Most people are aware of the challenges that the pandemic has posed for operators and customers of U.S. airlines, which moved 927 million passengers in 2019. How about train travel, which 32.5 million passengers – more than the population of Texas – chose during the 2019 fiscal year? As national railroad service Amtrak begins to recover from a 95% drop in ridership at the outset of the pandemic (vs. 96% for U.S. airlines), does it represent a viable alternative for travelers skittish about waiting in crowded airport check-in lines and being in an enclosed space at 35,000 feet? John Marroni, owner of National Restoration, thinks so. “While not ideal, as the lesser of the evils, trains are a moderately safer method of travel during this pandemic” than other transportation options. They’re also easier to disinfect because “the turnover per person is not as frequent as other means of public transportation,” says Marroni, whose Cherry Hill, N.J., company provides construction and painting services for properties suffering fire and water damage and also offers COVID-19 sanitation services. Safety measures instituted by Amtrak include mask requirements for staff and passengers, social distancing and protective plastic barriers. Trains have onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every four to five minutes. Cleaning protocols encompass every seat, private room, baggage rack, bathroom, button, café car, dining car and other publicly shared spaces using an EPA-registered disinfectant before the train leaves. Amtrak maintenance crews also spray and wipe down all major touchpoints, including bathrooms, every couple of hours. It’s important, says Dr. Thomas Russo, chief of the division of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo, “to remember that most of the transmission of the coronavirus is respiratory.” That means following U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

The increased distribution of COVID-19 vaccines offers hope that commercial air travel can rebound from a year that saw airline revenues fall by 60% from the previous year. The 1.36 million passengers who passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on March 12 represented the highest volume since the 1.5 million recorded on March 15, 2020, according to the Transportation Security Administration, although the total was well below the 2-million-per-day average in March 2019. “The willingness to travel is still there,” Arjan Meijer, chief of commercial aviation for Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer S.A., said in January. “There will be a push to go travel again as soon as we can.” “Although the next 6–12 months contain risks from pandemic uncertainty, historical trends suggest a faster rebound in passenger traffic, which could make the industry’s long-term prospects more bullish,” notes Ravi Shanker, who covers the North American transportation industry for Morgan Stanley, citing pent-up demand, fewer airline competitors than in past global crises and a more stable fuel-price outlook as key factors. Safeguards in place When air travel reaches pre-pandemic levels, what will the industry’s “new normal” look like? First things first – is it prudent to even consider returning to that volume? One expert thinks so. “The airline industry and airports have taken great steps to create the safest environment that they can,” Becky Lutte, a professor of aviation at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, said in an article published March 12. “It’s really all about passenger compliance – making sure everyone is following the rules and being aware of what’s expected from us.” Those rules encompass much of the guidance that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued over the past year, include wearing a mask on airplanes and airport premises, maintaining...

At its core, the travel industry encourages new experiences and exploration. It invites guests to find comfort in unknown terrain and discover a sense of belonging amongst new people. Unfortunately, the travel industry has not historically operated in the same welcoming inclusivity that it promotes. “This world is a diverse one—so how could the very industry that promotes the exploration of that world not be?” inquires Tiana Attride, editor at Here Magazine. As the sole black editor, often the only black staff member and commonly the only person of color at press events, Attride is frustrated by the lack of inclusion practices within travel businesses and marketing. Sheila Johnson, co-founder of RLJ Companies, a Yardi client, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, has experienced a similar discord between travel industry messaging and practices. In her 40 years as an entrepreneur and 15 years focusing on hospitality, she has seen small improvements in inclusion and equity practices. “But there’s also the rub,” Johnson reflects. “I recognize we still can and should do more.” Both women, like other minorities interviewed from the industry, see a clear path forward. A foundation for success The first step to create a more inclusive hospitality industry begins with acknowledgement. “An unfortunate number of people in this country – black and white – are far from coming to grips with institutional racism, the kind of racism that is also baked into the very fabric of so many American institutions,” says Johnson. “For this reason, many people still cannot even talk about racism, much less actually do something about it.” But hospitality providers are strongly positioned to tackle the issue head on. “Our industry is a living laboratory of cultures. Every day we make it possible for team members from...

