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How Can the Travel Industry Overcome the Impact of COVID?

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StrategyDriven Editorial Perspective Article |Travel Industry|How Can the Travel Industry Overcome the Impact of COVID?One of the hardest hit industries during the coronavirus pandemic has been travel and tourism. Whether it’s regularly for business or to get away on a summer holiday, we’ve all been unable to venture to where we need or want to as a result of major travel restrictions.
Many of the large corporations have been hit hard, with British Airways announcing they will be cutting up to 12,000 jobs, EasyJet around 4,500 and Virgin Atlantic 3,000, these businesses will need to put plans in place as a matter of urgency to ensure the continuation of their operations.

A major impact faced by all

It’s not only flights leaving the country that have been affected – inbound travel has also seen a huge blow. Speaking to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, Patricia Yates, Chief Executive Officer of VisitBritain commented “So for inbound, I mean we were looking at the beginning of this year at about £26.6bn coming from inbound tourism, we reckon a £15bn drop on that.”

So far the industry has lot the benefit of the two bank holidays in May and a lot of the school half term periods as well. With the hopes of an additional bank holiday in October, the industry will be keeping its fingers firmly crossed that some of the restrictions have been lifted, or at least some further guidance in place.

What are the challenges that travel businesses have faced?

Aside from the obvious restrictions that were implemented during the lockdown period, many businesses are facing the reality that people may be too scared or anxious to travel just yet. Organisations now face an ever growing challenge of convincing people that it’s socially responsible to travel and enjoy a holiday once again, and that where they are visiting has put all the necessary precautions and procedures in place.

Hotels, campsites and other hospitality facilities also have a mountain to climb. With new rules and regulations to help protect their guests, many have had to spend large amounts of money to ensure they are Covid compliant. Because of these great expenses, some are facing crippling debts and the possibility of redundancies to ensure they can stay afloat.

What are the best solutions for the travel industry?

The World Travel and Tourism Council reported that up to 50 million travel and tourism jobs are at risk around the world as a result of the pandemic. Although we are in uncharted territory, there are a number of solutions businesses could introduce to help them weather the storm.

One of the major but potentially very beneficial options is for businesses to restructure. This will help them to become more streamline, thus freeing up money to help them keep the lights on so to speak. Specialist organisations such as RSM Global, who have key experience in situations like this are on hand to help businesses plan and implement their long-term survival strategy.

No matter what the future holds, we all need to adapt to survive if we’re to overcome what the coronavirus has thrown at us.

How to Keep Business Travel Costs Down

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Travel Costs|How to Keep Business Travel Costs DownBusinesses are pinched, but managing your supply chain and business relationships through online video chat and emails is hard. It’s hard to keep people accountable, hard to clarify what you mean when you aren’t on-site, and harder still to come up with innovative solutions when you’re working through a screen.

Travelling to solve and fix these issues is essential, but not every company can currently afford it or find a flight to get them where they need to be. If you are grounded, there is not much that you can do, but to keep costs low for when the restrictions lift, you will want to follow this guide.

Sign Up for Flight Deals

There are two ways you can get a great deal on a flight. The first is to keep an ear out for special deals or sales. You’d be surprised at how many are occurring right now to help airlines manage their costs even though all their flights are grounded.

Take advantage of this to book very cheap flights months ahead, but don’t forget the cancellation policy. If the cancellation policy offered by the airline isn’t good enough, then your travel insurance should offer protection.

The second way is by comparing flights based on day and time. There are no set prices, so setting up alerts for price drops can help you get a great deal at any time of the year.

How to Save Going to and From Airports

If you live close enough to an airport that you can either take a shuttle or rent a taxi without it piercing holes in your wallet, then these are the better options. If your nearest airport is far away, then your best bet will be to drive there yourself. You will want to book long-stay parking in advance, especially in popular lots like Atlanta airport parking to secure yourself a good deal and a better spot.

Accommodation Options

If your business is truly struggling, then even hotels are going to seem out of your reach. Alternatives to hotels (even with the best deal you can find) include renting a private room from a local to seeing if your business partners have a place where you or your employee can stay.

