Employees back on the road - with fewer frills

Business travel trips and spending are increasing steadily around the world, according to the Global Business Travel Association. Ditto for Canada, according to Vision Travel Solutions.

But it’s just not as much fun as it used to be.

“Business travel in Canada is growing, despite the increased security and tight flight schedules,” said Brian Robertson, chief operating officer of Vision Travel, Canada’s largest business travel agency. “The new realities of business travel today mean travellers must adhere to their corporate travel policies, which include strict cost controls to manage their travel expenses.”

Road warriors are “getting more done per trip than ever before, resulting in a longer average trip than 15 years ago,” GBTA executive director Mike McCormick told USA Today. Which means we’re more tired but have less ability to, say, raid the mini-bar at company expense.

Frequent traveller and USA Today Road Warriors panel member Phil Bush points to last decade’s economic collapse as the turning point for business travel.

“I think the recession [of 2008] was when it really changed forever,” Mr. Bush said.

“There was a permanent tightening of reins around travel. We are so many years past the time when travel was a good thing. Now it’s just, ‘I have to go from city A to city B to do my job, and I go.’”

The GBTA’s latest forecast for the United States predicts a 6.2-per-cent rise in business travel spending to $310.2-billion (U.S.) in 2015. Studies also say China will overtake the United States in business travel spending in the next few years, with an increase of 14 per cent expected this year and 12 per cent more in 2016. Which is why so many hotels in North America are adding Chinese menus and Chinese-speaking desk clerks and in-room slippers.

Mr. Robertson said Canadian business travel is expected to rise by 8 per cent this year.

“Our business has grown 12 per cent on average every year for the past five years, due largely to the impressive rebound of business travel in Canada.”

Cost of doing business

The political instability is probably enough to keep most folks from visiting Venezuela, even on business. Now there’s another reason to skip the place. A study by BCD Travel reveals that Caracas is the most expensive city for business travel on earth, with a daily cost of $611 (U.S.). That includes a hotel, meals, cabs and other bits deemed essential for today’s business traveller.

You could probably trim that a bit by eating local food. The study said the average cost of a McDonald’s Happy Meal is a whopping $25. (Let’s hope that includes a toy.)

The second most expensive city in the survey was Geneva, Switzerland, at an average cost a day of $547. The bronze medal went to Stockholm at $528.

Europe took seven of the top 10 spots. The other places in the top 10 were Hong Kong and Riyadh.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the most expensive U.S. stop was San Francisco and not New York. The average business traveller has to fork out $444.66 a day in the City by the Bay, putting it down at 23rd in the world.

We Canadians like to think we pay too much for just about everything, but the BCD study said the most expensive business travel city in the country is Calgary, placing 42nd in the world at an average cost of $356 a day. Next in line for Canadian honours was Toronto at $336, 51st in the world overall.

If you want to really save, you should line up business in Guatemala. The study found the average daily cost for business travel in Guatemala City is just $209, lowest of any city surveyed.

On the other hand, a Washington Post blogger has used Trip-Advisor data on room service costs to come up with the price of some of the basics at hotels in the United States.

She looked at 15 U.S. cities and tallied up the cost of a club sandwich, a bottle of water, a bag of peanuts, a bottle of soda and an individual serving of vodka. The most expensive city of the 15 studied was New York, with a five-item cost of $55.80. Next was Las Vegas at $53.30, followed by Honolulu at $50.50.

The cheapest three cities studied were Minneapolis at $36.60, Seattle at $34.40 and Denver, which had a rock bottom price tag of $32.90.

Marriott, Delta union takes shape

With its recent purchase of Delta Hotels in Canada, Marriott is now the largest supplier of hotels in the true north strong and free, with about 120 properties and 27,000 rooms.

Officials say they’re working on better integrating the brands. The Delta name will remain, but ultimately customers will be able to book Delta properties on the Marriott website. Delta customers also will be able to collect points in the excellent Marriott Rewards program.

Trump suites sweet

The Trump International Hotel and Tower in downtown Toronto has added two luxury suites. The Wellness Suite is a one-bedroom affair with 1,350 square feet and features a private workout room with weights and yoga mats, as well as a fully equipped Miele kitchen, and is listed at $3,000 (Canadian) a night. The Sky Suite weighs in with two bedrooms and 2,300 square feet. Among the features are floor-to-ceiling windows, an “elegant five-piece master bath” and décor in shades of, wait for it, “champagne and caviar.”

Uber takes over

Buzzfeed reports the rise of services such as Uber and Lyft are having a major effect on business travel. According to the online expense management company Certify, rides in Uber cars submitted as business expenses are increasing at a rapid rate. Certify analyzed seven million receipts and found that Uber accounted for 47 per cent of all ground transportation expenses in March, compared with just 14 per cent in January of last year.

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