Business Travel News will collocate its annual Corporate Travel World conference with the Association of Corporate Travel Executives' Global Education Conference in Washington, D.C., May 18 through 20, 2008. Corporate Travel World will continue to provide valuable educational programming and opportunities for buyers and sellers to interact, including scheduled appointments and recognition of the most influential executives in the business travel industry.
NBTA Survey Forecasts 2008 Price IncreasesCorporate travel buyers should expect a 6 percent to 8 percent overall increase in published travel costs, according to the National Business Travel Association's 2008 U.S. Business Travel Overview & Cost Forecast report released last week. The report, which primarily uses survey results from 215 NBTA member buyers, shows expectations for published airfare increases in 2008 of between 6 percent and 10 percent. Of respondents, 73 percent expect airfares to increase between 5 percent and 10 percent, and 10 percent expect prices to be flat. NBTA's study forecasts published hotel rate increases of 5 percent to 7 percent and the same increase for published domestic car rental rates. Nearly half of respondents anticipate 1 percent to 5 percent increases in corporate car rental rates and an average corporate base rate of $42 next year. Buyers plan to tighten their policies, according to the survey, and 8 percent are reducing nonessential travel and a similar amount plan to do so in 2008. Additionally, 16 percent of respondents will restrict business class travel, a jump from 7 percent in 2007.
Eos To Add All-Business-Class Route To ParisAll-business-class carrier Eos Airlines last week said it plans to inaugurate Newark-London Stansted flights next spring and New York JFK-Paris next fall, representing the carrier's first routes outside of its flagship JFK-Stansted service, which has expanded to 44 flights per week since launching nearly two years ago. Eos said it plans to introduce up to four new routes next year, following "a recent infusion of $50 million in investment capital." Eos expects to secure two additional Boeing 757s, configured with its standard 48 seats, to aid in its expansion.
Carlson, IHG Detail Asia/Pacific Growth StrategyCarlson Hotels Worldwide and InterContinental Hotels Group this month each announced expansion plans in the Asia/Pacific region. Carlson has negotiated an alliance with London-based Lotus Hotel Investment Fund for a $1 billion private equity fund for developing hotels across Asia. Carlson plans to focus on China, India, Thailand and Vietnam. IHG announced it has signed 80 hotels in the past 12 months, more than two-thirds of which will be in China, Japan and India. Among the development plans, IHG's Holiday Inn brand is focused on growth in India and has launched a franchising program in China, and IHG's Crowne Plaza brand will launch six hotels in Japan later this year as part of a joint venture with All Nippon Airways
(BTN, Nov. 6, 2006).Partners Create Latin American TMC NetworkAustralia-based travel management company FCm Travel Solutions last week announced the launch of a travel management company network in the Latin American and Caribbean regions comprised of seven partner agencies, which currently handle $900 million in annual sales, according to Manuel Vinas, president of FCm Mexico. FCm Latin America and Caribbean is based out of Mexico City and headed by newly appointed regional manager Alejandro Aguilar, an American Express Business Travel veteran. The network will take a regional approach to new client acquisition, account management, sales, marketing and suppliers, according to FCm. The seven partners from Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru and Venezuela have equal representation and financial investment in the company.