Traveling Internationally for Business? Things to Keep in Mind

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Traveling Internationally for Business? Things to Keep in MindTraveling internationally is an entirely different ballgame than continental travel. From prep to safety, there are many things to keep in mind to ensure a secure and successful trip. Before traveling abroad, make sure you have all your bases covered with these helpful tips from the business travel agents at GTI Travel.

Passport

Apply for your passport well in advance of travel to avoid excess fees. Your key identification, always store a backup copy separate bag from the original, leaving one at home in case of loss/theft as well.

Schengen Visa

U.S. citizens may travel to the 26 member countries of the European Schengen area for up to 90-days with no need to apply for a business Schengen visa. U.S. residents of another nationality may require a visa, however, depending on heritage.

U.S. Global Entry

Skip long lines at customs when reentering the country, getting home faster with the U.S. Global Entry program. A few months in advance, fill out the application, go through the screening process, and pay the $100 fee (5-year term), and all you’ll need to reenter the U.S. after business travel abroad is a quick check-in via electronic kiosk. This will also qualify you for a TSA PreCheck, speeding up the security screening process as well. Learn more.

Phone Service

Even if you don’t plan on making calls during business travel, be sure your phone offers international calling, verifying rates or purchasing a temporary phone that will work at your end destination. Phone service is essential in travel emergencies.

Transportation

Public transportation and taxis aren’t as reliable in other parts of the world. Before you leave, be certain your corporate travel planners have lined-up reliable transportation by a licensed driver.

Vaccinations

Depending on where you are traveling you may need additional travel vaccinations to ensure you don’t contract contagious diseases. Stay safe with our Travel Vaccination Guide.

Travel Insurance

Your current health insurance policy may not cover your care if you get sick/injured abroad. Avoid insurance surprises with additional travel insurance.

Travel Advisories

With today’s rapidly changing political climate, as well as climate extremes, it is essential to stay abreast of the latest travel advisories before and during international travel. Learn how you can stay connected.

Emergency Contact Information

Before leaving, arm yourself with the address and contact information of your destination’s U.S. embassy/consulate, nearby hospitals, and evacuation centers, keeping them with you at all times. Also keep numbers for your manager and loved ones back home.

Valuables

Leave any unnecessary valuables, such as jewelry and tech, at home. These can make you a target. Necessary valuables, such as your passport and cash/cards, should not be carried together. Separate money and identification and carry these in separate spots on your person so you don’t lose everything in the event your wallet/purse is stolen. Avoid using your back pockets. Keep items at your front, on your lap, or directly under your feet. Track cash, cards, and your passport, checking their whereabouts regularly and carefully.

Ensure your upcoming international trip is a success with the help of the corporate travel management services of GTI Travel today.

Risk in Travel: Is Your Company Even Considering These?

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Risk in Travel: Is Your Company Even Considering These?Are you overlooking travel risks intimately linked not only to today’s polarized social and political climate, but environmental issues such as floods, fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters as well? Trends show, while travelers frequenting business travel services worldwide are becoming increasingly aware of travel dangers, business owners and managers are living in ignorance of or simply overlooking how close their workers are coming to danger.

Rising Trend

Leading business travel agencies are taking note of an Inofact poll of 7,400 people across Europe. The survey unveiled nearly half (48-percent) of business travelers would decline traveling for work if those travels took them to and locale they considered unsafe based on their perceptions or official government travel advisories. Even more horrifying, 16-percent of Dutch travelers, 19-percent of Italian travelers, and 23-percent of British travelers revealed they were involved in or close to serious incidents while away traveling for work last year. For French travelers, the number was significantly higher, at 35-percent. Overall, 18-percent of travelers were in close proximity to or involved in situations like floods, earthquakes, health epidemics, riots, and terrorist attacks.

