Author: Ben Debski

African hospitality at its best

Posted on by Ben Debski

As part of the progression of its dynamic and ambitious development programme, Laico Hotels & resorts, which has 3,000 bedrooms across 15 hotels in Africa, has launched an exciting new brand – Ledger Hotels & resorts. this new offering from Laico features four stunning categories across the African continent in Tunisia, Tanzania, Mali and Central African Republic. these include Ledger plaza five star (city hotels), Ledger plaza four star (city hotels and Ledger sun and sun Club four and five-star resorts. for outstanding reach across the entire African continent, there really is no better place to stay than with the stunning array of Laico hotels for your business, leisure or MICE event.

Ledger Plaza Bangui
the first hotel Ledger brand hotel, the five-star Ledger Plaza Bangui, will open in Bangui next spring. Located in the Central African Republic, this fantastic new opening offers 166 suites and rooms and will be mainly be dedicated to the business travel and MICE markets thanks to the presence of a large congress centre, vast ballroom and a choice of three restaurants.

Ledger Plaza Bahari Beach
Also opening spring 2012 in Dar Es salaam, Tanzania, is the magnificent five-star
Ledger plaza Bahari Beach. After a complete refurbishment and new decoration of the 96 suites and rooms, all in cottages by the beach and facing the Indian ocean, the Ledger Plaza Bahari Beach contains a brand-new state-of-the-art conference centre with a capacity for up to 600 guests. this allows the property to host large seminars and meetings for business travellers and conference hosts alike, as well as pre and post safari leisure stays. All this is just a short distance from the international airport and the hustle and bustle of the capital, so you can be sure that travel is kept to a minimum for you and your guests.

Ledger Plaza Maya-Maya
In what will prove to be a busy and exciting period for Laico, the Ledger plaza Maya-Maya hotel will re-open at a similar time to its tunisian counterpart. the five-star Ledger plaza Maya-Maya is ideally located in the heart of Brazzaville, republic of Congo, close to the french Cultural Centre and the rapids of the Congo river. this hotel allows guests to truly experience the natural beauty and cultural vibrancy of the surrounding area.

www.laicohotels.com Tel. +216 71 96 42 33 Fax. +216 71 96 30 40

Business accomodation in Prague

Posted on by Ben Debski

Hilton Prague
As the largest upscale hotel in the country and winner of several international awards, the Hilton Prague’s credentials speak for themselves – as does its guest list. Two former US presidents as well as the serving president, Barack Obama, have stayed here, along with a long list of Czech and international dignitaries.

The hotel’s location on the bank of the Vltava River, 25 minutes from Ruzyně airport and a few minutes’ walk from the Florenc metro station, ensures a fast connection to international transport routes. It is also only a short walk away from the Czech capital’s vibrant city centre.

For a five-star stay in the historic city of Prague, the range of 618 Hilton Guestrooms and 173 refurbished Executive Rooms, Suites and Apartments feature flat screen TVs with international channels, air conditioning, high-speed and Wi-Fi internet access, hot drinks facilities, and safes for added security.

Guests staying on the two Executive Floors will also have access to the venerated Executive Lounge, which has private check-in facilities as well as other perks, including breakfast, snacks and a complimentary bar area.

The Hilton Prague is fully equipped to meet your needs for world-class business meetings. A state-of-the-art Congress Hall is available for 1,500 guests while the elegant Hilton Grand Ballroom is an ideal venue for social events catering for up to 650 guests. Thirty-three multifunctional meeting and banquet rooms also offer the latest high-tech facilities.

The CzecHouse Grill with its show kitchen is Hilton Prague’s flagship restaurant, presenting a tasty range of Czech and European cuisine. A further two restaurants and two bars are also on offer, including the Atrium restaurant with its lavish all-you-can-eat breakfast and the rooftop Cloud 9 sky bar and lounge where you can enjoy spectacular city views from its glass-walled interior and comfortable outdoor terraces. Relax, have a cocktail and watch the sunset over Prague Castle, or take advantage of the space for informal business meetings – it’s up to you.

