60 Second Guides Industry Voice Inside CWT Destination Regional

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Vo l u m e 4 I s s u e 4 2 0 0 4 The Business Travel Magazine for Carlson Wagonlit Travel
60 Second
Guides
Austrian Airlines
and Best Western
Industry
Voice
Hilton and United
Inside
CWT
The Future Of
Business Travel
Destination
Athens
Regional
Review
Africa
21st
Century
Car Hire
Travel
Gadgets
Body
Language
Club World. More beds, more places, more often.
contents
editorial
As we come towards the end of 2004, I think we’ll all
readily agree that it’s been another challenging year for
the business travel industry – never a dull moment, really,
with all the ups and downs that we’ve been going
through.
And, as we speak, there is still a mixture of uncertainty
yet, at the same time, a sense of buoyancy – opposite
trends that make forecasting the future that much harder.
What we can say, for sure, is in the airline business, it
appears to be a buyers’ market, with passenger
numbers on the rise, even with the proliferation of carriers
cruising the skies these days.
But this again brings us back to the question of capacity
and what airlines are going to do about it, with that
decision becoming ever more crucial, day by day.
Yet despite these buoyant figures, there are still real
concerns about the way airlines are performing. Some
are having a very hard time of things; others are working
on margins which are, frankly, unsustainable and already
we’re seeing signs of travellers being affected – a knockon effect that may be storing up trouble for the weeks
and months ahead.
I hope I’m wrong, but I’ve been wondering if we haven’t
been seeing signs of the silly season in recent weeks,
with the industrial relations’ climate somewhat stormy, to
say the least.
We survived a potential ‘summer of discontent’, with
strike threats settled at the last minute. But when carriers
are having to squeeze costs, something has got to give
– and maybe people are saying they’ve had enough.
A state of affairs that is typical of the problem we’re
seeing throughout the industry and one we’ll have to turn
our full attention to, sooner, rather than later, to try to
make the year ahead less ‘challenging’ than we’re soon
to leave behind.
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Editor-in-chief:
Jason Clarke
Executive Editors:
Shital Shah,
Maria Rammou
Published by BSP Creative Ltd.
For further information, please contact:
Jason Clarke or Shital Shah at:
Business Support Services
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Maple House, High Street,
Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 5RF
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.carlsonwagonlit.com
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26
28
news
features
Industry Update . . . 4
Industry Voice . . . 8/32
Athens . . . 18
Hilton
What the Olympic legacy gives to
Radisson
SAS
opens
up
in
Hotels
hails
the
Disability
Belfast/Stansted and Gulf Air beds fly to
Discrimination Act, while United Airlines
new heights.
highlights changing demands.
Greece.
Travel Gadgets . . . 24
corporate
Corporate News . . . 6
CWT Future of
Business and pleasure – electronic
Business Travel . . . 10
marvels that suit both modes.
CWT’s Jim Tweedie charts the trends
dictating the way business moves.
Three major promotions have created a
dynamic
new
Global
Account
Management team – reinforcing Carlson
Wagonlit Travel’s top-level, worldwide
service.
21st Car Hire . . . 26
How rental giants have moved with the
60 Second
times.
Guides . . . 15/23
Quick-fire facts of business life from
Body Language . . . 28
Best Western and Austrian Airlines.
The natural way to talk business.
Regional Review . . .16
Africa’s wake-up call: turbulent past or
Jim Tweedie
EVP North Europe
profitable present?
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in brief
industry news
bmi jets off to Vegas
bmi has launched a new Manchester-Las
Vegas service – opening up a string of new
connections to western USA.
The new route will operate three times a
week: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
– a huge boost for Manchester’s long-haul
services, with bmi the first airline offering
scheduled flights from Manchester to
America’s western states.
Closer to home, bmi has opened up a new
route between London City and Leeds
Bradford, with nine daily flights.
Barcelona Hilton
business
JAL lets passengers
sleep on it
World-beating Gulf
beds down in style
Japan Airlines is making the going easier
for business travellers – with an overnight
‘Good Sleep Service’, in First and
Business class, from selected Asian
gateways into Japan.
Gulf Air will become the world’s first carrier
to house the ‘next generation’ of sky beds
– after clinching a £5.6 million deal for
more than 200 First and Business class
seats on its six-strong Airbus 330 fleet.
The new routine – fuelled by customer
demand – means quieter, less brightly-lit
cabins, ‘do not disturb signs’ and a wakeup call just half an hour before arrival.
The airline is the launch customer for the
revolutionary new seating module – from
French design company EADS Sogerma –
due in service next March.
The service has also led to key changes in
the carrier’s meal service, with more
substantial departure lounge dishes,
inflight snacks served on demand and
new-style breakfast menus.
Successful test flights mean JAL’s ‘Good
Sleep’ will now be available on certain
flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and
Bangkok.
Radisson SAS checks in
to Belfast and London
Stansted
meeting rooms, 120
restaurant and bar.
Re-born Belfast is the latest business
destination to welcome Radisson SAS –
with a hi-tech seven-storey hotel in a new
city centre business park just minutes from
means the city centre.
The £13.7 million property is a complete
Hilton’s showpiece hotel in Spain’s second wi-fi zone – throughout its five stylish
city is up and running again after major
refurbishments during 2004.
guest
rooms
Meanwhile, Stansted has become home
to the group’s 10th UK hotel – just two
minutes’ walk from the terminal.
The smart airport property has wi-fi
access in all 500 guest rooms and 26
meeting rooms. There’s also a superb spa
and pool, three ‘designer restaurants’ and
Europe's only 'Wine Tower' – holding
some 4,000 bottles.
The 433-room Hilton Diagonal Mar is a
choice business location – right in the heart
of Barcelona’s financial and commercial
district and next to the new International
Convention Centre and up-market
Diagonal Mar shopping mall.
Overlooking both city and sea, the 11storey hotel has eight meeting rooms, a
1,000-seat conference hall/banqueting
suite, Executive Lounge and Business
Centre.
United Mileage Plus offers hundreds of ways to earn and redeem miles
for rewards on United and Star Alliance flights –
To join visit: www.unitedairlines.co.uk/mileageplus
Air
Eurostar’s powerful
new look
Eurostar’s entire 27-train fleet is being given
a major makeover during the next 12
months – refreshing both First and
Standard Class carriages.
