It’s Time to Get Away

Stats from the Business Traveler
• Direct spending on business travel by domestic and international travelers, including expenditures on meetings, events and incentive programs (ME&I), totaled $214.7 billion in 2009.
• Meetings, Events and Incentives travel accounted for $84.7 billion of all business travel spending.
• U.S. residents logged 432 million person‑trips for business purposes in 2009, with more than one-third (35%) for meetings and events.
• For every dollar invested in business travel, businesses benefit from an average of $12.50 in increased revenue and $3.80 in new profits (Oxford Economics).

Distributor Tips & Advice
"We are seeing a lot of customized kits whose contents depend on the function of the company. A lot of these customers want to put together a travel kit for their customers with components are unique to what their services require." - Courtney Jordan, sales and marketing coordinator, Leashables by OraLabs Inc., Parker, Co.

"Include a giveaway item as part of a travel package promotion to lure people to the property. For example, a robe giveaway with a three-day minimum stay." - Laura Lewis, sales and marketing manager, 
Boca Terry, Deerfield Beach, Fl.

"Although green products took a hit since the recession, we see hotels, resorts and transportation companies continuing to promote their green properties, LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certifications and advancements in saving energy." - Roni Wright, MAS, vice president, 
The Book Company, Delray Beach, Fl.

"Give end-buyers more bang for their buck. Cross-merchandise your products and don't feel like anything is out of bounds. Travelers like to be wowed and a lot of times it can be done with packaging and cross-pollinating products that previously you wouldn't have considered." - Shawn Kanak, vice president of sales, Towel Specialties, Baltimore, Md.

"Try contacting the marketing departments [and] not just the hospitality department, because marketing often offers room drop gifts for their corporate group clients. They go through a lot of products in giveaways." - Laura Lewis, Sales and Marketing Manager, 
Boca Terry, Deerfield Beach, Fl.