Business Blinders

Encountering dangerous social or political scenarios while traveling abroad for work comes with serious ramifications. When there is a flood, health epidemic, or riot, employees may be unable to access critical medications such as those for diabetes, cancers, and severe respiratory issues like asthma. These things put the traveler’s well-being and ultimately their life at serious risk. And employers often fail to realize what role corporate ‘duty of care’ responsibilities play when their employees are involved in travel incidents, completely dismissing them in the worst cases. In Europe as a whole, when travelers were involved in such events, no action was taken by employers in 17-percent of cases. Concerns may have been listened to, but nothing was done. For 6-percent of the whole, and a staggering 21-percent of Brits, their concerns were neither acknowledged or attended.

Are You Overlooking Duty of Care Responsibilities Alongside Today’s Travel Risks?

Employers have a moral and legal responsibility for the health, safety, and security of business travelers beyond common boilerplate of travel expense policy guidelines. Those that wish to stand the test of time understand the ultimate corporate expense management solution ensures the functionality and success of their business over the long-haul. To that end, it is essential to remain aware and attentive to today’s top business travel risks. Are you overlooking…

  • The health and overall wellness of employees, including common diseases like cold and flu up to and including heart attacks and stroke from stress and fatigue?
  • Aircraft collisions, such as the recent Boeing Max 737 incidents overseas?
  • Auto accidents, the single greatest cause of death to healthy U.S. citizens annually?
  • Natural disasters and climate risks such as hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, thunderstorms, fires, and earthquakes?

In today’s uncertain times, you should be relying on corporate travel agencies that ensure the safety of your employees and safeguard the future of your business. Don’t rely on amateurs. Contact GTI Travel today.

Do You Need Travel Vaccinations? A Guide.

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Do You Need Travel Vaccinations? A Guide - OR - Travel Vaccinations Ensure Safety AbroadThink being up-to-date on routine vaccinations means you’re a go for travel? If you’re visiting a foreign country, you may be in for a nasty surprise. Seasoned global event travel agencies know those traveling abroad can be exposed to illnesses rarely encountered in the U.S. Luckily, it is not difficult to get the protection you need with travel vaccinations.

Travel Vaccines Are Anything But Routine

The best corporate travel companies ensure travelers in-the-know. Seasoned agents are aware those going abroad need more than routine vaccinations, which protect you from common, serious diseases. Oftentimes travel vaccines for diseases that are uncommon in the U.S. are necessary to protect you from diseases rampant in other parts of the world.

Plan for Success

Most vaccinations need to be taken ahead of time to give you full protection against disease. Talk to your healthcare professional as soon as you are aware you’re traveling abroad, at least a month before international travel. Bring your current vaccine records to each appointment. Some vaccines require multiple doses for maximum effect, or a specific period of time to elapse before your body is able to build immunity. Those not up-to-date on routine vaccines, which are also necessary prior to travel, may require a number of vaccinations over a longer time period. To protect your health, if you know you’ll be traveling abroad schedule necessary appointments quickly. Your doctor may not stock some rare travel vaccines, and additional visits to a travel clinic may be necessary.

Determining Which Travel Vaccines You Need

Corporate travel planners know necessary travel vaccinations vary depending on where you are traveling to, the activities you plan to engage in while you are away, and the state of your health. Thus, the recommended vaccinations for two people traveling to the same country may be different. In addition to ensuring you are current on all routine vaccinations, you should research disease outbreaks specific to your continent of travel. You may need any one or more of the following common travel vaccines, in addition to some which may not be listed here:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Typhoid/Paratyphoid Fever
  • Yellow Fever
  • Malaria
  • Meningococcal
  • Rabies
  • Japanese Encephalitis

Required Vs. Recommended Vaccines

CDC-required vaccines must be taken for travelers to enter a country. In many circumstances, this includes the yellow fever vaccine, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes affecting the liver and kidneys that is often fatal. Only registered providers can administer this vaccine, which MUST be taken at least 10-days before travel. However, there may also be vaccines required by the country to which you are traveling. These are designed to prevent visitors from bringing illnesses into the country. Based on outbreaks, these requirements are subject to change. Recommended vaccines are those vaccines recommended by the CDC to protect your health, but not required for travel. Typhoid is a commonly recommended vaccine, which is spread by contaminated food and water and causes serious illness.

