identified in modern Britain, men are more romantic than women. Today’s British man is happy to lose some of his macho-ness for a more, softer, romantic approach when wooing women.

The study undertaken by UK budget hotel brand Travelodge to seek the nation’s views on love and romance found more men than women love the notion of Valentine’s Day. Over a third (36%) of British men think Valentine’s Day is romantic, whilst only 24% of women buy into it.

Research findings also revealed that despite the current strains on Britons’ finances, loved up Brits will be boosting the economy by £880 million^[1] this Valentine’s Day on romantic themed purchases.

British men will be splashing more cash this year compared to 2011 on wooing their other half with romantic gifts. On average, males across the country will be spending twice the amount of money on presents than women this Valentine’s Day.

When questioned as to why men are spending more on a gift this Valentine’s day, 42% of respondents stated the last 12 months have been difficult financially as well as emotionally and Valentine’s Day offers the ideal opportunity for them to showcase their love for their partner.

On average 68% of men will be splashing £39.99 on Valentine’s gifts this year which is £4.41 more than the amount they spent in 2011. In comparison 45% of women on average will only be spending £20.25 on a gift for their partner which is £1.96 less than the amount they spent last year. (In total men will be spending approximately £611 million^[2] and women will be spending approximately £269 million^[3] in total)

The top ten gifts men and women will be purchasing for their Valentine this year are listed in the table below:

   Ranking Valentine gifts purchased by men Valentine gifts purchased by women
       1                Flowers                          Chocolates
       2              Chocolates                      A romantic meal
       3            A romantic meal                      Aftershave
       4                Perfume                 Bottle of Champagne / spirit
       5             A cuddly toy               Whisking partner to a hotel
       6      Whisking partner to a hotel            A game for console
       7               Lingerie                          Book / DVD
       8    Whisking partner on a UK short break        A cuddly toy
       9         A piece of jewellery                    Underwear
      10           Beauty treatment                       Flowers

Further research findings revealed over a third (36%) of British men think it’s important to buy flowers for their other half onValentine’s Day - as it’s the expected thing to do. Seventy eight per cent of male respondents did state in the research that they get annoyed that flower prices suddenly increase in the lead up to Valentine’s Day. A fifth of male respondents reported this year they will purchase flowers well before Valentine’s Day to avoid the price increase and hide the flowers in their garage or in the boot of their car.

Interestingly, nearly half of the women (48%) surveyed stated they are bored of receiving the same old tiresome Valentines gifts of flowers, champagne, chocolate and lingerie. Four out of ten females said they would like to be whisked away on a short break and spend some quality time with their partner. One in ten women would like their lover to write them a love letter or poem declaring their love whilst 12% of females would like their other half  to cook them a romantic meal from scratch and to wash up afterwards.

Relationship Psychologist, Corinne Sweet, said: “The high cost of romance is not surprising in today’s ‘easy buy/time poor’ culture. Many people, especially men, spend money to please or appease, when their partners would simply like to have more time, thought and appreciation from them. It’s easy to click a button or flash a card to buy love, in comparison to spending some quality time together; cooking a meal, giving a massage or making a card. However, the personal touch, the little thoughtful gesture, is often more a sign of true love and commitment than extravagant, OTT romantic gestures.”

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “Our research highlights love may be priceless but romance doesn’t have to cost the earth. British men are certainly taking the lead in the game of love but they do need to be a bit more creative and thoughtful to really win over their beloved. Most women want to be romanced and spend quality time with their man. Don’t be predictable with flowers and chocolates this year, for the same amount of money you could whisk your partner away for a romantic break and create some new magical memories.”

“We have seen a growing trend of cost conscious consumers choosing a Travelodge hotel as a romantic getaway in the last couple of years; as it helps their money go further. The pounds they save on accommodation, they can spend on eating out in a top restaurant or have fun visiting the local attractions.”

“In our recent £10 sale, rooms for February 14^th were selling like hot cakes. Top destinations included coastal locations such as Brighton, Scarborough, Torquay and Blackpool. Rural hotspots, such as The Lake District, Cotswold, Yorkshire Dales; as well as historic cities which included: London, Edinburgh, Bath, Cambridge and Oxford.”

Further research findings revealed over two thirds of men reported they would like more romance in their lives. Seventy two per cent of males stated they take romantic inspiration from films and movies and one in ten men admitted to stealing ideas from their mates’ relationships. Male respondents voted Casablanca as their top all time most romantic movie.

The research identified the one thing both men and women both agree on is their most inspiring romantic couple ever is Romeo and Juliet.

Further research findings are listed below:

On average a fifth of British men will tell their partner they love them five times during the day. A third of men will say the magic three words to their partner I love you every morning and evening

A fifth of British men feel disappointed by the effort their partner puts into making Valentine’s Day special for them

With 2012 also being a leap year 26% of single men would like their girlfriend to ask them to marry her whilst 36% of British men think it is a man’s job to propose to a woman.

                         Average spend for Average spend for
                          Valentine's Day  Valentine's Day   Difference in
           Region            for 2012        for 2011           spend
           Anglia            GBP23.22        GBP20.11          + GBP3.11
       East Midlands         GBP19.06        GBP22.47          - GBP3.41
           London            GBP27.76        GBP27.75             +1p
         North East          GBP26.97        GBP23.87          + GBP3.10
         North West          GBP25.89        GBP25.09            +80p
      Northern Ireland       GBP28.77        GBP32.69          - GBP3.92
          Scotland           GBP24.63        GBP28.91          - GBP4.28
         South East          GBP23.66        GBP22.59          + GBP1.07
           Wales             GBP25.33        GBP27.87          - GBP2.54
       West Midlands         GBP28.15        GBP27.64            +51p
         South West          GBP22.59        GBP22.69            -10p
        Yorkshire &
         Humberside          GBP27.28        GBP27.18            +10p

The top ten all time most romantic couples as voted by Britons are:

1. Romeo & Juliet
2. Elizabeth & Darcy
3. Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
4. Prince William & Duchess of Cambridge
5. Heathcliff & Catherine
6. Jane Eyre & Mr Rochester
7. Anthony & Cleopatra
8. Shrek & Princess Fiona
9. Cinderella & Prince Charming
10. Homer & Marge Simpson

The One Business Resolution Companies Can’t Afford To Break: UPDATING TRAVEL POLICY

HALF OF BRITS SURF THE WEB BEFORE HITTING THE BEACH

* /Internet is now the main holiday planning tool for over half of Brits/

* /Online reviews sites relied upon by 40 per cent of Brits to help guide decisions/

* /42 per cent say price is their number one holiday consideration/

With the cold weather finally arriving, it comes as little surprise that Brits are dreaming of warmer climes. So much so that over half (54 per cent) of all Brits have started planning their main summer break, according to new research of 5,000 British adults from TravelSupermarket.

But the research has also revealed that when it comes to the annual getaway, just one in nine Brits (12 per cent) will be visiting a travel agent in person to research their 2012 holiday. This represents a big change from just a few years ago when the majority would hit the high street to visit the local travel agent for all our holiday needs.

Brits will instead be taking to their sofas and firing up their computers with over half (52 per cent) using internet search engines as their first port of call for holiday research. Forty per cent said they would be heading to review sites to get the opinions of other travellers and a 37 per cent said they would be visiting travel agents’ websites to plan their dream break.

The move to online is just as marked when it comes to holiday bookings. For the main 2012 holiday[1], 66 per cent of Brits said they will book through an online travel agent, an online tour operator or an online price comparison website. In contrast, 14 per cent of those surveyed said they would book over the telephone, but just 11 per cent said they will visit a travel agent to book in person.

An enormous 96 per cent of Brits say they are planning on taking a holiday this year with two to four weeks being the most common length of time spent researching (29 per cent). However a meticulous one in seven Brits (15 per cent) typically spend two to three months planning their main break each year – clearly leaving no stone unturned in their quest for the perfect holiday to look forward to.

Price also appears to be one of the leading factors encouraging Brits to hit the web so far in advance of their getaway. Forty per cent of all Brits have highlighted the overall cost as the number one consideration when it comes to their 2012 holiday, overtaking the usual ‘key holiday factors’ such as weather and accommodation which were highlighted by 32 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

Spain is set to lead the way this year with 11 per cent of Brits already planning on heading there for their main break. This is followed by Italy (three per cent) and Portugal (two per cent) making
up the top three most popular destinations for 2012.

Research revealed that beach holidays are still very much in favour with Brits and will be the most popular choice for breaks in 2012.
Over a third of Brits (37 per cent) said they would be heading on a beachside break followed by city breaks (eight per cent) and camping staycations (eight per cent).

BOB ATKINSON, TRAVEL EXPERT FROM TRAVELSUPERMARKET COMMENTED: “It’s no surprise to see that so many Brits spend weeks, if not months
researching their holidays.  Purse strings are tight for many in 2012 and with travel companies offering a huge array of deals to secure bookings, research is essential for holidaymakers to both make sure
they get what they want from their holiday and also pay the best price.

“The switch to online for our holiday planning – whether to research or book – has been one of the most noticeable changes in travel over the last few years and appears to be continuing. The internet makes
researching our holiday so much easier. Review sites are growing in popularity as holidaymakers trust the opinion of their peers, plus as Brits get savvier about finding the best price on their holidays they
are using the internet to compare prices to get the best deal.

“My advice is to do as much research around your holiday as you can, including speaking to friends and family who have travelled. Use a comparison website such as TravelSupermarket to search for the best
price but also to read reviews and resort information provided on the site. Comparing the market in one place will save you both time and money.

“And remember to check prices of both a packaged holiday and separate flights and accommodation to hunt out further savings.”

A New “Golden Age of Travel” Will Create Jobs Worldwide and Boost the Global Economy

Exclusive Study of Global Opinion Leaders Reveals that Travel Breaks Down Cultural Barriers and Promotes Soft Diplomacy.

DAVOS-KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND – In a global study released today at the World Economic Forum, it was revealed that international travel is considered even more important than the Internet, TV/movies, or political diplomacy at stimulating the economy and breaking down cultural barriers. The independent study was conducted by Penn Schoen Berland on behalf of Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) and included the views of 1,100 global travelers and opinion leaders from eight countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Ninety-six percent of respondents, who ranged in age from under 35 to over 50 years old, believed that travel and tourism stimulates the economy, while 77 percent felt that “the more people experience other countries and cultures, the more peace will spread.”

“I believe we are entering a “Golden Age of Travel,” where opportunities to do business and travel abroad are opening up like never before,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s CEO-elect and current president, pointing to the number of international arrivals, which have doubled in the last 10 years and will reach 1 billion in 2012 (UN World Tourism Organization). “Travel opens up your mind, your heart and your wallet. This survey shows it is also a powerful form of soft diplomacy in the world today.”

“Bringing down barriers to travel creates jobs and prosperity and we applaud President Obama’s announcement to reform U.S. visa and entry systems to welcome more international visitors. We look forward to even more progress in the U.S. and around the world to develop multi-national solutions that will grow the travel industry and benefit economies and people worldwide.”

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the industry is predicted to account for an extra 69 million net jobs by 2021, including direct, indirect and induced employ¬ment– almost 80 percent of which will be in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Put another way, one American job is created for every 35 international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association. Marriott plans to fill about 60,000 jobs in 2012 alone, with two-thirds of those being in countries outside the U.S., where more than 50 percent of its hotel pipeline resides.

WTTC estimates that total contributions of Travel & Tourism to the global gross domestic product (GDP) are forecast to rise by 4.2 percent annually to US $9.226 trillion by 2021. Visitor exports—or the amount visitors spend in a given foreign country—will increase 6.6 percent annually through 2021, rising to US $1.789 billion by 2021.

As an example, in New York City alone, Brazilians spent a total of $1.63 billion, topping the $1.42 billion spent by travelers from the U.K., the $1.27 billion spent by Canadians and the $1.1 billion spent by Italians, according to NYC & Co., the city’s tourism board.

“We already knew that travel and tourism have a major impact on the economy, but now we also know that it can change people’s views worldwide,” says Mark Penn, CEO of Penn Schoen Berland and CEO of Burson-Marsteller. “International travelers advance people’s understanding of different cultures and reinforce all that we as humans have in common with each other.”

Survey Reveals Industry could do more for Responsible and Sustainable Travel

The travel and tourism industry could do more for responsible and sustainable tourism, reveals a survey that took place at World Travel Market 2011 – the leading global event for the travel industry – by exhibitor SustainIt.

As the travel and tourism industry continues to grow there is an increased emphasis on responsible travel. During WTM 2011 Technology and Online Travel exhibitor SustainIt, the leading software and data consultancy that specialise in sustainability performance, surveyed more than 200 WTM participants. This was to understand the industry’s experiences of sustainability and responsible tourism and work out whether the industry really is engaging in the principles of sustainability.

 More than seven out of ten industry professionals including hoteliers, airlines, resorts and tourist attractions believe the travel and tourism industry could do more to reduce poverty and support sustainable local economic development in destination communities. Only 18% of companies questioned have sustainable supply chains and procurement policies in place.

An increasing number of companies offer their customers carbon offsets, but only 26% of companies were looking at their own carbon footprint. Six out of ten industry professionals asked felt their company could do more to promote sustainability overall, with only 29% of employees not knowing if they had an targets or objectives to meet in these areas.

