Introducing the latest myCWT product and service enhancements
Building on our digital, omnichannel myCWT platform, our new products and services will simplify travel management for you and your employees – anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
Note: Featured services may not be available in your country at this time. Please reach out to your CWT representative for more details.
Hear from Chief Product Officer, Erica Antony as she shares the key product highlights of 2024, along with the key areas driving innovation.
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2040: Baseline, Boom or Bust
As we enter an era of rapid transformation and unprecedented challenges, it is essential for travel managers, meeting & event planners, and corporate decision-makers to look ahead and frame our current strategic thinking with a clear vision of the future. Business travel and meetings and events (M&E) are poised for significant change over the next decade and a half, driven by a complex interplay of sustainability goals, technological advancements, evolving work models, and geopolitical dynamics.
In this paper to mark the 10th anniversary of our Global Business Travel Forecast, we explore, for the first time, a long-term vision of the future and potential trajectories through three distinct scenarios, each offering insights into how these forces should affect policy-making, budgeting and priorities. By examining these scenarios, we can better understand the diverse possibilities that lie ahead and the strategic imperatives required to thrive in each potential future.
Based on trajectory data analysis and interviews with industry leaders, behaviorists and climate tech founders, this forward-looking approach enables us to anticipate changes, strengthen our strategies, and make informed decisions that align long-term objectives. It is through this lens of foresight and adaptability that we can build resilience, seize opportunities, and navigate the complexities of the future.
We invite you to reflect on the insights presented, and consider how your organization can prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Together we can ensure that travel and meetings remain catalysts for growth, scalability and sustainable practices.
- Scenario development is both an art and a science
- Megatrends Shaping the Future of Business Travel, Meetings and Events
- Sustainability goals the new crux of corporate policy
- Technology Revolutionizes Travel Management
- Modern work models spark new travel patterns
- Changing demographics open doors to new opportunities
- Three Scenarios: Base case, boom and bust
- Future-proofing strategies
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CWT GBTA Global business travel forecast 2025
When it comes to pricing, global business travel has finally reached an enduring, higher baseline. Prices will continue to rise in 2025, but only moderately, so expect a period of normalized growth.
However, this pricing environment, one of marginal gains and price regularity, is fragile. Global leisure travel has now realized a lot of its pent-up demand, while corporate travel has been resurgent, with 2024 edging at preCovid levels.
There are many factors at play, whether its volatile oil prices, labor costs and constraints, inflationary pressures, and geopolitical factors. As this elevated baseline edges upwards, albeit marginally, travel budgets will come under increased scrutiny, especially as travel patterns and attitudes change.
It’s why business travel can’t be viewed in a silo, and the true value to an organization must be fully realized. This forecast can help with those calculations.
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Capitalize on emerging technologies in corporate travel
Technological advancements are accelerating at an unprecedented pace. How will emerging innovations like Generative AI, blockchain, and self-sovereign identity (SSI) transform corporate travel?
BTN and CWT probed global CEOs, travel managers, industry consultants and tech experts on the promises, questions, and expectations these innovations raise and how they are set to reshape traveler experience, cost control and service delivery in corporate travel and events.
Download and discover
- The technologies that will have the greatest impact on corporate travel in the next 2-5 years
- How these emerging technologies are poised to control costs, enhance service and security, and boost efficiency
- The critical challenges, opportunities, risks and roadblocks each innovation raises
- What travel managers, buyers and experts anticipate from these innovations
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How to increase hotel compliance with hotel loyalty points
Based on a 2019 GBTA study, 37% of hotel bookings are made outside channel, which is more than double air leakage rate (15%).
Why?
Travel buyers say loyalty drives non-compliance.
And…
3 in 10 travelers are willing to sacrifice safety for hotel loyalty and reward incentives.
So, how do you get loyalty to work for you instead of against you?
Instead of competing with offers like these, offer loyalty promotions in-channel with your preferred partners.
How does it work?
Loyalty Booster awards travelers bonus hotel loyalty points or miles for booking your preferred partner in-channel.