Ensure safe travel. Get the business travel planning assistance you need with GTI Travel today.

 

Boeing 737 Max Jet Grounding by FAA – How it Impacts your Business Travelers

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Boeing 737 Max Jet Grounding by FAA - How it Impacts your Business TravelersAs investigations continue into the second fatal Boeing 737 Max 8 crash in just 5 months, a number of these aircraft have been grounded globally. Until the investigation is complete, it remains unknown how long these planes will remain out of commission. This has left corporate travel agents scrambling to meet the needs of their business travel clients. How severely will your staff be affected?

The Problem at Issue

A report from the Wall Street Journal citing multiple unnamed sources and released March 29th indicates preliminary findings on the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing Max 8 Flight 302 crash point to a flight control feature automatically activating before the plane took a nose-dive. This feature, the MCAS system, automatically lowers the nose of the aircraft after receiving a signal from sensors that the aircraft is flying too steeply/slowly. This data was reportedly retrieved from the flight’s black boxes. This shows similarities to an earlier Lion Air crash a few months prior. The findings are not final, and the investigation continues. To-date, Boeing officials state their audits indicate nothing of concern.

The Number of Planes Grounded

The grounding order includes not only Boeing 737-8 models, which were involved in the accidents but also larger but also Boeing 737-9s, which are similar in design. The first models of these planes hit the air only in 2017, and while the number of planes affected isn’t massive, it may still have a significant impact. How many planes were grounded in the U.S. and globally, and how far will they stretch your travel expense policy guidelines?

  • Southwest:34 aircraft out of Southwest’s fleet of just 750 aircraft.
  • American:24 aircraft out of American’s fleet of 1,500 planes, including regional aircraft.
  • United:14 aircraft out of United’s fleet of 1,300, planes, including regional aircraft.

Lasting Service Disruption Potential

According to recent reports, business travel agencies and their customers could suffer flight cancellations for weeks or months. Though United isn’t expecting any current or future cancellations due to the grounded planes, American Airlines is canceling around 90 flights a day. Those affected can request refunds if they prefer not to rebook. Southwest is canceling about 130 of its 4,000 daily flights at present, rebooking with no extra fees or fare differentials. Most American services aren’t offering a timetable on how long such flight issues could continue, as it remains unknown when the grounded planes will be allowed to return to service. However, neighbor Air Canada has expressed its flight cancellations could last well into the summer travel season, as its fleet of 737 Max planes make up 12% of its fleet.

Possible Price Increase Looms on Horizon

Those looking for corporate expense management solutions will be saddened to know, in light of increased summer demand, if lost seating and cancellations continue due to the grounded aircraft, summer airfares will likely rise.

Ensure your employees stay safe with minimal disruptions to business travel. Learn more about the business travel services of GTI Travel today.

8 Essential Passport Safety Tips

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8 Essential Passport Safety TipsPassports open the door to a world of opportunities. Without one, however, the door to those opportunities could be closed in your face. If you lose this all-important document, you maymiss out on a travel event, or have great difficulty returning home. How can you keep your passport safe?

8 Essential Passport Safety Tips

Treat your passport as if it is irreplaceable, keeping it safe with the following tips:

