Tct55 lowres

NO. 055 SPRING 2016

TRAVEL RISK MANAGEMENT new priority for travel managers

 AMADEUS LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE BOOKING TOOL AMADEUS E-TRAVEL MANAGEMENT  JET AIRWAYS AND BRUSSELS AIRPORT PART WAYS  THALYS ANNOUNCES NEW IZY LOW COST TRAINS  DESTINATIONS: NOTTINGHAM & SICILY

THE BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER IN THE BENELUX

Amadeus for Corporations Connected business travel

Control travel spend

Empower travellers

Manage expenses on the move

Work smart

Do you know how your Travel & Expense is being spent?

Drive down your Travel & Expense costs and improve booking and expense processes for employees.

Find out how Amadeus Travel & Expense solutions can help you to reduce your direct and indirect travel costs.

For further information visit amadeus.com/corporatesolutions/benelux or call +32 2 257 99 11

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Amadeus Benelux BLOG

CONTENT

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER IN THE BENELUX WWW.THECORPORATETRAVELLER.BE CIRCULATION 26.000

TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

DIFFUSION Belgium, France, Luxemburg and The Netherlands

005 The Journal

PUBLICATION FREQUENCY 4 issues per year

010 News from the Business Travel Show 2016

PUBLISHED BY LEO bvba 1, rue des Ixellois, 4000 Liège, Belgium Tel: 0032 (0) 4 224 7871 Fax: 0032 (0) 4 226 9484 E-mail: jp@eventbox.be PUBLISHER Erik De Ridder – E-mail: edr@eventbox.be MANAGING EDITOR Jean Paul Talbot – E-mail: jp@ eventbox.be EDITORIAL TEAM Joanna Pays, Angela Antrobus, Jeroen Coteur, Jacques Legros ART DIRECTOR Bert Wagemans SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to The Corporate Traveller cost € 150 per year (excluding VAT).

Costs of delivery to destinations outside of Benelux and France are in addition to this price. Student subscriptions cost € 90 per year (including VAT). A student card is necessary to obtain a student subscription. Subscription requests can be made in writing, mentioning your name, job, title, company name and delivery address. Subscriptions are for a period of one year, and are automatically renewed until revocation.

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Except The Corporate Traveller, LEO bvba also edits Experience Magazine, My Land Rover Travel Magazine and Kids Universe. ISSN 1387-2400

News from the travel industry

The 22nd edition of the Business Travel Show took centre stage at London’s Olympia Grand exhibition centre on 25 and 26 February. The Corporate Traveller Magazine took a tour of the show to see some of the latest news highlights and solutions from exhibitors around the show floor.

012 Amadeus delivers the most innovative technology platform for corporate travel Amadeus will be gradually upgrading its online booking tool Amadeus e-Travel Management with cytric in the next few years. This solution provides an online booking tool in combination with expense management in one integrated platform and offers a world of benefits to TMCs, corporations and corporate travellers.

015 Travel risk management - The new priority for travel managers In these unpredictable times, travel risk management is the new priority for travel managers. Corporate travellers are taking more frequent business trips - and to less familiar destinations in emerging markets. Meanwhile, the number of security incidents involving travellers is rising. We look at what travel managers need to consider in their risk management programmes …

018 Inter view with Greg L May, leader singer of The Magic Platters, on new album and tour Greg L May is the lead singer of The Magic Platters, a group whose origins go back more than 60 years, with iconic hits such as Only You. This year the group will be releasing new songs which it hopes will win it a whole new audience of fans. We interviewed Greg in the studio in Stuttgart, where he is currently composing and recording a new CD ready for a big European tour to commence this autumn, in Belgium.

AIR PORTS 021 Brussels Airport and partners prove their solidarity and determination

022 Jet Airways and Brussels Airport part ways Jet Airways and Brussels Airport have now parted ways after a successful collaboration of nearly nine years. Both are now looking ahead to the future. Jet Airways completed the transfer of its scissor hub, between India and North America, to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at the end of March. Brussels Airport and its airline partners have been moving forward to replace the routes cancelled by the Indian carrier.

025 Serengetti Eyewear teams with 24 hours Le Mans for winning performance sunglasses

RAIL WAYS 026 Thalys announces ramp-up of services, including new IZY low cost trains During joint press conferences held in Paris and Brussels on 1 March, Thalys CEO Agnès Ogier outlined a raft of new services to coincide with the high-speed rail carrier’s 20th year. Highlights included the opening of the Brussels-Midi lounge, a network extension to Dortmund and a new lowcost-branded service aimed at attracting the leisure market.

DESTINATIONS 030 bmi regional - focussing on corporate travel 032 Nottingham – a growing destination for corporate and leisure travel Nottingham is a regular business commute for many of the passengers on bmi regional’s flights between Brussels and East Midlands Airport. We took a trip to find out more about this city of striking contrasts and its journey from a medieval metropolis, to former bastion of the industrial revolution and its rebirth as a thriving business and cultural hub.

036 Meetings & Incentives blessed by the Gods in Sicily If Hera, Zeus and other ancient deities ever decided to come back to visit the sanctuaries dedicated to them in Sicily, it is a safe bet that they would stay at Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel! In this temple to refinement where the 5-star hotel concept takes on its full meaning, these Gods would certainly savour the moment by taking advantage of completely relaxing in the luxurious rooms and suites overlooking the Mediterranean, resolve human conflicts in the ultra-modern conference centre, and get revitalised in the spa, among the largest in the world.

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The Traveller Journal NEWS FROM THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY

Air Canada brings in-flight Wi-Fi aboard international flights

Brussels Airlines takes off for Toronto Brussels Airlines’ inaugural flight to Toronto took to the skies on April 7. The airline is operating five flights a week to the city.

their headquarters in the city or the region. In addition Toronto is an important tourist destination, with the world renowned Niagara Falls nearby.

Toronto’s Pearson Airport, the first Canadian destination in Brussels Airlines’ network, is an important hub to connect to many other destinations in Canada and the States. The first flight was originally planned during the Easter weekend but was cancelled due to the closure of Brussels Airport.

Brussels Airlines’ flights leave Brussels Airport in the morning and depart from Toronto in the evening. All flights are operated with Airbus A330 aircraft, with Business and Economy Class.

With Toronto, Brussels Airlines adds Canada’s economic business center to its network.

Many Canadian companies have

Air Canada is to offer satellite connectivity on international flights so customers can email, surf the internet and stream entertainment at broadband speeds while flying anywhere in the world.

“Air Canada is pleased to announce it will offer customers the ability to stay connected whenever and wherever they fly by extending in-flight, North American connectivity to its wide-body aircraft flying overseas using satellite technology” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada. “While business travellers will welcome satellite Wi-Fi service as a productivity tool, it will have widespread appeal for all travellers by allowing them to stay in touch, access the internet and enjoy additional entertainment options throughout their entire journey.”

Air Canada will begin installing Gogo 2Ku satellite technology on its wide-body fleet this autumn on its Boeing 777 aircraft. At present, Air Canada is the only Canadian carrier to offer customers in-flight Wi-fi across its entire narrow-body fleet of aircraft on flights within North America.

Thanks to the close cooperation with partner airlines Air Canada and United, Brussels Airlines customers can, from Toronto, connect smoothly to many other destinations throughout Canada and the United States.

Hilton Antwerp Old Town offers exclusive advantages for MICE organisers

SIA and Lufthansa Group expand codeshare operations access codeshare travel on SIA-operated flights on routes serving destinations in Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the Lufthansa Group are expanding their codeshare agreement to provide customers more benefits through enhanced connections and new codeshare destinations.

The Hilton Antwerp Old Town is offering exclusive advantages for meetings and event organisers. These include a 10% discount on day delegate rates, free internet access and double Hilton Meeting Planner Points.