The revamp is designed to create the ideal,
on-board business environment, with First
Class becoming both hi-tech, high speed
office and relaxing comfort zone.
Delta ties up KLM
e-ticket deal
First Class passengers will have their own
‘private cabin space’, with full-sized bed
and unique ‘changing room’, with
Business Class travellers enjoying
exclusive lounge-bed sleepers.
Delta Air Lines has signed up another
partner in its growing interline e-ticketing
alliance, following agreement with KLM.
The deal follows 10 similar tie-ups which
have seen Delta join forces with airlines
across North and Latin America and in
Europe.
Launch destinations include London
Heathrow, where Gulf Air has become the
first Middle Eastern airline to open a
dedicated departure lounge.
Cumberland comes to
London
The capital’s newest world class hotel has
opened for business at the top of Park
Lane – promising new standard-setting
service.
The Cumberland, managed by Thistle
Hotels, is a haven of contemporary
design, coupled with exceptional comfort.
Continental springing
into Bristol
Bristol is being put on the direct flight-path
to New York – with daily services between
the two cities scheduled to start next May.
The pioneering route – linking south west
England with the US for the first time – is
New UK-Scandinavia
services from SAS
The hotel’s 900 rooms are equipped with
the latest technology – plasma screens or
LCD TV entertainment centres, plus
internet connections.
Aberdeen and Newcastle have new daily
links to Copenhagen, with the extra
services complementing the airports’
existing flights to Bergen and Stavanger,
operated by partner airline Wideroe.
Elsewhere, there are two bars, a brasserie
and the ‘Market’ restaurant – serving 11
styles of food from five different kitchens.
More SWISS flights
from London City
Meanwhile, the hotel’s meeting complex
has 26 rooms with advanced audio visual
aids.
being hailed as a victory on both sides of
the Atlantic, with business travellers
leading the cheers.
Flights will leave Newark’s Liberty
International Airport at 7:30 pm, with next
day 7:30 am arrival in Bristol. Return
services will leave Bristol at 9am, with a
same day noon touchdown at Liberty.
SWISS is trebling services from London
City to Switzerland this winter – with 12
daily flights split between Basel, Geneva
and Zurich. Overall, the new timetable
features 36 flights a day to the three
destinations from four UK airports: London
Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham,
as well as City.
Hilton Competition
Winner
Cheryl Braganza of Unilever Bestfoods UK
has won a weekend break at the Hilton
Waldorf for completing our survey in the
last CWT Connect Magazine.
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corporate news
Top management team boosts CWT’s global role
Richard Lovell
Three major promotions
have created a dynamic
new management
team – reinforcing CWT’s
top-level service around
the world.
Liliana Frigerio
Announcing the news, Hubert Joly,
worldwide company President & CEO,
said the new structure would further
strengthen CWT’s ability to deliver bottom
line results, adding: “CWT is already one
of the most global and technologically
advanced travel management companies
in the world. Our geographic structure will
also allow us to provide great service to
local companies whatever their size.”
Richard Lovell becomes Chief Operating
Officer, CWT Europe, Middle East & Africa
(EMEA), with overall responsibility for the
region. He joins Jack O’Neill, Chief
Operating Officer CWT North America,
and Geoffrey Marshall, President CWT
Asia Pacific & Latin America, as a key
member
in
the
new
top-level
management structure. Lovell, formerly
Executive Vice President, EMEA, is also
now in charge of CWT’s global hotel
organisation.
Commenting on his new role, Lovell
said: “I am delighted to be working with
a highly experienced and motivated,
multi-cultural team that has driven
Carlson Wagonlit Travel forward during
the recent turbulent years in our industry.
“We can now look forward to further
developing our global strength, while still
preserving the essential flexibility to meet
6
Philippe Vinay
the requirement of our local EMEA
markets. I have every confidence that our
customers will continue to benefit greatly
from this exceptional team of travel
professionals.”
Liliana Frigerio – becomes Executive
Vice President, CWT Global Account
Management and Solutions Group.
Ms Frigerio, who carried out a similar role
at European level, will be in charge of
global accounts - with direct responsibility
for the global Solutions Group, CWT’s
consulting arm.
In her new post, she will work closely with
Martin Warner, Executive Vice President
Global Sales & Marketing, and CWT’s
Chief Information Officer, Loren Brown.
The high-level team has been handpicked to further expand CWT’s
relationships with global companies of all
shapes and sizes and to harmonise the
use of common tools throughout the
business travel world.
The third key management change sees
Philippe Vinay appointed Executive Vice
President, CWT Human Resources, on a
global level, having headed up HR in the
EMEA region for the past four years. His
new worldwide position has been created
specifically to match CWT resources with
key global business priorities.
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Industry Voice
As the Disability Discrimination Act comes into force,
Mark Selawry, Vice President of Management Services
for Hilton UK & Ireland, explains how crucial this issue is
for the hotel industry’s future.
Mark Selawry
On 1 October 2004 Phase 3 of the
Disability Discrimination Act came into
force. This act deals with making goods,
facilities, services and premises more
accessible to disabled people. At Hilton,
we take the view that this is not something
separate, but an extension of our
customer service culture which will now
embrace even more guests.
With an estimated 10 million disabled
people in Britain, the legislation should be
seen as an opportunity and not as an
obligation or burden. As a customer base,
disabled people spend in excess of £50
billion in the UK economy every year.
Over the years, I think there has been a
culture of avoidance – and of fear – from
both sides when it comes to the question
of hotel access for disabled guests. But
there is no doubt that the new legislation
has focused attention and helped us as an
industry to take a completely fresh look at
this issue – with full support and guidance
from our team of disability champions.
This meant learning what we needed to do
to make our hotels fully accessible to
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people of various disabilities. It wasn’t just
a question of a installing a few wheelchair
ramps but of understanding how disabled
people felt about their ‘customer journey’
within our hotels – and how it could be
improved. And where there was concern,
we addressed it.