  1. Put your passport under lock and key.
    Top business travel agencies know today’s travelers must be mindful of safety in all arenas, keeping a watchful eye out for travel scams, and properly securing valuables. When you are not out-and-about, be sure to keep your passport under lock and key. Keep in mind, however, hotel safes are not foolproof. A small portable lockbox hidden and attached to an immovable piece of hotel furniture may offer enhanced security.
  2. Keep it on you.
    When you need your passport, wear it on your body. However, don’t put it in your wallet, which could be pickpocketed. Use a wraparound money belt, wearing it beneath your clothing instead. Consider one that blocks RFID scanners to protect the information embedded on your passport’s security chip.
  3. Practice the ‘one person, one passport’ rule.
    This can result in losing multiple passports at once. The only exception: Kids. Spread their passports equally amongst adults.
  4. Bring a copy.
    Carrying a copy protects you not only from theft, but from yourself. Accidents happen, and it is not uncommon for valuables (including your passport) to get lost or misplaced on trips. Copies make it easier in the event you need passport replacement. Copy both the photo and signature pages. Keep the copy/copies separate from the original. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – divvying copies up keeps you from losing everything in the event of theft.
  5. Leave copies of your passport behind.
    Leave a copy behind at home and place a copy in your luggage. Always store these separate from the original. Proof of your passport image, signature, and number makes it far easier to obtain a replacement.
  6. Do not let anyone hold your passport.
    In some countries, hotels will ask to keep your passport as part of the area or business’ travel management Be wary of this practice, requesting they hold a copy instead.
  7. Check on your passport regularly.
    Check regularly to ensure your passport is safe – but do this in private. You never know who’s watching for opportunities to steal your passport.
  8. Know your options in the event of passport loss.
    The best business travel companies will recommend travel insurance with coverage for lost/stolen passport incidences. Some even cover emergency passport replacement costs and help you find area passport offices in the event your passport is stolen while away.

 

On your way to bigger and better places? Get there safely with the help of GTI Travel today.

https://traveltips.usatoday.com/keep-passports-safe-traveling-105777.html

https://www.travelinsurancereview.net/tips-and-advice/travel-safety-tips/passport-travel-safety-tips/

https://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/safety-tips/important-passport-security-tips/

https://news.airtreks.com/2011/10/5-indispensable-passport-safety-tips-for-travelers/

 

Top 10 Destinations on the US Travel Advisory List

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Top 10 Destinations on the US Travel Advisory ListWith a new year of business, comes a new year of business travel planning, and your business has a moral and legal responsibility to ensure the safety of traveling employees. Before planning work endeavors for employees abroad, it is essential to always verify the safety of travel destinations, especially when travel is to a foreign country.

How to Ensure Safety

The best travel management companies know how to keep your employees safe, staying abreast of the latest travel advisory levels. What are travel advisory levels? The U.S. Department of State issues travel advisory warnings based on international dangers, updating the status when changes occur with the concern/situation at hand. Conditions can change rapidly at any time, from natural disasters to political unrest, terror threats, crime, health risks, and more.

Travel Advisory Levels to Watch Out for:

The latest system, revised in January of 2018 to include every country in the world, breaks down advisory levels into the following categories:

  • Level 4: Do Not Travel
  • Level 3: Reconsider Travel
  • Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
  • Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

Top 10 Destinations on the Most Recent U.S. Travel Advisory List

The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends AGAINST travel to the following regions, assigning them each a ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel’ in their most recent travel advisories:

  1. Venezuela (Updated 1/29/19)
  2. Somalia (Updated 12/26/18)
  3. North Korea (Updated 12/19/18)
  4. South Sudan (Updated 12/11/18)
  5. Iraq (Updated 10/18/18)
  6. Iran (Updated 10/10/18)
  7. Central African Republic (Updated 10/03/18)
  8. Syria (Updated 09/10/18)
  9. Mali (Updated 08/13/18)
  10. Libya (Updated 08/08/18)

Other countries designated a ‘Level 4’ risk at this time also include Afghanistan and Yemen, updated in July of 2018. All of those countries designated a ‘Level 4’ risk are environments suffering serious issues such as war, famine, political unrest, and other perilous dangers.

