Business Travel News

Travel Leaders has turned to a membership model instead of franchising or partnerships to build out its global presence in the corporate space. It's one way to grow without costly acquisitions, although more acquisitions are probably on the way too.

Many companies doing cool things in corporate travel are flying somewhat under the radar. In a super-conservative industry, outsiders have the potential to change the conversation.

Honesty is the best policy. Even if it clashes with a nice FareHarbor bootstrapping story that seemed too good to be true.

Training for travel advisors has become a big priority for consortiums and host travel agencies, particularly as more people enter the industry from previous careers. There seems to be a shift from mostly educating new agents about destinations to including sessions on sales strategies and marketing.

Tourism organizations usually jump on anything that can bring luxury tourists to a city or area, and the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament is no exception.

Most major sporting events take place in cities that already attract large numbers of high-end tourists. But for one small Midwestern city, hosting a professional tennis tournament is a way to attract luxury travelers who might otherwise not consider a visit.

Ensemble Travel Group hired its first CEO, a veteran travel advisor and agency owner. The move signals a realization that first-hand understanding of the daily challenges faced by travel advisors can only help a consortium better serve its members.

Host agencies are seeing an influx of prospective travel advisors, many coming from other careers, and are creating education programs to ensure the newcomers are up to par. There are a wide range of options out there, so potential agents should do their research before choosing a host.

Innovation is slow in corporate travel, mainly due to the entrenched legacy systems that undergird the sector and the complex web of financial incentives that power incumbents. These leaders are doing something different in a space defined by convention.

Doubters may still question Airbnb’s foray into tours and experiences, but say what you will: The growth of the business has been anything but insignificant. The real success, however, will be in making it a quality-driven endeavor.