CWT partners with suppliers to get additional points and miles for travelers.
We run limited-time Loyalty Booster campaigns to reward travelers for booking in channel.
Travelers earn bonus points or miles.
Participate in Loyalty Booster by CWT
Loyalty Booster by CWT is an exclusive, campaign-based program that awards travelers additional Loyalty Points and miles just for booking their company’s corporate preferred hotels in-channel.
We’ve made it so easy for you and your travelers to participate that you literally have two steps to take.
Step 1:
Say yes if you want to participate in a supplier campaign. You are automatically opted into campaigns unless you do not want to participate and your program manager has likely already identified your preferred brands.
When a campaign is available for one of those brands, we’ll let you know. We email your travelers the good news and promote the campaign in booking channels.
Step 2:
Post or share the email and intranet copy we sent you and wait for results.
When a campaign is available for one of those brands, we’ll let you know. We email your travelers the good news and promote the campaign in booking channels.
Optional Step 3
Measure traveler satisfaction before and after. Did it go up?
What about my travelers?
If they don’t have a hotel loyalty number on their CWT profile, then they will need to add it. Otherwise, they just need to book in-program, and we’ll automatically reward their account following their stay
The Results
CWT offered travelers 1,000 bonus hotel loyalty points per eligible booking for two months. The results:
When a campaign is available for one of those brands, we’ll let you know. We email your travelers the good news and promote the campaign in booking channels.
More Good News
- Exclusive program for CWT clients
- No cost to participate
- No work for you
- You choose the supplier
Recap
Loyalty booster used the hotel loyalty rewards your travelers already love to improve program compliance. These bonus points and miles can be applied to any rates, including your corporate negotiated rate, and the program never incentivizes higher prices. It does, however, shift overnight stay volume to your preferred suppliers, thus improving your future negotiating position.
Best of all, Loyalty Booster costs nothing and requires no work from you. RoomIt sets up the campaigns, messages travelers, promotes campaigns within booking tools, and automatically bonuses the points directly into your traveler’s hotel loyalty reward accounts after booking.
Sources:
GBTA/Concur, Lost in Translation white paper, August 2018
GBTA 2018 Convention Poll
CWT Safety & Security Study 2018, Artemis Research Group -
Shifting the paradigm of the business traveler
At the recent ACTE Global Summit in New York, a forum for business travel industry executives, we facilitated several sessions to provide strategic guidance around next practices in travel that will provide enhanced traveler experiences.
You may ask what the meeting experts could possibly lend in terms of guidance or advice at a corporate travel summit? Well, we have a unique view on this challenge and a perspective that might shift the paradigm.
It starts with a simple concept… the business traveler is actually the meeting attendee. Let that settle in for a bit. The business traveler for whom we all want to provide an enhanced experience is actually the very same person as the meeting attendee.
Let us explain. On any given week, let’s say ‘Joe’ is our business traveler and he books his next trip to visit a key client. The next week, he’s been invited to a leadership meeting and again must book travel. Two different trip purposes – but the very same traveler/attendee. Two different bookings, with likely two different experiences.
The reality for most corporations is that the booking experience for an individual business traveler is dramatically different than that of the meeting attendee. For Joe, this can’t be the best experience – two different booking processes, perhaps two different technologies, the payment process and form may vary, itineraries will be different, etc.
How then can we provide the best possible experience for Joe if we force him to use different processes based on the type of trip he is taking? The answer is that we can’t possibly optimize his experience without addressing this reality.
So what is the answer? A consolidated travel strategy across both business travel and meetings! If we designed an end-to-end seamless process for Joe for any type of trip he needs to take, we will not only enhance his experience – but also receive a bonus buy in the process!
The bonus comes in the form of additional benefit – to both Joe and to the travel manager. Joe is more likely to follow the company travel policy and process, and the journey is personalized and customized to his needs.