The expanded codeshare ties will provide SIA customers convenient access to over 20 new routes on Lufthansa and Swiss-operated flights, to and from points in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, via the transfer hubs of Munich and Zurich. In turn, Lufthansa and Swiss customers will be able to

The expanded codeshare operations are the result of a joint venture agreement signed between the two airline groups in November 2015, which aims to deepen co-operation in key markets in Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia.

The new codeshare flights will be progressively made available through SIA’s various booking channels.

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The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Delta Air Lines grows network through cooperation with Jet Airways and KLM

TAP Portugal expands US operations with daily services to JFK and Boston TAP Portugal is to introduce daily non-stop services to both New York JFK and Boston Logan Airports this summer and increase other frequencies to reinforce its North American network. The airline has also unveiled a new partnership with JetBlue for connecting flights to over 20 US cities.

The new services to Boston will commence on June 11, while the JFK flights will begin on July 1. Both will depart from Lisbon, using TAP Portugal’s new A330 aircraft. In addition, TAP will be increasing its existing frequencies to Miami and Newark to daily flights this summer. TAP also serves Oporto twice weekly from Newark. Altogether, TAP’s US service will grow to 30 flights per week.

TAP Portugal has also announced a new partnership agreement with JetBlue, which will bring passengers connections to over 20 US cities from its JFK, Boston and Newark routes. TAP will operate from JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at JFK and Terminal C at Logan.

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”Beyond the additional flights, which is important, it’s exciting that TAP is also adding new aircraft with a new cabin configuration for a much improved customer experience” said David Neeleman, CEO of DGN Corp, partner in Atlantic Gateway, shareholders in TAP. “Of course, on a personal level, it’s wonderful to be back at JFK and Logan and working with JetBlue again to provide easy connections from cities around the US to Lisbon.”

TAP plans to promote Portugal vigorously as a vibrant and exciting tourism destination, and Lisbon as a prime gateway into Europe for North American travellers. The airline is launching a promotional campaign and other initiatives to promote Portugal in the U.S. and provide American travellers with an incentive program encouraging them to choose Lisbon as the preferred stopover when flying to or from Europe.

Delta Air Lines has entered into a codeshare partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Jet Airways to provide convenient connections for passengers to and from key destinations across North America to the Indian Subcontinent via Amsterdam.

Jet Airways new daily nonstop flights from Amsterdam to Mumbai and New Delhi complement KLM’s daily flights between Amsterdam and Mumbai. Furthermore, Jet Airways also operates a daily flight to Toronto from Amsterdam. The three-way partnership enables customers to enjoy enhanced connectivity and seamless travel throughout the combined networks of Jet Airways, KLM and Delta. Schedules of all three flights have been planned to allow quick and convenient connections between India and Toronto via Amsterdam.

“With more than 11,000 customers flying between the US and India each day, our partnership with Jet Airways will enable us to meet the high demand for flights between the United States and the Indian subcontinent” said Nat Pieper, Delta Air Lines’ Senior Vice President Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

United Airlines makes history with regularly scheduled biofuel flights United Airlines has made history by becoming the first US airline to begin use of commercial-scale volumes of sustainable aviation biofuel for regularly scheduled flights.

The departure of United Flight 708 on March 11 from Los Angeles International Airport marks a significant milestone in the commercial aviation industry, by moving beyond demonstration flights and test programs to the use of advanced biofuels for United’s ongoing operations.

United has agreed to purchase up to 15 million gallons of sustainable biofuel from AltAir Paramount over a three-year period. The airline has begun using the biofuel in its daily operations at LAX, storing and delivering it in the same way as traditional fuel. To highlight this achievement, United will operate flights between Los Angeles and San Francisco with the dedicated use of AltAir Paramount renewable fuel for two weeks, while also integrating this fuel into its regular operations at the airport.

“Today’s historic launch of regularly scheduled services utilizing advanced biofuels represents a major next step in our ongoing commitment to operate sustainably and responsibly” said Angela Foster-Rice, United’s managing director of environmental affairs and sustainability. “United is a leader in the advancement of alternative fuels, and, along with our partners at AltAir Paramount, we are taking action every day to minimize our impact on the environment and explore new ways to improve efficiency.”

In 2009, United became the first US carrier to perform a biofuel demonstration flight. In 2011, United became the first US carrier to operate a commercial advanced biofuel flight. Last year, United announced an historic $30 million equity investment in US-based alternative fuels developer Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc, a pioneer in the development and commercialisation of converting municipal solid waste into low-cost sustainable aviation biofuel. The Fulcrum investment represents the single largest investment by a US airline in alternative fuels and sets United apart in the aviation industry in the advancement of aviation biofuels.

United also recently received the World Bio Markets (WBM) Award for Excellence in Advanced Biofuels.

CWT Research: women book flights earlier and pay less Women book their flights 1.9 days earlier than their male counterparts, according to Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s (CWT) analysis of 6.4 million air booking transactions. They therefore pay an average of around two percent less for their tickets than men.

The full findings have been published

by CWT in a white paper entitled “Gender differences in booking business travel: advance booking behavior and associated financial impact”. The financial implications of these findings are significant. For companies with 1,000 business travellers, the difference – and therefore the potential saving – is just under $50,000 a year. That rises to $1 million for a traveller base of 20,000.

CWT Solutions Group worked with Javier Donna, Assistant Professor of Economics at The Ohio State University, and Gregory Veramendi, Assistant Professor of Economics at Arizona State University. Using advanced statistical techniques, they were able to quantify a direct link between gender and flight booking patterns. Further details about the statistical analysis are available in the white paper.

Other findings include the fact that people tend to book flights further in advance the older they are. Additionally, as people’s flying frequency increases, they typically book flights closer to their departure date. Interestingly, the gender gap almost disappears among the most frequent traveller.

The analysis technique can be used to examine other areas of travel, helping travel managers gain new insights by understanding traveller behaviour better.

This will help develop personalisation, including more targeted messages, more precise travel management and improved program efficiency.

“This analysis technique opens up a whole new range of opportunities in the quest for personalised travel” said Catalin Ciobanu, Senior Director Data & Analytics in the CWT Solutions Group. “It can also be applied to many other types of traveller segmentation, including geography, booking channel used, or individual business unit, for example. Ultimately, by knowing our travellers better we can improve both their experience, as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of corporate travel programs.”

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The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Finnair launches two new Asian destinations this summer Finnair is continuing to expand its Asian network of destinations with two new routes.

Direct flights to Fukuoka in Japan and Guangzhou in China will both began in May, for the summer season 2016.

Finnair’s direct services to Fukuoka will be operated with three frequencies per week. These new flights makes Finnair the only European airline to operate to four different cities in Japan, as it already offers daily connections to Tokyo Narita, Nagoya and Osaka. The service to Fukuoka is part of the joint business between Finnair, British Airways and Japan Airlines, which together bring more connections and flexibility for travellers between Japan and Europe.

The direct flights from Helsinki to Guangzhou will be operated with four weekly frequencies until October 29, 2016. Guangzhou is Finnair’s sixth destination in Greater China, alongside the airline’s year-round services to Beijing, Chongqing,

Wendelien Lodder appointed Director of CWT Meetings & Events Benelux

Hong Kong and Shanghai, and its summer services to Xi’an.

Both of the new destinations are served using Finnair’s Airbus A330 aircraft. Finnair connects Fukuoka and Guangzhou to over 60 destinations via its Helsinki hub, with timetables conveniently designed for transfer passengers from Brussels.

For more information on Finnair destinations visit http://www.finnair.com/int/gb/destinations

Wendelien Lodder has been appointed to lead CWT’s Meetings & Events business in the Benelux.

Vueling adds 42,000 more seats from Brussels this summer Vueling is to add 42,000 addition seats to its flights from Brussels to 11 Mediterranean destinations this summer. Passenger capacity to Alicante, Barcelone and Porto will see the biggest increases.

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Positioned as a low cost premium airline, Vueling is the leading carrier at BarcelonaEl Prat airport. This summer it will serve 11 destinations direct from Brussels, which is also the base for one of its A320 aircraft. During the summer season between March and October 2016, it will offer a total of 762,476 seats departing from Brussels.