Nestled in the tech hub of the city of San Francisco, AirBnb has achieved widespread global success since its founding just 8 years ago. Beginning with a simple living room turned “bed and breakfast” in a last-minute attempt to pay rent, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia are now operating a global company worth over 30 billion dollars. As a pioneer in the use of home-sharing, AirBnb took advantage of the recession in 2008, when many people were looking for cheaper alternatives to expensive hotels when traveling. Notably, AirBnb has gained recognition amongst millennials with its unique, quirky, and anti-corporate image. With the recently popularized “Experiences” feature, people are able to pursue this very sense of adventure that AirBnb’s image offers. According to research released by AirBnb itself, most millennials prioritize traveling over settling down and buying a home. millennials say that they are allocating more money into travel than they did a year ago. Experiences allows users to participate in activities or excursions that are led by local hosts, who give them a personalized view into their city and communities. Experiences can range from just a couple of hours to an itinerary stretched over multiple days, the latter of which are called immersions. These experiences could include physical activities such as hikes or surfing lessons, dining, or even workshops. For now, the Experience feature is only available in select cities. In the United States, the only cities with experiences available are Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle. Globally, users are able to choose experiences in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia. 8 out of 10 people surveyed in the UK, US, and China, say that the best way to learn about a country’s culture is to experience the country...

A lot of work goes into planning a vacation these days. From airline and bus tickets to hotel reservations, you’re making a lot of plans and getting a lot of emails. It can be hard to find what you need when you’re in a hurry on the road. The Google Trips App is a travel guide and a smart vacation planner that was launched last year. Recently upgraded, it helps travelers experience more and organize less. Available both on Android and iOS, the free app compiles all your essential info in one place and makes it available even offline. How it works Once you download it, you need to login using your Gmail account. In just a few minutes, it scans your email, pulling up all trip-related information from your inbox—hotel receipts, car reservations, maps, flight confirmations etc. The best part of the app is that it also works offline. Once you’ve downloaded everything onto your phone, you have access to all the necessary info no matter where you are so you don’t have to use an expensive international data plan. After signing in, the app will show you a list of upcoming and already completed trips. Tap into a future trip and discover a colorful grid with these options: Reservations This feature organizes your flights, hotel information and any rental car reservations you may have made. It puts all your reservations in one place. If you click on an upcoming flight, for example, it gives you the times plus the terminal and gate as available. For hotels and hostels, Trips also shows a map. Things to do This section is the heart of the app. It compiles user data and reviews to offer you a list of things to see in a city...

Travel Leaders Group, the largest traditional travel agency in North America, released the 2017 Business Travel Trends survey. More than 540 agents participated in the survey, each with a portfolio composed of at least 50 percent business travel clients. The survey highlights industry trends as well as business travelers’ leading concerns. The business travel sector is projected to remain strong with 86% of agents expecting bookings to remain “as high or higher” than the same time last year. With potential growth in mind, industry professionals search for ways to improve the traveler experience. Top Concerns Each year, agents reported the top travel three concerns for their clients. The chart below reflects changes from year to year.   While agents can do very little to ease difficulties within the airlines and TSA, they have committed to tackling the problems within their reach. Agents reported that they are most able to address or mitigate the following concerns for corporate travelers: Delayed flights 48.6% Making sure someone has their back 39.2% Earning frequent flyer/loyalty points 32.3% Limited airline seat availability 28.7% Travel costs 25.1% Wish Lists Skift, the nation’s largest industry intelligence platform, created the Supertraveler’s Wish List this year. Beyond the woes of airlines and agents, this list hones in on what business travelers seek on a personal level. The most sought-after features include better apps for hotels and improved retail in and around accommodations. Those are great additions for short term stays. But for travelers on assignment for several weeks or months, more is needed to help them feel comfortable. Corporate housing provides a more permanent feel than hotels—but they rarely get it right. Beyond pots and pans in the kitchen, corporate housing fails to address personal needs. Yardi has created a travelers’ wish list to...