Compliance to the program will increase, use of preferred technologies and payment tools will grow, and the safety and security protocols usually in place for just business travel will automatically be extended to all meeting attendees. So Joe is happier and safer, the travel manager is increasing value to the corporation, and everyone wins!
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The wait list – 5 routes to travel zen
I was recently approached by a journalist to comment on the findings of a Booking.com survey that names flight delays and cancellations as the primary causes of stress for Argentinian business travelers. 57% of respondents from my country experience anxiety. They’re not alone. The same survey revealed that 93% of business travelers worldwide worry about the logistics of business travel.
Being a frequent traveler myself, I know the importance of having access to cutting-edge technology, and the best people behind it. If something occurs, I have complete peace of mind knowing that I can get the help I need, fast.
Let me share with you some other tips I use to get around potential complications, so I can focus on what’s important.
- Factor in buffer time – If your meeting is crucial, arrive at your destination well in advance, and leave enough of a margin on either side of your appointment. I normally fly the day before an important meeting so that if there’s a delay or cancellation, I can find a suitable alternative.
- Know who can help you – Keep your travel management company’s contact details to hand. There are an awful lot of variables that can affect your trip. It’s important that you have someone to contact immediately if something goes wrong.
- Know your policy – Your company will have a travel policy that covers delays and cancellations but they can’t help you if you’re not aware of the policy, or re-book outside of it.
- Avoid transit trouble – Keep an eye on your connecting time. Can you get to your next plane even if the first one is delayed? Are there later flights that you can book in case you miss your connection? Knowing this information will help you to avoid getting stuck midway.
- Use travel apps – In case of delays, an app like CWT To Go, our awarded mobile app is an invaluable resource. It lets me search alternative flights, as well as get updates and alerts on changing itineraries. Another feature I adore is the ability to share updates. If I’m going to be late, I can email my new schedule to clients, colleagues, and family.
- Factor in buffer time – If your meeting is crucial, arrive at your destination well in advance, and leave enough of a margin on either side of your appointment. I normally fly the day before an important meeting so that if there’s a delay or cancellation, I can find a suitable alternative.
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Latin loyalty: Your guide to incentive trips
Most travel enthusiasts have at least one Latin American destination on their bucket list. The region has it all: ancient cultures, tongue-tingling cuisine, and ever-smiling people.
Visiting the region on an incentive trip can add an extra dimension to the destinations we know and love. According to our report, 2018 Meetings & Events Future Trends, taking your staff somewhere memorable is key to boosting motivation and morale. Let me take you on a journey to eight of the most unforgettable spots in my region.
Tulum, Mexico 1. Coast along in Tulum
Our first stop is one of the 31 most beautiful beaches in the world, according to National Geographic. Tulum, on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, is a natural paradise that offers Mayan ruins, subterranean swimming holes, a seashore filled with breath-taking resorts and a pueblo, a traditional village where groups can bond over one of the attractions Mexico is most famous for: having a fiesta.
2. Zip across the rainforest in Costa Rica
Tulum is not the only magical coast in Latin America. Our second stop is Costa Rica. Known as the land of diversity, it’s home to 60 volcanoes, including Arenal, the most active in the country. Too much for you? Try a jungle safari or fly through the rainforest on a canopy zip line. 90% of the animals and 50% of the plant species live in the upper levels of the trees here.
Costa Rica 3. Be seduced by the cobblestone streets of Cartagena
For those who prefer a more peaceful stay, few places are as welcoming as Cartagena de Indias, the port city on Colombia’s Caribbean Coast. Add up 1760km of turquoise beaches, colonial architecture, and discoteca-tastic nightlife and what you get is a destination that has something for everyone. Sample the flavors of traditional cuisine with a farewell dinner, overlooking the 16th century walls of the old town. You will leave feeling like the most notorious Colombian (sorry Shakira!), the novelist Gabriel García Márquez, who said, “It was enough for me to take a step inside the wall to see it in all its grandeur in the mauve light of six in the evening, and I could not repress the feeling of having been born again.”