Wendelien’s career in the Benelux zone began in 2012, when she joined CWT the Netherlands as Sales Manager. Since then, Wendelien has provided strong leadership for the commercial teams and her focus on business development has strengthened the company’s position for future growth.

Wendelien was the acting head of CWT’s Meetings & Events in the Netherlands for the past six months, prior to her promotion to Director of CWT Meetings & Events Benelux. She will join the CWT Benelux Leadership Team and will report directly to Ian Cummings, Regional Director Northern EMEA, with a country responsibility to Olivier Chateau VP Benelux.

The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Prestigious Business Bay address 5 additional for Mövenpick’s new upscale hotel destinations served with new Air France apartments Project long-haul cabins

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (MHR) has signed a management agreement with Richreit Real Estate Development LLC for one of its most high-profile projects yet – Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Al Burj Business Bay, located in Dubai’s sought-after Business Bay district.

The move upmarket of Air France’s products and services is gaining momentum. The Company is increasing the number of destinations served by its new long-haul cabins by introducing them on 5 additional routes on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

This striking 40-floor property with a modern yet elegant façade, will command a prime position on Burj Khalifa Boulevard overlooking the world’s tallest building, and is expected to open in 2017.

Customers can now enjoy optimum comfort during their trips to Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Boston, Bangalore and Osaka. These exceptional cabins are available on certain flights operated

by Boeing 777-200. On board, customers enjoy a real cocoon in the sky in Business class, and completely redesigned seats in Premium Economy and Economy.

Major infrastructure projects and attractions are within a stone’s throw of the 299-room hotel apartment including Old Town Island, the Opera District in Downtown, Dubai Mall and the Dubai Canal Project, while the city’s financial and commercial hubs are on its doorstep too.

Thanks to the progressive introduction of these new cabins on board the Boeing 777, at the heart of Air France’s long-haul fleet, the Company will have a total of 30 aircraft serving some 28 destinations worldwide.

“With Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Al Burj Business Bay we are introducing a new upscale concept that delivers sophisticated living in a district that is rapidly emerging as Dubai’s new business and leisure hub,” said Mr. Andreas Mattmüller, Chief Operating Officer, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Middle East and South Asia.

The hotel will feature well-appointed and spacious studios as well as one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Stand-out amenities include a three-tiered podium area with six meeting spaces; a destination spa, gym, beauty clinic and swimming pool; a children’s area with pool; an all-day-dining outlet, café and lobby lounge; and a business centre. The building has been designed keeping the acoustics in mind by using triple glazed glass to ensure maximum comfort level for guests.

Richreit Real Estate Development LLC Chairman Ahmed Butti Ahmed Al Muhairi said: “This property, which is already 55% complete, will not only add a new dimension to Dubai’s impressive skyline, but provide guests with a true immersive destination experience given its prime location at the crossroads of multiple districts and attractions.”

MHR already operates six hotels in Dubai and has two more properties planned for the city - the 244-key Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai opening in 2017 and the Mövenpick Hotel Dubai Media City in 2018.

The new Air France travel experience can be explored virtually, at best.airfrance.com.

Hainan Airlines adding second Chinese city from Brussels, with Shanghai Ten years after the launch of its first route from Belgium - from Brussels to Beijing Hainan Airlines has applied for the launch a second air service, from Brussels to Shanghai Pudong Airport.

Initially to be operated 3 times a week from 2 September 2016, the Brussels route will be the third international service that Beijing-based Hainan Airlines has launched over the last 12 months from Shanghai-Pudong. In June 2015 the carrier already introduced services to Boston and Seattle in the USA. The Shanghai flights will be operated by either Airbus A330 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offering both Business and Economy classes

on board. Passengers in Business class are provided with a 180-degrees flat-bed seat and a home-like bedding service, including pyjamas, slippers and Bvlgari amenity kits. Most fares in Business class will also give access to a free-ofcharge limousine service from Belgium and the Netherlands to Brussels Airport.

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MANAGEMENT

News from the Business Travel Show 2016 The 22nd edition of the Business Travel Show took centre stage at London’s Olympia Grand exhibition halls on 25 and 26 February. The Corporate Traveller Magazine took a tour of the show to see some of the latest news highlights and solutions from exhibitors around the show floor.

F

Flybe

lybe was named Best Short Haul Airline at the 2016 Business Travel Awards. The leader on the UK domestic airline market in terms of number of flights, Flybe serves a total of 10 countries and has codeshare agreements with 8 airlines. During the show it announced four new routes between business cities for its summer schedule. These include Flybe’s first ever intra-European routes, with daily services from Hannover to both Lyon and Milan to begin on 1 August, as will new daily flights between Manchester and Lyon. Passengers from Dundee Airport will see the inauguration of their first international flights, to Amsterdam, as from 23 May.

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LoungeBuddy

Founded in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley just three years ago, LoungeBuddy has grown to become the leading authority on airport lounge information.

Using the LoungeBuddy patent-pending platform on any mobile or other connected device, travellers can easily view all the lounges available to them at their airport destinations, whether as part of their fare, loyalty scheme or by paying a fee. With just a click they can find all the information they need, including details on lounge access and amenities, as well as ratings and reviews from thousands of other passengers. Payment for lounge access, where necessary, can be made online through the LoungeBuddy portal to their global partners, in just a few seconds. “We have over 900 global airports and 2600 lounges that are constantly updated in our database, with over 100,000 reviews” said CEO Tyler Dikman. “Our customers range from individual travellers, to travel agencies and very large corporations offering lounge access to their employees. The vast majority of our 40+ appointments that were made at the Business Travel Show this year yielded an extremely positive response to our offering. The airport lounge is no longer a luxury, but at a typical entry price of £20, is a lowcost necessity for the business traveller.”

»» LOUNGEBUDDY

ANA

Aegean Airlines

Aegean Airlines had over 28 good reasons to be at the Business Travel Show, to highlight no less than 28 new destinations either introduced in 2015, or commencing this year. The 14 services being launched in 2016 all feed in to either Athens or Heraklion in Greece, or Larnaka, in Cyprus. With the addition of flights to Lille, Brest and Nice, the airline will serve a total of 11 airports in France.

Aegean also flies daily from Brussels to its Athens hub, with onward connections to over 20 domestic airports in Greece and to its growing network to the Middle East. Riyadh, Jeddah and Tehran are all being added to the schedule this year.

ANA, a regular exhibitor at the show, discussed its planned expansions at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Haneda, historically Tokyo’s domestic hub, is restructuring to open up many more international slots. This will be good news for travellers, as Haneda is much closer to the centre of Tokyo, at just 15 minutes away, compared to over one hour for Narita International. The years ahead will be busy ones for ANA, as the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 bring more traction to Japan in terms of visitors.

ANA explained that Japan has given itself the target of doubling air traffic to Haneda over the next four years and that the airline is working hard with the Japanese government to achieve this goal.

ANA’s strong financial position, the more accessible exchange rate for the Japanese Yen and ANA’s investments in top of the range aircraft, such as Dreamliners and A380s, will support these ambitions. Three further A380 aircraft will join the fleet this year and the airline is studying possibilities for more international routes. ANA currently links six European cities to Tokyo, including Brussels, which commenced in October 2015.

Uber for business

Uber highlighted the updated services in its ‘Uber for Business’ solution. New features in the latest version of Uber’s platform for corporate accounts give companies the possibility so set up accounts designating which employees can use the corporate service, during which time frames and in what locations. All billing and payments are centralized and reporting is provided monthly, with a dashboard giving details of all trips, costs, employees and departments, for budgeting purposes.

Employees can take rides in almost 400 cities and, in many of them, can choose between different car options - such as low-cost, executive and vehicles for reduced mobility. The company estimates that by using the app for the low-cost UberX option, companies can save, on average, up to 40% versus traditional options.