When WTM delegates were asked to identify the key responsible tourism issue for 2012, the survey ranked ‘Increasing employee and customer engagement in sustainability’ as the top issue. With only 29% of respondents believing their company is doing enough to promote sustainability and responsible travel/tourism to its employees and customers.

These two statistics coincide to unveil that the industry is informed and aware of sustainability on one hand but has a lack of employee and customer engagement on the other hand.

Sustain IT Managing Director Charlie Stockford explains: “Our survey shows that whilst there is increasing activity and concern around sustainable and responsible travel and tourism within the trade, many employees are not aware of what their own company is trying to achieve and therefore are unable to share it with their customers.

We really hope that 2012 is a year where businesses start communicating and engaging far more with their employees about their sustainability and responsible travel programmes and that those companies who are just starting out realise the real positive impact a good sustainability programme can make to both their profitability and to the future of our planet.”

Reed Travel Exhibitions Chairman World Travel Market and pioneer of responsible tourism Fiona Jeffery expressed that the key observations revealed are ultimately the key reasons why WTM World Responsible Tourism Day – an international day of action dedicated to help protect the world – was formed.

“Travel companies, destinations and professionals worldwide recognise that responsible tourism offers a valuable and exciting new dimension to travel and tourism. With this in mind, one of the key objectives of WTM WRTD is to help drive change by educating more responsible behaviour with the travel and tourism industry and travelling public.”

This year WTM World Responsible Tourism Day will take place on Wednesday 7 November at WTM, ExCeL London. For further information please visit www.wtmlondon.com or www.wtmwrtd.com

The Top 20 Happiest Holiday Destinations

Monday 16 January is Blue Monday, officially the most depressing day of the year, and a survey conducted by Skyscanner has shown that Brits who escaped to Australia on holiday were happier than in any other country.

Business Travel Beats 2011 Expectations, Heads into 2012 with Steady Growth Outlook

Global industry study reveals how new technologies and social change will combine to transform travel by 2020

‘From Chaos to Collaboration’, a new research study commissioned by Amadeus, challenges the travel industry to overcome the uncertainty and stress of modern-day travel through the application of new technologies and innovations; Augmented reality, gamification*, intelligent passenger records, long range biometrics and the rise of the wellbeing agenda to drive change in the next decade and beyond, heralding a new era of industry and travel collaboration

Madrid, Spain, 11 January, 2012: A major new global study released today outlines how transformative technologies and evolving social values and trends will combine to establish a new era of collaborative travel over the next decade and beyond.

The report, ‘From chaos to collaboration: how transformative technologies will herald a new era in travel’, demands increased partnership across the travel industry, in turn removing the stress, uncertainty and chaos that is usually associated with traveling in the 21st Century, as well as providing much richer, deeper and more personal travel experiences at the same time.

Developed by The Futures Company, a leading global foresight and futures consultancy, and commissioned by Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, the report details a clear qualitative shift where service-users become partners rather than customers and where context is as important as the transaction. Of course at the heart of this new era of collaboration is a set of discrete ‘enabling’ technologies and innovations.

Based on extensive research and input from key industry experts – including technologists, leading travel industry representatives, social trends experts and futurists – as well as quantitative traveler research in Brazil, China, Russia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, the study explores six key areas in which future technology and innovation could be deployed.

Key findings

1. The next generation of experience: Travel is increasingly about depth rather than breadth of experience. Technologies such as augmented reality, gamification mechanisms and smart mobile devices will transform the travel experience
2. Automatic transit: Checking in could become the exception rather than the norm, with the rise of faster and more efficient identity management systems. Chips, biometrics, long range fingerprinting and near field communications (NFC) can be deployed in a more integrated way to fast-forward how people move around
3. Payment with memory:  All data on payments made before and during a trip will be integrated, acting as a digital memory of expenditure and activity for individuals, groups and travel industry operators. Intelligent passenger records, ‘digital breadcrumbs’ and contactless technologies could be used to personalize and bundle services, delivering higher value and more profitable relationships
4. Intelligent recommendation: As technologies make it easier for people to tag and review all aspects of travel experiences, travelers will be more influenced by peer groups and expert curators. The prospect of personal travel guides and mobile tour representatives will give travelers the tools they need to enrich their experience
5. Taking the stress out of travel: The wellbeing agenda and changing demographics will place greater emphasis on removing travel stress. Intelligent luggage tags and tickets will give greater reassurance while m-Health (mobile-Health) applications will allow travelers to manage and monitor their health and wellbeing as if they were at home
6. The business tourist: Continued emphasis on work-life balance and wellbeing at work may see the rise of the business tourist, which will demand speed and efficiency as well as a home-away-from-home

Eberhard Haag, Executive Vice President, Global Operations, Amadeus, said, “Over the next decade, there is a significant opportunity to redefine how the industry delivers and packages services to meet changing traveler needs. Key to this is more intelligent information exchange, a willingness to challenge the status quo and greater two-way partnership between travelers and travel players. We are committed to stimulating debate within the travel sector about how the world is changing, what travelers will increasingly expect and how the industry can evolve in a way that secures growth and profitability for our customers’ future success.”

Andrew Curry, Director and Co-author, The Futures Company, said, “We wanted to avoid making techno-centric assumptions about the future of travel – and painting a picture of flying cars and intelligent robots in a world that is otherwise unchanged from today. You can’t make an intelligent or realistic prediction about the effect of technology without considering infrastructure, systems and business models, as well as social values and trends. We hope that this study will challenge, provoke and stimulate thinking around how we will all be traveling in the future.”

To download a copy of the report, please visit: www.amadeus.com/blog  from January 11, 2012.

Deloitte’s annual business traveler survey “Taking Off” in 2012

Total Travel Management Compensation Up 5% Over 2010

AIPC Member Survey Identifies Key Industry Issues

The results of the recent comprehensive AIPC member “state of the industry” survey shows an industry still struggling with the challenges created by the global economic crisis, along with an ongoing evolution of the industry itself. The survey, carried out in conjunction with Red7 Communications, was designed to assist AIPC member centres in planning their own business strategies and used a regional breakout of key results to facilitate a comparison of how key issues are unfolding differently in various parts of the world.

“No industry sector has escaped the impacts of the recent recession and uncertain recovery that has followed, and in the case of convention centres, these impacts have in many cases been compounded by some fundamental changes in how both we and our clients do business”, said AIPC President Edgar Hirt. “By tracking and reporting these changes to our members, we can help them plan for how they can best respond to an ongoing need to anticipate and react”.

The survey was the second in what is planned to be an annual series of comprehensive studies which over time will document trends in key areas of business practice and performance. Both surveys have attracted high levels of participation, which makes the results highly reliable from a statistical perspective.

Some of the key findings this year included:

• While there has been some evidence of a business recovery from earlier years, this is highly variable in different parts of the world based largely on the strength of the underlying economy

• Many of the issues driving business prospects are “macro” economic factors such as the overall economy, global competition and transportation costs) that are largely out of the control of individual centres

• Association conventions remain the strongest business sector in most areas, with scheduled events still taking place even though the trade show component may be reduced

• There is a “buyer’s market” firmly in place, with more expectations of discounts and incentives along with more negotiations resulting

• New facility construction and planning has slowed somewhat with a shift toward renovation / refurbishment of existing facilities. However, the growth in convention and exhibition business has still been modest by comparison with the growing supply of facilities

• Centres are becoming more active in communicating their key role in economic development, with over 70% putting more emphasis on community, government and business relations in their respective communities

• New revenue streams for centres are starting to look limited with fewer reporting new initiatives in this regard

“In times like these, good information is even more critical than usual for decision making, and our members collectively represent the best source of convention centre knowledge in the world”, says Hirt. “By sharing this information via these surveys, we can all find new ways to deal with a more challenging business environment”.

AIPC represents a global network of 170 leading centres in 54 countries with the active involvement of more than 750 management-level professionals worldwide. It is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention center management, based on the diverse experience and expertise of its international representation, and maintains a variety of educational, research, networking and standards programs to achieve this. AIPC also celebrates and promotes the essential role of the international meetings industry in supporting economic, academic and professional development and enhancing global relations amongst highly diverse business and cultural interests.

For further information please contact secretariat@aipc.org or visit http://www.aipc.org./

Corporate Travel Policies in Europe are Reveled and Examined in a New Study by GBTA and Egencia

PARIS, LONDON, MUNICH, BRUSSELS and AMSTERDAM, September 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

European Travel Managers Allow More Premium Air Travel to Regions outside of EMEA

More Buyers in Europe are Currently Tracking Ancillary Fees Than North American Buyers

The GBTA Foundation, the research arm of the Global Business Travel Association, and Egencia®, the corporate travel arm of Expedia, Inc., today released results from its second annual Corporate Travel Policy study in Europe, exploring trends and effectiveness in policies. Additionally, key findings from the study on European buyer perspectives can also be compared and contrasted with the North America ‘Corporate Travel Policy: Benchmarking and Insight’ released on August 17, 2011.

“It is crucial that all companies look inward at their policies to ensure they achieve the goals they are after. With every traveller on the road there is an optimal point where they are able to do their business effectively while not breaking the corporate bank and studies like this allow us to find that point,” said Paul Tilstone, managing director, GBTA Europe. “This study shows us that policies are remaining consistent despite the increase in travel spend – the importance and focus on travel polices is a good thing and it appears it’s here to stay.”

Based on best practices and insights from 330 European travel buyers, the study takes a comprehensive look at policy mandates versus guidelines, consolidation, booking procedures, class of service, advance purchases, pre-trip approval, groups/meetings and emergencies, and ancillary fees among other issues – all of which comprise variables that make travel difficult to standardise.

“Negotiating discounts with airlines and other travel suppliers such as hotels is a key travel management objective,” said Christophe Pingard, Senior Vice President Egencia EMEA & APAC. “Our study reveals that the number of companies who do not have a preferred hotel program has increased from 5% in 2010 to 20% in 2011, signalling growing saving opportunities in this area. For instance, the Egencia consulting team partners with clients to implement hotel programs that bring flexibility and control of the costs. By analysing hotel data, consumption and potential per city, the consultants can then negotiate contracts with hotels that respond to clients’ needs.”

Enforcing Travel Policy

Findings indicate European organisations do review their travel policies regularly, with 87% of managers reporting they have reviewed their policy within the last two years. In addition, the study indicates European companies have become less tolerant of policy infringements in 2011 with possible non-reimbursement climbing to 21% compared to a reported 14% in 2010 and companies that have no consequences for infringements dropping to 13% from 20% in the previous year.

Premium Travel

The percentage of Travel Managers allowing premium class air travel increased to every region outside Europe in 2011 compared to 2010: 46% allow premium air travel to North America vs. 34% in 2010; to Asia-Pacific 38% vs. 28% in 2010 allow premium air travel; to India, Middle East, Africa 50% vs. 38% in 2010 allow premium air travel.

Preferred Vendors

Travel Managers that have negotiated discounts with airlines and/or other suppliers are typically based on volume of travellers.

• A quarter (24%) of companies require travellers to accept flights on preferred airlines “whenever they are available.”
• One-in-ten (10%) never require travellers to use preferred airlines.
• 72% of travel policies limit the amount employees can spend per night on hotels, and 22% set a maximum class/tier of hotels that can be booked.

Ancillary Fees

The survey collected information on if and how companies are tracking ancillary fees, finding that 63% of European buyers are tracking ancillary fees (vs. 21% of North American buyers). Of the 37% of travel buyers in Europe that do not currently track ancillary fees, 25% plan to track them within the next twelve months.

Travel managers in Europe said that they are most likely to reimburse travellers for the following ancillary fees for air and hotel:

• Air: The top amenities travel buyers will reimburse are for baggage fees (73%), itinerary changes (51%), in-flight meals (30%) and preferred seating (21%).
• Hotel: The top amenities travel buyers will reimburse are for parking (76%), Internet access (70%), airport shuttle (51%) and for late check-out (25%).

Lowest Logical Fares (LLF)

The study also explores policy standards around LLFs, which represents the lowest fare that is consistent with a corporation’s travel policy.

• Booking Windows: 56% of 2011 survey respondents include windows in their policy requiring travellers to consider lower fare alternatives before or after their originally preferred departure time.
• Connections: 35% of respondents require travellers to accept connections when savings are available and connections do not extend travel time unreasonably.
• Alternate Airports: 29% of respondents encourage the use of alternate airports if they are reasonably close to actual destinations.

Car Rental and Rail Policies

Sixty percent of travel policies require travellers to book with preferred car rental vendors, up from 57% last year. Thirty-nine percent of travel managers require travellers to book Intermediate (B/C) class vehicles compared to 33% that mandate hiring compact (A/B) vehicles.

For rail, Eighty-seven percent of European companies mandate the class of service travellers are required to book on trains. Of those that do, 33% authorise first class, down from 42% in 2010, and 56% require travel in second class, compared to 64% last year.

The complete Corporate Travel Policy Benchmarking and Insight 2011 study is available through: https://www.egencia.co.uk/public/uk/en/promotion/landing-travel-policy/?Campaign_ID=701200000004GQE and http://www.gbta.org/Lists/Resource%20Library/Forms/Foundation_Research_and_Surveys.aspx, and was revealed at GBTA Europe Annual Conference in Amsterdam.