What to Do if Travel to Affected Regions is Necessary

The U.S Department of State and top business travel agencies recommend the following when employees must visit a country with a standing travel advisory:

  • Be SMART
    Talk to your corporate travel planning agent about STEP, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Enrolling in STEP is a free service and will ensure employees receive essential information from the Embassy about key safety issues, as well as facilitate location by the U.S. Embassy more easily in the event of an emergency.
  • Know Before You Go
    Review country crime and safety reports with employees before travel, staying abreast of the latest information by following the Department of State on social networks on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Keep in Touch
    Via social media, with frequent status updates.
  • Have a Contingency Plan
    Ensure employees take all necessary health precautions, as well as plan an evacuation procedure in advance that does not rely on the involvement of the U.S. government, considering emergency evacuation insurance.

Looking for a corporate travel agent in Philadelphia who watches out for your best interests? Learn more about GTI Travel today.

Things that will Revolutionize Travel beyond 2020

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Things that will Revolutionize Travel beyond 2020Tired of listening to complaints from employees burned out on lugging heavy baggage through the airport as they rush to make connecting flights? For those wishing for a better travel management solution, the future holds promise. Thanks to the invention of self-driving car technology, ‘autonomous travel suites’ may soon follow on the horizon. These self-driving hotel rooms could revolutionize the way we travel.

Autonomous Hotels

Customized, comfortable, and time-saving, these hotel rooms on wheels could eliminate a host of travel headaches, making business travel a lot less stressful. And consumers can’t wait to board – top travel management companies will be vying to be among the first to offer access to such cutting-edge accommodations. The brainchild of Steve Lee of Aprilli Design Studio in Toronto, this revolutionary idea was inspired by a hospitality industry design competition, winning this year’s Radical Innovation Award.

In it for the Long Haul

Lee, who viewed self-driving vehicles more as a mobile room than today’s typical car, designed the autonomous travel suites (ATS) in range of sizes to accommodate a host of traveling scenarios: Solo passengers, couples, families, and even pets. Featuring many of the elements found in a hotel room, they are bedecked with memory foam beds, work stations, small kitchens, an entertainment zone for gaming and movies, and even a toilet and sitting shower. Travelers can enjoy the view through a vehicle’s panoramic smart glass window encasements, or dim them for privacy. Drive-through, selecting start/end points, or plan stops at gyms, restaurants, and sights along the way, traveling in comfort for 6 to 10-hour journeys.

Amazing On-Suite Amenities

‘Parent suites,’ static units featuring amenities such as swimming pools, gyms, restaurants, and meeting rooms will be available for docking by mobile ATS units for overnight stays. Problem? Owners of ATS travel chains will offer critical on-road services including roadside vehicle maintenance, water provision, and waste removal. If vehicles are powered by electricity, service vehicles will replace batteries when juice is running low. If hydrogen-fueled, longer potential driving times between stops could be possible.

When Can You Book a Stay in these Hotel Rooms on Wheels?

The technology necessary to produce fully-autonomous vehicles is predicted to be available as soon as 2021. However, though business travel agents have customers ready to book a suite yesterday, the infrastructure necessary to support ATS units on the public road system will not be in play for at least a decade. Where will they hit the road first? East and West Coast areas where infrastructure will be integrated soonest. Cities such as Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C., where air and road-weary travelers are yearning for relief and a more comfortable, less stressful, time-efficient mode of transportation.

Tired of the same old same old? Open the door to a whole new world of travel opportunities with the help of the best business travel agency in Philadelphia. Contact GTI Travel today.

How to Prevent Falling Victim to Travel Scams

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How to Prevent Falling Victim to Travel ScamsIn light of Australia’s Bestjet fiasco, which left thousands of consumers with empty pockets after plane tickets previously booked went up in a puff of smoke alongside refund dollars following the company’s collapse, travelers are increasingly wary of travel scams. In a world where even seemingly legit businesses leave travelers bereft, is there any way to truly protect oneself when securing travel services?