EasyJet

EasyJet, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, had a strong presence at the show, promoting its solutions for cutting business travel costs. The airline flies over 750 routes and is now focusing on the top 100 European business routes between primary airports. Extra services are available, such as fast-track security, speedy boarding and, a second carry-on bag, for those with EasyJet plus card membership. The airline also offers companies travel management consulting and is working with large corporates in order to get themselves placed in corporate travel policies. “Perceptions on business travel are changing” underlined Mark Rowe, easyJet’s Business Marketing Manager “Our philosophy is to be cheaper on the same routes and we have helped some corporates to cut their travel budgets by as much as 38%.”

Another record year for the Business Travel Show

The 2016 edition of the Business Travel show was the biggest so far. While floor space increased by 27%, the show saw 267 exhibitors, including 96 newcomers, with over 7,700 professionals visiting from the world of corporate travel. 398 hosted buyers attended the event from all over Europe – an increase of 12 per cent on 2015. Running alongside the exhibition was Europe’s largest conference programme, produced and supported by 100 expert speakers, with themes covering the full spectrum of travel management “We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Business Travel Show particularly given we were following in the footsteps of 2015 when visitor numbers soared by 16 per cent year on year” said. David Chapple, Business Travel Show director. The Business Travel Show will return to London Olympia in 2017, on 22-23 February. For more information visit www.thebusinesstravelshow.com

»» BUSINESS TRAVEL SHOW | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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MANAGEMENT

Amadeus delivers the most innovative technology platform for corporate travel Amadeus will be gradually upgrading its online booking tool Amadeus e-Travel Management with cytric in the next few years. This solution provides an online booking tool in combination with expense management in one integrated platform and offers a world of benefits to TMCs, corporations and corporate travellers. This is a big step forward for the Amadeus customers. Luc Pannecoeck of Amadeus explains what kinds of innovations we can expect.

½½ LUC PANNECOECK

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2015 European business travel and expense analysis Ten key insights into business travel and expense trends and corporate practices

To discover 10 key insights into business travel and expenses trends and corporate practices, read “European business travel and expense analysis” Download a copy of the white paper via

www.amadeus.com/corporatesolutions/benelux

S

INCE 2014, AMADEUS HAS HAD A MAJORITY SHARE IN THE GERMAN COMPANY I:FAO, THE BIGGEST SUPPLIER OF ONLINE BOOKING TOOLS AND EXPENSE MANAGEMENT IN GERMANY. “I:FAO is a supplier to big

corporations, like Siemens, BASF, BNP Paribas, AEGON, Aldi and Volkswagen and their solution is called cytric,” Luc Pannecoeck tells us. “Amadeus e-Travel Management (AeTM) is our own online booking tool, right now, which is installed in over a thousand corporations in the Benelux.

We decided to combine best of both worlds - e.g. the best features of AeTM and expense module of cytric - and to launch it as a one platform solution, Amadeus cytric Travel & Expense. This is an integrated solution that allows corporations to manage their travel programmes effortlessly from trip planning, to booking, accounting and reimbursement – all in one tool. This means that employees no longer need to look anywhere else, and that means they stay in policy.”

Channels

The first implementation phase will be a transition period, during which cytric will gradually take over from AeTM. “Both solutions will continue to co-exist and existing contracts are not impacted. For several years we have been developing an excellent reseller network of both global and local TMCs. They are currently reselling our corporate solutions and have built considerable know how in doing so. Together with the TMCs we will engage with AeTM customers to study their needs and help them assess how Amadeus cytric Travel & Expense would best meet their requirements. Upon request we also engage in a direct relationships with global corporations. Solutions are getting more and more complex in combination with different ERP systems and these corporations require a smoothless integration with existing ERP systems, management information and big data.

Customisation

Amadeus cytric Travel & Expense is highly customisable and scalable as it is based on an open and flexible architec-

ture that enables it to be adapted to each customers’ needs.

It is also compatible with the existing ERP systems of the corporations. A dedicated and local team will handle these implementations. They will provide the support and the know-how, as well as the ad hoc developments that these complex configurations require.”

Organisation

Amadeus Benelux re-organised itself has reorganised to facilitate this upgrade from AeTM to cytric. “We’ve put our team together to ensure a smooth transition. Our account management department will play a big role in supporting the resellers, to study the needs of their AeTM customers and assess how Amadeus cytric Travel & Expense can best meet their requirements. In addition, a dedicated Corporate IT team, headed by Inge Van Dooren, is in place to manage and support the entire tailor-made offering for leading corporations.”

Positive response

“The initial responses from our trade partners towards this new tool are very encouraging. We had a meeting with the resellers to inform them. I can’t speak for the clients, of course, but the feedback we have received so far has been very positive. cytric is recognised as a very good, userfriendly system. And the fact that they will now also get the opportunity to start offering expense management in their portfolio is, of course, a positive evolution. We supply the technology, but the added value of a TMC - in terms of fulfilment, management reporting and duty of care - remains.”

“The Amadeus team is ready to start successfully implementing the cytric solution in the coming months and years.

Corporations should be in the driving seat at all times when it comes to having control and visibility over their travel spend, as well as giving flexibility to their travellers. We trust our new corporate travel solution to respond to all of these needs” concluded Luc Pannecoeck. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

SPRING 2016 | 13

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MANAGEMENT

Travel risk management

The new priority for travel managers In these unpredictable times, travel risk management is the new priority for travel managers. Corporate travellers are taking more frequent business trips - and to less familiar destinations in emerging markets. Meanwhile, the number of security incidents involving travellers is rising. We look at what travel managers need to consider in their risk management programmes …

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Duty of care

OR COMPANIES, ‘DUTY OF CARE’ MEANS THEY HAVE A LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO EVERYTHING REASONABLY PRACTICAL TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES. This includes taking adequate preven-

tive and protective measures to ensure that their business travellers return home safely from their trips. From a commercial standpoint, they need to safeguard that business operations can be continued as usual - and that their company’s reputation is not damaged. All of this requires travel risk management programmes that can scale up to the amount of business travel performed by their staff and the destinations they travel to. Nevertheless, nearly half of employees work for companies with no travel security policy.

Travel risk management frameworks

So how do companies go about setting up a travel risk programme? Firstly, while many large travel management companies can bring expert advice to the table, the company’s travel risk programme needs an ‘owner’. This should ideally be a steering committee comprising at least one member of senior management, a legal representative – to ensure regulatory compliance, a human resources specialist and a travel expert (the company’s travel manager, or its travel management company).

The committee’s first task will then be to audit their current business travel and identify an exhaustive list of potential problem scenarios, along with the mitigating actions to be put in place should they arise. For example, the travel risk policy may be to postpone all travel to countries if they become identified as ‘high risk’ destinations – or to evacuate staff if a country risk evaluation moves to the extreme risk category. However, most problems are not crises and the risk programme will also cover the steps to take if a traveller is the victim of theft, or if an airport is in the midst of industrial action.

Crucially, the risk programme must name the decision makers who will give the green light, should actions needs taking, to make sure that no time is lost. During the ash cloud crisis, companies that were able to make faster decisions, were more easily able to evacuate or find rooms for their employees, at lower cost. As the ash cloud situation continued, the prices of hotel rooms and private transport escalated in response to supply and demand. The travel risk management plan also needs to cover communications to employees and the media, with draft communications ready to be quickly put into place.

Travel risk programmes are nearly always supported by travel risk insurance – and a solid travel risk management policy can also help reduce insurance premiums. Insurance companies, such as Chubb, work together with the brokers and assistance companies directly with corporate clients, or in a triangular relationship with travel risk management advisors, like International SOS.

Risk management platforms

A key role for travel management companies is to keep travellers updated with relevant information on their journeys and to send them proactive warnings, where necessary.

These include updates on severe weather alerts, potential strikes, health warnings and security problems.