Cybex health club and spa, with its fully-equipped gym, indoor pool and sauna facilities rounds out the Hilton Prague’s impressive range of services. Hilton Prague was named Best Hotel in the Czech Republic at the TTG Travel Awards for the fourth consecutive year in 2011. It was also rated Best Business Hotel in the Czech Republic at the 2011 Business Destinations Travel Awards.

Hilton Prague Old Town
Nestling in the historical heart of Prague, 20m from the Náměstí Republiky metro station and 20 minutes from the city’s Ruzyně airport, the Hilton Prague Old Town opened in 2007 following extensive renovations.

Among many other benefits, these elaborate refurbishments included exclusive room interiors by celebrated designer Alexandra Champalimaud. A mix of Guest Rooms, Executive Rooms and a range of Suites (including one Penthouse Suite) make up the 303-room capacity of the hotel. Guests enjoying the Executive Rooms or Suites have free access to the Executive Lounge, where they can relax and enjoy a beverage or snack as well as other amenities.

With meeting room space of 1,000sq m comprising state-of-the art interiors and hi-tech AV equipment, our conference facilities tick all the relevant boxes and ensure that every single one of your business needs is catered for.

It’s impossible to discuss the Hilton Prague Old Town without mentioning its stylish creative dining concept. Recommended by the Michelin and Gault Millau restaurant guides, the Zinc restaurant offers modern, innovative European cuisine infused with Asian flavors. A wide range of beverages and an extensive selection of lighter meals are available to tempt you in the Zinc lounge and bar.The HHonours Event Bonus loyalty program is offered in both Hilton Prague hotels.

Hilton Prague, Pobrezni 1, 186 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 841 111
www.prague.hilton.com

Hilton Prague Old Town, V Celnici 7, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
Tel.: +420 221 822 100
www.prague-oldtown.hilton.com

Versatile conference space in Edinburgh

Posted on by Ben Debski

Choose Edinburgh for your event and you know your delegates will leave with incredible memories. Edinburgh Castle is arguably one of the world’s most famous buildings and is backdrop to the city’s spectacular New Year and Festival fireworks. The city’s choice of world-class museums and galleries is remarkable, providing many wonderful options for your social programme.

Edinburgh Airport is just 20 minutes from the city centre and has connections to 110 UK, European and international destinations. Rail travel also makes perfect sense and London’s King’s Cross is just four-and-a-half hours away. Once your delegates are here, travelling around the compact city could not be easier. The EICC is right in the heart of Edinburgh and a short walk from a great selection of hotels.

World-class facilities
The EICC’s outstanding facilities make it the ideal venue for your event. Every meeting space offers fantastic flexibility. The raked seating Pentland Suite can transform from an auditorium for 1,200 delegates into three separate auditoria in under four minutes. A further four adaptable suites subdivide to create 11 sound-proofed meeting areas and the Cromdale Hall can be set as a stunning banqueting venue for 850 people or as an exhibition space of 1185sq m.

Event Design; consider it done
Once you decide to host your event at the EICC your Event Designer will coordinate everything on your behalf. Taking payment from exhibitors and booking their furniture? It’s all part of the service. Running a seamless registration and exhibition? It’s taken care of. A huge team of specialists are available behind and in front of the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly and to add the sparkle and life that will impress your delegates.

High tech, low stress
Every event organiser wants to wow their audience. At the EICC our in-house experts make this possible. The production team bring a wide range of expertise and creativity which will leave your delegates wanting more. That could be digital voting for live interaction, or a dynamic multi-screen presentation. Or it could be harnessing our 3D projection mapping technology for an incredible visual experience.