That’s where our ‘mystery auditors’ helped
enormously – we collected valuable
feedback from disabled people, who
toured our hotels and reported back with
recommendations for improvements. And
then, of course, there is Michael McGrath
– Hilton’s disABILITY Champion – whose
continuous advice has been invaluable.
Overall, the challenge has been to ensure
‘reasonable access’ to all, which in
practice means removing all barriers to key
hotel areas – from entering the building, to
eating in the restaurant, to room layout.
Not just physical barriers either;
reasonable access means providing
measures that help guide deaf or blind
guests around the hotel, and perhaps
most important, training staff to identify
and respond to the needs of our disabled
customers.
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In addition, the DDA now requires disabled
people to take responsibility and do
something...communicate with the service
providers that they use and compliment
and encourage those who have embraced
the Act. Organisations that are accessible
to disabled customers will be more
accessible and appealing to all
stakeholders – and Hilton continues to
learn from its disabled guests directly.
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It’s a huge job and one that has involved
millions of pounds to get right – both in
terms of the way hotels must change and
in the intensive training of staff to support
that changing environment.
But get it right we must if we are
to fully meet the needs of the growing
number of guests who make up a
significant segment of the market.
These guests are not a liability – but
opportunity!
Hilton has taken this issue very seriously, in
keeping with our reputation as a market
leader. But it is not a competition as to who
does it best – a united front amongst the
industry can only help ensure disabled
guests – and their needs – should never be
ignored again.
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For those of us with
longer memories, the
sight of dapper
globetrotter, Alan Whicker,
filling our TV screens is
like a second coming.
Yet, at the same time, the way the high
profile ad campaign has been scheduled
makes it seem like he’s never been away.
Hardly a commercial break goes by
without the trademark moustache and
immaculate blazer popping up in a quirky
setting – Japanese sushi bar, South Sea
hot tub, desk drawer.
Big money in the Whicker’s world of today,
where the promotion for internet travel
bookers, travelocity, is taking place.
The reason the e-booker is splashing out
for all those prime slots, plus Whicker’s
not insignificant fee, is to steal a march on
its rivals in the race for the tourist pound.
At the same time, it is hoping this mass
exposure will help the company pick up
clients in the business travel sector.
That’s the theory, but there’s a world of
difference between sending someone off
on holiday and meeting the needs of even
the smallest company, for whom the travel
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spend and what they get for it, is vital to
the bottom line.
And it is this value for money issue –
rather than just concentration on price –
that is going to take on crucial importance
in the battle for business travel that lies
ahead.
That’s certainly the expert view of Jim
Tweedie from Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
The company’s Executive Vice President,
North Europe, has watched the way
business is moving and has come to this
firm conclusion.
“The big risk is that if we are just going
to be concerned about price, then people
are going to go out of business. There’ll
be fewer airlines, for instance, and from a
situation where we now have plenty of
options, that choice will be reduced if
we, as an industry, don’t make the right
choice now.
“My role is just to highlight what will
happen if we keep to this course.”
Tweedie has no objection to the ebookers moving into the business travel
market, but he is keen to stress the
difference between the newcomers and
the well-established concerns that deliver
an altogether different level of service.
This experience helps travel management
companies react to the slightest change
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in the market and to chart the course for
customers for months, and sometimes
years ahead.
Said Tweedie: “Companies like expedia
and travelocity will do what they do and
no more. But there is still a real demand
for total travel management and providing
we continue to provide a service and our
customers are prepared to pay for it, we’ll
keep on making a difference.”
CWT argues that, because of its size and
influence in the industry, the company can
make that difference for clients of different
shapes and sizes – and that its service
costs no more than about five or six per
cent of a client’s total travel spend.
want and one that we have the
experience and ability to supply.”
Despite all the wealth of technology at the
industry’s disposal, those who know the
business best remain convinced that the
future does not depend solely on
electronic aids to the exclusion of all else.
For example, despite Self Booking Tools
being hailed as ‘the future’ several years
ago, take-up rates are lower than
anticipated.
Said Tweedie: “Technology is a
marvellous addition and we wouldn’t be
where we are today without it, but we
must never forget the human element.
“Companies like expedia and travelocity will do what they
do and no more. But there is still a real demand for total
travel management...”
“It’s not just the big boys who can get
the best out of travel management
companies,” said Tweedie. Small
businesses can benefit with us just as
well, with better rates because of who we
are and the size of our global operation.
“We’re also delivering more flexibility,
especially in the small to medium sized
enterprises sector, with our Corporate
Select Product – a much more bespoke,
made-to-measure service that customers
For some jobs, people can reach parts
computers can’t and we’ll continue to use
the intellectual capital we have built up
over many years.
“Every new development has been
supposed to wipe out what went before,
but that has not always been the case.
Our approach is evolutionary rather than
revolutionary and that’s what really makes
the travel world turn round.”
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F E A T U R E
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S E C O N D
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60 Seconds Guide
Austrian Airlines gets the quick-fire
fact treatment in our regular series
featuring business travel’s biggest
names
How big is big?
The Austrian Airlines Group is formed
from a trio of carriers, Austrian, Lauda Air
and Austrian Arrows, operated by
Tyrolean. Austrian operates scheduled
flights across the network, Austrian
Arrows concentrates on short haul,
scheduled services within Europe and
Lauda’s main focus is long haul,
scheduled flights on leisure routes and
charter services.
Where’s home?
Head Office in Vienna – main European
hub for Central and Eastern Europe, with
466 weekly frequencies to Central and
Eastern Europe.
And abroad?
Austrian Airlines Group flies to 124
destinations in 64 countries across five
continents. Our speciality is high-quality
routes to Eastern & Central Europe where
we serve 39 destinations – more than any
other Western European carrier. Long
haul services have grown by 25% during
2004, with daily departures to Australia,
China, Japan and Thailand.
A lot of people, then?
In 2003, 8.5 million passengers chose to
fly with us. This figure is expected to rise
substantially in 2004, with passenger
numbers already registering 6.4 million by
the end of August.
C o n n e c t Vo l 4 - I s s u e 4
Put it another way?
Average Passenger Load Factor JanuaryAugust 2004: 74%.
And a lot of planes?
