Survey forecasts increase in business travel | Taiwan Travel

The results of a new industry survey bode well for business travel in 2012.

Travel Leaders, the largest travel agency franchisor in North America, said 77 percent of businesses interviewed indicate that their total travel bookings will equal or exceed last year?s levels.

The survey also shows that an increasing number of business travelers are tapping into smartphone technology while they travel, and more business travelers are purchasing ?front of the plane? seats in 2012.

?The most dramatic change in our survey data, compared to a year ago, has to do with first-class air travel,? said Roger E. Block, president of Travel Leaders Franchise Group, which includes travel agency locations nationwide.

Block said experts with his company who focus specifically on business travel are seeing a greater percentage of clients buying first-class or business-class tickets, particularly on international flights.

?This is particularly welcome news given the ongoing economic challenges throughout the world ? chiefly as it relates to eurozone countries and the impact their financial solutions may have worldwide,? Block said. ?At this time, we are very pleased with the indicators we are seeing.?

Gloria Lopez, who manages Protravel International at 119 W. California Blvd. in Pasadena, said her agency has held steady in terms of business travel.

?Even with the horrible thing that happened with the cruise ship, we haven?t

seen any change,? she said. ?And we do a lot of corporate travel. People are traveling ? we haven?t seen any downturn.?

Lopez acknowledged that even business travelers shop around for the best prices. But when push comes to shove, they simply have to get where they?re going.

?Domestically, we have a lot of business travelers going to New York, Florida and Chicago,? she said. ?Those are the main destinations. But we also have clients who go up and down to Sacramento and back and forth.?

Kerry Fong a representative with Sonic Travel in Monterey Park, said her agency routes many of its corporate travelers to Taiwan.

But as to predicting where things are headed this year, she was uncertain.

?I don?t know,? Fong said. ?I really have no idea.?

When Travel Leaders experts were asked about their clients? upcoming travel plans, the results were telling.

The survey revealed that 34.5 percent of clients said their business booking levels will increase from last year. Another 42.2 percent expect bookings to remain the same, and 4.7 percent anticipate a decline in business travel.

These business travel trends are based on responses from 275 Travel Leaders owners, managers and travel experts throughout the United States who identified that 50 percent or more of their portfolio consists of business travel clients.

kevin.smith@sgvn.com

626-962-8811, Ext. 2701

Twitter.com/sgvnbiz

Article source: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/business/ci_19884226?source=rss

Source: http://www.travel.nfo.tw/survey-forecasts-increase-in-business-travel/

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