Food, simply better
EICC are delighted to have Leith’s as a food partner. The talented chefs freshly prepare ingredients in the EICC kitchens, sourcing seasonal, local produce from trusted suppliers. That means delicious Scottish seafood, beef, venison, market vegetables, fruits and cheese.  When you see everything on the plate, you’ll notice a refreshing lack of fussy presentation or complex garnishes and an ethos that believes food should be a simple pleasure.

Spring 2013 – Even more EICC
Why build a new multi-level expansion complete with a stunning glass atrium? Why specify a flooring system that can transform the main space from tiered auditorium, to arena-style, to flat-floored? Why build a high-specification lighting gantry with effects normally seen in high-end musical productions? It’s simple. The EICC is a space in demand because it gets things right. So capacity simply has to be expanded and filled with technology which transforms the venue into almost any configuration you can imagine for your event.

From spring 2013 the new facilities will be fully integrated with the existing venue. The glass atrium will provide the perfect welcome point and allow access to the new 1,600sq m Lennox Suite. This unique multi-purpose suite features moving floor technology so that it can be easily reconfigured into many different set-ups. Options include flat floored exhibition, banqueting for 1,400, tiered auditorium for 2,000 and arena mode for 1,400.  n

Visit www.eicc.co.uk to visualise the outstanding EICC of today and to view a glimpse of the exciting offering for the very near future

Travel management services enjoy growth

Posted on by Ben Debski

Travel management was among the industries hardest hit during the recent worldwide recession. As consumer spending decreased sharply, fewer people traveled for business or leisure, leaving travel agencies and management companies with substantial losses. However, the travel management industry has recently experienced a bit of a rebound, due to the growth of business travel, advances in technology, and signs of an economic recovery.

Whats behind the growth?
Recent signs of economic recovery have contributed greatly to the travel management industry’s rebound. While national economies remain at low levels compared to their levels before 2008, there are indications that a number of countries are beginning to stabilise. As these economies become less volatile, citizens are beginning to spend money again, and this may spur a renewal of interest in leisure travel.

While a number of corporations scaled back operations or closed their doors because of the recession, many of those that remained open are spending more money on business travel than they did previously. In an effort to adapt to the globalisation of commerce, a number of corporations have begun to engage in business travel at record levels. This trend is supported by the comments of the president of a design firm based in the US who recently said: “We have to go where the work is, and more and more of our work is out of town. We’re on an airline nearly every day.”

The Global Business Travel Association reported that business travel revenues actually increased in 2011, growing by over seven percent. The association’s Executive Director, Michael McCormick, summarised the increase, saying: “Although the economic recovery is still modest, we see business travel remaining healthy and growing at a steady rate that outpaces GDP growth.”

Advances in technology have also played a role in the travel industry’s gains.  As consumers increasingly use the internet to arrange their trips their costs go down, encouraging them to travel more frequently. Savvy corporations have seized upon this convenience, giving travellers greater control over their own arrangements and making it simpler for them to find reasonable prices.

Concur: A leader in e-travel commerce, Concur provides travel arrangements through a variety of websites and applications, including Room 77, RideCharge, and AppExchange Mobile. The company also created the Concur Connect platform, which enables users to take advantage of a cloud system for travel and expense arrangements.  Concur reported a 25 percent revenue increase in the first fiscal quarter of 2012.

China International Travel Service Limited: As more Chinese citizens attain middle class status, they are spending more money on travel within their own country.  Drawing on the booming Chinese economy, China International Travel Service Limited (CITS) has expanded into new regions of the nation, providing business tourism and travel services to more individuals.  The company was named in the Top 50 of the 500 Most Valuable Brands in China in 2011.

Statesman Travel Group: Already known for its high levels of customer service, Statesman Travel Group recently partnered with a travel management company to allow employers to reconcile their business travel expenses more efficiently.  Statesman recently received a £4.25m capital investment from Business Growth Fund, which plans to combine Statesman with Commodore Travel. The joint company is expected to report annual revenues approaching £100m.