The fleet consists of 99 modern aircraft,
ranging from the CRJ, via Boeing 777
and A319 to A340s.
Airline alliances?
Austrian Airlines has been a member of
Star Alliance since 2000 – a combined
route network carrying more than 300
million passengers a year to 894 airports
in 129 countries. Austrian Airlines Group
also participates in the Miles & More
frequent flyer programme.
Where did it all begin?
Austrian began operating in 1958, with
London an original route; Lauda Air was
formed in 1979 and Tyrolean in 1980.
The process of bringing the three airlines
together began in 1994.
The future?
With a reputation for quality and security,
Austrian will continue to offer the
optimum service to customers –
pioneering routes in Central & Eastern
Europe and transporting more European
passengers to dream, long haul
destinations.
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F E A T U R E
R E G I O N A L
R E V I E W
F E A T U R E
R E G I O N A L
R E V I E W
plus several other homegrown reasons for
decline: poor governance, cronyism and
outright corruption.
The result has seen once wealthy
countries, like Zimbabwe, going bust and
oil-rich Nigeria and Angola poorer now
than when they struck black gold.
What to do
Keep South Africa’s economy growing
The continent’s powerhouse has made
remarkable progress since the end of
apartheid – when many commentators
wrote it off without a chance, with dire
forecasts for both country and economy.
Now it has not only got its own house
in order, it’s also the engine for
increasing aid and investment throughout the continent – diversifying African
economies, building infrastructure and
transferring skills and technology.
Key focal point is Gauteng – the
continent’s business gateway – home to
hi-tech business a new science park and
a growth rate of 5.3%, almost twice as
much as the national average.
Mining
Long seen as foreign exploitation of
Africa’s natural resources, mining is now
being promoted as an effective way of
kick-starting many an African economy.
Given that the continent holds 30 per cent
of the world's mineral reserves – including
40 per cent of the gold and 90 per cent
of the platinum, it makes perfect business
sense.
Africa’s wake-up call
Turbulent past or profitable present?
Crisis point
If there were ever any doubt about the
scale of the African problem, or the
phenomenal effort needed just to bring
the slightest relief, here’s the no-nonsense
verdict from a man whose job it is
to know.
The latest report, from UN SecretaryGeneral, Kofi Annan, makes harrowing
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reading – a stark list of worsening crises:
Wars, HIV/AIDS, famine, economic
stagnation and crippling poverty: facts of
life in a continent where half the population
– some 340 million people – live on less
than 50p a day.
This daily diet of misery rarely gets a
mention outside Africa itself and is now
only pricking world consciousness
because of the tragedy in the war-torn
Darfur region of Sudan – just one of many
conflicts raging throughout the continent.
But devastating as this is, it’s the
scale of economic failure that’s the
greatest danger – especially in subSaharan Africa, which bears the brunt of
the continent’s troubles.
Another UN report pulls no punches,
declaring that this region’s decline is
"absolute" – the only place in the world
where poverty is on the rise. Somehow,
the tide has to turn.
Who’s to blame?
African politicians have traditionally held
the colonial legacy responsible for many
modern day problems – with some
justification. The way the continent was
carved up in the hunt for vast mineral
riches did store up trouble for the
time when the foreign powers finally
went home.
But that old excuse is wearing thin
following four decades of independence –
C o n n e c t Vo l 4 - I s s u e 4
Countries are also now taking ownership
of their natural resources, with Namibia
carrying out the entire diamond
production process on home soil, while
aluminium
ingots
have
become
Mozambique’s best seller.
DIY
While trade links with the G8 economies
are still crucial for survival in many African
countries, there are signs that the
continent is now seriously looking to take
more control over its own destiny. The
new leader of the African Union – covering
all 53 countries – has made economic
development the top priority, while
NEPAD, another pan-continental body, is
helping the UN ensure countries meet
their economic commitments.
The Asian experience
The ‘post-Tiger’ emergence of India and
China as major world economies is
bringing plenty of opportunity for Africa –
all very gratefully received.
Strong links have been forged between
India and individual African countries,
through state visits, joint ventures and
significant increases in trade.
Now business chiefs are calling for
companies to take greater advantage of
this partnership – by targeting the India’s
300 million-strong prime consumer base.
Success stories
Despite the challenges ahead, there is real
hope that economies throughout Africa
will begin picking up throughout 2005.
And as conditions improve, there are
several positive role models to follow – the
success stories that prove that Africa
need not always be the Dark Continent.
Botswana
Again voted best African economy in the
Global Competitiveness Report – topping
much of Europe, Asia and Latin America –
thanks to economic freedom and an
improved standard of living.
Tunisia
Tunisia is being backed by the World Bank
as it cements its status as number two
African economy – helping build a more
vibrant private sector and improve
competitiveness.
Morocco
Close ties with India and a crucial gateway
between Africa and Europe. Good
relations with the EU and the US, with
strong links to Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan.
Lesotho
Booming textile trade through lucrative US
deal. Lesotho has created 35,000 jobs
since 2000 and, last year, exported £225
million worth of clothing to the States.
Rwanda
All but destroyed by genocide a decade
ago, Rwanda has restored political
stability and was the first to volunteer to
send troops to restore order in Darfur.
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F E A T U R E
A T H E N S
F E A T U R E
A T H E N S
The Olym pic Legacy
What the Athens’ Games
For a place long hailed as
the cradle of civilisation,
Athens has not always
been treated with the
respect the Greek capital
believes it deserves.
Instead, it’s often been criticised as a
shabby, chaotic city that compares
unfavourably to the capitals of western
Europe.
That same attitude was apparent when,
seven years ago, Athens was awarded the
2004 Olympics – bringing the Games back
to their spiritual home.
“Could Athens deliver on time or would the
world’s greatest sporting spectacle
resemble a building site?”, were some of
the kinder criticisms.
For a time, the city did its best to prove its
doubters right, with only strong warnings
from Olympic chiefs finally ensuring that the
show would go on.
Two weeks later, the Athens’ sporting
summer was being hailed as one of the
best-ever Games, with lavish praise
poured on the organisation, the venues
and the transformed city itself.
Yet even before the applause had ended,
critics were again on the case asking the
£7 billion question: was it all really worth it?