4. See the world differently on the Galapagos Islands
For our next stop, let’s go back to the start. A province of Ecuador, these islands are a breath of fresh air. Just ask Darwin. The legendary scientist developed the theory of evolution, observing birds here. Northeast of Puerto Ayora, groups can visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. Run by more than 200 scientists and research volunteers, it’s dedicated to preserving the ecosystem – including a captive breeding program for giant tortoises.
5. Explore the lost city of the Incas at Machu Picchu
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu combines the wisdom of ancient Inca with mystical landscapes and fresh Peruvian dishes like ceviche.
Stretched over 13 square kilometers, you can spend hours discovering the sites, but if you want that Instagram-worthy view, climb Huayna Pichu.
Machu Picchu, Peru 6. Samba ‘til dawn in Rio de Janeiro
It’s hard to say ‘Copacabana’ without singing that Barry Manilow song, or to talk about Rio at all, without shimmying or singing. Rio de Janeiro is where your team will come alive, whether you join the two million that arrive for Carnival every year, or visit during a quieter period. As you wander the streets, bursting with music and color, the 124-foot El Cristo Redentor will watch over you, in this most awe-inspiring of cities.
Rio de Janeiro 7. Dance the tango in Buenos Aires
Tired of Samba? Let’s fly to Buenos Aires, the city of cambalache. A combination of European grandeur and laidback Latin vibes, Argentina’s capital is home to El Tango, the world’s most sensual dance. It’s best experienced at its birthplace on the streets of La Boca. After you’ve taken in a dance, take your team to the Teatro Colón opera house. And if the bewitching throats of lyrical singers are not really your thing, try the Garganta del Diablo (the devil’s throat) waterfall, at Iguazu falls. It’s best when illuminated solely by the moon.
8. Go off the beaten track in the southern Chilean Patagonia
Discover Torres del Paine National Park in the southern Chilean Patagonia, named after three distinctive granite peaks. Alternatively, travel far to Rapa Nui, the Easter Island. It’s famous for being covered with hundreds of giant statues. Each weighing several tons and some standing more than 30-feet tall, they’re shrouded in mystery. Who built them and how did they get there? Nobody knows for sure. It has even been suggested that aliens played a role in their construction.
Whether you’re an alien or earthling, choose Latin America for your incentive trip. You’ll leave saying “Veni, Vidi, Amavi.” That’s the other Latin for “I came, I saw, I loved.”
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Carlson Wagonlit Travel reports strong 2017 performance
CWT 3.0 digital transformation strategy gains traction
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), the global travel management company, today reported a strong performance in 2017, the first full year of its digital transformation strategy, CWT 3.0.
“2017 was the year our digital transformation strategy – CWT 3.0 – started feeding through to the numbers,” said Kurt Ekert, President & CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. “We remain focused on delivering a technology-driven, consumer-grade experience across all channels – and on building a high-growth hotel distribution business. Our 2017 results show our strategy is working.”
Highlights for the year ended 31 December 2017:
Financial*
- Contracted new sales** – US$ 1.7bn
- Total transaction volume + 3.6% – US$ 23.2bn
- Revenues + 1.9% – US$ 1.4bn
Operational
- Grew transactions 1.5% to 60m
- Delivered a new travel technology platform, myCWT, to drive digital products
- Increased investment in technology by 61%
- Launched RoomIt by CWT, the hotel-focused proposition – an industry first for a TMC
- Passed the 1m download milestone for CWT To Go
- Secured 10% increase in the number of corporate meetings and events business
CWT reported a strong financial performance for 2017, with transaction volume up 3.6%, revenues up 1.9%, and US$1.7bn in contracted new sales, due to particularly robust growth in Asia-Pacific and the Americas.
In 2017, CWT became the first TMC to build and launch its own hotel distribution business, RoomIt by CWT. This is the first TMC-developed hotel-focused proposition, designed to provide travelers with rooms, rates, amenities and loyalty programs, by integrating retail and corporate-negotiated hotel rates with those from a number of other large hotel content providers. During 2017, year-on-year hotel revenue growth was up 13%, underlining the importance of better content and hotel booking capabilities.