UK Votes Stonehenge as the World’s Must-See Destination in Intel’s Seven Visual Wonders of the World Poll

LONDON, September 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –
Stonehenge Rocks Travellers’ Socks to Land Top Spot

From the ancient and mysterious to the grandiose and awe inspiring, voters in Intel’s Visual Wonders of the World poll^[1] have chosen the world’s most visually stunning locations. The poll formed part of Intel’s campaign to find out what matters most to the UK in their Visual Life.

The top seven must-see locations, in the order of ranking, as chosen by voters from all over the UK are:

1. Stonehenge, England
2. Rome, Italy
3. Chatsworth House, England
4. Cape Town, South Africa
5. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
6. Sahara, North Africa
7. Aurora Borealis, Sweden
8. New York City, USA
9. Gower Peninsula, Wales
10. Machu Picchu, Peru

The poll also showed how patriotic we are in the UK, selecting two UK locations within our top three. This was mirrored by the likes of the US, who voted for the Grand Canyon and the Golden Gate Bridge, Germany, who opted for Neuschwanstein Castle, and the Netherlands, whose Canals in Amsterdam topped both their country poll and the votes across Europe.

Natural beauty

The Visual Wonders poll also captured how male and female voters cast their favourites. Both men and women voted for Stonehenge as the must-see location in the UK, whereas mostly women voters opted for the romance and atmosphere of Rome, while mainly men chose the history and scenery of Chatsworth House.

The poll also had five categories: ancient, man-made, natural, religious and urban and interestingly the results show that the UK as a whole prefers natural beauty over the draw of urban life.

Partnering with Intel to create the Visual Wonders poll, travel deal experts Travelzoo confirmed the significance of aesthetic attraction for travellers and holiday makers. “What’s really interesting in Intel’s poll is the UK’s thirst to discover the landmarks of history that are near to them, and in some cases right on their doorstep,” said Joel Brandon-Bravo, managing director of Travelzoo in the UK. “The perfect getaway is no longer solely about the faraway beach; the rise of staycationing appears to have reignited our passion for the UK in recent years.”

“Intel’s Visual Wonders of the World poll has shown the passion that the UK has for our own visual landmarks”, says Gail Hanlon, marketing director Intel UK. “As part of our Visual Life campaign this year, which encouraged using technology to get the best out of the great things that surround us every day, the enthusiasm for each of the top ten results proves how important technology can be in sharing everyday experiences.”

The Winners

The mysterious structure of Stonehenge claimed top spot in the poll of must-see locations. This ancient creation is visited by thousands of people a year in the South of England and its popularity could be down to its imposing presence, or the shroud of mystery surrounding its purpose as ‘experts’ remain undecided as to whether it was used for human sacrifices or for charting the movement of the Sun, Moon and stars.

Rome, the city of ‘romance’ and ancient wonders came in at a close second place with the vast majority of UK female voters choosing its stunning architecture and romantic atmosphere as the reasons for choosing it as one of the world’s most desirable locations.

Set in the heart of the Peak District in Derbyshire, Chatsworth House landed third place in the poll. Construction of the first house at Chatsworth began in 1552 and the current site offers the captivating history of the house, scenic gardens as well as a farmyard and adventure playground, making it a consistently popular choice for men and women of the UK.

In fourth place was the sun-drenched city of beautiful people, Cape Town, in South Africa. A city famed for its near-perfect weather, Cape Town is a location surrounded by sea and mountains, including the legendary flat-topped Table Mountain.

Other top locations from across the world that proved the most popular among UK voters include the architectural brilliance of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and the sweeping sands of the Sahara in North Africa.

The spectral beauty of Sweden’s Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) were also in the top 10, alongside the vibrant buzz of New York City, USA; Gower Peninsula in Wales and the breathtaking views of Machu Picchu, Peru.

[1] Survey Information

This survey was conducted in June/ July 2011 via Intel’s Facebook pages. A total of 1,715 votes were cast globally: 67 in Germany, 237 in Hungary, 38 in Ireland, 130 in Italy, 246 in the Netherlands, 136 in Southern Africa, 133 in UAE, 99 in the US, 365 in UK and 264 in the rest of the world.

Millions of Brits Suffering From a “Holiday Hangover”

NEWPORT, Wales, September 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – 1 in 5 Will Still be Paying for Their Holiday in 2012

• Only two thirds of holiday makers come home feeling relaxed and refreshed
• 14 per cent feel tired and stressed, 13 per cent spent too much money
• Four per cent wished they had never gone away
• Travel delays and crime spoil holidays for many

As millions of Brits return from their summer holiday a new survey by comparison site Gocompare.com reveals that not everyone does so feeling ‘relaxed and refreshed’.

The poll of 3,000 holidaymakers reveals that only 39% believe that what they paid for their holiday was money well spent, while almost a fifth of travellers admit they will still be paying off their 2011 summer holiday in 2012.

Over 14 per cent said they came home feeling tired or stressed and 13 per cent said that they had spent too much money. Meanwhile, four per cent wished they had never gone on holiday!

    The Holiday Hangover top ten                      % of holidaymakers

    Things costing much more on holiday than expected 31%
    Bad weather                                       25%
    Resort not living up to the brochure description  23%
    Travel delays getting there or back               18%
    Disappointing food                                17%
    Member of party ill or injured                    14%
    Behaviour of British holidaymakers abroad         14%
    Unfriendly or rude resort staff                   12%
    Not able to switch off from work                   9%
    Member of party being the victim of a crime        6%

Value for money concerns topped the list of holiday spoilers for Brits with 31 per cent saying things cost much more on holiday than they thought they would. 23 per cent said the resort didn’t live up to the brochure description.

Over 18 per cent of travellers had suffered delays either getting away or coming home, 14 per cent said a member of their party had taken ill or was injured while away and six per cent of holidaymakers reported being a victim of a crime. Yet, over a quarter of holidaymakers admit they don’t always buy travel insurance when going abroad. Seven per cent say they never buy it while four per cent don’t buy it because they have an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).

Jeremy Cryer, head of travel insurance at Gocompare.com commented, “While there is little we can do about the weather spoiling our holiday, we can take steps to be better organised financially and better protected should the worst happen when we are abroad. Budgeting for a holiday should include some contingency planning for extra meals out, trips or gifts.”

“If you have overspent it is probably time to look for a better deal on your credit card to ensure the damage is limited and the debt is paid off as quickly as possible. Look for an interest free balance transfer card so that you are not paying sky-high interest rates on your holiday debt.

“There’s no excuse for heading abroad without travel insurance these days. There are plenty of good value policies available and it is easier than ever to shop around for a good deal. As this survey shows, holidays don’t always go to plan, so being prepared for all eventualities is a sensible part of planning any trip.”

Tokyo Earns Strong Image, Despite Earthquake and Tsunami, in 2011 Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index

Paris ranks highest in global image study 

NEW YORK, July 18, 2011 – In the aftermath of Japan’s earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear accident, the city of Tokyo has seen no significant erosion to its city image according to the 2011 Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index study. The City Brands Index (CBI) measures the world’s perception of 50 cities from both developed and developing countries. Among the top ten cities, Paris ranks as the top overall city “brand”, followed by London, Sydney, New York and Los Angeles. Tokyo ranks 10th among 50 cities measured.

The 2011 Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index is based on a survey conducted in 10 major developed and developing countries around the globe. The index is developed by averaging city scores across six categories: Presence, Place, Pre-requisites, People, Pulse and Potential. Each category has two to three questions assessing a city’s performance such as contribution to the world, cleanliness, climate, buildings and parks, accommodations, public amenities, personal encounters, interesting events, lifestyles, job and educational opportunities, and business climate.

“The stability of Tokyo’s brand image comes as no surprise, since the city consistently ranks impressively on welcoming people, amenities, cultural richness, education and business climate,” says Simon Anholt, CBI founder and an independent advisor to more than forty national governments around the world. “The reputations of countries and cities are never affected by acts of god, only by acts of men.”

The top 10 cities from the 2011 global survey are:

“A city’s reputation can have a major impact on the city’s ability to attract business and tourism,” says Anholt.  ”While it is not a realistic goal for most cities in the world to rank in the top 10, it is vital that cities are able to provide a pleasant, prosperous, and sustainable life for their citizens, visitors, neighbors, and trading partners, and that this is widely recognized around the world.”

While cities from the developed world generally perform very well overall and on almost all individual dimensions, cities from emerging markets have garnered relatively high rankings in some important areas.

“Cities from emerging markets have some of the most dynamic economies in the world. Their global contribution and future momentum are starting to get recognition in the world of public opinion,” says Xiaoyan Zhao, Senior Vice President and Director of the CBI study at GfK. “But they still have long ways to go in building their overall offers, particularly in terms of clean environment, safe streets, and public amenities that keep pace with economic development.”

Following are the top three ranked cities in each of the six categories, as well as two additional cities with noteworthy positions on the list:

Presence Brand Ranking
1. London
2. Paris
3. New York
9. Beijing
15. Dubai

People Brand Ranking
1. Sydney
2. Melbourne
3. London
29. Singapore
46. Mexico City

Place Brand Ranking
1. Sydney
2. Paris
3. Rome
38. Chicago
50. Mumbai

Pulse Brand Ranking
1. Paris
2. New York
3. London
16. Rio de Janeiro
45. Warsaw

Pre-requisites Brand Ranking
1. Sydney
2. Melbourne
3. Toronto
4 (tie). London/Washington D.C.
26. Prague

Potential Brand Ranking
1. London
2. New York
3. Los Angeles
23. Hong Kong
32. Dublin

Among the top 30 list, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Prague and Dubai are the only cities from outside of North America, Western Europe, and Australia.

“In terms of Tokyo’s image, the one noticeable weak spot is Tokyo’s cleanliness,” says Xiaoyan Zhao, “Tokyo ranks in the bottom half of all measured nations on this question, yet Tokyo is still the only Asian city to make the overall top 10 list, because, among other things, it is viewed as one of the best contributors of culture, science and governance, and a city that retains world-class public amenities.”

The strongest city brands – Paris, London, Sydney, New York, and Los Angeles – are highly regarded across regions, including in the developing world, although cultural and geographic proximities play a role as well. For example, Los Angeles (5th) garners higher rankings than New York from respondents in China and South Korea. And while Brussels (28th) only receives middling ratings in most countries, it is a top 11 city for German and French respondents.

Four Million Britons Give up Flying Dueto Airport Stress

YORK, England, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Bad airport experiences have led close to four million^[1]travellers to give up flying altogether, with more than a third of Britons who have flown now claiming the airport experience is more stressful than the working week.

According to new findings from life assistance company CPP, despite taking a flight to pave the way for rest and relaxation, four in ten (42%) people say airports make them feel stressed and close to a quarter (23%)^[2] find the prospect of getting on to their flight as stress inducing if not more stressful than moving house. The problem has become so rife that one in ten (9%) of us are now avoiding flying altogether as a result.

The most nerve-wracking parts of the airport experience include flight delays, mislaying belongings and getting to the gate on time – all of which mean close to half of travellers find it difficult to relax until they’re safely on the plane and a similar number (45%) believe the holiday doesn’t start until they’ve left the airport.

But it’s no wonder that Britons are so worried about making it to the gate on time – over 2.9 million^[3] travellers have missed a flight in the past, while one in five of us (20%) have had to run to the gate with minutes to spare.

The problem is exacerbated on the other side of the border, with four in ten (41%) holidaymakers struggling to find their way around foreign airports as a result of the language barrier. The evolution of flight charges, which now sees many airlines charging for checked in baggage, also has a negative impact on stress levels, as do more recently implemented security measures such as liquids not being accepted in traveller’s hand luggage.

Studies have shown that the airport experience is having significant physiological effects on a traveller’s anxiety levels – one previous experiment using Heathrow airport saw holidaymakers’ heart-rates rise to a level equivalent to doing intense exercise^[4]. This was echoed in the CPP research, which revealed that holidaymakers who had visited more than one airport cited Heathrow as the most stressful, followed by Gatwick and Manchester.

Recent disruptions in airport services as a result of bad weather over the winter and Icelandic ash clouds over the summer also mean that flight delays and cancellations have become more common. Last summer saw one of the highest levels on record with charter flights operating on average 29 minutes late^[5].

In fact airports are inherently stressful places, according to Psychologist David Moxon, who says that a number of factors combine to make airports uniquely challenging to the human psyche. Moxon comments, “Humans are wired to experience stress in situations where many feel out of control – and airports, where you have to follow instructions that are likely change at the last minute, and procedures that are unpredictable, lead many to react with a stress response. There is also what is known as an accumulation effect, resulting from other anxieties that we may be harbouring. If you head to the airport having worried about waking up on time, or what you’ve left behind at work, the airport itself will seem more stressful as a result.”

It’s not all bad news however as holidaymakers have come up with some ways that the airport could be made a more pleasant experience – popular improvements include less queuing, and cheaper and nicer food and more seats. A large proportion (40%) of travellers say a quiet environment or access to a lounge (35%) would help to reduce their stress levels while close to half (42%) would like to be treated as a first class passenger.