Yes, the event was an undoubted success
but would the upside beat the downside
and, crucially, what would be that allimportant legacy deliver?
In financial terms, Athens is one of the alsorans, with the huge scale of Olympic
commitment revealed by this stark fact: on
the eve of the Games, the Greek national
debt stood at more than £140 billion.
But as a way of using the Olympic spirit to
transform a host city, almost beyond
recognition, Greece’s capital is in the gold
medal class.
Admittedly, there are still concerns that
Greek taxpayers might still have to pay the
huge price that comes with staging the
modern day Games – not least the amount
spent on a massive security blanket, with
Athens responsible for the first post 9/11
Olympiad.
There is also doubt over some of the
smaller sporting venues, created especially
for the Games and with little long-term
future.
But most of these criticisms appear to
come from without, rather than within.
would perhaps never have had the chance
to escape its problem past.
Instead, Athenians now have a city that
can rival other major European capitals
and, in some cases, can do even better. At
its heart, a brand new transport network,
supported by one of the world’s best
security systems – built to deliver a coordinated response to fires and floods as
well as the more sinister threats of the new
world order.
There’ll also be new homes and new
exhibition and convention centres,
adapted from Olympic venues.
And last, but far from least, a raised global
profile, with Athens crossing the line as a
winner.
In general, Greeks remain fiercely proud of
the Games, without which their capital
The world's most global hotel company
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the world's most global hotel
company and the largest international group by number of rooms.
With over 3,500 hotels and 535,000 guest rooms in nearly 100
countries and territories around the world.
Well connected
Athens by air
Popular bridge between east and west,
with some 60 airlines using the awardwinning Eleftherios Venizelos airport, built
especially to handle Olympic traffic.
Athens by sea
All shipping lanes lead to Piraeus – whether
for island-hopping ferries, luxury yachts or
giant supertankers. Piraeus has been
gateway to Athens for more than 2,500
years and is still first port of call for millions
of visitors every year.
Athens by road
Once rated one of the world’s worst driving
cities, the Olympic has helped Athens turn
the corner. Now locals and visitors can
enjoy less congestion and pollution, fewer
accidents and a ring road that keeps the
city moving.
Where to stay
Hilton Athens
Five-star luxury – with Acropolis views.
The 530-room hotel has a superb
Business Centre, Executive Lounge,
Health Club & Spa, two swimming pools
and four restaurants.
Athenaeum InterContinental Athens
Another five stars for this 540-room
business and pleasure spot, featuring:
wide choice of conference rooms;
Business Centre; Health Club; swimming
pool; Acropolis views.
Sofitel Athens Airport
Five-star meeting point for up to 700
people, just 15 minutes from Athens.
Houses 345 rooms, restaurants and bars,
plus fitness centre and pool.
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Just reward, not only for Athens but for the
whole Greek nation which rallied to
support the cause.
mean for Greece
F E A T U R E
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Restaurants and bars
Bars
Round-the-clock dining was an Athenian
way of life long before the 24-hour culture
captivated other capitals.
Stavlos
Once the royal stables, now chic club
complex near the Acropolis.
On the hour, every hour there’s always
something and somewhere to eat – from
five-star feasts to souvlaki stalls. Here’s just
a taste of things to come.
Balthazar
Dining and drinking in classical greek
surroundings.
Altamira
A true Athenian favourite, housed in a
renovated mansion and featuring fabulous
food from around the world.
Cilentio
Beautiful stately home setting for top class
international cuisine, peppered with local
tastes and traditions, and private
banqueting suite.
Hermion
Quality and taste amid the tourist-traps of
the Plaka dining district – and an elegant
courtyard, too.
Varoulko
Among the best fish restaurants around,
this Piraeus hotspot twists convention for
world class modern cuisine.
Rock’n’roll
Recently voted among Europe’s 50 best
bar/restaurants and popular start of the
Athens scene.
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Flight time: 3hrs 45 minutes
Time zone: GMT+2
Parko
Favourite outdoor spot in romantic park
setting.
Airport to city centre:
Eleftherios Venizelos
International lies 17 miles
(27km) north east of Athens;
30-40 minute taxi ride
costs £17
Central
Sushi and cocktails with the ‘in crowd’
crew.
Money: Euro – 1.5 to the £
Tango
Cosy bar/restaurant in the heart of Psirri
entertainment district.
Filomousou
Charming, traditional café, perfect for
aperitifs and nightcaps.
Shopping
Kallisti
One of the most interesting menus in town,
built around traditional regional dishes, with
plenty of fish and lamb.
Athens at a
glance
Athens is a shoppers’ paradise, with
something for everyone, from the latest
designer labels to precious antiques and
jewellery – not least that fashioned by one
of the world’s greatest goldsmiths: Ilias
Lalaounis.
Key shopping areas include Kolonaki,
Ermou Street and Monastiraki in the city
centre, as well as Kifissia in the north and
Glyfada on the south coast close to the
airport.
Weather: 43F°-55F° (6C°13C°) in winter; 73F°-91F°
(23C°-33C°) summer
Getting around: New, vastly
improved metro system; taxis;
trams
Useful numbers: Police (100);
Ambulance (166); Fire (199)
Business links:
British Hellenic Chamber of
Commerce Promoting bilateral
UK-Greek trade
www.bhcc.gr
Online Check-in
Putting you one step ahead
British Airways is continually developing new ways to make your travel experience simpler, faster and more enjoyable.
Online Check-in is a perfect example; allowing you to check in from your home or office PC from 24 hours*
before your flight and choose your preferred seat from our interactive seating plan. When you arrive at the airport,
simply collect your boarding pass from a Self-Service Check-in kiosk and deposit your baggage at the Fast Bag Drop**.
The latest development for Online Check-in lets you print your own boarding pass† using your home or office printer,
on flights from London City or Edinburgh airport. You can also use this time-saving facility for your return flight
from Geneva, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and another 22 European airports. Where this service is not available,
collect your boarding pass from a Self Service Check-in kiosk or one of our conventional check-in desks.
Using Online Check-in puts you one step ahead, leaving you with more time and freedom to relax in our
British Airways lounge or do some last minute shopping.