Ensuring Protection Against Travel Scams

The thought of travel scams is enough to make anyone sick. Sadly, travel fraud rose 16% in 2017, from airline to hotel booking scams and credit card data theft. It continues to accelerate at a rapid pace alongside the popularity of online booking services, not all of which are legitimate. Making oneself aware of common types of fraud, however, can help travelers guard against these increasingly common troubles:

  • Investigate the Legitimacy of ‘Discount Travel’ Offerings
    Oftentimes, a simple internet search on the legitimacy of an online travel agency or foray onto the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or Trip Advisor website can point you to the legitimacy of online travel firms.
  • Watch for ‘Instant’ Travel Discounts
    Discounted vacation offers from third-party firms designed to lure customers into making impulsive buys for airfare, lodging, cruises, and other travel fare are best avoided. These companies often pocket the charges customers pay via credit card and shirk on offerings.
  • Realize there’s is No Such Thing as a ‘Free Vacation’
    These types of scams are aimed at stealing money from your bank account. In real life, they just don’t exist. To identify a fraudulent deal, be on the lookout for trips to exotic locales – with no mention of airlines, hotels/resorts, specific dates, or fees.
  • Push-Back on High-Pressure Tactics
    A legitimate travel management company will never put pressure on you to close on a travel deal. Pushy sales consultants are banking on the FTC’s 60-day dispute rule: You must dispute a bill within 60-days of receiving the first charges. Oftentimes, by the time consumers realize the travel company is ripping them off, it’s too late. Again, looking to the Better Business Bureau or Trip Advisor will often reveal such scams.
  • Circumnavigate Residential Home Vacation Rental Fraud
    Shady apartment dwellers and homeowners offering deep discounts on travel rentals, with the caveat of an immediate down payment on homes that later turn out to be derelict or nonexistent, are becoming increasingly more pervasive. This is easy to avoid, however, by shopping the right sites and avoiding anonymous sites, such as Craigslist. Reputable websites such as Airbnb won’t release funds to owners into renters check-in, and HomeAway provides secure payments, as well well as money-back guarantees.
  • Beware of Currency Exchange Scams
    Make sure your business travel solutions include information on currency exchange rates when traveling abroad. Street-based storefront currency exchanges often charge excessive fees or misguided exchange information that favors retailers, banking on traveler ignorance. Look to accredited and bank exchange services, or use a credit card instead.

Protect yourself from travel scams with the help of a trusted business travel agency. Contact GTI Travel, learning more about how our services can help you guard against travel fraud today.

Top E-Travel Technology Trends to Watch in 2019

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op E-Travel Technology Trends to Watch in 2019In today’s digital era, business travel planners are increasingly turning to technology to gain an advantage, whether in price, commute speed, convenience, or securing unique accommodations. Forty-one-percent of business and 60% of leisure travel arrangements are made in the digital travel ecosystem. Top travel management companies know how to use this technology to their advantage, staying on top of up-and-coming e-travel services to deliver the results travelers are searching for and provide a delightful, unique travel experience.

What Evolving E-Travel Tech Ensures an Edge Over the Competition?