Joanne Gibbons, from CPP says,

“It’s a real shame that holidaymakers are experiencing such high levels of stress during what should be the beginning of a period of rest and relaxation. But rather than turning away from airports altogether we’d urge families to have a strategy for staying calm prior to boarding – by checking in online, minimising the amount of luggage they check-in and taking advantage of airport lounge opportunities.”

CPP’s tips for avoiding airport stress

1. Choose your airport carefully. Bigger airports tend to be busier which can mean higher stress levels. So consider flying to a smaller, local airport to reduce transfer times and hassle.

2. Do as much as you can online beforehand. Many airlines now allow travellers to check in online up to forty eight hours beforehand, which can really reduce the amount of time spent queuing when you arrive at the airport. If you do choose this option, remember to print off your boarding pass.

3. Minimise parking time. Airport car-parks are huge and navigating them can be tricky, so consider dropping off all your passengers at check in and having one person park the car to avoid unnecessary stress.

4. Check in minimal luggage. With airlines increasingly charging for checked-in luggage, you can avoid queues and save cash by taking carry-on luggage where possible, especially for short breaks. This means you can go straight through to security and save time on the other side.

5. Opt for fast-track security. Some larger airports now allow passengers to pay for the opportunity to fast-track through the security gates. This can speed up the airport process and give you more time relaxing on the other side.

6. Take advantage of airport lounges. Airport lounges are a great way to relax and get that holiday feeling before boarding the plane – you’ll be guaranteed a seat and get complimentary snacks. CPP’s Airport Angel AirText service will even text you when your flight is boarding to ensure you get there on time.

7. Have a boarding strategy. If you have pre-booked seats it may be worth boarding last, meaning you can spend longer in the lounge and less time queuing at the gate. If you haven’t got pre-booked seats, think about getting priority boarding or leaving a little more time at gate to get to the front of the queue.

Research Methodology

ICM interviewed a random sample of 2005 adults aged 18+ online between 6-8 May 2011. Surveys were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at http://www.icmresearch.co.uk

1. According to research conducted for CPP by ICM, 9% agreed with the statement “I don’t fly because I dislike the airport experience”. The total adult (18+) population in Great Britain that has been through an airport is 43,678,000. 9% of these equates to 3,979,000 people or close to four million.

2. According to the ICM research, 8% of Brits who have been through an airport find being in an airport more stressful than moving house and 15% find it at least as stressful as moving house. Therefore a total of 23% find the airport as stressful if not more stressful than moving house.

3. According to the ICM research, 7% of Brits who have been through an airport have missed a flight in the past, this equates to 2.9 million people

4. According to a study conducted by Chartered Psychologist Dr David Lewis in 2007. Four passengers travelling through Heathrow had chest monitors fitted to record increases in heart rate, pressure pads attached to their arms to monitor changes in blood pressure and sensors were attached to their finger-tips to measure changes in physiological stress. Dr Lewis’ experiment showed passenger heart rates peaked at four times their resting levels and physiological stress levels exceeded those recorded amongst Formula 1 racing drivers or free-fall parachutists.

5. According to data sourced from flightontime.info and collated by the Civil Aviation Authority, available at http://www.flightontime.info/summer2010/index.html charter flights were delayed by an average of 29 minutes in summer 2010.

Corporate Background Information

The CPPGroup Plc

The CPPGroup Plc (CPP) is an international marketing services business offering bespoke customer management solutions to multi-sector business partners designed to enhance their customer revenue, engagement and loyalty, whilst at the same time reducing cost to deliver improved profitability.

This is underpinned by the delivery of a portfolio of complementary Life Assistance products, designed to help our mutual customers cope with the anxieties associated with the challenges and opportunities of everyday life.

Whether our customers have lost their wallets, been a victim of identity fraud or looking for lifestyle perks, CPP can help remove the hassle from their lives leaving them free to enjoy life. Globally, our Life Assistance products and services are designed to simplify the complexities of everyday living whether these affect personal finances, home, travel, personal data or future plans. When it really matters, Life Assistance enables people to live life and worry less.

Established in 1980, CPP has 11 million customers and more than 200 business partners across Europe, North America and Asia and employs 2,300 employees who handle millions of sales and service conversations each year.

In 2010, Group revenue was £325.8 million, an increase of more than 12 per cent over the previous year.

In March 2010, CPP debuted on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
What We Do:
CPP provides a range of assistance products and services that allow our business partners to forge closer relationships with their customers.

We have a solution for many eventualities, including:

• Insuring our customers’ mobile phones against loss, theft and damage
• Providing assistance to cancel and reorder customer’s payment cards should these be lost or stolen
• Providing assistance and protection if a customer’s keys are lost or stolen
• Providing advice, and assistance to help customers in the event their identity is fraudulently used
• Assisting customers with their travel needs be it an emergency (for example lost passport), or basic translation service
• Monitoring the credit status of our customers
• Provision of packaged services to business partners’ customers

CPP is an award winning organisation:

• Finalist in the Plc Awards, New Company of the Year, 2011
• Winner in the European Contact Centre Awards, Large Team of the Year category, 2010
• Finalist in the European Contact Centre Awards, Best Centre for Customer Service, Large Contact Centre of the Year categories, 2010
• Finalist in the National Sales Awards, Contact Centre Sales Team of the Year category, 2010
• Finalist in the National Insurance Fraud Awards, Counter Fraud Initiative of the Year category, 2009
• Finalist in the European Contact Centre Awards, Large Team and Advisor of the Year categories, 2009
• Named in the Sunday Times 2008 PricewaterhouseCoopers Profit Track 100
• Finalists in the National Business Awards, 3i Growth Strategy category, 2008
• Finalist in the National Business Awards, Business of the Year category, 2007, 2009 and Highly Commended in 2008
• Named in the Sunday Times 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 HSBC Top Track 250 companies
• Regional winner of the National Training Awards, 2007
• Winner of the BITC Health, Work and Well-Being Award, 2007
• Highly Commended in the UK National Customer Service Awards, 2006
• Winner of the Tamworth Community Involvement Award, 2006. Finalist in 2008
• Highly Commended in The Press Best Link Between Business and Education, 2005 and 2006. Winner in 2007
• Finalist in the National Business Awards, Innovation category, 2005

For more information on CPP click on http://www.cppgroupplc.com

World Travel Market 2011 to unveil largest global Gay survey

Out Now Consulting poll to include India for the first time

The world’s largest ever LGBT research study, to be released by global gay marketing specialists Out Now at World Travel Market 2011, nearly doubles its global gay population reach with the inclusion of India.

Out Now Consulting has announced the inclusion of India into the LGBT2020 research study – nearly doubling the population reach of their annual global survey into the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities world-wide.

The inclusion of India – which is home to up to 50 million gay and lesbian adults – now brings the number of countries in the LGBT2020 survey to 25, and will provide never before collected information into the lives of LGBT people on the Indian sub-continent. The LGBT2020 research study will collect information on the demographics, consumer spending habits, work attitudes and discrimination, as well as travel aspirations – and reveal the potential value of this market for the very first time.

Travel and tourism findings from India will be unveiled by Out Now at World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, taking place between November 7 -10.

With a population of nearly 1.2 billion, India is home to a staggering 17.5% of the world’s population, and represents an unprecedented opportunity for companies wishing to explore an untapped and growing market.

India’s economy has continued to boom in recent years, and it is now one of the 10 largest economies in the world – and growing rapidly. India is also in the top five fastest growing economies in the world according to figures published by the International Monetary Fund.

World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery said: “We are delighted the new LGBT tourism research from India is to be presented by Out Now at World Travel Market. Out Now’s global research sets the standard in understanding and forward thinking development of market insights – and that fits perfectly with informing the leading thinkers in our industry how to deliver relevant new products and services to meet the needs of this new part of the increasingly important global LGBT tourism market.”

“The rapid growth of India as an economic power is one of the most important global stories of modern times,” says Darren Cooper, Senior Consultant for Out Now Global based in London. “The implications for companies and other organisations engaged in business and social planning in the country are huge, and getting to grips with workplace and social issues faced by LGBT people in India is imperative.”

Ian Johnson, the founder and CEO of Out Now added: “We are all very excited about the inclusion of India into the LGBT2020 study for 2011 and the potential that this represents. It is extremely important to our vision to include new and emerging markets. Last year we added Brazil to our data set and this year we add India, which is home to around 50 million gay and lesbian adults. The Out Now Global LGBT2020 Study will, for the first time, shed light on the diversity of experiences that go to make up so many LGBT lives – from a truly global perspective.”

The strategic implications for companies looking to do business in India are far reaching. International companies that have already invested heavily in the country include IBM, Hyundai and Nokia.

The rapidly growing economy in India is now fueling all major industries, including the country’s well known technology industry. Massive investment in the infrastructure is also helping to expand the retail market – another segment that is quickly drawing international interest and investment. Travel and tourism – both into and out of India’s LGBT markets is set for strong growth during the decade ahead.

The ‘Out Now Global LGBT2020 Study’ is a ten year program of research and is the world’s most comprehensive LGBT research project. In 2011 the study is sampling gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in 10 languages from 25 countries on 6 continents on many aspects of their lives. From LGBT travel and tourism patterns, lifestyle habits, consumer expenditure, incomes, spending, discrimination and entertainment preferences – the LGBT2020 project is a groundbreaking project from Out Now.

Out Now will work with lesbian and gay groups and other organisations to assure the widest possible sample reach. In India it is working with a number of specialists, including consultant Snehil S Dhall.

In 2010 almost 40,000 respondents from around the world participated in the LGBT2020 study.

93% of UK Consumers Call for Ban on “Misleading” ’0% Commission’ Travel Money Advertising

In a recent survey published on Facebook, 1075 UK consumers answered whether or not they felt that travel money companies should be able to advertise ’0% commission’ without disclosing that additional charges are built into exchange rates. A total of 1000 people – 93% of respondents agreed that “this leading form of advertising should be banned.”

In the UK, many big name travel money companies like Travelex, Marks & Spencer and the Post Office commonly use “0% commission” as a strapline to advertise their services. However, as this doesn’t reflect the true cost to the consumer, many travellers are now calling for this practice to be banned.

Some of the Facebook comments from participants included…

John Carter: “Why is there no regulator for this 0% commission claim? Especially with the Olympics coming up there is a great opportunity for UK Government to set a Kite Mark standard.”

Phil Higham: “Companies should be prepared to be open about ALL their charges so customers can make an informed decision.”

David Edwards: “Misleading advertising is wrong in any circumstances. With particular regard to foreign exchange it highlights our nation as ‘rip-off Britain’. It is perfectly acceptable for a service provider to charge a fee but that fee should be completely transparent and fair comparisons should be accessible in plain simple English.”

Stephen Heath, CEO of travel money card provider FairFX.com added: “It seems that the lack of transparency in this marketplace has hit a nerve with consumers, and that a campaign needs to be started to come up a better way of comparing the overall cost of travel money.”

The survey results and consumer feedback can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=question&id=10150234362257164.

Brits Not Afraid to Splash the Cash… On Themselves

Survey Reveals That Brits are Willing to Work Hard and Spend Hard to Improve Their Appearance Before Going on Holiday

Despite the recession, Brits are still making a huge effort with their appearance in time for summer, sometimes spending more money on looking good than on their holidays, according to a survey by money off voucher website DiscountVouchers.co.uk.

More than half of all respondents admitted to spending up to £500 to look good on holiday, with 12% saying they would even spend up to £1,000. People from London drew the line at £2,500, despite higher living costs in the capital, whereas one in ten East Anglians surveyed said they would be willing to spend more than £2,500.

With the sudden appearance of regional reality shows, such as Geordie Shore, Made in Chelsea, and The Only Way Is Essex (or TOWIE to fans), the beauty habits of Britain have been brought to our attention.

TOWIE cast members follow one simple rule before jetting off for fun in the Marbella sun… “No carbs before Marbs”. But which regions put in the most effort for their hols?

The survey of almost 700 respondents from voucher website DiscountVouchers.co.uk shows that 83% of Brits always buy new clothes or shoes for their holidays, and more than half of them splash out on new swimwear. Up to 50% of Brits will visit their hairdresser and just over a fifth will receive beauty treatments to ensure they look their best.

One in five admit that they often use fake tan or sun beds to kick-start their tan before baring their bodies, and just under 20% will make an effort to slim down or tone up by joining a gym or dieting group.

Respondents from the North East are most likely to visit their hairdresser and work on their pre-holiday tans before going away, however they are least likely to go to a beautician for treatments.

Doug Scott, managing director of leading discount website DiscountVouchers.co.uk, which ran the survey, says: “While Brits are currently cutting back on their energy bills and petrol usage, their pre-holiday routines have not been affected by the tough economic climate. The results were surprising – with more than 50% saying they would spend up to £500 on getting beach ready.

“Despite being financially worse off, Brits are not letting this affect their appearance when they jet off on their holidays.”

When asked what Brits can do to make themselves look better on holiday, people from the North West said ‘lose weight’ (60%) and ‘work out more’ (25%) despite not many doing so themselves in preparation for their holidays (24%).

Other answers include ‘improve their dress sense’ as suggested by 42% of respondents from the South West, and ‘stop drinking as much’ chosen by Londoners, the Welsh and Scots.