The GSM Travel Management group, which includes Travex in Belgium, recently launched a new travel risk platform, iQProtect. The solution not only informs travellers of potential problems on their journey, but proactively provides | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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MANAGEMENT

them with a choice of pre-reserved alternative flights and hotels should they be needed. “We found that with more incidents occurring, there was demand from corporates for a more proactive service that can really help travellers with disruptions to their journey” explains Lyndsey Atkins, Marketing Director at Reed & Mackay, GSM’s UK arm. “iQProtect is linked to our centralized booking platform. When travel managers log on, they have an interactive dashboard with the exact location of travellers, their itineraries and whether there are currently alerts on those destinations.

When the traveller goes to the app, they not only have their boarding pass but also all the information they need on the area in terms of risks and precautions to take.”

Chubb also recently introduced a new online dashboard, which enables travel managers to locate and send messages to travelling employees anywhere in the world, via 3G or a wi-fi connection.

Tracking the traveller

Linked to these platforms is, however, the key problem encountered in travel risk management, as highlighted by all companies in this report – that of ensuring updated contact details of employees in their database. These details are not only vital for sending important travel information to travellers but also to ensure their whereabouts if an emergency arises.

Some companies use tracking devices embedded in their travellers’ mobile devices, but according to a study commissioned by insurers Collinson Group, only around 20 percent use this type of GPS tracking, while 15 percent have no process in place to monitor their employees’ whereabouts whilst abroad.

This can expose businesses from a Duty of Care perspective if an employee is subsequently involved in an incident – even if it occurs outside working time during the trip.

BCD Travel tracks each specific traveller and trip for its corporate clients. For high risk voyages, it can even set virtual perimeters, known as geo-fencing, on routes and destinations.

It will then send alerts to companies when travellers leave these ‘safe zones’. BCD Travel also advises that travellers

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provide their itineraries for their entire trip, including who they are meeting and where, and how they will get there.

Travellers, on their side, should have all necessary emergency contacts, such as emergency hotlines and relevant embassies, on a handy credit card sized document, as well as saved on their mobile phones.

Pre-trip training programmes to encourage buy-in from employees

Getting employees on board and formalizing their understanding is essential to the success of travel risk programmes – and proving a company’s duty of care. ‘Pushing’ pre-trip information to travellers and providing short training programmes are ways of ensuring that travellers are aware of the main risks involved in their trips and the actions they should take. beTravelwise, one of the newer risk management companies on the market, specializes in corporate training programmes on travel hazards and how to deal with them.

The company’s directors come from both corporate and military backgrounds, having worked on governmental and organizational missions in challenging destinations such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

“There is a growing demand for educational programmes to improve traveller security - and even more so now” notes beTravelwise director Saul Shanagher. “We find that all of our clients have some form of travel risk insurance and assistance when they come to us, but many have been quite slow on the educational side.”

The beTravelwise e-learning modular programme includes a 20 minute foundation course on the main risks linked to traveller healthcare, safety and petty-crime, along with recommended behavior to adopt. Four further modules, of 15 minutes each, focus on health risks (which includes an important segment on malaria), road safety, ‘incidents’ (covering serious crime, kidnapping and terrorist activities) and MyTravelWise, which explains the extra risks travel-

lers may face based on their gender, sexuality or race, or during after office hours when on a trip. The learning modules include animated scenes, victim accounts and quizzes.

“E-learning is the only way to be scalable for larger companies” adds Saul Shanagher. “The courses have been timed to keep participant attention and the quizzes at the end help companies to prove that employees have understood and that they are compliant with duty of care.”

When risks escalate

To provide for risks that develop into serious incidents, many travel management companies have partnered with specialists in crisis management assistance, such as red24 and Anvil. red24 assists organizations when travel related incidents occur, up to full scale evacuations from conflict zones and natural disasters. Its staff include former members of the military and the FBI, while the Crisis Response Management centre is manned around the clock by a team of specialists. When a significant event happens near to travelling personnel, red24 confirms the safety of those affected via automated emails, text messages and direct telephone calls. When contact cannot be made, pre-arranged escalation plans are set in motion. One of red24’s special risks teams is dedicated to dealing with kidnapping for ransom and extortion. This unit alone has engaged in over 400 cases around the world.

Anvil is a risk management company offering protection services for travelling executives. The company utilizes technology and risk intelligence to ensure employee safety, and routinely extracts personnel from scenes of natural disasters, political unrest, terrorist incidents, kidnapping and other life threating situations. Its personnel are also drawn from specialist military and law enforcement backgrounds.

Most travel risk experts agree that it is often the journey from the airport to the final destination that brings the greatest potential danger. Companies such as Anvil and red24 can arrange to meet and greet travellers anywhere in the world, with highly trained protection officers and, if necessary, armoured vehicles to drive them safely to their destination.

Health and medical safety

Travellers are more likely to experience problems related to health issues than any other. Regular medical and dental check-ups, as well as compliance with vaccinations for the destination country, should be followed. Prevention is definitely better than cure and Chubb Insurance’s ‘10 point travel plan’ strongly advises travellers with pre-existing or chronic medical problems, not to automatically expect their condition can be treated in the host country, or that routine medication will be available.

International SOS is the largest company to provide specialist expertise in travel risks related to medical and health issues. Besides consulting, it intervenes in medical emergencies and was involved in evacuating personnel during the Ebola crisis and recent European terrorist attacks.

“We are where our clients need us and we can operate in every single country in the world, including North Korea ” explains Dr Laurent Taymans, Regional Medical Director.

“Two thirds of our 11,000 staff around the world are medical professionals. Even our helpline is manned by medical professionals, so every single request for information is medically managed. Besides our own clinics and medical sites, we also have 77,000 partners around the world, such as hospitals and ambulance providers, who we audit regularly. Whenever and wherever needed, we can go straight to the escalation process of evacuation”

Trends - Rise in global incidents and more preventative approach

According to Anvil, the attacks in Brussels and Paris highlight a worrying emerging trend in European security – the increasing risk of terrorist attacks against civilians and ‘soft target’ locations with a high concentration of people. “Our research shows that in 2014 and 2015, the number of major global incidents was three times higher than the total of each of the five previous” says Matthew Judge, Anvil’s group managing director. “Businesses need to be increasingly risksavvy. They need to make risk part of their daily business calculations and respond accordingly.”

“The Brussels and Paris attacks show that corporates with travellers going to places previously perceived as safe, are now being confronted with the idea that they need plans and resources in place should anything happen” adds Dr Laurent Taymens of International SOS. “Things have changed since our company was founded 30 years ago. Back then, risk prevention was not high on companies’ agendas but now risk management is become more proactive and that is the big change. Working on the prevention of medical issues, through information, training and consulting, is a bigger part of our business now – for example advice on how to avoid diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis and how to have a healthy workforce able to cope with a busy travel schedule.”

“Even with smaller programmes or budgets, companies can achieve good progress in travel risk management without spending too much” advises Kenn Kajberg Ronhoj, CEO of Travel Advice. “There is a lot of low-hanging fruit. A good starting point is to identify which destinations are medium or high risk - and there is quite a lot of data on this that is easily available. A company may then simply decide to have a travel policy with no travel to medium and high risk countries.

“A travel risk management programme, as part of providing a safe working environment, is a good investment” summarises Kenn Kajbert Ronhoj. “Not just to protect the company’s human resources and property, but to prevent repercussions on its finances and reputation.”

The stakes at play

The stakes at play in travel risk management are rising but while red24’s annual statistics show that 80% of business travellers went to destinations classed as medium, high or extreme risk last year, 46% of employees currently work for firms with no travel security policy. This seems set to change, as travel buyer meetings with risk management suppliers at this year’s Business Travel Show were more than double the average of previous years. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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MANAGEMENT

Interview with Greg L May, leader singer of The Magic Platters, on new album and tour Greg L May is the lead singer of The Magic Platters, a group whose origins go back more than 60 years, with iconic hits such as Only You. This year the group will be releasing new songs which it hopes will win it a whole new audience of fans.

We interviewed Greg in the studio in Stuttgart, where he is currently composing and recording a new CD ready for a big European tour to commence this autumn, in Belgium.