Traveling long distances is no longer a burden for a few people. Almost all airlines offer relaxing areas and peaceful lobbies, but some have taken lounges to a whole new level of sophistication. So premium passengers do not get special treatment only in the sky, but also on ground. Access to a plethora of luxurious amenities varies from one airline to another – you may have to book a certain class of travel, pay a fee or use mileage points. These extravagant lounges make crappy sandwiches and people talking too loud on their phones seem like they’re from a different world. Bon voyage! Air France’s La Premiere Lounge, Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport Going to Paris is everyone’s hidden yearning, so Paris cannot afford to disappoint. This is probably the way airlines think as Air France’s La Premiere lounge in Charles De Gaulle Airport will certainly become part of an unforgettable experience. The minimalist design, the red mood lighting in the bar, the deluxe shower rooms and private relaxation suites with daybeds contribute to a pre-boarding privileged treatment. Biologique Recherche, an exclusivist spa, pampers even the most pedant passengers by offering tailor-made services meant to alleviate stress, jet lag, dehydration and the heavy legs effect. The lounge includes a library, stocked with newspapers and a wide selection of books and magazines. Michelin-starred chef Alan Ducasse’s menu completes the lounge experience with finger-licking French dishes. Staff can assist by creating a schedule that maximizes on the lounge’s amenities. (Pictured right, photo courtesy of Air France website) Etihad Airways’ Business Class Lounge at New York’s JFK International Airport This 7,500-square-foot lounge is considered to be one of the most luxurious lounges in the U.S. The unique travel environment reflects twenty-first century Abu Dhabi modernism and embodies...

If two travelers had a 17-hour layover in your airport, would the news excite them? If you can’t immediately say “yes,” your airport still has work to do. We’ve got a few service and marketing tactics sites of sizes that can make the experience more appealing. Engage Before Arrival Create the travel experience before travellers pack their bags. Instagram is a good starting place. The app is praised for generating high engagement for travel brands. Use the feed to inspire travel plans, highlight features at the airport and give an otherwise impersonal industry a personal touch. Check out these travel brands that are getting it right on Instagram. Monitor Instagram and other social media platform to identify travelers. Hootsuite and other analytics services offer tools that make monitoring and filtering hashtags easier for businesses. By identifying travelers (and users with travel plans) you can open the door to a wide range of personalized, direct engagement. This human interaction builds priceless brand loyalty. For example, travelers often post updates throughout the journey, including pictures at the airport with site-specific hashtags. Your team can then connect with the use to get an idea of why they are traveling and their interests. Team members can make recommend attractions and amenities, or direct them to the welcome center for your city. Even if the user isn’t flying with you during this trip, you have created a relationship that will put you on their radar next time they book a flight. Added bonus: you’ll also make an impact on the traveler’s followers Don’t let the mobile experience stop with social media. Pulsate reports that by 2017, 10 percent of airlines revenue will be driven through mobile. That’s approximately $70 billion in revenues.  Creating a strong mobile presence will increase...

Bing is far from being one of the popular kids on the internet playground. But here’s some good news: Bing has updated Bing Maps with the option to view 35,000 live traffic cameras in 11 unnamed countries including the US and Spain. Pretty cool, no? This looks like a helpful tool in checking major roads for congestion before hitting the road. Moreover, the feature ties into the Clearflow traffic prediction algorithm which was launched in mid-November. The move points to Bing Maps planning on becoming a strong competitor to Google Maps; Microsoft’s traffic service is well aware of the fact that it needs to offer what the competition doesn’t have if it wants to lure Google loyalists. However, Microsoft doesn’t want to force-feed the new service, thus those who are not interested in the camera feeds can toggle the feature off—this will hide the camera icons on the maps. To access the traffic camera feature, users need to first download the Bing Maps app and then with a simple tap of the Traffic button (at the top of the app) they can study the traffic levels. Viewing multiple cameras at the same time is also possible, causing the screen to divide into smaller windows. The user has the ability to configure a specific route, too. This way, the app will help peruse through the cameras that are on the path. Bing Maps separates traffic levels in four color-coded categories: green for no traffic, yellow for light traffic, orange for moderate traffic, and red for heavy traffic. Having access to this piece of information from the traffic cameras will make each and every driver plan a better, quicker route to their destination. Furthermore, users can compare traffic cameras in the area by going to the...