The majority of votes goes to ‘wear more sun cream to stop them burning’, with 7 regions selecting this answer as their best piece of advice for Brits abroad.

About DiscountVouchers.co.uk – http://www.discountvouchers.co.uk/about

Egencia Releases 2011 Corporate Global Travel Benchmarking Study and Travel Manager Research

ADRs Increase in Most Business Destinations, While ATPs Experience a Mixed Pricing Landscape

Egencia^™, an Expedia, Inc. company, today unveiled its 2011 Corporate Global Travel Benchmarking Study, evaluating the current business travel landscape and supply environment for air and hotel. Focusing on top domestic and international business destinations in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, Egencia analysed industry trends, supplier data and capacity implications in Q1 2011. Additionally, Egencia surveyed nearly 350 travel buyers globally regarding travel programme expectations, policies and challenges.

“We strive to provide our customers with the most insightful knowledge of the market so that they‘re able to adjust their travel policy and negotiate with suppliers,” said Jonny Shingles, Managing Director, Egencia UK. “Our proprietary solution enables us to have access to data very easily and to pass them on to our clients via our annual studies which clearly reflect industry trends.“

The study reveals that:

• For European points-of-sale, ATPs (Average Ticket Prices) for intra-European destinations decreased 4% Yoyo; yet increased 8% for North American destinations.

• For North American points-of-sale, ATPs showed increases in nearly all business destinations: intra-North America +13% Yoyo, +1% for European destinations and -4% for APAC destinations.

• For APAC overall, ATPs slightly decreased: 2% Yoyo for intra-APAC destinations and 1% in North American destinations.

• The hotel environment worldwide saw Average Daily Rates (ADRs) increase in the majority of destinations, which reverses the decline trend of 2010.

“In Europe, contrary to last year, the hotel pricing landscape has increased. But air trends remain more or less the same,“ said Christophe Pingard, Senior Vice President, Egencia EMEA and APAC.“Hotels seem to be driven mostly by demand pattern. Air seems more complex, with two opposite trends: on one hand prices rising due to fuel and tax increases, on the other hand low cost airlines and high speed rail pushing prices down.“

MAIN HIGHLIGHTS

Average Ticket Prices (ATPs)

Europe

European airlines are tightly maintaining their capacity discipline in 2011. European businesses are slowly increasing travel demand both domestically and Internationally; this has resulted in an increase in average ticket prices for specific business destinations (Dublin, Munich and Frankfurt), though the picture is more varied and not as clear cut as in North America. Increased ATPs can be attributed to rising fuel prices (although the fuel price in Euros hasn’t risen as much as the fuel price in USD due to currency fluctuations), tightly managed capacity by airlines, and airline consolidation and alliances. Tax increases in UK and Germany have also contributed to rising prices.

Conversely, in some areas of Europe, prices are being driven downward. The main factor is that competition between airlines has increased, especially due to low-cost carriers and high-speed rail. Airlines have adjusted their products and services accordingly.

Compared to 2010, the trend of ATP changes YoY has stayed the same; i.e. the ATP upward trend for North American destinations and downward trend for European destinations in general.

The chart below illustrates Q1 YoY ATP figures in top business destinations for European points of sale.

    European POS      ATP Change YoY         European POS ATP Change YoY
    Munich                  9%               Stockholm         -10%
    Dublin                  3%               Barcelona         -11%
    Frankfurt am Main       1%               Manchester        -13%
    Moscow                 -3%               Milan             -13%
    London                 -3%               Paris              0%
    Madrid                 -4%               Marseille         -10%
    Berlin                 -4%               Chicago            13%
    Glasgow                -5%               Los Angeles        9%
    Amsterdam              -7%               New York           7%
    Brussels                0%

    Sources ARC, Smith Travel
    Research, OAG, Expedia Internal
    Analysis
    Local currency

North America

As a result of increased cost pressures in Q1 2011, ATPs have increased for most routes departing from North America. These increases can be largely attributed to higher fuel prices, tight management of capacity, strong demand on major corporate routes, and continued airline consolidation. YoY has remained the same: Average Ticket Prices continue to go up on domestic destinations, while going slightly down for overseas destinations.

The chart below illustrates Q1 YoY ATP figures in selected business travel destinations for North American points of sale.

    North America POS ATP Change YoY         North America POS ATP Change YoY
    Calgary                28%               Denver                 11%
    Montreal               20%               Dallas                 10%
    Toronto                19%               Vancouver              10%
    San Diego              17%               Minneapolis             9%
    Houston                17%               Atlanta                 7%
    Seattle                16%               Washington DC           4%
    San Francisco          15%               Boston                  3%
    Chicago                15%               Hong Kong               5%
    Phoenix                15%               Tokyo                  -4%
    Los Angeles            13%               Paris                  -4%
    New York               12%               London                 -4%
    Philadelphia           11%

    Sources ARC, Smith Travel
    Research, OAG, Expedia Internal
    Analysis
    Local currency

APAC

Asia-Pacific represents a truly heterogeneous air pricing landscape, varying on a market-by-market basis. However, as a whole APAC is averaging a decrease in overall ATPs. Prices for Intra-APAC destinations have decreased by an average of two percent YoY, with prices for North American destinations down by an average of one percent YoY.

Decreased ATPs can be attributed to increased competition in the local markets, increased capacity on majority of routes, and the domestic and international pricing battle for Australia. Increased ATPs can be attributed to the mixed capacity environment for APAC destinations, increased fuel cost, potential of joint-ventures on trans-Pacific routes, and increased demand into India and China.

The chart below illustrates Q1 YoY ATP figures in top business destinations for APAC points of sale.

    APAC POS       ATP Change YoY         APAC POS      ATP Change YoY
    Hong Kong            5%               Sydney             -5%
    Singapore            4%               Delhi              -7%
    Melbourne            2%               Tokyo             -10%
    Mumbai               0%               New York           17%
    Beijing             -1%               Los Angeles        -4%
    Shanghai            -2%               San Francisco      -8%

    Sources ARC, Smith Travel
    Research, OAG, Expedia
    Internal Analysis
    Local currency

Hotel Average Daily Rates (ADRs)

In the first quarter of 2011, hotel ADRs increased in most major business destinations, reversing the downward trends from the previous year. The increase in ADRs can be attributed to the return of corporate demand, reduced scale of new supply, improved occupancy, and higher air capacity.

The charts below illustrate Q1 YoY ADR figures in selected business travel destinations globally.

    North America         ADR Change YoY         Europe        ADR Change YoY

    Atlanta                        1%            Amsterdam               9%
    Boston                         7%            Barcelona               1%
    Chicago                        5%            Berlin                  1%
    Dallas                         10%           Brussels                7%
    Denver                         4%            Frankfurt am Main       9%
    Houston                        3%            London                  9%
    Los Angeles                    7%            Madrid                  2%
    Minneapolis                    2%            Milan                   2%
    New York                       6%            Munich                  9%
    Philadelphia                   6%            Paris                  10%
    Phoenix                        6%            Stockholm               4%
    San Diego                      5%
    San Francisco                  17%
    Seattle                        5%
    Washington DC                  3%
    Calgary                        5%
    Montreal                       5%
    Toronto                        3%
    Vancouver                     -27%

    APAC      ADR Change YoY
    Beijing         9%
    Delhi           0%
    Hong Kong      25%
    Melbourne       2%
    Mumbai          3%
    Shanghai        8%
    Singapore      16%
    Sydney          8%
    Tokyo          -1%

    Sources ARC, Smith Travel Research, OAG,
    Expedia Internal Analysis
    Reflected in local currency for each city

Travel Management Trends

According to respondents of Egencia’s survey of nearly 350 travel buyers, 54 percent of buyers expect their travel volumes to increase during the remainder of 2011, with 17 percent planning to change their travel policies during the year. Additionally, 38 percent of travel buyers said they will negotiate more this year than they did in 2010.

Travel Managers universally identified cost control/reducing spend as the greatest challenge facing travel programs. Specific rankings of travel program challenges are as follows:

• Cost control/reducing expenses (79%)
• Traveler satisfaction (43%)
• Traveler compliance/policy enforcement (42%)
• Capturing a full view of travel spend (40%)

Compared to last year, the challenges reported in 2011 are mainly the same, with Cost Control still being at the top of travel buyers’ mind but a greatest focus on Traveler Satisfaction and Traveler Compliance.

Research Methodology

Forecast and projections are based on the statistical analysis of the past and present industry trends, macroeconomic factors, market research and vendors’ capacity forecasts for 2011. Smith Travel Research (STR) and OAG filings were leveraged for a market-level analysis of both Lodging and Air capacity. ARC, STR and Expedia Internal Data were used for market-level analysis of pricing.

TripAdvisor Survey Reveals British Traveller Mobile Device Habits

One in five British Respondents now Plans Travel Using a Mobile Device

TripAdvisor(R), the world’s largest travel website*, announced today the results of its mobile device travel survey. A survey of over 1,200* British TripAdvisor users reveals that that a significant 22% of respondents have incorporated a mobile device into their travel-planning process.

“As mobile, tablet and smartphone use increases at breakneck speed, the way travellers plan their trips is fundamentally changing,” commented Emma O’Boyle, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “We’re seeing phenomenal growth in the number of travellers planning their holidays – both before they leave and during their trip – on mobile devices.”

Travel on the go

Of those using their mobile devices to plan holidays, researching and booking accommodation is the most common activity. Of those who plan travel on their mobile device:

- 29% have booked or researched accommodation

- 27% have researched destinations

- 26% have read traveller reviews

- 23% have researched restaurants

- 18% have booked or researched flights

Nearly half of British respondents (45%) have used their mobile devices to plan and research their trip once they’ve arrived at their destination. For those respondents who use their mobile device while travelling, restaurant research takes priority:

- 29% researched restaurants

- 28% checked their flight status

- 21% researched attractions

- 18% researched accommodation

- 16% researched tours

“Whether travellers are looking for the nearest attractions or top-rated restaurants, these findings show that smartphones and tablets are an increasingly important travel companion,” continued Emma O’Boyle.

Roam Rage

Roaming charges remain the biggest barrier to using mobile devices on international holiday. The following comprise the “greatest frustrations” for British respondents when using a mobile device while travelling:

- 47% said roaming fees

- 18% said sporadic connectivity

- 7% said small screen

Mobile Hypocrisy

Despite 75% of Brits admitting to using a mobile device when travelling, a substantial 79% of respondents claim to get annoyed by fellow travellers using their mobile devices while travelling.

British travellers playing mobile catch up

Although a large proportion of British respondents are already planning holidays on their mobile devices, it seems our European neighbours have adapted faster:

- 22% of Brits have planned a trip on their mobile device compared to 27% of Europeans

- 20% of Brits have booked accommodation using a mobile device, compared to 28% of European respondents, and 32% of French respondents

- 45% of Brits have used a mobile device to research their trip while in-destination, compared to 53% of European respondents

More mobile findings

- 39% of British respondents have a travel app installed on their mobile device

- 14% of British respondents have reviewed a hotel, restaurant or attraction using their mobile device while on a trip

- 15% of British respondents have “checked in” to a place using their mobile device while on a trip

TripAdvisor recently launched a new “My Saves” feature for its mobile website and apps that allows travellers to save hotel, restaurant, and attraction pages so they can easily find them again for future reference. TripAdvisor has free mobile apps available for the iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, Nokia, and Palm smartphones, the iPad, and a mobile website available for all major mobile devices.

More information about TripAdvisor Mobile can be found at http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/mobile

*Survey carried out on 5,013 respondents across Europe, including 1,313 British respondents, from 23 to 31 May 2011. Other countries surveyed were France, Italy and Spain.

On the Beach: British Travellers are the Most Internet Savvy in Europe

Research has shown that British tourists are very likely to use the internet to book their holidays; On the Beach says this is thanks to the ease and convenience of the web.

A recent report from Ipsos, a market research company, has pegged Brits as the group most likely to book their holidays online. Their research found that 71 per cent use the web to make arrangements for their trips – this figure stands well above the European average of 57 per cent. In light of these numbers On the Beach (http://www.onthebeach.co.uk/) , one the UK’s leading online travel agencies, has hailed British tourists as the most internet savvy group in Europe.

Ipsos (http://www.ipsos.com/) released these figures in a report entitled: Intentions and Concerns of Europeans in relation to holidays. The company surveyed over 3,500 Europeans on a wide variety of travel related issues.

Alistair Daly, Marketing Director of On the Beach, comments: “Since the dawn of the internet era Brits have been quick to adopt new technology and new ways of doing things. This has arguably accelerated over the past few years as people are discovering that the internet is by far the easiest way to book their trips, whether they are looking for a last minute holiday (http://www.onthebeach.co.uk/l/last-minute-holidays) or a thoroughly planned trip.”

Daly continues: “At On the Beach we provide our customers with a wide variety of holiday options that they can access in a matter of minutes – it has really never been so easy to plan a trip away, whether it’s a holiday to Alicante ( http://www.onthebeach.co.uk/destinations/spain/costa-blanca/alicante) , the Canary Islands or Turkey. We expect that next year even more Brits will be using the internet for all their travel needs.”

U.S. Travel Analysis on May 2011 Jobless Rate

Washington, D.C. – David Huether, senior vice president of economics and research at the U.S. Travel Association, provides analysis on today’s Labor Department employment report:

Huether is available for further analysis and comment.