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Born in Detroit, home of Motown

REG L MAY HAS BEEN SINGING AND COMPOSING FROM AN EARLY AGE AND HE SHARES HIS BIRTHPLACE WITH THAT OF THE MOTOWN MUSIC SCENE – DETROIT. His profes-

sional music career began when his talent was recognised by the top music producer of the time, Mickey Stevenson, who worked with musicians such as The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Greg then travelled to California and began working in the recording studios at just 12 years old. By the age of 16, he was touring and performing with some of the most famous Motown acts.

The history of The Platters and its distinctive vocal harmonies dates back further. The group was formed in 1952 and has continued, with various line-up changes, until the present day. In the 50’s and 60’s The Platters had over 40 chart hits, with the most well-known including Only You and The Great Pretender.

Greg L May joined as leader singer around 10 years ago and the group has now been renamed as The Magic Platters.

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New album

Greg L May is currently in the recording studio in Stuttgart, working on the group’s forthcoming CD, its first in over 5 years. The album is important as the group aims to make a comeback and gain new fans, while pleasing its more traditional followers.

“Music can sometimes be so disposable but great songs never go out of date” says Greg L May. “These are songs that touch some kind of emotion within you and maybe remind you of some good times. There are always great songs and song writers. Right now one of my favourites is Adele. I have a lot of respect for her work, as it really has such depth and emotion. That’s why we have been taking our time on the new CD as we want to get it perfect. I come from a serious song writing background and we are working super hard to have a couple of big hits from this next album. It aims to capture the image of the old group but also bring something quite new.”

Travelling and touring

The Magic Platters will begin a major European-wide tour this autumn, commencing in September with dates in Brussels and Antwerp.

The tour has been scheduled to coincide with and promote the release of the new CD. Over six months the groups will perform in cities all over Europe – and sometimes beyond, playing three concerts a week.

“Travelling and touring for my work have been a big part of my life since I was a teenager” says Greg L May. “Over recent years, we have been working a lot in Europe, which I love. One of the things that fascinates me is that whenever I cross a border into another European country, I find it a totally different experience. I’m a ‘people person’ and I really notice some of the cultural differences. Sometimes they are just small, funny things, like when you are in Italy when you look up to a window, people will smile and wave at you.”

“One of the destinations I have enjoyed most in recent years, was the south of France, in Nice. I find the atmosphere there quite laid back and the audience really participates in the music. In Nice I also enjoyed the wonderful hotel. My room had its own terrace overlooking the sea and that is definitely my favourite type of hotel and location. As I love to be near the sea, I also like cruising and we recently performed on a luxury cruise ship around the Mediterranean, which was gorgeous.”

“Of course I love wonderful hotel rooms and service and I must admit, I enjoying being treated as a VIP, but I miss the more human touch when I’m off stage. That is what I least like about travelling in fact.

As an artist, I feel that staying in hotels somehow takes me away from real life. I like to get out and feel the vibe of the local community, so I often try to sneak out and catch concerts by local musicians.”

“Soul music will always be about living life with a passion. It’s about creating atmosphere and romance, but some of our new songs will be a little more up tempo. We are really looking forward to the tour and meeting audiences from all over Europe to see their reaction our new work.”

Upcoming tour details

The Magic Platter will kick off their six month tour on 10 September in Antwerp and 11 September in Brussels. More dates in Belgium will be announced soon. For more updates about the forthcoming tour contact www.etoile-productions.be | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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• • • • • • • • • • •

AIR PORTS

Brussels Airport

and partners prove their solidarity and determination All the staff at The Corporate Traveller extend their deepest condolences to the victims and families of the appalling terrorism attacks that took place on 22 March at Brussels Airport and Maalbeeck Metro Station.

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T BRUSSELS AIRPORT, THOUSANDS OF MANAGEMENT, STAFF AND PARTNERS HAVE BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK, TO SUPPORT THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND PUT SOLUTIONS INTO PLACE TO RETURN TO FULL STRENGTH. WITHIN JUST 12 DAYS, BRUSSELS AIRPORT HAD STARTED TO RESUME ITS ACTIVITIES. This massive achieve-

ment is a credit to the determination of the airport, and all of its airlines and partners.

Airlines return

Brussels Airlines had the honour of being the first airline to depart from Brussels Airport, using its symbolic Magritte aircraft, when it reopened on April 3. The first passenger flight was an emotional moment for the entire airport community.

Just forty days after the attacks, Brussels Airport officially reopened the departures hall on May 1, during a short ceremony. The reopening of the departures hall was an important symbol of the recovery for the country.

The opening ceremony was attended by employees of the airport community and the emergency services, as well as representatives of the highest authorities of the country.

“This is a very important day for Brussels Airport” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company, at the opening ceremony. “We are again seeing the familiar image of passengers in our departures hall, a big step towards the return to normal activities at the airport which will give a boost to the economy of the entire nation. Brussels Airport not only is the second most important centre of economic growth with 20,000 jobs, we also connect Belgium with the rest of the world and are often regarded worldwide as a symbol of our country. That we are returning to an almost normal situation in so little time, is important for the confidence of our business, investors and foreign tourists”

Brussels Airlines

With nearly a third of all flight movements at Brussels Airport, Brussels Airlines has obviously been heavily involved. It transferred most of its flights to other airports during the closure and has since been able to recommence

all of its operations at Brussels, including the launch of its new Toronto route.

“Of course we are going to feel the financial impact of these events, but we are determined to continue and move forward positively, as is the whole of Belgium” said Brussels Airlines’ spokesperson Kim Daenen. “Our focus is on our passengers and they have certainly been very supportive and very positive, as have all the staff here. We have had teams of volunteers coming in every day to work on our crisis management platforms. Some colleagues even came back from their holidays to help. In just the first 10 days, they had over 35,000 questions to answer. What was achieved with the new infrastructure in just a few days is also very impressive and shows real determination to get back on track. I’ve never seen such solidarity - its really heart-warming to see the efforts here.”

Passengers at the airport

Brussels Airport has been working around the clock to restore the damaged elements in the departure hall. 111 check in desks are now open in the departures hall, which in addition to the 36 desks in the temporary construction that was especially built after the attacks, means that 147 check-in desks and several self check-in kiosks in the departures hall and temporary construction are now available for passengers. This extra capacity will make the experience more comfortable and agreeable for passengers departing from Brussels Airport.

Hand baggage screening will continue to take place in the recently completed Connector building, which escaped undamaged from the explosions. Arriving passengers follow their usual routing for luggage collection and leaving the airport.

Additional security measures are now in place at the entrance to the airport area and the check-in zone. Passengers should therefore arrive at least 3 hours before the scheduled departure of their flight and check carefully on Brussels Airport’s website for all details concerning their flights. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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AIR PORTS

Jet Airways and Brussels Airport part ways Jet Airways and Brussels Airport have now parted ways after a successful collaboration of nearly nine years. Both are now looking ahead to the future.

Jet Airways completed the transfer of its scissor hub, between India and North America, to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at the end of March. Brussels Airport and its airline partners have been moving forward to replace the routes cancelled by the Indian carrier.

Jet Airways’ move motivated by evolution of partnerships

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ET AIRWAYS BEGAN ITS NEW OPERATIONS AT AMSTERDAM SCHIPHOL AIRPORT ON MARCH 27. In

partnership with KLM and Delta Airlines, Jet Airways now flies daily returns to Mumbai, Delhi and Toronto, as it previously did from Brussels. The schedules of all three flights have been timed for smooth connections at Amsterdam between India and North America. The airline will not be flying to New York’s Newark Airport, as it did from Brussels, as this route is already served by Jet Airways’ code share partners, Delta and KLM.

Jet Airways’ decision to transfer to Schiphol was largely motivated by the evolution of partnerships within the airline industry. “Brussels Airport served us long and well as our erstwhile European gateway” said Gilbert George, Jet Airways’ new Vice-President - Continental Europe and Americas, based in Amsterdam. “In fact, even from an operational standpoint, the Brussels gateway was a success, with an overall load factor upward of 80%.