Eurostar continues to perform

Posted on by Ben Debski

Eurostar, the high-speed train system that transports passengers between the UK and the Continent, has been able to demonstrate consistently strong sales even during times of economic difficulty. Analysts point to a variety of reasons for this, including the relative strength of the euro, increased difficulty with air travel, and periodic lead-in fares to keep demand alive and bring in new travellers.

For example, 2011’s third quarter results showed a seven percent increase in sales revenues and an increase in passenger numbers of one percent over the same period in the prior year. Nicolas Petrovic, Eurostar’s Chief Executive, said, “We have delivered a solid performance during both the third quarter and the year as a whole although the tough trading environment across Europe demands a cautious watching brief.  Since the beginning of the year we have seen growth in both our sales revenues and passenger numbers reinforcing our popularity with regular and new travellers alike.”

Eurostar recently launched a free mobile app allowing passengers to book trips from their computer, tablet, or smartphone, with the ticket delivered electronically to the device.  Wi-Fi connectivity and infotainment is being rolled out to the fleet of high-speed trains, and the ‘digital experience’ is being promoted in the stations themselves. All of these initiatives are part of Eurostar’s £700m investment programme to add digital content and convenience throughout its system.

In addition, Eurostar recently finalised a cross-European marketing agreement in an effort to create a unified approach throughout its various markets.  The 2012 agreement with AMV BBDO is to develop a suite of communications for markets in the UK, Belgium, and France, with the first campaign set to be unveiled in late 2012.

Prior successful campaigns have included partnering with BEcause to highlight Eurostar’s commitment to sustainable travel. Eurostar’s Tread Lightly programme brought a new travelling segment to the company, and they now plan to leverage those new customers with the implementation of the marketing plan. Prior marketing strategies have been uniquely focused on each market, ranging from “edgy” for the Continental market to more mainstream and product-focussed for the UK market. The new plan will focus on a unified strategy focussing on how Eurostar brings “people, places, and cultures together.”

The 2012 Olympics provide another opportunity on which Eurostar can capitalise.  With tens of thousands of tourists expected to be arriving in the UK, Eurostar positioned itself as a corporate sponsor of the Games with the theme “opening the way”. Eurostar’s focus on its ability to transport people safely and quickly is expected to pay dividends not only during the months leading up to and during the Games, but afterward as well. Many people who use the trains for the first time during the event are expected to continue using them if Eurostar can continue to deliver on its adverts.

Eurostar has also invested in a new customer service training programme, Advantage, that is expected to play a key part in increasing market share even as rival service operators roll out schedules throughout the EU.

Rail travel makes a speedy comeback

Posted on by Ben Debski

Many individuals have already been converted to the idea of using air travel for long journeys across Europe, thanks to greatly reduced ticket pricing. Rail travel is frequently considered as the best alternative to flying to reach destinations within the UK. France and continental Europe are also now easily accessible by train, at relatively low prices and at high speed. Publicity for rail transport encourages the idea that rail travel is improving; with high-speed trains rivalling air travel, once the time spent waiting at the airport is taken into account.

Continued custom is essential to the survival of any business and Virgin is a good example of a train company that expends a great deal of effort in promoting its services. The company has managed to produce a dynamic image for its high-speed ‘Pendolino’ trains and enjoys a strong position in the inter-city rail services field. The company is now pushing for upgrades to rail lines to enable its trains to travel at even higher speeds, similar to those experienced in France; Amtrak in the US is a near equivalent.

Companies that champion the railways are also in support of the idea of using the network as a means of increasing the sustainability of transport. They include the power generation companies that supply the electricity used to power most modern trains. Needless to say, powering electric trains is a fairly significant source of electricity sales, so it is in the interests of these companies to encourage the transport flow onto the railways and less to the roads and skies where oil based fuels are used.