For a convenient way to check in, simply visit ba.com/checkin
British Embassy Athens
Key business contacts
www.britishembassy.co.uk
* Executive Club members can check in online from 24 hours up to one hour before departure. British Airways registered customers are able to check in from 12 hours up to one hour before departure.
For flights departing from the US, Online Check-in closes two hours before departure. **For the latest information on where this service is available, please visit ba.com †Available for travel from the following
airports Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Lisbon, London City, Madrid, Moscow (DME), Munich, Nice, Oslo, Paris (CDG), Stockholm,
Stuttgart, Tel Aviv, Vienna and Zurich. Bordeaux will be available from 5 October 2004.
UKM2484a
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60 Seconds Guide
Best Western Hotels lines up for
the latest lowdown on business
travel’s big names
How big is big?
Great Britain’s largest group of
independently owned hotels; the world’s
biggest global hotel group – more than
4,000 hotels in 80 countries. Best
Western GB has more than 300 hotels in
a variety of locations and is constantly
expanding its portfolio of two, three and
four-star hotels. Meanwhile, the new Best
Western Premier brand – outstanding
properties with exceptional standards –
has been added to the group’s wide
range of unique, individually owned and
managed hotels.
Unique hotel accommodation.
Your first place for business.
Over 300 hotels across Britain, each with real character.
Why are more business people choosing to stay at Best Western? It’s all in the detail. With each hotel offering its own
distinctive character and style, you are assured a memorable experience every time. Take advantage of superb leisure
facilities available at over 100 of our hotels, and with more prestigious AA rosettes than any other group of independently
owned hotels in Great Britain, you’ll enjoy our exceptional cuisine too. In fact, the only aspect you’ll find the same is our
consistently high level of service. So, if you’re looking for a business stay that’s always a pleasure,
make Best Western Hotels your first place.
For more information please contact your
Where’s home?
Best Western GB is based in York, with
regional sales and conference offices in
Leamington Spa.
And abroad?
Main international operations are based
in Phoenix, Arizona with additional
headquarters throughout the world.
A lot of guests then?
More than 300,000 worldwide – 90% in
Europe and North America.
What about business
travellers?
The Best Western brand represents the
quality of service, value and individuality
of a local hotel, combined with the
highest standards of a global group.
Each of Best Western GB’s hotels offers a
unique experience – more than living up
to business guests’ expectations. Many
hotels have hi-speed internet access and
modem points in every room, as well as
services such has as golf, leisure clubs,
activities and gourmet food.
Where did it all begin?
With California-based hotelier, M.K.
Guertin, in 1946. Best Western
International began as an informal referral
system among member hotels and, by
1963, was the largest chain in the
industry, with 699 member hotels and
more than 35,000 rooms. First step
towards global expansion came in 1964,
when Canadian hotel owners joined the
system – followed by Mexico, Australia
and New Zealand in 1976. Best Western
GB was created in 1967 and became
Great Britain’s biggest hotel group after
merging with Consort Hotels in 1999.
The future?
Best Western will continue to grow,
through the new Premier brand, while
constantly aiming to increase standards
worldwide. Other developments will see
the Best Rates offer – giving CWT clients
the best possible rate at time of booking
– go from strength to strength and Best
Western GB continuing to expand,
following the addition of another eight
hotels this year.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel Office
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Business and Pleasure
Yes, we know it’s supposed
to be a business trip, with
eyes only for flipcharts and
presentations.
Having said that, the digital revolution not
only dictates the way business moves but
also opens up a many a new path to
pleasure – bringing huge benefits for
business travellers facing some of the
downsides of life on the road.
But, hey, everyone deserves
a break some time.
Airport delays? Download favourite tunes
for music while you wait. No satellite TV?
Boot up the portable DVD player.
Cancelled meetings? Watch that cute
family video once again.
And once working day is done, what
better way to relax than with some
serious fun?
Thanks to modern technology, work and
play come in similar packages these
days. And although, on the face of it, all
the technological triumphs listed below
would seem to be focused on R&R rather
than rigorous number-crunching, they’re
programmed to move from leisure mode
to business mode at a stroke.
All these once unimaginable possibilities
are now as easy as making a phone call –
and the future shows no sign of stopping.
For now though, before technology
marches on, here are some of the latest
aids that make business a pleasure.
Eye Spy!
Vivitar MagnaCam
Digital
Binoculars/Camera
Double the range, double the results with
this ingenious binoculars and camera
combo. Just focus the ‘bins’ on a faraway view’ and click the in-built camera
shutter for ‘close-up photography’ with a
big, big difference. There’s also a
continuous shooting mode to capture
moving events: creating brief snapshots
of the future and a permanent record of
long-distance memories. (£60)
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Bright Spark
Oregon Scientific
DS6628 FlashCam
Slim as a credit card, this snappy shooter
becomes one of the ‘biggest’ digital
cameras in the business, with the
addition of a crucial little extra: the
detachable flash. Combining the picture
quality of digital with the easy-to-use
qualities of a traditional 35mm model, the
FlashCam also features Autobrite
technology (automatic light adjustment)
and a close-up macro mode. (£80)
The Magnificent
Seven!
Mustek DV-5500
7-in-1 camera
Digital cameras just got better – yet
again! That’s the way this business
goes and the bar now stands at a
sensational seven functions – all within
this
sleek
exterior:
camera,
camcorder, voice recorder, MP3
player, video camera, SD/MMC card
reader and PC camera. And there’s
more: ‘scene selections’ choice;
storage for nine minutes’ video and
450 images; plus ‘director’s tripod’.
(£170)
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Moving Pictures
Shinco SDP–1731A
Portable DVD player
Small Is Beautiful
DM-Tech recordable
multimedia player
Fresh from winning a top users’
award, this pint-sized player gives
great entertainment – and great value
wherever it goes. Its creators call it a
‘portable cinematic powerhouse’ and
the hype is more than justified, with a
host of features that make it punch
way above its weight: seven-inch
screen, 10 different play formats,
subtitle friendly, zoom – you name it.