“Nevertheless, as India’s premier international airline, Jet Airways is constantly looking at, and evaluating opportunities to optimize its operations. Some factors such as market size, connectivity opportunities, alliances and partnerships and the competitive scenario are all factors that would influence our network decision, as it would influence the decision ¾¾ TORONTO

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of any global airline. Amsterdam also offers us a stronger position on the North-European market.”

“The large India-Netherlands market, connectivity opportunities into and from Schiphol Airport, as well as our co-operation with KLM and Delta through codeshares, have all been key factors in influencing Jet Airways’ decision to make Amsterdam our new European gateway. With our partnership with KLM and Delta, we can now offer our guests one-stop access across Europe and North America, including to 30 European destinations through codeshare, which is significantly higher than what we were able to offer earlier. Furthermore, we will also be able to offer codeshare connectivity to 11 destinations into North America across the USA and Canada.”

Brussels Airport’s reaction

Etihad Airways acquired a stake in Jet Airways in 2013 and both have been working with Air France-KLM for quite some time. Jet Airways’ decision to transfer to Schiphol was therefore clearly a setback for Brussels Airport, but perhaps not so much of a surprise.

“Ever since the end of 2013 there has been a strategic alliance between Jet Airways and Etihad Airways and the cooperation with the Star Alliance network has been reduced drastically” commented Arnard Feist, Brussels Airports’ CEO, following Jet Airways’s announcement to move. “It was therefore to be expected that Jet Airways was going to re-evaluate their flights to Brussels Airport”.

½½ MUMBAI AIRPORT Jet Airways’ years at Brussels have, however, had long term benefits for the airport. When Jet Airways first arrived at Brussels Airport, in 2007, Brussels Airport invested heavily so that the airline could make a large number of simultaneous arrivals and departures during the busiest period of the day. These investments in infrastructure and operations have boosted Brussels Airport’s growth, supporting the increase in the number of long-distance flights and strengthening its position as a preferred hub for several leading global airlines in the Star Alliance network. During the last few years Brussels Airport’s intercontinental network and frequencies have expanded drastically, with the arrival of several long distance carriers including US Airways, Air Canada, United Airlines and ANA. Brussels Airlines has also doubled its long distance aircraft at the airport.

Brussels Airlines and Air Canada boost transatlantic routes from Brussels

Air Canada and Brussels Airlines have joined forces to compensate as much as possible for the departure of Jet Airways, by further increasing their offer on the transatlantic market.

In at relatively short space of time and despite the terrorist attacks at Brussels Airport, Brussels Airlines successfully launched new services to Toronto on 7 April, with 5 frequencies a week. Thanks to the close cooperation with partner air¾¾ BRUSSELS AIRLINES FIRST TOUCH DOWN IN TORONTO

½½ GILBERT GEORGE, JET AIRWAYS lines Air Canada and United, Brussels Airlines’ passengers can connect smoothly in Toronto on to many destinations in Canada (Ottawa, Edmonton, Halifax, Quebec, Vancouver, Montreal Metropolitan Airport and St John’s) and the United States (Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver, Detroit, Seattle). United already offers daily flights from Brussels to Newark, Chicago and Washington.

In parallel, Brussels Airlines will add a sixth weekly flight to Washington DC. In total the three transatlantic joint venture partners now fly to six transatlantic destinations from Brussels Airport.

“The strong partnership between Brussels Airlines and Brussels Airport and the dynamism of both our companies made it possible for us to anticipate Jet Airways’ departure and quickly develop, in collaboration with United, new routes to important destinations in North America” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.

Brussels to India

Brussels Airport is thus just missing its routes to India, where Jet Airways previously operated to Delhi and Mumbai. The airport hopes that either Brussels Airlines, or one of its other airline partners, including those with Star Alliance, will be able to organise flights to India, either directly or with stop overs.

For the time being, passengers who wish to travel from Brussels have the options of flying with Etihad on to Abu Dhabi International Airport (and then on to 11 direct destinations in India operated by Etihad and Jet Airways), travelling to Schiphol and then on to Jet Airways’ services to Mumbai and Delhi, or connecting on to Air India flights either at Frankfurt or Paris Charles de Gaulle airports.

Clearly there is traveller demand for these routes, as the load factor on Jet Airways’ flights between Brussels and India was high. Brussels Airlines had announced in an earlier statement that it was working on the business case of introducing services to Mumbai, possibly in cooperation with its Star Alliance partner Air India. Even since the Brussels terrorist attacks, Brussels Airlines has not ruled out this possibility. As for Air India, its route map of direct services to Europe clearly has a gap, between Paris and Frankfurt, in the Benelux. Brussels Airport would seem to be a logical choice, with its position as a hub for Air India’s Star Alliance partners. More news may follow as Brussels Airport moves back to full operations over the coming months. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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FASHION

Serengeti Eyewear teams with 24 Hours of Le Mans for winning performance sunglasses Serengeti Eyewear, the name behind the world’s most advanced driving sunglasses, has created a special limited edition collection for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans race. With Serengeti and Le Mans both pioneers in driving style and performance, the partnership is sure to be a winning team.

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Endurance and efficiency

HE SERENGETI-24 HOURS OF LE MANS LIMITED EDITION SHOWCASES THE BEST OF SERENGETI’S TECHNOLOGIES, WITH DESIGNS INSPIRED BY THE SPIRIT OF THE RACE KNOWN AS THE ‘GRAND PRIX OF ENDURANCE AND EFFICIENCY’. Since 1923, Le Mans has been putting man

and machine to the test of covering nearly 5,000 kilometres in 24 hours. The circuit combines both road and race track, with weather conditions ranging from searing heat to pouring rain. Serengeti’s mission is to help drivers meet these challenges, with performance and comfort.

Serengeti has been designing the finest driving lenses on the market since 1982, but the DNA of Serengeti and its associated companies dates back over a century in developing optical technologies. Serengeti was the pioneer of revolutionary Photochromic eyewear, where lenses lighten and darken in UV light, as well as Spectral Control, which optimises visual clarity and definition by filtering out the atmospheric haze known as blue light. Seregenti is unique in combining these technologies, together with Polarisation to block solar glare, so that lenses rapidly adapt to perform in any environmental condition. Damaging eye fatigue and stress are minimised, allowing the driver to effortlessly focus on every detail on the road.

Limited Edition

The Serengeti-24 Hours of Le Mans collection comprises 6 models, each available with a choice of up to four lens colours, such as the Polarized 555nm Blue and Polarized Drivers Gold. The Treviso and Panarea models, with their light-weight metal frames and mineral lenses, are classically elegant references in aviator-style driving sunglasses.

Four sports-inspired models have been created using ultralight weight nylon-injected sculpted frames with trivex lenses - which use NXT® technology adapted for fighter jets. The Nuvola features a modern rimless design, while the Maestrale’s aerodynamic look, with its wide field of protection, reflects the fashions found at the Le Mans track.

The ergonomic 4500 and 13,629 models have smooth racing contours, sculpted to fit the face. All are discretely engraved with Serengeti and Le Mans logos, while the temples feature Le Mans-inspired designs, such as chequered-flags.

Racing drivers and pilots

The global product and marketing development team behind Serengeti are Vanessa Rebelo, with her experience in luxury goods gathered from brands such as Fred, and Dani La Gace, director of Product and Marketing, who brings over 20 years’ of expertise in lens technologies and eyewear to the table. “Our goal is to blend the best in design and optical engineering to craft products ready for performance, endurance, action and comfort” says Dani La Gace. “We pay great attention to design detail, always developed with the protection and comfort of the customer in mind. As such, we have grown a loyal following of clients who want to experience the best, including professional racing drivers and pilots. In fact our strength is our high rate of loyal customers who tell us that once they wear Serengeti sunglasses they don’t want to change!”