2017 saw the successful transfer of myCWT, the company’s proprietary travel booking portal, onto a single, self-contained platform, owned and operated by CWT. The move is part of CWT 3.0, enabling the delivery of new products more quickly and easily, and providing customers with a better service and more innovation.
CWT also passed the one-millionth registered user milestone for the mobile app, CWT To Go, and began trialing air booking capabilities.
In addition to the main business travel offering, CWT operates four specialist services, all of which delivered notable successes during the period:
CWT Energy, Resources & Marine delivers specific travel needs for clients operating in the oil and gas, mining, maritime and alternative energies industries. 2017 revenues remained stable compared to 2016, as industry conditions started to recover.
CWT Meetings & Events helps clients with creating and managing meetings and events while enabling them to control and reduce their related expenditures. In 2017 revenues increased by 6% and the team organized almost 38,500 meetings and events (around 105 each day), up 10% on 2016.
CWT Solutions Group helps deliver travel procurement efficiencies through innovations in supplier sourcing, data intelligence, traveler management and mobility. In 2017, the team achieved 11.9% revenue growth and notable developments included the launch of a Mandarin version of CWT AnalytIQs, the proprietary business intelligence and reporting product for travel managers.
RoomIt by CWT provides access to hotel rooms, rates, amenities, and personalized promotions, while helping organizations control their budget and improve travel oversight. Following its formal launch in July 2017, RoomIt has already gained clients independent of CWT’s business travel offering.
*Excluding international partner network, but including JVs
** Annualized contracted new sales, excluding renewals, but including joint ventures, with no comparative to prior year.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected. We provide their travelers with a consumer-grade travel experience, combining innovative technology with our vast experience. Every day, we look after enough travelers to fill more than 260 Boeing 787s and 100,000 hotel rooms – and handle 105 events. We operate in around 150 countries, and in 2017 posted a total transaction volume of more than US$ 23 billion.
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Carlson Wagonlit Travel appoints Susan Thompson as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the global travel management company, today announced the appointment of Susan Thompson to Vice President and Assistant General Counsel. Susan will have global management responsibility for legal team members in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Susan will report to Lauren Aste, Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, and will be based in Minneapolis.
“Susan’s passion and expertise is a winning combination to take our commercial contracting processes and legal support for our HR and Traveler Services teams to the next level,” said Lauren Aste. “I am thrilled to have her in this role and know she will succeed leading our team around the world.”
Susan earned her undergraduate degree and her law degree from the University of Iowa before beginning a career in private legal practice in 1997. Susan went on to hold multiple legal roles at Boston Scientific and Astora Women’s Health. She also has experience as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota, Employment Law Division and as a Judicial Clerk with the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Susan joined CWT in November 2016 as Senior Director & Associate General Counsel with primary oversight for the Americas legal team.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected. We provide their travelers with a consumer-grade travel experience, combining innovative technology with our vast experience. Every day we look after enough travelers to fill almost 200 Boeing 747s and around 100,000 hotel rooms, and handle 95 corporate events. We have more than 18,000 people in nearly 150 countries.
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Plan and protect: How to safeguard your event
The landscape and importance of security in the Meetings & Events industry have changed drastically in the past few years.
To be adequately prepared planners must make safety and security a core part of the planning and event management process.
It is imperative that safety and security controls are living documents contextual to the unique events they are designed to support. There is no one-size-fits-all security protocol. That noted, there are five tips that every planner can benefit from adopting:
1. Perform a risk assessment and develop an emergency action plan
Effective safety planning starts with a risk-assessment and understanding the potential risk of your event. This includes evaluating the location, the venue, their safety and security policies, the profile of the event, the number of attendees and their respective profiles.
With this information, you can begin to document your emergency action plan and collaborate with security representatives from your organization, and the venue. You should be asking for evacuation plans, document the location of emergency exits, have a Crisis Communication Plan and a Contingency Plan should power or cellular communication become disrupted. In addition, you must have a medical support plan with knowledge and proximity to hospitals, and their specific locations.
