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Travel Tips
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- Democratic and Republican National Conventions coming in 2008
- Big vs. small when it comes to airport convenience
- Traveling to Germany
Democratic and Republican National Conventions coming in 2008
In August and September 2008, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions will be taking place in Denver, Colo., and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., respectively. Given the size of these events, the impact on travel and business within the two cities is predicted to be significant on and around the days of the conventions.
Organizations headquartered in Denver or Minneapolis/Saint Paul—as well as organizations that have frequent travel to either city—should prepare accordingly to reduce the impact that the conventions have on their daily business operations. Travelers should anticipate that hotel rooms and rental cars will be in high demand, and flights into and out of these cities will sell out quickly.
Businesses and their travelers may want to avoid scheduling any non-essential meetings in these cities during the conventions. If business travel to these cities must take place, flights and hotels should be booked early to secure space. Travelers should also prepare to spend more than usual on hotel rooms during this time, and may have additional challenges securing restaurant reservations and meeting space throughout the cities.
Details of the conventions are as follows.
Democratic National Convention
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August 25-28, 2008—Denver, Colo.
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Expected guests—35,000
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Website— http://www.demconvention.com/
Republican National Convention
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September 1-4, 2008—Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minn.
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Expected guests—45,000
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Website— http://www.gopconvention2008.com/
Sources: http://www.demconvention.com/, http://www.gopconvention2008.com/
Big vs. small when it comes to airport convenience
When making travel arrangements, travelers should consider all available options regarding which airport to choose—Hobby vs. Bush, Dallas Love vs. Dallas/Fort Worth, Midway vs. O’Hare. Small airports may offer fewer restaurants, shops and services, but they are preferred by many business travelers.
J.D. Power and Associates conducted a consumer study this past May involving more than 10,200 air passengers, some traveling through 19 of the smaller U.S. airports. The survey found that even though the smaller airports didn’t have all the amenities and services of the larger airports, many of the frequent business travelers preferred the smaller airports because of convenience, less traffic getting to and from the airport, cheaper parking, shorter security lines, easier gate-to-gate connections, quicker luggage delivery, and fewer crowds.
Top small airports in the U.S.
According to the study, Houston's Hobby ranked as the No. 1 small airport in customer satisfaction for the second consecutive year. Some of the airport’s recent improvements include a new central concourse along with new restaurants, shops, signage, music in the terminal, electronic toll-collection in the parking garage and an outdoor walking/fitness trail.
Hobby, as well as Dallas Love, San Antonio, El Paso, and Hartford (Conn.) Bradley— all earned high marks for customer satisfaction.
Potential drawbacks
Frequent flyers acknowledge that there can be some drawbacks when traveling into and out of the smaller airports. There may be limited or no flight options if flights are canceled or delayed, and fewer or lower quality restaurants, shops, and services to use during a delay. They also may not have airline club lounges. All are factors to consider when selecting an airport.
Travelers should remember to consult their company’s travel policy when choosing between flight, airline, and airport options.
Source: USA TODAY
Traveling to Germany
Editor’s note: Global business, and subsequently, global business travel, continues to expand rapidly. In response, CWT Traveler will provide to readers each month in 2007 insights and tips on traveling from North America to other countries around the world. This month’s installment focuses on Germany.
In business:
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Punctuality is highly important in Germany. Visitors should be on time for all appointments, whether for business or social engagements.
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Appointments should be made well in advance, with at least one week’s notice for an appointment made by telephone or by email. Visitors should also be aware that if their email (or posted letter) is addressed to an executive who is on vacation, the response may be significantly delayed since most Germans take at least six weeks of vacation per year.
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In business situations, most Germans shake hands at both the beginning and the end of a meeting.
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Extended, direct eye contact is important when conversing, and failure to hold eye contact may come across as the sign of someone untrustworthy.
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Visitors should not carry on a conversation with their hands in their pockets, as this can be insulting to Germans.
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Business lunches are customary in Germany. Business may be discussed before and (sometimes) after a meal, but never during the meal itself.
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Avoid asking personal questions of a German executive. Family life is generally kept separate from work in Germany. Sports can be a good topic for conversation, since many Germans are passionate soccer fans. Skiing, hiking, cycling, and tennis are also popular.
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Corporate decision-making takes time in Germany. This methodical approach to business decisions is often much slower than in the United States or Great Britain. Sudden, unexpected changes are generally unwelcome.
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The trade show was largely invented in Germany. Germany hosts the majority of the international trade fairs, so participation in their conferences is important.
Good to know:
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The official language of Germany is German - called Deutsch.
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Germany is one hour behind Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T.-1), or six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T. +6).
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When identifying a half-hour, the usage in German is unlike the usage in English. Where an Englishman might refer to 9:30 a.m. as “half-nine,” a German may call the same time “half-ten.” If in doubt, ask for clarification.
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There are significant regional variations in behavior throughout Germany. For example, Bavarians have a reputation for being warm, hospitable, and casual: they tend to progress quickly from formal to informal speech and from surnames to first names. Do not expect northern Germans to behave this way.
Source: “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries,” by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway. Published by Adams Media of Avon, Massachusetts