(£200) (available from firebox.com)
Size is everything when it comes to
today’s top tools for busy people on
the move. That’s why there’s big
support building for the world’s
smallest recordable multimedia player
– measuring just 3.5 inches – a
miniature marvel that makes it
possible to record and play from
virtually all media – DVD, VC, CD,
MP3, even camcorder home movies.
(£290)
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21st Century
Car Hire
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How rental companies have driven with the times
As reinventions go, it’s not
quite the difference
between the electronic
notebook and its paper
equivalent – but it
certainly wins a place on
the podium.
And in terms of the way we were, modern
day car rental is definitely in the
Schumacher class.
One of the biggest changes the travel world
has seen in recent years – a souped-up
performance that is making the going
easier and significantly more enjoyable
every year.
That’s not just the view from industry
insiders, talking up the transformation
taking car hire to a new level.
More significantly, it’s coming from grateful
customers with long memories stretching
back to the days when things didn’t always
run so smoothly.
Software salesman Gareth Davies, who
prefers to rent – rather than buy – for his
frequent business trips around the UK,
said: “There was a time when standards
weren’t as good as now and often you
weren’t so sure what kind of car you’d be
renting. But things have improved
considerably, to the point where reliability is
now taken for granted – a tremendous relief
for those who spend much of their life on
the road.”
The four-wheeled business travellers’ view
is backed by senior industry figures who
readily admit that standards have been
overhauled – partly because today’s cars
are more dependable and through wider
customer choice.
David Alexander, Europcar’s Operations
and Franchise Director, said: “There’s no
doubt that standards were lower and
options fewer in the past. Now we get aircon and entertainment systems as
standard, for example, not extras that then
increased the price.
“The cars themselves have also improved
beyond comprehension, with many
manufacturers producing far higher quality.
In fact, I can’t think of any aspect that isn’t
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radically different, and the only thing that
hasn’t gone up is the price which has
stayed at the same comparable level for the
last 15 years.”
Over at Avis, the company has spent the
last three years working to develop the way
it does business with business travel
customers – aiming to make booking as
clear and simple as possible, whether
through a travel management company or
direct.
Fast forward to today’s online booking
boom and all the hard work has paid off,
with Avis and its customers well-placed to
profit from the years of preparation.
Penny Stoolman, Avis Director of Sales &
Marketing said: “The key driver that has
caused a massive wave of change is online
bookings. We’re currently surfing the crest
and carving a clear line for the future.
“We spotted the opportunity early and this
has enabled us to develop excellent
technology that benefits TMCs and our
corporate customers.”
Customers have several booking options to
choose from, including through TMCs or
Avis micro sites and Ms Stoolman added:
“One of our direct booking objectives is to
ensure the easiest and most hassle free
way to book cars – with just three online
steps. Even more importantly, the sites are
designed to display the clearest information
– particularly rates, terms and conditions.”
Finally, although everything in the rental
garage is definitely rosier these days, there
remains one blight on performance – and
it’s all down to driver error.
The only indicator worse now than in the
past is in the number of breakdowns
caused by those behind the wheel.
And for all who’ll admit pumping in the
wrong kind of petrol, that means you!
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It has been a vital part of
every one of us since we
were born, since before
we walked, since before
we talked.
A communication system that nature
intended and one that, when words fail
us, can still be relied on to say what we
mean and mean what we say: when we
get it right.
Body language – the silent link that can
lead to a lasting relationship or the kiss of
death; most powerful weapon in the
personal armoury, or dampest squib.
Nowhere are these extremes more
apparent than in the world of business,
where how you communicate more often
means the difference between success
and failure.
And that’s why body language, itself, is
now big business, with blue chip
companies beating a path to the door of
those fluent in the non-verbal lingo.
Body of
evidence:
What your silent language says about you
Take former actor, Richard Newman, who
runs the highly successful UK Bodytalk,
which specialises in presentation skills
training.
Clients include BT, Cambridge University,
Ladbrokes and the AA – plus a longstanding relationship with the McLaren
Formula 1 team, which has seen Richard
deliver hundreds of presentations to
companies all over Europe.
Said Richard: “Body language has been
with us ever since the human race was
born, but has only really been studied and
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explained over the last 40 years, through
the science of proxemics – the space
people put between themselves and
others.
“Research has shown that 60 per cent of
the way we communicate is through body
language. It shows how you feel and what
you’re thinking – words are just facts.
Even on the phone, tone of voice is three
times as effective as what you actually
say.”
Meanwhile, another study, from the
University of Chicago, stresses the
importance of using strong gestures to
gain control over any face-to-face
dialogue. Conversely, people can pick up
negative moods very quickly – whether
hostility, depression or boredom – from
another’s posture.
One irony of this mass communications
era is how people are losing the ability to
communicate with each other. Yes there
are mobile phones and email, but there’s
also the more frenetic pace of life, with the
two often cancelling each other out.
Said Richard: “We are all born with the
ability to communicate and humans are
the world’s best communicators,
equipped with those small facial muscles
that can deliver nuances of tone and
content.” But sometimes, we need a
refresher course.
UK Bodytalk sessions involve taking
clients back to childhood to remind them
of all the communication skills contained
within the body that can help them do
business in today’s fast-moving world.
Particularly when using today’s tool of
choice: the telephone.
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“We try to teach people that it’s not just a
voice on the other end of the line, you
have to imagine this person face-to-face
and always remember that people can
hear body language – how you’re
conducting your side of the invisible
conversation.”
There’s also a need to be fully aware of
how different people communicate in
different countries and factor this into the
dialogue. It’s a cliché (but then again
they’re often true) that Americans are
more direct, those from Italy and Spain
are more expressive and those from the
UK are keener on keeping things at arm’s
length.
If all this seems a lot to take in while you’re
busy juggling that work/life balance, then
there are a couple of helpful memoryjoggers to make it stick, plus a calming
start-up programme for the working day.
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Never forget what’s on
your PLATES:
Posture
Legs
Arms
Tension
Eye Contact
Smiling
Always push the Four P’s:
Pitch
Pace
Pause
Passion
And learn how to keep focused, relaxed
and de-stressed at work.
With one palm on your chest, the other on
your stomach, inhale for five seconds, hold
for five, and exhale for another five –
continuing until the stomach moves more
than the chest.
Literally taking body language in hand.
