CONTACT: Caleb Tiller | 703-684-0836 ext. 38
Alexandria, VA (October 29, 2004) -- The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is telling readers of Fortune magazine and Fortune Small Business (FSB) about the value travel managers bring to their companies and the importance of managed travel.
NBTA partnered with Fortune on a business travel special section in the November 2004 issue entitled “Road Rules.” The section features an NBTA advertisement highlighting the value of managed travel programs. A call-out box on the facing page called “Travel Sense” provides an explanation based on the comments of NBTA President and CEO Carol A. Devine, CCTE, as to why readers should work with their corporate travel departments, rather than booking business travel on their own. The opening page of the special section showcases the NBTA logo.
“Part of NBTA’s mission is to promote awareness among corporate executives and business travelers of how companies benefit from the expertise of travel managers, and to show companies that are not strategically managing their travel programs that they should be doing so,” said Devine. “With Fortune and Fortune Small Business we are able to reach a large audience of readers focused on business and finance topics in publications they trust.”
The ad in Fortune features a CEO at an airport who speaks directly to the reader about his company’s travel needs: “AS CEO, I need to ensure that we can get the job done, no matter where that job is. Our managed travel program gives me confidence that our employees travel efficiently and maximize the value of every trip. Bottom line: Our employees get the job done, and the company gets the most out of every travel dollar.”
The ad goes on to list ways in which managed travel programs benefit corporations:
- Creating savings through negotiated contracts
- Mitigating risk with a centralized source of information on all traveling employees
- Maximizing the value of every travel dollar
- Giving employees confidence and peace of mind.
Readers are encouraged to visit NBTA.org to learn more about the value travel management brings to their organizations. Visitors to the site will see a thumbnail image of the ad and will be invited to click for more information. The link will lead readers to an article on NBTA.org about the Value of Travel Management.
A copy of Fortune will be mailed to each NBTA member in North America.
A special business travel section in the November issue of FSB explains the value travel management can bring to small businesses. The section is focused on how small businesses can get the most for their travel dollar. In the opening paragraphs, NBTA’s Devine is quoted as saying, “With an improving economy and an upswing in travel, travel costs are on the rise and are expected to continue increasing. Now more than ever small businesses can realize significant cost savings by implementing a managed travel program that allows employees to do their jobs (rather than spending time researching travel options) and also uses the company’s consolidated travel data to negotiate the best rates.”
The advertisement and editorial copy in the Fortune and FSB special sections are part of NBTA’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the value of travel management. In June, a similar NBTA ad ran in the business edition of Time magazine. Through its media relations program, NBTA also highlights travel management in the editorial content of business and consumer publications. For a recent success, see an October 4 Newsweek story called “If Only the Travel Itself Were Easy.” The article says, “Travel management has become big business, as companies realize they waste too many resources letting their executive road warriors make their own reservations. Last month the National Business Travel Association had its biggest conference to date, with more than 400 exhibitors peddling solutions to business customers.” When NBTA launches its redesigned website next month, visitors will have access to a listing of this and other news stories featuring NBTA.
The National Business Travel Association is the source for critical information on the business travel industry. For more than 35 years, NBTA has dedicated itself to the professional development of its members through advocacy, education and training, and networking opportunities. NBTA represents over 2,500 corporate travel managers and travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than $170 billion of expenditures within the business travel industry.
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