You should also look for places out of the main area for more deals, but do remember to compare the travel costs to ensure overall you are spending the least amount of money.

Budget Food Options

The best part about renting either a room or a non-hotel option is that more often than not, you will be allowed to use an actual kitchen. Cooking will be hands-down the healthiest and cheapest way to eat while you are travelling. You can even bring with you familiar foods if you are travelling to an area where you are not used to the cuisine.

Saving on Public Transportation

The cheapest way to get around your destination will be with public transportation. Save with passes – some are designed for tourists, others are just passes for the day or week. Choose the best one for your budget and needs.

If you need to travel out of the city for work, however, then you will need to research your options. It might be cheaper to drive yourself, or there might be shuttle buses and other public transport choices that can help you save even further.

How to Organize Seamless Business Trips in 2020

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Business Trips|How to Organize Seamless Business Trips in 2020One of the perks of working in a large company, with several senior responsibilities, is that it’s often left to you to travel to different destinations in order to hammer out contracts, seal deals, check up on suppliers, or help with your distribution network. These business trips are essential for the functioning of your company, and crucial to help you build your professional profile and wide set of skills and contacts. In this article, you’ll learn how to make business trips seamless, with the following easy-to-follow steps.

Diary

Get your schedules right before you look to book anything. You should know the key factors that feed into your trip, such as:

  • When do you have permission to leave the office on your trip?
  • Which methods of transport, in which classes, are you able to use?
  • When are your important meetings?
  • What else will you do in your destination, other than these meetings?

Only with the answers to these four questions can you make a solid plan, based on a diary of what you’ll be up to on your trip. From this point, you’ll be able to think carefully about the time of day that your travel, and the check-in times that you will cite to hotel staff.

Transport

While some business trips are across country, and it’s possible to take a train or a bus on that kind of route, it’s usually preferable to fly. Indeed, the vast majority of business trips – especially those that take travelers from coast to coast – are undertaken in the skies.

As such, it’s your responsibility to not only book your flights, but to book your transport to the airport. Use ParkON to book your parking space at the airport of your choosing, and use flight comparison websites to find the best rates on business class seating, ensuring that you’re getting a good deal for you and your company. You can also click Show More for further details on business and first-class flights.

Hotel

Where you stay should also be a central part of your considerations when it comes to your business trip. If you stay close to the locations of the meetings you’re likely to attend, you may be more likely to prolong these meetings, and more flexible to have a drink or a walk with colleagues and partners after the conclusion of the meeting.

Meanwhile, though, you want to ensure you get the right amount of sleep when you’re staying in a hotel, which means you should find those which are specifically business-friendly, and those which you can see are set up for single traveling adults, and not loud, noisy families.

Packing

Finally, all smart businesspeople know how to pack to impress. You need to look at your best when you arrive at the scheduled meetings – and certainly not like someone who has just spilled off a plane and hasn’t had a wink of sleep. Ensuring that you pack your suitcase in a smart way, to avoid creasing, is a deeply important element to the success of your trip – and should be treated with great care before you fly.

These tips are important for modern day business travelers who are looking to streamline and make seamless their business trip experience.

Air Safety Tips to Adhere to While Taking a Flight

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Air Safety Tips|Air Safety Tips to Adhere to While Taking a FlightRemember the times when you took a flight to your hometown or to Thailand for a long vacation? And remember all the air safety instructions that you were given on board or at the airport, the ones that you never thought of paying much attention to? They are quite important to pay heed to. It might not occur to you, but if you happen to find yourself in a situation where you are in immediate danger while flying or while you are within the confines of the airport, you shall understand the importance of these instructions. But it might have been too late by then.

Therefore, make sure that you are aware of what is happening around you so that in times of imminent danger, you do not lose your cool or act in a way that would only aggravate the situation. We have discussed a few points that you must keep playing at the back of your mind while you are on your way to catch that flight, so that you can be safe and sound. Awareness is the key to getting out of any tricky situation. Therefore, do not throw caution to the air (no puns intended); instead, pay attention to every detail around you and the instructions given to you.