2. Build safety and security into your event budget
Dependent upon your risk assessment and the profile of your event, you may require additional security personnel onsite. Consider the quality of security personnel and their event experience when evaluating private security. The quality has a direct correlation to price. In addition, your event may require or benefit from enhanced registration technology, having satellite phones on-hand, as well as the presence of IT security, in addition to IT support.
3. IT Support does not equal IT Security
Data security and brand management is perhaps the most significant risk your event faces independent of the size or profile. Event planners often assume that having IT Support from their organization or a supporting production company has them covered. Remember that the goal of IT Support is to provide access to the network and ensure that attendees have the appropriate bandwidth. IT Security is about limiting access and putting protocols in place that mitigate risk during your event. Both have a valuable, but distinctly different role, and should be considered for all types of events.
4. Re-evaluate event credentialing
Often the most overlooked element of event security is the effective use and management of credentials. It is important to have on-site staff trained to look for credentials and to limit access to those with the appropriate badging. It is equally important for an organization to evaluate the distribution of credentials. This may be overstating the obvious, but displaying name badges on a table in an alphabetical order exposes your event to significant risk.
5. Enlist expert advice
Above all, seek expert advice. There are numerous security organizations and event management companies who specialize in security and safety. These experts understand how to evaluate your needs and limit risk. As you evaluate their references, it is also important to make sure they are properly insured.
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Hotel program compliance
Keep your travelers in-program
Keeping travelers in-program starts with making sure travelers’ needs are met.
On average, travel buyers say one-third of hotel bookings are non-compliant. 73% of travelers also told Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), “Finding a hotel near my location is the most challenging aspect of booking hotels in my corporate travel program.”
Location. Location. Location.
Seventy-three percent of travelers told Global Business Travel Association (GBTA),
“Finding a hotel near my location is the most challenging aspect of booking hotels
in my corporate travel program.”Simply turn on access to RoomIt’s hotel content and give your travelers access to
business-appropriate accommodations in over 73,000 cities worldwide. In addition
to GDS content, we offer specially negotiated RoomIt Rates that pair discounts of
up to 20% with high-value amenities like last room availability, WiFi, and same-day
cancellation.Travelers can also book accommodations available through third-party booking
sites (i.e. Booking.com and Expedia Partner Solutions) right in your corporate
booking channelsCommunicate and educate.
Sixty-two percent of travel buyers report providing education on travel policy to
travelers; however, most travelers say they don’t see it.
If you’ve been hesitant to send travelers direct communications,
you might want to reconsider.- Use Program Messenger to communicate to your travelers – available via email
and text (SMS). A variety of templates are available, making communication clear
and easy. Plus, clients lower their travel program costs 4-7% in the first year
of use. - Leverage the Missing Hotel Email functionality which automatically sends an
email to travelers that book air or rail without a hotel. Ten percent of travelers book
a hotel after opening the email. - Post your hotel program policy, along with company news and more on myCWT.
It’s easy to update and provides need-to-know information to a captive audience.
Reward and recognition.
Seventy-one percent of travelers believe they deserve loyalty points for traveling. If
you’re looking to bring travelers back into your program, you’ll need an incentive.
Rewarding travelers is easier than ever with our Loyalty Booster campaigns. Simply
speak to your CWT representative for more information.Use this checklist of CWT tools to support hotel program compliance.
- Use myCWT
- Turn on myCWT hotel booking to get access to the full breadth of RoomIt content
- Use Program Messenger
- Send Missing Hotel Emails
- Share your hotel program policy on myCWT
- Participate in Loyalty Booster campaigns for your preferred suppliers
Questions? Contact your CWT Representative.
- Use Program Messenger to communicate to your travelers – available via email
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Barcelona – An unforgettable event
An unforgettable event is a bit like a work of art. Once you experience it, it has the power to change your perception. Every artist needs a workshop to create a mind-bending painting, and every event needs a destination that caters to its own unique requirements.