Environmental support groups concerned about climate change and fossil fuel consumption are also involved in trying to persuade more travellers to use the railways. Though electric trains still consume power, which is often produced from fossil fuels, this power is generated by power stations, where electricity can be produced highly efficiently. Power from ‘greener’ sources, such as wind turbines is also helping to power the grid and the input is growing all the time.

Trains are very efficient per traveller in general, as long as the carriages are reasonably well populated by customers keen to use the services. Therefore, the concept of rail travel is very attractive to environmental lobbyists and activist groups. Websites such as globalwarmingisreal.com feature recommendations to travel by train and many news groups also seem to be in support.

Spas generate new traffic from business customers

Posted on by Ben Debski

The economic downturn has forced many providers of optional services to re-evaluate not only their product selection, but also their service delivery; hotel spas are an excellent example. Travel has been curtailed in many industries, so revenues are down. Not only that, but people who may have utilised spa services in previous years currently think twice about spending money on something deemed unnecessary, so the hotel spa business has taken a double hit. PKF Consulting USA recently published a study that indicates many hotel spas are experiencing difficulty because of these factors, but that is not true across the board.

Some hotel spas are not only holding their own, they are actually thriving. Starwood Hotels, for example, is expanding its spa offerings, particularly in the Asian and Indian markets, while Westin Hotels are due to open six spas in 2012 in the Middle East and Asian markets. These in-house, signature spas, will focus on the hotel’s clientele, but will also be open to guests staying at other hotels. They plan to offer a full range of spa services, including massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, hot rock massage and Ayurvedic massage, among many others. Clean, fresh spas with inviting facilities and attentive staff have always sold well, but their use has been particularly strong in the Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern markets, making these locales a logical choice for profitable expansion.

The focus on business travellers may be an excellent choice, as this has typically been an untapped source of revenue for the spa business. While most companies will not pay for spa treatments for their employees, there are some that will. In addition, spas can appeal to the business traveller who does not have to pay for food and lodging out of his or her own funds and therefore can more easily afford a spa treatment whilst travelling. Being on the road is often stressful and many business travellers attend a whole host of meetings or are involved in stressful negotiations while they are away from home and spa treatments, even for men, are being advertised as a way to remain focused on the job at hand by giving oneself some downtime.

Starwood Hotels’ in-house research indicates that eight out of ten guests consider themselves likely to use at least one spa service when travelling, while the general public has an approximate usage rate of 54 percent. In addition, the Starwood figures included men, a typically underserved, but growing percentage of spa users.

Not all hotels are to participate in the spa expansion; most will be placed in high-traffic hotels in major metropolitan centres, such as the Westin Abu Dhabi and China’s Westin Wuhan Wuchang Hotel. Sheraton Hotels plan spa expansions at the Sheraton Guangzhou Hotel, the Beijing Dongcheng Hotel, and the Sheraton Qinqyuan Resort, among others. However, for travellers in those cities, the expanded spa services may well mean the difference in hotel selection and as the Starwood survey shows, once a guest is at a hotel, he or she is very likely to make use of its spa’s services.

Thailand tourist industry struggles to regain footing

Posted on by Ben Debski

The Effect of Flooding on Thailand’s Hotel Industry

In the past year, Thailand has suffered major flooding that has been extensive enough to cause a negative impact on numerous industries in the country. Among them are the electronics factories and hotels, which thrive on the country’s rich tourist industry. The immediate effect of the flooding can be seen from damage to many buildings; however, the secondary impact on the tourist and hotel industries results from visitors being dissuaded from taking holidays there.

A substantial fall in hotel occupancy levels has been observed in Thailand following the plains flooding that occurred during the 2011 monsoon season. The floods affected a large area in the Mekong River basin and Chao Phraya areas, which include Bangkok and associated neighbourhoods. Bangkok, the country’s capital, is also the largest urbanised area in the country and a hub for visiting tourists and international business people. As a direct result of the inundation, significant damage was caused to vital infrastructure in these important areas, leading to a fall in the number of visitors that came to the region. With this reduced flow of visitors, the tourist industry suffered and hotels experienced a significant fall in occupancy rates. Travel companies and hotels in the central plains areas and Bangkok, where the flooding was most severe, suffered the greatest losses during the incident.