The 3-1-1 Liquid Rule:

Not many of us know what the 3-1-1 Liquid protocol is. But it would be great if you did. You could save yourself from the hassles of packing unnecessary liquid items in your on board baggage. Because, according to the rule, you are only allowed a certain amount of liquid that you can carry on board. Anything that falls beyond the limit of the rule shall have to be discarded before you take the flight. Thus, there is no point in increasing your baggage when you cannot even take them through.

According to the 3-1-1 rule, you can only carry any liquid up to the measurement of 3.4 ounces in 1 plastic container, and each passenger is allowed only 1 plastic bag. This rule was made so that there is no spillage of fluids in the fluid while the plane is in air. Violating the rule can not only prevent you from taking the flight but could also put the lives of your co-passengers at risk.

The Briefing of Instructions by Flight Attendants:

Most of us would tend to put in earplugs or not pay attention to the instructions given by the flight attendants by chattering away with our co-passengers. We feel like we know everything already, and a feeling of invincibility takes over us. But you could not have been more wrong. Human brains are amazing but not all-encompassing. You might forget the details, and therefore, it is always advisable to listen to instructions each time you take a flight.

Thus, the next time you search or book flights with Jettly.com, acknowledge that you have a greater in-flight responsibility waiting for you, and that is of being aware.

Be Aware of Your Location:

You cannot just sit quietly with your seatbelts on (always have your seatbelts on) and think about landing. Of course, you will land where you are supposed to. But this should not make way for ignorance. You must always keep your ears open to the announcements being made by the pilot and understand your exact location. This will only enhance your knowledge and contribute to your safety.

Conclusion:

Being unaware of what you are signing-up for can lead to disasters and traumas of a lifetime. Therefore, it is essential to have holistic information about whatever it is that you are taking up, even if it is something as simple as taking a flight. This is for you own safety; do not roll a dice over it!

5 Compelling Reasons Your Company Should Invest in Small Business Jets

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StrategyDriven Budget Management Article |Small Business Jets|5 Compelling Reasons Your Company Should Invest in Small Business JetsIt’s no secret that succeeding in business requires using every competitive advantage at your disposal. From pricing to identifying and reaching new customers to delivering the best product in the marketplace.

Another tool that can provide a competitive edge is transportation. After all, the faster and more conveniently you can get from place to place, the better.

This article takes a look at small business jets and how they can benefit your company. Maximizing corporate travel has never been more important than it is today. So keep reading to gain insight into how a corporate jet might be the solution you’ve been looking for.

1. Greater Flexibility

The corporate world is fast-paced. Decisions have to be made quickly, and sometimes that means making last-second travel plans that don’t coincide with airline schedules.

Flying privately provides an incredible amount of travel flexibility that you won’t have when flying commercial.
With a business aircraft, you can travel any time of the day or night, to any destination that you need to get to fast. This can provide a huge competitive advantage and allows a much greater level of comfort than you’d find on a commercial jet.

2. Bring Your Family & Pets

Another great thing about flying private is the ability to bring along your family and even the family pets. This is a great luxury that helps to combine business with pleasure any time the opportunity presents itself.

3. Great Way to Impress Clients

Potential clients are constantly judging you. They are looking for signs of success. That’s another reason private jets are so effective for business travel. Treat a client to a round of golf on the other side of the country, then have them home before dinner. The result will be a client who never wants to do business with anyone else.

4. Skip Airport Security Lines

There’s no denying that traveling commercial is a headache. Especially as security gets more and more tedious and time-consuming. Flying private allows you to skip the security lines and get on with your trip. Saving you time, money, and frustration.

5. Greater Privacy for Getting Important Work Done

Trying to work during a commercial flight is one of the biggest headaches in the world. After all, commercial flights are crowded, there’s very little room to move about, and a lack of space to deal with laptops and other important business equipment and paperwork.

Flying in a private jet is like having an office in the sky. You can make important phone calls, host meetings, and have access to important documents as if you were on the ground.

The Advantages of Using Small Business Jets

Travel is a crucial part of any successful business. That’s why small business jets are so important for taking your team to the next level. Flying private gives you the freedom you need to focus on making money rather than the hassles of typical business travel.

Keep scrolling to see more great small business tips and advice.