Blog Entries tagged 'Travel costs'

2009 Looms Large

JoanEisenstodt — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:00:00 +0100

2009 looks like it will be an 'interesting'* year for all of us in the meetings/hospitality industry.

Hotel owners and management companies are laying people which means that service may suffer.

Budgets have been cut which means many will not be traveling and especially not traveling to meetings. Those who will travel will look for (and most likely find) bargains for air fares and hotel rooms.

Rates, negotiated and contracted, in some cases years ago, for 200 [...]

Economic news continues to hit our industry

JoanEisenstodt — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:00:00 +0100

A spate of articles today in just one of the news services (bizjournals.com) I receive:

From Boston, news of cuts of personnel at tourist attractions and the CVB. And it's the state where there is a proposition (Massachusetts Question 1) on the ballot to again vote on eliminating the state income tax which will further decimate the budget.

From Birmingham, AL, news about a potential increase in rates at hotels.

Even air travel is down says this arti [...]

Will energy costs lead to less negotiating power?

JoanEisenstodt — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:00:00 +0100

Why do we think that hotels, convention centers, conference centers and other venues are going to be able to negotiate 'deals' as if it were November 2001?

The market was soft then, after the terrorist attacks on the United States. Airlines were back with flights but many companies were still canceling or postponing meetings and business travel. We were all more cautious about what business we booked.

Today, we know the airline situation - and know that after t [...]

WHY is the industry not talking more?

JoanEisenstodt — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:00:00 +0100

I am astounded that the industry, at least as far as I can see, is not talking about even more airline cuts today. CO announced cuts in flights and personnel. This on top of DL, AA and UA. The capacity cuts are going to impact meetings beyond anyone's comprehension I fear. And yet, I'm not seeing this as a subject that is being addressed on the web sites of the industry organizations. On another list I moderate (http://www.mimegasite.com/) we are talking about [...]

"Staycations": sign me up!

JoanEisenstodt — Sun, 25 May 2008 23:00:00 +0100

I've long advocated that industry associations (MPI, PCMA, ASAE, etc.) that sponsor auctions to raise money for their foundations should offer, in addition to the wonderful stays at hotels and resorts, a package of staying home.

These packages would include housecleaning services, other personal services like manicure and pedicure and massage - all in the comfort of your home if you so desired, food delivered and prepared, even yard work done just for you. It could also i [...]

How do I get there from here?

JoanEisenstodt — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:00:00 +0100

American Airlines announced the new first checked bag charges - for all but a few classes of passengers. It raised a ruckus - esp. on the MiForum listserv where many discussed a boycott of AA.

What concerns me more - much more - is the number of flights being cut and the cities that will have no air service - by AA or DL or UA or other airlines that are cutting the less prosperous routes.

Of course the airlines must do something to cut costs and make money! If t [...]

Food shortages ..food costs

JoanEisenstodt — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:00:00 +0100

The articles abound about the foot shortages and riots over food. The 24 April USAToday has a story about Sam's Club and Costco curtailing the sales of rice.

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/shopping/_a/sams-club-costco-limit-rice-sales/20080423163209990001

I've written lately about the airline crisis (consolidation and fuel prices leading to higher fares and less availabilty of flights to fewer markets) and how it may become very difficult if not impossible for pe [...]

But wait .. there's more re the airlines

JoanEisenstodt — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:00:00 +0100

And United is cutting flights and jobs.

Ooooh my heart flutters at all the anxiety this is causing me and others.

We've got to talk about this hyperlink.

Will you want virtual meetings .. only?

JoanEisenstodt — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:00:00 +0100

Today I participated as a trainer in Virtualis in SecondLife. Virtualis is a cool new area for virtual meetings and I even have my own Eisenstodt Conference & Community Center.

With voices enabled, and avatars of all kinds, it was pretty neat.

And when I saw today that all the airlines are talking about raising fares - because they have to (see this headline from USAToday on line: >>Delta CEO: 15-20% fare hike needed just to break even<<) and I look at what I [...]

Will anyone be able to afford to attend meetings?

JoanEisenstodt — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:00:00 +0100

No really - I just made two airline reservations - one for August and one for January. The cost for each, with a Saturday night stay (it's baaaaaack) was far more than I've paid before.

Ok.. sure: I fly a few particular carriers bec. I upgrade and maybe there were cheaper fares somewhere but I'm not alone in wanting some comfort for long flights. And then one of these carriers is being talked about for a possible merger which will decrease the availability of&nbs [...]

"Looks like a great meeting; sorry I can't get there."

JoanEisenstodt — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:00:00 +0100

THIS is what I fear we are going to hear more and more. With the number of airlines that folded in the last few days, with the planes that were out of service for safety checks (something I see now as ongoing) and with capacity cut on all airlines (see this about USAirways http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/04/07/daily1.html?b=1207540800^1616337&ana=e_abd) and gas prices through the roof .. how ARE people going to get to meetings?

What are the contingencie [...]