Confidence in the country’s tourism industry, as reflected by its travel agencies, has suffered a decline since the flooding; in fact the tourism confidence index for Thailand dropped from 100 to 97 between October and December of last year. In comparison, the same confidence index had reached a high of 134 in the period immediately prior to the flooding, indicating that it was this event that led to significant falls in confidence. The December rating of 97 is an average of many areas in Thailand and those closest to the region devastated by flooding tended to have the lowest ratings, with areas further away, in the south and east, having the highest ratings.

The Marriott Hotel group has experienced significant losses in Thailand following the flooding disaster. The international hotel chain lost management contracts to four hotels in Thailand, they were being run by the Marriott Hotel Group under their Courtyard brand. The four establishments to leave Marriott’s management are the Courtyards at Patong beach, Kamala Beach, Surin Beach, and Cha Am Beach. Of these four, the Cha Am and Patong are also being put up for sale by the owning group. The loss of the management contract by Marriott is said to be by mutual agreement. It is likely that the company has made the decision due to the negative impact on tourism resulting from the floods.

The floods of 2011 have, without a doubt, had a hand in reducing the popularity of Thailand as a tourist destination in recent months, however it should be noted that the occupancy rates for 2011 still exceeded those for 2010, when political turmoil in the country dissuaded many would-be visitors.

Conferencing in South America takes off

Posted on by Ben Debski

South America is a rising star on the radar of the international conference industry. The continent’s stunning natural scenery is increasingly being matched by equally impressive conference facilities, often comparable to the best in the world.

RioCentro, Brazil
RioCentro is, as the name suggests, situated in the internationally renowned city of Rio de Janeiro. When they are not working, delegates can enjoy the famous hospitality of this city, its virtually unequaled beaches and its wide variety of food.

The convention centre is among the most sophisticated in Brazil and is capable of accommodating more delegates than any other convention centre in Latin America. What makes it particularly popular is the fact that it can host events ranging from the very small to the very large.

The centre is equipped with the most modern sound equipment and speakers are able to make use of state of the art audio-visual facilities to improve the quality of their presentations.

RioCentro can easily be reached by taxi, bus, shuttle bus or Rio’s subway system.

Our choice for the four runners-up, in no particular order, is as follows.

Iguazu Grand Resort Spa & Casino, Argentina
Its location, just ten minutes away from the world famous Iguazu Falls, is enough to ensure a steady stream of conference goers. It also provides the latest in audio-visual equipment, the accommodation is top notch and there is a spa and casino, as well as several restaurants on site.

Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel and Convention Centre, Argentina
Located in the heart of bustling Buenos Aires, which is home to the tango, great steaks and football madness, is a hotel and conference centre with the best facilities this enchanting city has to offer. It has no less than fifteen meeting rooms, with a total floor area of 6,500 m2 in which 9,000 people can be accommodated.

Los Tajibos Hotel & Convention Centre, Bolivia
This convention centre, in the heart of the Bolivian business capital Santa Cruz, has facilities for up to 3,600 people. There are 20 halls capable of accommodating events from the smallest business seminar to the largest corporate function.

Sheraton Lima Hotel & Convention Centre, Peru
This centre blends Peruvian hospitality with world-class standards of comfort. Although located in the heart of Lima, the centre is still only a 15-minute drive from Jorge Chavez International Airport. The centre can accommodate a wide array of events, from the smallest business meetings to international conferences. Dining options are varied and of a high quality, as are its guestroom options.