Which do you value most during a flight: peace and quiet or the ability to get more work done? Business travelers across the globe may have to ask (and answer) that question when booking their next flight. The Federal Communications Commission has proposed to lift its ban on in-flight cellular communications. This means chatting it up and conducting business at 5,000 feet. A poll by the Federal Aviation Administration reveals that 61 percent of people are in favor of keeping the ban right where it is. Travelers applauded the arrival of in-flight internet. The provision opened the doors for leisure and business travelers alike to entertain themselves with their tablets, smartphones and laptops. No more making awkward small talk with the stranger sitting next to you, or suffering with a teething baby during a transatlantic flight. Hulu Plus could rescue us all. But maybe the FCC has taken in-flight communication a step too far with phone calls. With the addition of earphones, enjoying the features of most mobile devices does not impose on other travelers. Phone calls, however, will necessarily increase noise levels and create more scenarios for friction between passengers. The topic, duration, volume, and language used during conversations will no longer be limited to the few passengers sitting around the device user. The conversation can exist between the device user, nearby passengers and everyone else in their social circles. A 55-passenger flight can easily sound like a 110-passenger flight, or more if someone gets creative with a video conference call. That’s a lot of noise. Added noise is only one level of concern. The second is the end of in-flight rest. It could be said that a long flight would at least allow time for a catnap or even a full on...

As busy as business travel might feel, it can actually be a sedentary lifestyle. After hours of sitting on a plane  and munching airport food snacks, we shuffle into a cab. Then we chug coffee while sitting in meetings for hours. To wrap up the day, we go out to restaurants for dinner and cocktails before repeating it all the next week—or the next day. It takes a concerted effort to stay healthy when travel consumes much of our schedules. Making healthier decisions during travel can carry a great impact. We can minimize stress levels, improve our physical health, and ultimately decrease healthcare costs for ourselves and our companies. These healthier decisions usually start off small (and sustainable) before growing into lifestyle changes that can improve our well-being. Looking for a place to start? Begin with a few fun tips for staying healthy on the road. Airplane cabins have a relative humidly of less than 10 percent. That’s more arid than the Sahara! Low humidity and recirculated air lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration causes fatigue and limits our ability to concentrate. Beat the odds by drinking at least 8 ounces of water for every hour that you’re in flight. That awkward little travel pillow is worth the space. Take the pillow and enjoy a nap. Good rest helps to rejuvenate the mind and the body. We can see health benefits with as little as 10-30 minutes of nap time. Pack healthy snacks into your travel on.  Healthy snacks that are high in fiber and vitamins provide energy for our bodies and enable us to fight off sickness. They also keep our metabolism active throughout the day. That Vegas buffet can be a nightmare for any professional who is attempting to stay healthy. Two...

The holiday season is official upon us. Whether you’re traveling near or far to visit friends and family this year, there are dozens of smartphone apps you can download to help you get where you’re going – and help you navigate a new city once you get there. Here are a few recommended apps to download before you hit the road – or fly the friendly skies: Kayak:  An excellent all around app from a website that’s been around for almost a decade now.  Search for last minute flights, hotels, car rentals. (iOS or Android) The nice thing about Kayak is that you can also search travel site competitors including Expedia, Priceline, Hotwire, and Hotels.com. Hipmunk: Similar to Kayak, you can search for hotels and flights but an added convenience is the way they present the data in an organized timeline so it’s easy to read and compare with your schedule. Plus, once you choose your ideal travel itinerary, it easily integrates with Google calendar so you have it on the go. (iOS or Android) The Weather Channel: Unlike the free weather app that may have come on your phone, The Weather Channel app provides detailed 10 day forecasts. With ultra-local forcasts and animated radar, it’s an excellent free upgrade option. (iOS or Android)   Road Ninja: In need of fuel for your car or your family? Download Road Ninja (iOS or Android) to see what’s coming up on the next exits. (iOS or Android)   HopStop:  If you’re in the city this week and using public transportation for your travel needs then HopStop is your one stop shop. With information from more than 62 major cities, it’s a complete guide to public transportation, walking directions, taxis, and car rentals.  (iOS or Android) There are endless...