‘Beyond Tourism’ Benefits for Business Events

The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) has released the findings from an interim report on ‘The Holistic Value of Business Events’ in another world-first for the Bureau.

The longitudinal study, conducted by the Centre for Tourism and Service Research at Victoria University, was commissioned by MCVB in February 2009, to identify and quantify the additional benefits associated with selected Business Events over a two-year period.

The study covers four conventions, and their associated exhibitions, held in Melbourne in 2009, ranging in size from 400 to 800 delegates in the medical, scientific and environmental/sustainability fields, and will track the benefits pre, during and post event.

A year into the study, the interim report has revealed that there is strong evidence of the additional benefits arising from staging a Business Event. Results include:

• 50% of respondents gained immediate information that enhanced their personal or business performance;
• 54% of respondents developed new business contacts and relationships;
• 63% of respondents found their industry sector profile was enhanced because of the Event;
• 82% of respondents built relationships with speakers, delegates, exhibitors and/or organisers on-site.

Furthermore, more than half the recipients indicated they had:

• Experienced additional “expressions of interest” from potential customers or investors;
• Gained increased investor and/or competitor knowledge;
• Experienced innovation or opened business potential.

Ms Sandra Chipchase, Chief Executive Officer of MCVB, explained that although previous industry studies had acknowledged the value of Business Events ‘beyond tourism’, until now there had not been an attempt to quantify their additional benefits over a series of years.

“It has long been recognised that conventions create new and repeat visitors, attract accompanying persons, drive regional tourism and generate economic wealth and export orders for host cities,” said Ms Chipchase.

“The ongoing challenge has been in attempting to quantify the additional benefits derived from Business Events such as the development of new business relationships, innovation, changing perceptions of a country, city or industry, increased market intelligence and/or improved performance.

“MCVB commissioned Professor Leo Jago and his team from Victoria University to address this research gap, and after the first year there is clear evidence to support a wider range of benefits. Well in excess of 50% of respondents from all four conferences stated they had personally experienced some of these key benefits as a result of their involvement in the conference.

Professor Jago said that evidence gathered from self-complete questionnaires at the conventions, in addition to web-based and telephone interviews 11 months after the conferences had shown significant, positive results.

“We will continue to work with MCVB on this study over the next year to see how we can further quantify this information and ultimately deliver robust, ground-breaking data for the Business Events industry,” he said.

Festivals study proves it’s not all about the money

An independent study has confirmed the economic benefits of Edinburgh’s festivals but, most importantly, it quantifies the value of the experience

On the surface, it looks like another of those good news stories at which arts managers have become adept. The Festivals Forum, a body that represents Edinburgh’s 12 major festivals, has published an independent study of the impact of these year-round events. Grabbing the headlines is the finding that the festivals, including Hogmanay, Imaginate and the fringe, generate £261m of additional tourism revenue for Scotland and £245m for Edinburgh alone.

In the Guardian’s data blog you can see how the figures break down from festival to festival, ranging from the £142m generated by the fringe to the £180,000 generated by the Scottish international storytelling festival. People like these numbers not only because they sound impressive – and are a significant increase on the last set of statistics from 2004 – but because they silence the philistines who argue that public subsidy is a poor investment. By the Guardian’s calculations, £1 in subsidy generates nearly £35 in spending by festival visitors.

Persuasive though this is, artists have long complained that such calculations miss the point. If you celebrate a piece of art because it generates money, shouldn’t you also condemn a work that fails to pay its way? Only if you thought long-running West End shows were intrinsically better than fringe shows, and bestsellers better than Booker prizewinners, could you sustain this argument. Nobody paints a painting, writes a poem or puts on a play with the intention of having an economic impact – that’s just a byproduct. Money is easy for consultants to measure, but it tells you nothing about the quality of the experience for either artist or audience.

What’s interesting about the new Edinburgh study is that it understands this. In its own words, it “describes and quantifies the effect of Edinburgh’s year-round festivals on locals, visitors, young people, artists [as well as] the economy and the environment”. It reports that audiences value world-class experiences such as discovering new things and, having been given the opportunity once, would attend similar events again. It also talks about performers getting opportunities for professional development, improving skills and extending their creative networks. Not startling revelations, perhaps, but good to see them acknowledged.

Admittedly, a lot of the report is couched in politician-friendly terminology. Rather than offering a straightforward declaration that people like to be entertained, it talks about how the festivals encourage access, increase children’s imaginations and “promote a confident, positive Scottish national identity” (just what a re-elected SNP administration will want to hear). All the same, it is a shift in the right direction. The politicians present at the report’s launch made this clear. “We have to consider what it does to people’s wellbeing,” said councillor Steve Cardownie, delighted to have the “evidence these events are worthwhile in their own right”.

It was a sentiment echoed by Fiona Hyslop, the newly appointed Scottish culture secretary, and by Kath Mainland, chief executive of the Edinburgh fringe and chair of Festivals Edinburgh. “If you don’t value the quality of the experience,” said Mainland, “then the economic benefits simply don’t flow.”

The cult of the consultancy is not to everyone’s liking, but this overdue break from the pounds-shilling-pence values of Thatcherism lays down a challenge to every manager making a case for the arts and every politician whose desk it lands on.

Source: The Guardian

Landmark National Study Reveals Insights About the Millennial Generation

A New Generation Will Change Travel and Tourism

The results of a national survey released by PGAV Destination Consulting, a global leader in the planning and design of leisure, entertainment, and cultural destinations, reveal Millennial motivations and behaviors that have significant implications for travel and tourism.

The nationwide survey, called “Meet the Millennials,” commissioned in association with Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts and conducted by Jerry Henry & Associates, shows important differences between the Millennial sample group and attractions visitors aged 30 and over. Specific findings are outlined in the report along with supporting data.

“Millennials are a powerful segment of today’s travelers, and their preferences and habits will help shape the future of travel preferences going forward,” states Kevin Kelly, President, Delaware North Parks & Resorts.

According to the study, nearly six in ten Millennials (58%) say they travel for leisure with friends; nearly 20 points higher than older generations. Relationships are vital to Millennials, and they are highly influenced by others who help to select places to visit and things to do. Through social media, they tell stories to one another, make recommendations and assessments often in the form of real-time descriptions of their experiences.

With their technology acumen, Millennials make quick decisions. They plan trips in far less time (75 days) than older generations (93 days). They are adept at accessing information online, where they can search for a deal, read the reviews, book it and go. Implications for destinations are twofold: insure messages are easy to follow, timely and relevant; and innovate in the creation of appealing experiences with memorable moments that will be quickly shared.

This most highly educated and diverse generation has a real appetite for learning. Seventy-eight percent of this group says they prefer to learn something new when they travel. Fully seven in ten Millennials say they expect special places to offer immersive experiences. They look for places that are fun and entertaining (78%), and interactive and hands-on (68%).

Millennials are also good citizens. Over 77% of respondents say they believe it is essential to connect to causes that are important to them, a trait more important to them than older generations.

“Millennials are not your traditional guests,” explains Mike Konzen, Principal, PGAV Destinations. “They do not take leisure trips ‘just because,’ but are looking for something that resonates with their need to make a difference.”

To read the full report, including how Millennials make decisions, contact marie.shellenberg(at)pgav(dot)com or visit http://www.pgavdestinations.com/insights/.

Beat the Brochure: Brits’ Ideal Hotel is ’22 Minutes From Airport’

ROMFORD, England, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — A new Travel Industry Survey has Revealed What British Holidaymakers Really Want From Their Holidays: a Hotel 22 Minutes Away From the Airport.

A recent travel survey has unveiled what British holidaymakers want most from their ideal holiday this year, with the old favourites, sun, sea and sand still proving to be the most popular desires for travellers. However, the results of the survey also reveal that British holidaymakers are becoming much more specific when it comes to their holiday wants, with such variants as temperature, the time of year and the duration of the holiday being the most important aspects to many holidaymakers, say Beat The Brochure (http://www.beatthebrochure.com/).

Daniel Ox of Beat The Brochure says: “This new study, which questioned 2,000 British holidaymakers, has shown that Brits are becoming a lot more specific in their holiday wants, with a two-week family break in Europe being the most popular choice for travellers. While this choice may not come as a surprise to many holidaymakers or travel insiders, what really makes this poll interesting is the fact that the study pinpointed the perfect temperature for the respondents, which was 27 degrees, with the respondents stating that they wanted to get at least nine hours of sunlight a day on holiday.”

As well as these exact specifications for the temperature and hours of sunlight per day, the poll revealed that British holidaymakers don’t want to travel too far from home, as they were only prepared to take a flight that would last a maximum of five hours, which would keep them in Europe. While they didn’t want to stray outside of Europe, where they could choose holidays in the Canary Islands ( http://www.beatthebrochure.com/holidays/Canary_Islands/default.asp), they also didn’t want the arrival airport to be far away from their hotel or resort.

Ox continues: “According to the survey, British holidaymakers want their hotel to be a 22 minute drive from the airport, which they would travel to in a hire car. Once settled on the hotel, the respondents also stated that they wanted to spend at least 4 of the 14 days sunbathing by the hotel pool, while a another four days would be spent on day trips to local attractions, sightseeing, and a further two days would be spent shopping for gifts and clothes. So while the respondents are set on some very exact criteria for their holiday, they were happy to book very traditional European breaks, such as Ibiza holidays ( http://www.beatthebrochure.com/holidays/Balearics/Ibiza/default.asp), which shows that Europe is still a very popular choice for British travellers.”

Travelmatch: Number of Brits Travelling Solo on the Up

LONDON, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — A Survey has Shown That British Travellers are More Willing Than Ever to Travel by themselves. Online Holiday Experts Travelmatch Believe This Shows That Tourists are Reluctant to Let Obstacles Stand in the Way of Their Adventures Abroad

A recent survey has shown that British tourists are increasingly willing to embark on holidays by themselves. This data comes from travel insurer LV, who found that over the past two years the amount of people willing to go on such trips has doubled. Alex Francis of Travelmatch.co.uk comments on the results: “This data mirrors are own observations that many people are willing to go abroad on city breaks and beach holidays by themselves. We think this is fantastic news as solo trips to resorts like Lara Beach ( http://www.travelmatch.co.uk/holidays/lara-beach-holidays.html) and other exotic spots can be very rewarding.”

The survey by LV (http://www.lv.com/) held more positive news regarding such trips: 60% of people said that they had enjoyed their holiday, while 10% claimed it was the best ever. The most popular type of solo trips were city breaks, while beach holidays also proved to be very popular. Only 3% of respondents were negative about their experience.

Francis believes that this can be partially attributed to the particular appeal of solo trips, he comments: “Travelling alone can be somewhat daunting, yet it is also highly rewarding as it is a great way to meet new people and go on unexpected adventures. At Travelmatch.co.uk we are big supporters of solo tourism, as we believe it is very exciting and unique way to see the world.”

Francis states that though solo travel is appealing, the primarily motivation for such trips has more to do with the allure of travel. He concludes: “People in this day and age love to travel, and they will take any opportunity to get abroad and have an amazing time. Yet for one reason or another it is sometimes difficult to find someone to go abroad with; our customers don’t let this stand in their way and they are happy to get out there, even if they can’t find anyone to accompany them on their holidays to Turkey (http://www.travelmatch.co.uk/holidays/turkey-holidays.html) and other amazing spots around the globe.”

American Express Business Insights Brings the Power of Consumer Spending Analytics to the UK

LONDON, April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — American Express Business Insights, the analytics and consulting arm of American Express, today announced the expansion of its unique spend data analytics to businesses in the United Kingdom. Based on actual spending information of 90 million cardmembers in more than 125 global markets, American Express Business Insights’ proprietary analyses provide businesses with critical, aggregated information about their customers, competitors and marketplace. The power to access, measure and monitor purchasing trends for both individual consumers and corporations, as well as across various demographic groups and regions, enables a new level of strategic planning for British businesses.

Sujata Bhatia, vice president of American Express Business Insights, Europe, will lead the efforts of the newly expanded analytics unit in the UK. Bhatia will be charged with helping UK-based businesses leverage American Express Business Insights by providing merchants a clear window into the wants and needs of their target consumer segments. By knowing where different types of consumers are spending money – and conversely where they are not purchasing – merchants can better position their business and develop strategies for growth.

“Our ability to quickly identify and interpret trends across our global network provides our customers with an unparalleled advantage in understanding their customer base and ultimately helps them make more strategic decisions,” said Bhatia.

Businesses may leverage American Express Business Insights’ spending data to assess a variety of consumer scenarios and determine, for example:

    - Consumer spending preferences before and after the recession;
    - Share of consumers' wallets within an industry or region;
    - Spending behaviours of consumers on holiday; or
    - The placement of a specific type of restaurant in a hotel.

Formally launched in the United States in November 2009, American Express Business Insights is housed within the American Express Global Merchant Services unit. Led by Senior Vice President Edmond Jay, Business Insights is already helping many of the world’s largest retail, luxury, travel and hospitality brands to leverage consumer spending data to stay ahead of the competition and solve many of their most significant business issues.