Business class still the answer

Posted on by Ben Debski

Business class was created to allow travellers to get work done as the journey progressed. While sitting in the main section of the plane will get you to your destination just the same, and hopefully generally do so on time, the lack of business services, crowded seats, crying babies and other inconveniences generally mean there’s too little room and too many distractions to concentrate on anything productive. Business class seats recline much farther than do cabin seats; on long flights this can make a huge difference. You will arrive at your destination rested and ready to close the deal, rather than being jet-lagged and thinking more slowly than the competition because of fatigue.

In recent years, the advent of ultra-low cost carriers like Southwest Airlines in the US and Ryanair in Europe has meant a dearth of higher-class seats. Some of the larger carriers toyed with the idea of eliminating business class seats, but eventually decided against it due to customer outcry. However, airlines like Continental, Air Canada, Delta Air Lines and Air New Zealand have gone ahead and eliminated first-class seats completely in favour of coach and a business class service. British Airways, Qantas and Air France have lowered the number of first-class seats and increased the numbers of business-class and coach seats.

For example, British Airways famously removed first-class seating from many of its routes several years ago, and now only offers first-class service on flights utilising Boeing 747s and 777s. All other planes in service offer only business class and coach. Business class, however, provides nearly all the same benefits as first class, and most travellers find the two classes quite comparable. Business class seats are also hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, cheaper than true first-class.

For those fliers searching for business class, the following airlines still provide that extra legroom in Europe: Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Iberia, Icelandair, British Midland, KLM Royal Dutch, Lufthansa, SAS (Scandinavian Airways), and Swiss International Airline.

In North America, the following companies still offer business class service: Air Canada, Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, United Airlines and US Airways.

In Asia and the South Pacific, you can fly business class on Air India, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airlines, Air New Zealand, China Airlines, Asiana Airlines, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Qantas, and Virgin Australia.

If you need to fly to or from South or Central America, choose business class on Aerolineas Argentinas, Avianca, Copa Airlines or LAN Airlines.

African airlines with business class seats remain on Air Mauritius, Air Namibia, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Royal Air Maroc, South African Airways, and Sudan Airways.

The Middle East has the following airlines with business class: El Al, Emirates Airways, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Middle East Airlines, Pakistan International, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

To and from the Caribbean, you can choose from Air Jamaica or Caribbean Airlines for business class service.

Business class is a huge step up from coach service, and especially for long flights, business travellers would do well to balance the need to get business done upon arrival against the cost of a business-class fare.

Sourcing reputable executive travel chauffeurs

Posted on by Ben Debski

‘Time is Money’, as the saying goes. As any busy professional will tell you, the trick to being successful is learning how to utilise every moment of the working day effectively. As a result, executives are always keen to minimise time-wasting activities, such as standing in airport queues or driving to meetings, instead opting to use travel time more efficiently by hiring a limousine or executive chauffeur service. This allows important phone calls to be made, documents to be read and e-mails checked, away from the demands of the office and without the distractions of negotiating traffic or finding parking.

Finding a reliable, discreet and flexible executive chauffeur service that will get you to your destination in style and on time, wherever you are in the world, can be tricky. Personal assistants know only too well how difficult it can be to source reputable chauffeurs for their bosses, especially when they are travelling abroad and when language and time differences can make communications problematic. The seasoned PA will know that, besides excellent organisational skills and the ability to maintain composure under pressure, the next most important weapons to have in one’s arsenal are contacts and knowledge.

So, who can one turn to for advice about arranging executive travel? Besides word of mouth, consulting specialist publications can help, as can becoming a member of a concierge service. Other noteworthy sources of information include the British Chauffeurs Guild, which not only trains potential chauffeurs and security staff, but also helps to maintain standards within the UK industry through their code of conduct and chauffeurs manual.

Like many taxi firms, most chauffeur companies tend to be fairly localised. This is because much of their reputation and service excellence is derived from local area knowledge and relationships built up with clients and businesses within their community over a long period of time. This is fine for short-term travel, but of course, some corporate executives often have to make international business trips several times a year. So, are there any global executive chauffeur services that can provide assistance in these instances?