As you propose a toast on the soaring rooftop of a modern hotel like the Novotel Barcelona City or the Pullman Barcelona Skipper while the city comes alight, you’ll realize it’s no coincidence that the vibrant city that inspired the masterful minds of Joan Miró and Antoni Gaudí has risen through the ranks to become the third biggest destination in meetings tourism worldwide.
A world apart
If the city is your workshop, the venue is like a sturdy canvas. For an immersive landscape, the surrealists at CWT Meetings & Events recommend the luxurious Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I, which shares a complex with one of Barcelona’s biggest conference centers and 19th century gardens, as the medium to truly transport you to a world apart.
Boasting nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites – seven are works by the city’s most famous son Antoni Gaudi, including the world famous yet unfinished Sagrada Familia. Spain’s most visited landmark and an undisputed symbol of Barcelona
Is never far away
With Barcelona’s abundant air, rail, and even sea connections, nothing stands between event attendees from around the world and creativity on the Catalan coast.
A natural choice
Barcelona’s dedication to sustainable tourism shows up in all aspects of life, from the ubiquitous green spaces all the way to the fresh, locally-sourced food. After all, the greatest works of art are inspired by nature. Shouldn’t yours be?
On the Mediterranean coast but with a distinct city feel, Barcelona offers something for everyone and hosting meetings and events here will tantalise attendees. With an abundance of venues to host your meetings, and attractions such as the city’s great architecture, famous pedestrian boulevard Las Ramblas, and renowned football team FC Barcelona and their 99,000 capacity Camp Nou, it is sure to impress even your pickiest attendees.
Is an easy one
Barcelona delivers incredible value for the price that even a starving artist could stand behind. Don’t let anything get between you and your next masterpiece.
Insider insights
Alba and Judith, Destination Management Experts in Barcelona, CWT Meetings & Events, Spain
“The best events in Barcelona are the ones that get off the beaten path and explore the region’s diversity. Within a short ride from the city, you can bike through the surrounding hills for a private vineyard tour and wine tasting led by the winery’s owner. Heading to a culinary school for a cooking class is a fun way to kick off an event and bring attendees together for some team-building.
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Carlson Wagonlit Travel rated Gold for the second consecutive year by EcoVadis for its responsible business program
CWT’s CSR practices recognized in the top 1% of all companies rated and in its sector top 1% for Fair Business Practices/Ethics & Compliance
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), a leading global digital travel management company, today announced that its responsible business practices have been rated Gold for the second successive year by EcoVadis, an independent and internationally recognized corporate social responsibility (CSR) rating agency. This rating places CWT among the top 1% of all companies evaluated worldwide by EcoVadis, both within its industry and across all industries. Within its industry, CWT was also rated in the top 1% for Fair Business Practices/Ethics & Compliance.
“Our second, successive, annual Gold rating for global CSR is testament to both us, and our customers, of the benefits of living the CWT values,” said Catherine Maguire-Vielle, CWT’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “Responsible business is a core element of all of our customer relationships, and EcoVadis’ third-party Gold certification publicly underlines our commitment to work to the very highest standards of ethics and conduct in all that we do.”
“This rating recognizes the fact that CWT’s approach to responsible business focuses on all of the CSR issues that are most material for the business,” added Françoise Grumberg, CWT’s Vice-President, Global Responsible Business. “The Gold rating also recognizes the teamwork and commitment from across all areas of our business to further embed CSR deep into our company culture.”
EcoVadis uses a methodology that rates companies according to 21 CSR criteria, grouped under four themes: Environment, Labor, Fair Business Practices and Sustainable Procurement. CWT’s performance in each of these four themes was evaluated looking at policies, actions and results.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected. We provide their travelers with a consumer-grade travel experience, combining innovative technology with our vast experience. Every day we look after enough travelers to fill almost 200 Boeing 747s and around 100,000 hotel rooms, and handle 95 corporate events. We have more than 18,000 people in nearly 150 countries.