The creation of American Express Business Insights and its global expansion is part of a larger strategic move at American Express to place greater emphasis on its role as a provider of services. “We think about the American Express network as a community of relationships between consumers, merchants, small businesses, corporate clients and issuing partners,” added Bhatia. “Connecting these communities, and using our resources and capabilities for their benefit, has become American Express’ true competitive advantage.”

As part of its UK offerings, American Express Business Insights will provide products and solutions in four main areas:

    - Customer intelligence - understanding actual, aggregated purchasing
      behaviour;
    - Competitive intelligence - comparing performance against a set of
      competitors;
    - Market intelligence - understanding industry and marketplace trends;
      and
    - Marketing effectiveness - building, executing and analysing more
      effective marketing programmes.

In keeping with American Express’ privacy principles, all data analysis is on an aggregate level and does not disclose any personally identifiable information to merchants or partners for marketing purposes.

For more information about the capabilities of American Express Business Insights, visit: https://businessinsights.americanexpress.com/.

Europe on the Map for U.S. Travelers in 2011

51 Percent Taking European Trips in 2011, Up Nine Percent from Last Year

NEWTON, Mass./PRNewswire/ – TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site*, announced the results of its annual European travel survey of 1000 U.S. travelers. Fifty-one percent of respondents are planning to travel, or already have traveled, to Europe in 2011, up from 42 percent who said they did so last year.  These findings suggest that rising airfares are not having a significant impact on Americans’ plans for trans-Atlantic trips this year.

European Hotspots

London claims the crown as the top European destination U.S. travelers plan to visit this year. However, it appears the throngs are not being enticed to the British capital by the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton – just four percent of respondents say that next month’s Royal wedding has increased their interest in traveling to the U.K.

The top five European cities that U.S. travelers plan to visit in 2011, according to the survey:

1. London, U.K.

2. Paris, France

3. Rome, Italy

4. Barcelona, Spain

5. Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Euro-meter: What’s Hot and Not for U.S. Travelers

Hot:

• Europe in the Fall: 53 percent of Americans planning to visit Europe in 2011 will travel in September or October.
• Speaking the Local Language: 73 percent make an effort to speak the local language in Europe, when it isn’t their mother tongue.
• Adventure Eating: 90 percent of those who have visited Europe are experimental in their choices of local cuisine.

Not:

• U.S. Fashions: 52 percent alter the way they dress in Europe, to appear less “American”.
• European Beaches: 37 percent maintain the beaches are worse than those in the U.S., while 54 percent say they’re the same.
• Holidays Overseas: Just six percent of those planning to visit Europe this year intend to travel in December.

Driven to Distraction

Twenty-four percent of Americans planning to visit Europe in 2011 will drive during their trips, while 61 percent have been behind the wheel while overseas in previous years – and seven percent of these motorists have vowed never to do so again.

The top five most common driving mishaps in Europe, according to the survey:

1. Misreading the map and getting lost – 53%

2. Stress leading to arguments with passengers – 28%

3. Driving on the wrong side of the road – 20%

4. Nearly having an accident – 16%

5. Receiving a parking ticket – 10%

• 30 percent of those who have taken to the roads didn’t brush up on the local driving laws, before getting behind the wheel.
• 28 percent maintain that Europeans are better drivers than Americans, while 48 percent believe that both nations’ driving abilities are on a par.
• Despite many U.S. travelers choosing to drive, 92 percent maintain that Europe’s public transportation network is superior to the U.S. system.

Culture is King

The top three things that travelers look forward to when visiting Europe, according to the survey:

1. The culture – 48 %

2. The attractions – 17%

3. The food – 11%

“American travelers have an enduring love affair with Europe, and there are certainly no signs of this changing in 2011,” said Karen Drake, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor. “With such a rich history and a wealth of unique cultures, cuisines and attractions, many U.S. travelers appear eager to enjoy trans-Atlantic trips this year.”

Traveler Sentiment Falls Amid Airline Fee Free-For-All

Sherman, CT USA —When it comes to air travel, U.S. travelers increasingly feel like they are being taken for a ride, according to a new report from travel industry leader PhoCusWright. While traveler attitudes toward airlines are lukewarm overall, consumers report feeling worse about their airline experiences versus a few years ago.

Heat from the Middle Seat: The U.S. Consumer Perspective on Air Travel reveals that less than half of U.S. air travelers feel positive about their airline experiences. A quarter of fliers feel negatively, while three in 10 are neutral. The results translate to an average score of 3.29 on a scale of 1 to 5.

“Fliers are essentially giving airlines a grade of C+, which is barely above satisfactory,” said Carroll Rheem, director, research. “But even more concerning for airlines is that their most valuable customers – business travelers and those with higher annual household incomes – are even less happy than the average.”

Both business travelers and affluent travelers (i.e., those with an annual household income of US$100,000 or more) are less likely to have positive sentiments toward their flying experiences and more likely to have negative sentiments. The trend is particularly pronounced for affluent travelers, who are nearly twice as likely as travelers with annual household incomes of $50,000 to have slightly or very negative sentiments.

Consumer attitudes towards their air travel experiences have soured over the same period that airlines have added baggage fees and other new charges. Thirty-eight percent of leisure-only U.S. travelers feel slightly or substantially worse about their airline experiences compared to a few years ago, while just 13% feel slightly or substantially better. Four in ten business travelers feel their experiences have gotten worse.

In addition to checked baggage fees, airlines are aiming to increase sales of optional services like preferred seating and priority boarding. These new products and packages represent a tremendous opportunity for airlines. However, the decline in traveler satisfaction could limit their ability to fully realize that opportunity.

“Consumers are inherently reluctant to buy more services from companies they feel are taking advantage of them – and unfortunately, many feel that way about airlines today,” said Rheem. “Airlines have therefore put a ceiling of their own creation on the potential success of optional services. If they focus on repairing relationships with their passengers, airlines have the ability to break that ceiling. Whether or not they have the inclination remains to be seen.”

Heat from the Middle Seat: The U.S. Consumer Perspective on Air Travel provides insight into key issues that shape travelers’ relationships with airlines, and analyzes how those relationships impact the leisure air travel landscape. The report studies air shopping and booking behavior among U.S. travelers, measures consumer sentiment toward airlines, and examines the factors impacting traveler loyalty. Key topics include:

• The role of intermediaries in the air shopping process
• Traveler interest in ancillary products
• Traveler attitudes towards airlines, and trends over time
• Attitudes and behaviors of airlines’ most valuable customers, including business travelers and those with high annual travel spend
• Incidence of behavioral loyalty toward airlines, impact on booking channel and loyalty drivers

This report, a derivative of PhoCusWright’s Consumer Travel Report Third Edition(forthcoming), is essential reading for travel companies throughout the air distribution chain. As airlines seek to minimize distribution costs and boost earnings with new, bundled services, the consumer perspective remains a crucial – but often overlooked – success factor. Heat from the Middle Seat: The U.S. Consumer Perspective on Air Traveltracks the most important traveler trends impacting air travel sales and distribution.

Western Europe Is Favorite Among Americans Headed Abroad This Summer, ASTA Survey Says

Alexandria, Va., March, 2011- When it comes to heading abroad for summer vacation, London, Rome, Paris, Cancun remained American’s top four choices for the eighth consecutive year according to the 2011 Hot Spots for Summer study. The survey, which asked ASTA travel agents what destinations were hot for this summer season, found that Western European destinations are the most popular overall with six cities in the top 10.

Rounding out the top 10 city hot spots were Punta Cana, Dublin, Barcelona, Venice, Sydney and Istanbul. This year was the first time that Sydney and Istanbul have joined the top 10. Last year, Istanbul hosted ASTA’s International Destination Expo, which brought more than 1,200 travel professionals together to learn about the culture, attractions and travel business of Turkey and its neighboring countries.

“Americans are interspersing trips to such tried-and-true favorites as Mexico and Europe, with the opportunity to experience new cultures and regions of the world. Istanbul and Sydney both are new entrants to the list and are holding a great deal of attraction for U.S. travelers,” said Chris Russo, ASTA president and chair.

When asked to name which countries or regions are most popular with Americans traveling abroad, Italy ranked first, with the United Kingdom remaining in second place again. Mexico ranked third, followed by France and the Caribbean, in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The same five countries/regions have remained in the top five for more than five years.

Survey data was collected through the 2011 ASTA Research Family. This survey has a 95-percent rate confidence with an error rate +/-4.3 percent.

New Survey Reveals Northerners are More Social Than Southerners!

LONDON, March 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — A recent online survey by Mydestinationinfo.com ( http://www.mydestinationinfo.com/) – a network of locally run travel information sites, in conjunction with YouGov, looked at how people use their devices (including smart phones, iPads, android tablets and a whole range of other devices). The survey revealed that 44% of holidaymakers who use a device in the North use it to check social feeds (e.g. Facebook, Twitter), whilst only 32% do so in the South.

We’re asking: Does this new research make Northerners a Coronation Street’s nosey Norris, or a sociable Steve McDonald?

It has long been supposed, that those in the North are a much more sociable breed than their Southern counterparts, with the connotation that Northerners have a greater sense of community. This research would appear to back this up.

Checking social feeds can be viewed as a way of staying connected with friends, family, colleagues, old school friends or random strangers. By checking social feeds you can quickly see what people in your network are doing and any news they may have.

This is the community of the modern age; the traditional sense of community where you would share stories in the post office or over a cup of tea, have now been taken over by sharing on Twitter or Facebook. Can we then say that the higher percentage of checking social feeds in the North is a modern day increased sense of community, thus making Northerners more sociable?

The availability and ever increasing usage of social media also allows us to connect with people that if we saw in the street, would probably cross the road. The person from school you always thought was destined for greatness, you’re now secretly happy to see that their stacking shelves for a living. If you saw this person in real life, you may have no time for them, but through social media, you can get a picture of what their life is like.

Can we then say that Northerners checking social feeds more than Southerners actually just makes them nosey? It’s not a modern day sense of a community, just a platform to help satisfy our natural curiosities. It is in fact a modern day version of Margot peering over the fence in The Good Life, or Betty from Emmerdale enquiring into the latest gossip in The Woolpack…

Whether you view Northerners checking social feeds more than Southerners as meaning that they are a sociable Steve McDonald or a nosey Norris, the increase and how we use social media undoubtedly throws up some interesting questions and debates.

Here are the figures for checking social feeds for the whole of Great Britain:

    North: 44%
    Midlands: 33%
    East: 36%
    London: 40%
    South: 32%
    Wales: 41%
    Scotland: 36%

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2205 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14th- 16th February 2011. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 16+)

http://www.mydestinationinfo.com/

London World Athletics Championships proves to be popular choice for visitors

The World Athletics Championships has been voted the most popular future sports event for people to attend in London outside the Olympic Games. The statistic is part of a recent YouGov poll commissioned by Visit London’s Major Events Team which looks into what major events Londoners and visitors to the UK’s capital want to see coming to the city post Olympic Games.

The full findings of the poll will be published in a report entitled ‘Global Major Events – 2012 & Beyond’ and will be launched on the 5th April 2011 to coincide with London hosting The SportAccord International Convention (3rd – 8th April 2011) which will see over 1,500 of the world’s top sporting officials and business people from more than 60 countries come to the capital.

The YouGov poll was conducted via samples taken from a wide audience spanning London, UK, Germany, USA and China, asking participants what major event would entice them to come to the capital. Choices varied from music and cultural events such as music festivals, one-off pageantry events such as the Royal Wedding right through to sporting events and competitions such as international swimming and cycling. The World Athletics Championships was ranked in top position as most popular sports event to attend in London outside of the Olympic Games.

The poll finding also supports recent news that the UK Athletics (UKA) have sent a letter of intention to bid for the 2017 World Athletics Championships to come to London, with the support of the UK Government, DCMS, Mayor of London, UK Sport and other agencies.
Iain Edmondson, Head of the Major Events Team at Visit London commented: “These initial findings from the YouGov poll are extremely exciting, proving us with tangible evidence about what Londoners and visitors to the city really want to see coming to the capital post Olympic and Paralympic Games. The World Athletics Championships are hugely popular and are recognised as a leading sporting event. London continues to bid for major events which will draw new visitors to the city and keep the momentum of having hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Edmondson added: “By having these statistics we will really be able to focus on what bids we should support as a city and what other major events we may want to attract or grow in the future.”

BTA survey: consumers in mood to travel, but with less risk

In its most comprehensive survey yet of attitudes to travel, the British Travel Awards organisation has found that not only are consumers back in holiday mood after the worst of the economic downturn, but that they have wised up to the risks of booking different holiday elements independently, and have become more astute when looking for the best deals.

BTA research involving 27,000 UK households at the end of 2010 reveals that despite economic constraints, vacations remain important with only 9% of responders suggesting that a holiday is a luxury or claiming they do not take one when money is tight. That is a significant drop over 2009′s figures, when 16% of consumers said they would forego their holiday.

However, consumer awareness of the risks associated with booking holiday elements separately has risen from 6% in 2008 to over 10% and, consequently, the preference for booking a package deal is up by almost 5% from 2009 to 36%. This could mean a renaissance for travel agencies this year.

“This is probably due to the extraordinary circumstances and press coverage of disrupted holidays during 2010,” the BTA says. Conversely, for the first time in three years, the numbers of consumers who said they would book everything independently online is down by 7%.