As it happens, there are a handful of elite concierge services and corporate travel agents with a network of worldwide partners that can help. The good ones will be able to assist with private jet chartering, as well as personal security hire. The very best also provide a high-end concierge service that can facilitate VIP access to exclusive entertainment venues, country clubs and even sought-after sporting events, depending on your individual requirements.

Things you will want to look out for, besides a fleet of immaculate luxury cars and polite white-glove style service, are thoughtful, but time-saving extras such as a phone app that allows you to book a car on the hoof, perfect for when your plane is delayed or you have a last-minute trip scheduled. Some limousine and executive chauffeur services will also offer to email your smart phone or PDA device just prior to collection, as well as provide you with your driver’s name and mobile phone details, so that you do not waste time waiting around for them to arrive or trying to locate them.

Interview: GM of the Crowne Plaza Bratislava, Peter Pottinger

Posted on by Ben Debski

We’ve seen that the Crowne Plaza Bratislava located in a prime position in the city, but what do you think sets the hotel apart from other accommodation in the capital?
The Crowne Plaza Bratislava is the most complete MICE hotel in the city. We have the largest number of meetings and the greatest flexibility set up and use of breakouts. Where others may have one ballroom, we can provide up to three that can accommodate 150-300 theatre-style. Additionally we have an exclusive 60-seat private dining venue with an oriental design, as well as a spacious lobby that is frequently used as partial exhibition space. For a recent car company function we were able to easily accommodate up to three large cars within this space.

What advice would you give to the first time business traveller visiting Bratislava?
Enjoy the city. Bratislava is a very compact city. Your business destination is bound to be minutes only from the hotel, meaning less time travelling back and forth, more time to explore the historic old town. The Crowne Plaza is perfectly located as it is on a major crossroads to all directions around Bratislava, but is also mere steps away from the pedestrianised historic old town.

What do you think makes Bratislava an attractive Business Destination?
Everything is nearby. Two major airports to fly into, Vienna and Bratislava airport. For most international flights Vienna International Airport is ideal. Only 35 minutes away from the hotel! You can get to Bratislava more quickly slovakia from Vienna Airport than, say, to central London from Heathrow. Once in town all the major event sites, entertainment and shopping areas are within walking distance. Large events that want to hold part of their conference off-site will find it easy to move the attendees around and provide plenty of downtime entertainment.

What are your favourite parts of the hotel?
My favourite part of the hotel is our Club Lounge. It is a little oasis of peace and quiet in a very busy and bustling hotel. Located on the top floor, it has a fabulous view of the presidential palace. A more recent favourite is our herb and vegetable garden. Last spring we started growing our own herbs and some of the vegetables for our newly launched restaurant Fresh! My office looks over the garden and it is a joy to see how much all the plants have grown.

You obviously take pride in the personalised services that the hotel offers such as the Sleep Advantage programme; can you tell us a bit more about these?
The Sleep Advantage programme is a Crowne Plaza brand defining programme recognising that the most important part of the hotel stay is not a beautifully designed bedroom, or three-michelin star cuisine in the hotel restaurant, but plain and simple a great night’s sleep. To facilitate this we have put together a set of initiatives. All the bedrooms have 200 thread count, 100 percent cotton sheets and a luxurious bed topper for maximum comfort. We have special quiet zones where no housekeeping or maintenance activities take place before 9am, as well as a guaranteed wake up call, or your money back, so that you don’t continuously wake up checking that you have not overslept.

And finally, tell us about what lies ahead for the future of the hotel.
We never stop. At the heart of all of our efforts is ensuring maximum guest satisfaction. Crowne Plaza has just launched a major new brand refresh that will help us further improve our services. Locally we are very much focused on ensuring all the details are in place and relevant. Constantly we are reviewing what we offer and who we are offering it to. What was considered quality last year may now be up for review. From this way of thinking more initiatives will be developed and the Crowne Plaza Bratislava you may have experienced last week will be even better for when you return next year.