UK Bodytalk is hosting a London seminar on 13 December. For more information, contact
www.ukbodytalk.com
✈ MR JETSET.
He came by plane, you know.
The whiff of eau d’airport.
Or a jet engine-breeze full in the face.
Pure heaven.
Oh sure, there’s the delays, the queues, the confiscated mobiles.
Happens all the time.
All part of the fix for us sky junkies.
Shame about my laptop spilling coffee over that kid in the suit.
Junior execs don’t sue, though. Wouldn’t dare.
And even so, it’s a small price to pay when you can boast
“I came by plane you know.”
FED UP WITH FLYING?
FOR EUROSTAR™ BOOKINGS, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL CWT OFFICE
[2285/04]
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Industry Voice
The restructuring of United Airlines, tailoring products to
meet specific demands and the success rate of
business travel ‘marriages’ are among the hot topics
commanding the attention of Alison Espley, United
Airlines’ National Sales Manager, UK & Ireland.
Alison Espley
No one needs telling that the last three
years have been very challenging for
everybody in the travel business. But one
positive outcome is that we’ve all had the
opportunity to take a fresh look at both
the way we work and at the product we
offer the customer. At United, we now
have the competitive flexibility to deploy
the right product in the right market for
our passengers, whether that means
United’s mainline, Ted for leisure markets,
United Express for connections to
regional communities, or flights through
our Star Alliance partners, which extends
our network to hundreds of additional
destinations.
However, there’s no doubt that it’s a
buyer’s market at the moment and that
means that we, the ‘sellers’ have had to
be creative and find new ways of
working….it is no longer just about pulling
a price out of the air – that’s easy – but
rather about showing potential customers
the value in developing a long-term
relationship with us. Now, more than ever,
we have to hone in on what they need
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and want. We have to ask the right
questions and find solutions to those
questions, looking at how our customers
work, what will save them money and
how we can add value. That’s the way of
the world now that business travel is as
volatile as the leisure market.
Our aim as suppliers is to meet customer
needs, whichever way they want. More
often than not, this results in a profitable
relationship. We’re constantly changing
the way we work and developing new
products to meet specific needs. In the
SME sector, for instance, we’ve
introduced a unique points scheme –
backed by four Star Alliance partners –
that helps smaller companies get the best
out of tight travel budgets.
The challenge now is to decide what role
we want in the industry of the future and
the answer is the flexibility to meet new
and diverse demands.
Another positive outlook that says, slowly
but surely, the challenges are being won.
With a new concept in air travel, Air
France enters a new era
Air France passengers can now benefit from new high standard products and services, gradually
introduced on selected routes, designed to offer customers the most modern, comfortable and
spacious cabins in the sky.
Air France aims to provide passengers with the very best of French style in their travel experience.
The new l’Espace Première, the ultimate
travel experience
The new First Class cabin, available on selected routes, offers the luxury
of enhanced privacy, providing 50% more personal space, a real bed
and a proper mattress.
Needless to say, our customers benefit from an exceptional menu, a
selection of the very best wines and a highly attentive service from our
dedicated cabin crew.
L’Espace Affaires, enhanced comfort
and service
Air France also has big ideas about its Business Class. With its new
design and its gastronomic menu, the new l’Espace Affaires is now
similar to the classic First Class environment.
With 27% more space, customers can both work and relax in comfort
and tranquillity. The new ‘Lie-flat’ bed, which reclines to 180°, will ensure
you arrive in a refreshed and rested state at your destination. Or maybe
you will prefer our state of the art in-flight entertainment that will make
your time fly!
New lounges and ground services
The l’Espace Première and l’Espace Affaires airport lounges have also
been redesigned, offering the same standard of comfort throughout the
world.
The lounges include dedicated areas for work, relaxation, entertainment
or refreshments. You will enjoy flying Air France even before boarding!
Please contact Carlson Wagonlit Travel for more information
Spectacular New
Luxury Suites at
InterContinental
Carlton Cannes
InterContinental Carlton Cannes in the south of France is
adding seven prestigious new suites. The suites will be built
on the top floor of the hotel and feature superb terraces,
giving stunning panoramic views across the Bay of Cannes.
Each suite will be lavished with materials of the highest quality, beauty
and refinement. Iroko hardwood floor, wood-panelling and soft silk
fabrics will accompany classic furnishings with suede and leather trim.
The bathrooms will exude pure luxury using a stunning combination of
glass and mosaic marble. All rooms will have state of the art technology
including a plasma screen, home cinema, cable and satellite TV, DVDplayer and high-speed internet access.
coming soon
Another packed edition of
CWT Connect Magazine –
with the latest news and
views from the world of
business travel.
Our Regular Regional Review
looks at business across the
Middle East divide.
Iberia and NH Hotels check in for
the ’60 Second Guide’, with bmi
lined up for our ‘Industry Voice’
column.
Designed by renowned French interior designer, Nicolas Papamiltiades,
the spirit of the decoration echoes the famous style of the French Riviera
in the fifties. This design was prompted by the hotel’s heritage, playing
host to many of Hollywood’s greatest names such as Orson Welles, Rita
Hayworth and Elizabeth Taylor.
Elsewhere, Madrid and Barcelona
battle for the business heart of
Spain and there’s an in-depth look
at CWT’s Operations department.
A spectacular renovation programme for the hotel building and its
guest-rooms commenced in June 2000 including the restoration of the
façade under the ‘Bâtiments de France’. InterContinental Carlton
Cannes has benefited from a share of the $1 billion spend committed
over five years to bring flagship InterContinental properties around the
world back to their former glory.
InterContinental Carlton Cannes has 337 rooms, including 34 suites.
In the heart of Cannes, it is arguably the town’s most prestigious hotel,
hosting dignitaries since it opened in 1912. With visits from world
renowned music artists to award winning movie stars, InterContinental
Carlton Cannes is the only place ‘to be and be seen’.
For more information please contact your local
Carlson Wagonlit Travel office.
On a lighter note, a sky-high
fashion show reveals what the
best-dressed air crews are
wearing; there’s a lesson in less
equals more when it comes to
packing; and finally, another visit
to ‘Gadgetland’.