  • Personalization
    Forgoing the cookie-cutter experience, travelers are in search of the unique, whether traveling for leisure or business. A top priority in the travel and tourism industry, the personalization services of forward-thinking brands such as Delta are delivering account-specific messages to corporate clients, with special offers for highly-loyal clientele. Via a newly-introduced guest services tool, the company is also providing customized recognition, guidance, gate and connecting flight information, delivering a truly personalized travel experience.
  • Online Booking
    Experiencing constant growth, this segment of the e-travel marketplace exceeds $92.5-million annually nationwide, and is anticipated to top $11.5-trillion in the next decade. Fifty-seven-percent of traveling reservations are made online. Ease of viewing and booking, as well as the opportunity to quickly and easily sort a variety of deals by preferences ranging from price to setting peculiarity, make online booking an ever-popular option. Small business travel management companies who allow clients to peruse, purchase, and pickup itineraries online are achieving not only customer favor but market dominance.
  • Mobile Apps
    Easy to implement, mobile apps make up over half of online booking operations, making securing reservations a breeze. In 2019, however, the use of mobile apps will expand even further into travel arena, however, facilitating the use of amenities within accommodations via the internet of things (IoT) and allowing for the wireless control of features such as heating and air conditioning, lighting, music, jacuzzi temperatures, and more.
  • Voice
    Voice-activated communications are the biggest disruptor in the travel sector, improving guest convenience from making reservations to adjusting hotel room settings to meet guest needs.
  • Robots
    Artificially intelligent robots are helping drive customer self-service opportunities, including check-in/out procedures, security scans, luggage delivery, maintenance and concierge functions, and more.
  • Chatbots
    Chatbots, another form of AI geared toward online customer support, are revolutionizing many industries. Stepping in for their human counterparts with pre-programmed answered to FAQs, they provide rapid responses to an array of travel related questions.
  • Augmented Virtual Reality
    Among the most promising travel technology trends, augmented virtual reality simulations are inexpensive to implement. VR’s ‘little brother,’ these programs allow travelers to easily ‘visit’ and experience the surrounding of an intended destination in real-time without ever setting foot in an airplane or vehicle. Quickly facilitating an emotional attachment between a traveler and a potential accommodation or destination, AVR can be a key tool in ensuring and enhancing each customer’s travel experience.

Looking for corporate travel planners that can improve the travel experience with the latest in e-travel tech? Experience the future in business travel management with GTI Travel today.

Airlines are Quietly Changing Standards for Elite Status. Does that Affect You?

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Airlines are Quietly Changing Standards for Elite Status.For those frequently traveling for work, ‘elite’ business class status is a welcomed perk. This perk, however, may be short-lived. Earlier this fall, airline programs began to quietly change the way customer loyalty programs awarded elite status, leaving some flyers by the wayside, and travel planners scrambling for business travel solutions to keep frequent travelers within the top tier requirements.

The High Life Now Requires Higher Expenditures

Does your corporate travel policy now make elite business class status more difficult to achieve? For United Airlines passengers, elite status qualification required travelers to fly 100,000 miles and spend $12,000 in 2018. In the coming year, expenditure requirements will soar 25% further to $15,000. Other airlines have quickly followed United’s suit, with American Airlines requiring the same of its top-tier Executive Platinum Diamond-tier members. Driving the changes: The hope of leveling the playing field with Delta, who requires top-tier travelers spend $15,000 and fly 125,000 miles for Diamond status.

The Good

Some don’t mind the new changes, viewing the $12,000 to $15,000 bump as minimal, especially when traveling on the company dime. For event travel services, international business flights, and tickets booked on relatively short notices, meeting the ramped up elite status obstacles won’t be tough to surmount – even for those utilizing multiple carriers. Still more welcome the changes, believing there are too many elites gumming up the works. With fewer elites in the pool, it is hoped that the lounge and boarding zone congestion will clear, granting the best customers easier access to high-end perks and upgrades.

The Bad

Some aren’t so thrilled with the changes, however. For those on a budget, who must book flights ahead to ensure the cheapest possible ticket price, top-tier status will be difficult to achieve – even for those flying over 100,000 miles. Due to the increased difficulty of earning elite status on the two carriers, some corporate flyers are attempting to book their own travel arrangements, in search of travel policy loopholes that can help them stay in the top tier of travelers by keeping their sky miles and dollars under the same carrier umbrella.

The Ugly

Such under the radar changes have also left a bad taste in the mouths of many budget-minded consumers, leaving them to feel airlines don’t care about those who don’t shell out for business class tickets anymore. As maintaining status is near impossible for tight-fisted travelers, this has led to rapidly waning carrier loyalty. As budget-minded travelers give up the ghost, only time will tell how these changes could affect overall ticket sales.

No one likes the cheap seats. Is your travel management company making decisions in the best interest of your employees? Ensure enjoyable, comfortable travel arrangements that fit within your budget with the help of GTI Travel today.