But by far the biggest change in behaviour is the number of people using price comparison websites. With a staggering 20% increase on 2009, price comparison is cited as the most important driver to prompt a booking, with consumers actively seeking best value for their holidays and 50% of respondents now using them. The importance of online consumer feedback is also increasing with 79% considering these opinions, up from 72% in 2008.

OVERSEAS VISITORS SPEND £2 BIILLION ON TRIPS TO THE COAST

Nearly four million seaside loving foreign tourists spent £2 billion on trips that included going to Britain’s coastline in 2009, according to a new report from VisitBritain, marking British Tourism Week.

This new research comes as we prepare to launch the week with ‘Party on the Pier’ – a series of parties across many of Britain’s 55 much loved piers and jetties on Saturday March 12^th.

13 per cent of the 30 million overseas travellers who came to the UK in 2009 went to a coastal town or city (3.9 million)- ranging from Inverness in Scotland to Brighton on the south coast.

Scotland dominates the top three for coastal visitor numbers- Edinburgh attracted 768,000 foreign visitors. Glasgow 312,000 and Inverness 180,000.

Top English destinations were Liverpool, whose coastal attractions include the redeveloped Albert Dock and canal attracted 162,000. Brighton and Hove, which includes three piers and eight miles of coastline, had 128,000 foreign visitors and sits fifth in the table. Bristol attracted 119,000 and Cardiff’s dramatic coastline, which features the nearby golden coast of Glamorgan, welcomed 110,000.

Germans were the most prolific coastal visitors – making over half a million visits from Germany with well over 400,000 visits from French and American visitors. Interestingly Chinese and Russian visitors are much more likely to visit the coast (one in four visitors) than visitors from France and India (one in eight).

The American market is the most important for the Scottish destinations of Edinburgh and St Andrews, with, on average, 146,000 and 24,000 staying holiday visits a year respectively. Along the North West coast of England both Liverpool and Blackpool have more staying holiday visits from Ireland than from any other market, while Cardiff attracts higher numbers of holidaymakers from France than any other market.

Despite bordering the North Sea rather than the Irish Sea, Newcastle’s biggest inbound holiday market is from Ireland.

For Bristol and all three of the southern seaside destinations included in the table we find that Germans are making a dash for a holiday on the beach in greater numbers than any other market, ranging from 36,000 visits a year to Brighton and Hove through to 10,000 visits to Cornwall’s premier surfing hotspot of Newquay.

The reports also confirms that the most popular time of year to visit the coast is during the summer months, with July to September accounting for 1.8 million of the annual 3.9 million visits. January to March is the least popular time for overseas visitors to head for the seaside with fewer than half a million visits.

Patricia Yates, Co-Chair of British Tourism Week said: “This new report shows how our coastal towns and seaside locations are an important part of our appeal to overseas visitors. “As we open British Tourism Week with parties on piers across the country this research reminds us all that visiting one of our great piers at a seaside town offers visitors a quintessential coastal experience which is unique to Britain.”

Kuoni’s first Global Holiday Report reveals how holidaymakers cut loose

French holidaymakers seek budget food, Italians have the most sex with strangers, the Spanish splash their cash, Indian women eat fast food, the Swiss loathe topless sunbathing and sustainability and eco-tourism are most important to Swedes. These are just some of the stark cross-cultural behavioural differences highlighted between 12 disparate markets when on holiday. They are explored in leading tour operator Kuoni’s Global Holiday Report on behaviour before, during and after a trip. Twelve markets, 21 questions, hundreds of answers from over 12 000 people have filled the company’s first ever Global Holiday Report.

The report unlocks sizzling facts about holidaymakers’ love lives while away from home, about the detailed preparation before a holiday, how eating habits change and dress sense relaxes, how some try out different personas and overall what the impact of a holiday is once home. It reinforces how a break from everyday life can broaden horizons and change behaviour.

‘Many respondents like to be someone different on holiday,” observes British psychotherapist and writer Christine Webber. ‘It’s as if getting away allows people to experiment with a different persona and to ‘try it on for size’.”

What holidaymakers eat on holiday points up other national differences. ‘The price for my culinary welfare during my holiday is of no importance to me,” says René Schudel, chef, restaurateur and host of the Swiss TV show, Funky Kitchen Club. While Norwegians and Swedes tend to agree with him, French and Italians watch their pennies when it comes to eating out, reveals Kuoni’s Global Holiday Report 2011.

Does good dress sense disappear out the hotel window when on holiday? Swiss and German economist, philosopher and writer Philipp Tingler believes so. ‘Wearing too few clothes, the wrong perception of casual and excessive assimilation are the three most common mistakes in choosing a holiday wardrobe,” he says.  The report highlights that Indian holidaymakers dress more provocatively (25%), the French dress down (55%) and Brits wear less (15%) when ‘abroad” – and Italians are voted as top ‘fashionistas” (33%).

Holidaymakers aged 25-65 were asked about what they eat and drink, what they wear, how they prepare, what they enjoy and whom they make friends with. The results point up interesting differences between nationalities and surprising facts about what a holiday can do for individuals and couples, men and women or different age groups.
Having been in the business for over 100 years, Kuoni tries to get under the skin of the typical holidaymaker, and taps into these trends on an annual basis. Such surveys are part of the company’s philosophy of getting closer to its customers as well as understanding the psychology and behaviour of travellers before, during and after the holiday.

‘As one of the leading broad-based global travel service providers, Kuoni has always been at the forefront of introducing and shaping travel trends,” says Peter Rothwell, CEO of the Kuoni Group. ‘Kuoni’s Global Holiday Report 2011 showcases interesting insights about the behaviour of travellers across the globe. This underlines our initiatives to further extend our services and to develop our know-how to be the ‘Trusted Advisor’ and ‘Destination Insider’ by understanding customers’ deep seated wants and needs from a holiday. The report also provides an ideal way to help us fulfil those needs with passion on the spot and can assist us in developing new ways of travelling, too.”

Kuoni’s Global Holiday Report 2011 is also available online at: www.kuoni.com/holidayreport.

SURVEY CREDENTIALS
Some 12 117 holidaymakers were interviewed from Benelux, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK (in the Nordic countries, Kuoni is operating under the brand Apollo). The independent research was carried out by Opinion Matters between November and December 2010.

LAUNCH EVENT INFORMATION
Kuoni’s Global Holiday Report 2011 was launched on 9 March 2011 at the ITB in Berlin and discussed in-depth by a panel of international experts. They were: Christine Webber – writer, broadcaster and psychotherapist from London, Philipp Tingler – Swiss and German writer, journalist, economist and philosopher and René Schudel – chef, restaurateur, culinary explorer and TV host of the show ‘Funky Kitchen Club” in Switzerland.

Less Shopping and More Travel: Two Top Trends for the January 2011 Ad Planner 1000

A new year often means new resolutions, a time to recover from the excesses of the holiday season and plan for the new year. As reflected in January’s Ad Planner 1000, anyway, it seems that less shopping, tax season and travel are particularly top of mind with people navigating the web.

With the holiday season over retail sites took a hit in January as it appears consumers have scaled back on purchases – at least in the online world. Popular sites in the AP 1000 such as target.com (-40%), shoplocal.com (-38%), kohls.com (-38%), bestbuy.com (-35%), walmart.com (-35%) and sears.com (-32%) all saw significant declines in the number of unique visitors to their site from the month before. But special deals to counteract the expected drop in retail sales can work magic – as it did in for the deal site, livingsocial.com. Its Amazon.com $20-for-$10 offer resulted in over 1.3 million vouchers sold and a 47% increase in the number of visitors to its site for that month.

And while people are spending less, they might be hoping to see tax refunds, and thus the appearances of two tax-related sites in the January list: the irs.gov entered the list at #449 and intuit.com, makers of the popular TurboTax software, entered at #321.

It’s possible that finding new jobs and new destinations are popular resolutions this year if the surge in traffic to career and travel sites are any indication. Job search site indeed.com (+26%) saw more than a quarter of their unique visitors increase in January and sites careerbuilder.com (+21%) and monster.com (+20%) also fared well with increases in traffic from the month before.

The increase in visitors to travel-related sites was particularly notable in January’s AP 1000 list. Tripadvisor.com (+33%), booking.com (+33%), orbitz.com (+31%), travelocity.com (+31%) — all saw more than a third more unique visitors to their site than in December. While sites hotels.com (+29%), expedia.com (+21%), easyjet.com (+20%) and priceline.com (+16%) also saw notable boosts in traffic. source:doubleclick

ASTA, NACTA Study Found Independent Agent Business Increased in 2010

Alexandria, Va., Feb., 2011-The results of ASTA’s 2010 NACTA Independent Agents Report, which profiles the independent agent population,found that even with the country in the depths of an economic recession, 57 percent of respondents saw increased business in 2010.

“Travel agents are continuing to evolve and transform their business models to stay successful, and independent agents are just one piece of the puzzle,” said ASTA President and Chair Chris Russo. “The traditional travel agency model is changing and from a supplier perspective, understanding what this new breed of travel agent wants and meeting those needs will be critical to their future success. Studies such as this provide insight into this growing demographic.”

Most home-based agents, the study found, have between 10 years and 19 years of travel experience. They are heavily cruise-dependent, although most sell a full spectrum of travel products. The majority sell under $250,000, although an elite three percent sell more than $1,000,000 in travel products.

Among the survey’s other findings were:

• Seventy-five percent of respondents have a cruise niche and earn an average commission of 14 percent on those sales.
• While most averaged 33 hours a week selling travel in 2010, only one-third say travel is their only source of personal income.
• Thirty-three percent of respondents have employees and/or independent contractors.
• Forty-six percent of agents consider themselves a hosted independent, and of those, 91 percent split commissions with their host.
• Sixty-seven percent of independent agents do not use a Global Distribution Service (GDS).
• Among suppliers, Royal Caribbean was the top cruise supplier, Globus the top escorted tour supplier, Marriot was the top hotel supplier and Sandals was the top resort supplier.
• The Caribbean and Mexico were top destinations.

The report profiles independent agents and provides data on their experience in the travel industry, looking specifically at how they book travel and split commissions, as well as their revenue share across travel segments, and more. It indicates a 95-percent confidence with an error rate +/- 3.5 percent.

ASTA members may purchase the entire report for $99. Non-members pay $299. For additional information, please contact mteates@asta.org or visit the research page on ASTA.org.

German holidaymakers avoid Egypt and Tunisia

Analysis of travel bookings in Germany – Sales in alternative destinations: Turkey up 35%, Spain up 45%

Nuremberg, February, 2011 – The political unrest in North Africa has had far-reaching consequences for the tourism industry. According to GfK Retail and Technology, the majority of German holidaymakers have postponed any planned trips to Egypt and Tunisia and demand for the summer months also noticeably declined in the first few weeks of the year.

The Foreign Office’s temporary travel warnings and the vacation deferments being offered by travel companies until the end of February, which allow vacations with departure dates up to mid-April to be rebooked free of charge, have resulted in many German holidaymakers postponing their trips to Egypt and Tunisia in the first few weeks of the year. For Tunisia, very few new bookings have been recorded since the major wave of cancellations at the beginning of January and cancellations of vacations to Egypt are clearly dominating at present. Sales generated by travel agents for vacations to Egypt dropped from EUR 28 million in the second week of January to minus EUR 11 million at the end of the fifth calendar week at the beginning of February.

The reluctance of German consumers to book vacations to Egypt and Tunisia is not limited to the present period, but stretches well into the summer season. Bookings of Tunisian vacations for the coming months have fallen by 85% overall. Until the first week of January, booking sales for this destination had been registering a 12% increase on the same period of the previous year. Booking sales have halved for Egyptian vacations over the same period, which in terms of absolute sales actually represents a greater decline than that suffered by Tunisia. After Spain and Turkey, Egypt is the third most popular package tour destination among Germans. Normally, almost one third of total annual sales for vacations to Egypt are generated by bookings in January. It remains to be seen how travel bookings will develop in light of the current easing of the political situation in Egypt.

Alternative destinations: Turkey and Spain

Germans have so far been taking advantage of the free rebooking option offered by travel companies and are choosing to travel to other countries. Turkey and Spain, two popular vacation destinations for Germans, have particularly benefited from rebookings, experiencing growth of between 35% and 45% in the first few weeks of the year. Other alternative destinations include Italy and Cyprus, as well as Bulgaria and Croatia in particular. Above-average increases were also recorded in the booking sales for these destinations between the second and fifth calendar week of 2011. Overall, tourism demand in Germany is currently at an exceptionally good level. In the first few weeks of 2011, sales from bookings at travel agents were 24% higher than in the same period of the prior year.

The survey

The analysis conducted by GfK Travel Insights, GfK Retail and Technology’s Tourism Distribution Panel, is based on booking data from around 1,200 travel agencies, which are representative of the high street travel market in Germany. GfK Retail and Technology collects an average of 340,000 booking records from this continuous sampling every month. The analysis produced by GfK Travel Insights is used to generate projections for the market as a whole. This makes it possible to draw reliable conclusions about the booking behavior of German holidaymakers and understand the latest trends and developments in the tourism market. The current data is based on the evaluation of bookings made by the end of the fifth calendar week on February 6, 2011 and represent snapshots.