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Mic your manners: 8 pointers for impeccable webinar etiquette
WebExing may not be an official word, but – like Xeroxing to the 90s – it’s currently in vogue for company meetings – replacing the conference call as the next best thing to a physical face-to-face engagement.
But, if you went to a meeting, you would mind your Ps & Qs and, hopefully, know how to behave – so why do some people forget basic etiquette when they join a WebEx?
Here are my top eight tips for making a better virtual impression (in alphabetical order, as everyone has different priorities in life – and, frankly, there are less than 10 to remember):
- Be familiar with sharing options – whether it is an app, screen or presentation, be able to handle things effectively and smoothly, as others will see or pick up on your ineptitude.
- Don’t read what is on the slide – attendees will switch off quicker than a fused electrical appliance if you just do what they can do for themselves, so have speaking notes prepared for each point and say those.
- Focus on the matter at hand – if you are wondering whether you shut your front door that morning, left the iron on, or are using the meeting to catch up on email, WebEx can show your lack of attention.
- Look professional – even if this is only from the table top upwards (no one needs to know that you wear sloppy jogging pants below that nice top, or even a jacket & tie – but do remember what you are wearing, in case you need to stand up).
- Mute your microphone – unless you are speaking, of course. Heavy breathing, the dog barking, or your partner singing, can all put a meeting off kilter.
- Start and finish on time – people appreciate the respect this shows for their schedules, and it keeps the meeting professional and on track.
- Think before you share your video – busy environments can be too distracting for others, as can a pile of washing on the chair behind you.
- Use the chat facility – rather than interrupt, you can type in questions which can be answered by others, without disturbing the flow.
And, as a bonus, remember, no one will thank you for hosting a boring meeting (whether by WebEx or other means). So be fresh, interesting, and keep the pace lively – your attendees will respond better.
- Be familiar with sharing options – whether it is an app, screen or presentation, be able to handle things effectively and smoothly, as others will see or pick up on your ineptitude.
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Think like a scuba diver: 8 tips to mitigate travel risks
There’s a saying in the sub-aqua world: “plan the dive; dive the plan.”
By meticulously planning each stage of the dive, divers can avoid doing careless things like running out of air, or risking the loss of a dive buddy.
And it’s a motto well-suited to business travel. Plan well, and you can avoid putting yourself at risk.
In 2017, 58% of business trips were altered due to a security concern, and 46% of travelers, according to CWT’s Connected Traveler survey, said they were concerned about their safety.
With security warnings and natural disasters on the rise, the odds are that you will face unforeseen circumstances during a trip.
However, with focused execution, all that’s left is to take the plunge and stay positively buoyant.
Before you go
1. Information is power
Do your homework. Research as much as you can about the culture of your destination, and the risks you might encounter such as ticket scammers at a particular station.2. Book smart
Use the services of your travel management company. This puts you on the radar so your company will be able to quickly locate and assist you in an emergency.3. Make e-copies of your documents
Save your itinerary, passport, driving license, and visas. Apps like CWT To Go give you access to data, and come with speed dial assistance.
On the move4. Know who is picking you up
If someone is collecting you from the airport, check the name of your driver in advance, and if you are unsure, call the person in charge of organizing your trip, to reconfirm.5. Stay vigilant
Be attentive to your surroundings at all times. In the event of an incident, your phone can help you keep track of what is going on, so always carry a charger with you. And don’t forget your travel adaptor.6. Your hotel room is your castle
Take precautionary measures at the hotel. Asking for two key cards will allow you to leave the light and TV on while you’re out, which can help to deter thieves. Another good precaution is to leave the ‘do not disturb’ sign on your door. Once inside the room, keep doors and windows locked.7. Stay zen
In case of an incident, stay calm. Try to take a direct evacuation route that goes in the opposite direction of the threat. Follow the orders of the emergency services and, as soon as you can, let your family and colleagues know that you’re OK.
Back at home8. Write a review about the security at your hotel
Your observations can help other people, and even change the way that things are done.