Having ‘road-tested’ Seregenti eyewear, we can only agree that they transform the driving experience. The models are lightweight enough to forget that you are wearing them and whether in dazzling winter sun or driving through covered areas, they effortlessly adapt to the environment. For more information visit www.serengeti-eyewear.com | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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RAIL WAYS

Thalys announces ramp-up of services, including new IZY low cost trains

During joint press conferences held in Paris and Brussels on 1 March, Thalys CEO Agnès Ogier outlined a raft of new services to coincide with the high-speed rail carrier’s 20th year. Highlights included the opening of the Brussels-Midi lounge, a network extension to Dortmund and a new low-cost-branded service aimed at attracting the leisure market.

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IZY – Thalys’ new low cost brand

OP OF THE AGENDA AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NEW IZY-BRANDED SERVICE BETWEEN BRUSSELS AND PARIS. While around half

of Thalys’ passengers are business travellers, IZY is being targeted primarily towards the leisure market. Standard one-way fares begin at 19 euros, falling to just 10 euros for those willing to forgo guaranteed seating. IZY commenced services at the beginning of April, with two frequencies on 3 April, with two frequencies on week days, rising to three per day at the weekend. The dedicated IZY trains are distinguishable from their Thalys counterparts by their bright green and purple livery.

To make these lower fares possible, Thalys has reduced its regular costs by 30 percent. This has been achieved by simplifying services and longer journey times - averaging 2 hours 15 minutes, compared to 1 h 22 minutes on regular Thalys. IZY’s dedicated trains travel on standard tracks while in France, moving up to high speed on entering the Belgian rail network. Tickets are non-refundable and luggage is limited to ‘cabin baggage’. Additional options can be purchased à la carte, including increased baggage allowances and larger seats.

“Our studies show that most people prefer the comfort and speed of Thalys compared to road travel” said Agnès Ogier.

“Journey times are slightly longer with IZY, but they are still competitive compared to travelling by road – especially from city centre to city centre.”

Security measures

One of the great advantages of Thalys, until recently, was the possibility for travellers to arrive just two minutes before train departure. Following the terrorist attacks in Paris and ¾¾ IZY

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½½ LOUNGE BRUSSELS MIDI © PHOTO DAVID PLAS Brussels, increased security measures have been introduced.

Since December, security portals and baggage X-rays have been in place on the train quays in Gare du Nord and Lille stations. A fast track lane is available for priority travellers and those with reduced mobility. Since the terrorist attacks on 22 March, reinforced security measures are also being implemented at Brussels Midi station, although more details are unavailable at the time of going to press. In all other Thalys stations, additional surveillance cameras and security staff have been deployed. Passengers are now advised to arrive 20 minutes before departure, in order to avoid potential bottlenecks, although access to the departure quays remains open until 2 minutes before departure.

“The objective of these measures is to ensure the security of our clients and personnel in the best possible conditions, to maintain a seamless, rapid and comfortable journey” said Agnès Ogier.

½½ CEO AGNÈS OGIER

Services and destinations

Thalys continues to build on its network. At the beginning of 2016, a 14th daily frequency was added between Brussels and Amsterdam. In March the rail carrier extended its reach into Germany, following Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen), Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisbourg and Essen.

Dortmund is being operated with three services a day. On a lower note, since this year, services to Brussels Airport have been cancelled, due to lack of sufficient demand.

Following the opening of the new Paris Gare du Nord Thalys lounge last year, it was the turn of the renovated lounge at Brussels-Midi to be unveiled on March 2. Designed by Brussels-based firm of architects Dirk de Leeuw, its 230M2 have been used to create warm and welcoming areas for working, meetings or networking – with the needs of corporate travellers particularly in mind. Lounge services include a meeting room which can be reserved for up to six people, refreshments, free wifi throughout, power sockets and chargers, newspapers and information screens displaying departure information.

Reception staff are on hand for exchanging and purchasing tickets.

The Brussels-Midi lounge is located on Place Horta, 158160 Rue de l’Instruction, opposite the Thalys quays. It can be accessed by Thalys frequent traveller TheCard holders, as well as qualifying travellers with Railteam

and Business Air France. Opening times are from 6am to 9.30 pm on Mondays to Thursdays and 6am to 10pm on Fridays to Sunday.

“At Thalys, we know how precious time is for frequent travellers – and especially corporate travellers” explained Scheherazade Zekri-Chevallet, Sales and Marketing Director for Thalys. “Last June we opened a lounge at Paris Gare du Nord and we believed it was essential to be able to offer a similar space at Brussels-Midi to reply to the needs of our passengers.”

Further investments by Thalys this year include the extension of free wifi to all Thalys travellers, including those in Comfort 2 class, more frequencies to Amsterdam and the new connection to Dortmund.

Vision for Thalys

Clearly the attacks in Paris and Brussels have had in impact, but Agnès Ogier remains positive. “We now have a great portfolio of destinations and customer satisfaction rates are high, with 88 percent of passengers ‘satisfied’ with our services. Over the next two years, one of our main priorities for Thalys is to reinforce our routes to the Netherlands and Germany and to capitalize on them” underlined Agnès Ogier. “Equally important is to retain and boost our leisure passengers, which we aim to address with the launch of IZY.”

| THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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DESTINATIONS

bmi regional

focusing on corporate travel bmi regional has clearly benefited from a new dynamism since it became an independent airline in 2012. We met with the new CEO, Peter Simpson and Chief Commercial Officer, Jochen Schnadt, at their headquarters in East Midlands Airport, to find out more.

B

MI REGIONAL HAS BEEN A BUSINESS-FOCUSSED CARRIER SINCE ITS CREATION IN 1987, WHEN IT WAS THEN KNOWN AS BUSINESS AIR. FOLLOWING SUBSEQUENT TRANSFORMATIONS, INCLUDING ACQUISITIONS BY BRITISH MIDLAND AND IAG, IT BECAME AN INDEPENDENT AIRLINE IN 2012. It now operates, along with sister airline Loganair,

under the recently created AIL group. Together they carry over 1.5 million passengers a year, on 48 routes. bmi regional has also been strengthening its senior management structure. The last twelve months have seen the arrival of a new CEO, Peter Simpson and new Chief Commercial Officer, Jochen Schnadt. Alwin Hollander, as Director of Sales and Rachel Start, in the newly created position of Director of Customer Engagement, have joined Frank Mertens, Head of Marketing in Jochen Schnadt’s executive team.

Strategy and network

bmi regional’s fleet of 18 Embraer jets operate 350 flights per week, to 25 destinations in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerand and the United Kingdom. These services are complemented by the schedule of Loganair, with its network across England, Ireland, Scotland and Norway, effectively doubling the number of routes.

From Brussels, bmi regional links Belgium to the heart of British industry in less than one hour, with direct flights

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to both Newcastle and East Midlands Airport. With up to two frequencies a day to both Newcastle and East Midlands, with morning as well as evening flights most week days, the schedules have been timed so that business trips can easily be made in one day.

With an already well-established network to and from UK business destinations, the airline is increasing its footprint in mainland Europe and Scandinavia, with a growing number of ‘non-UK’ routes now offered in its network. This trend has been reinforced with the addition of four new services from Munich this spring, in partnership with Lufthansa, meaning that bmi regional now flies to no less than 8 European cities, direct from Munich.

In addition to the codeshare partnership with Lufthansa, which brings connections to over 200 destinations via its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, bmi regional operates a codeshare agreement with Brussels Airlines, bringing links to a further 60 cities in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America.

“Our partnerships with Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa bring our passengers seamless onwards connections throughout the world, while we focus on our core expertise of point to point business routes in Europe” said Peter Simpson. “Even when we choose our new routes, we always start from a business travel perspective, to see what we can develop in reply to corporate requests for niche routes.”

½½ CCO JOCHEN SCHNADT

Corporate programmes and charter services

In February, bmi regional introduced a new range of corporate contract solutions, Business Powered, designed to meet the varied requirements of its clients. The Advance, Elite and Privilege levels within the programme have been created for all sizes of companies, from SMEs up to large corporations flying between 100 and 1,000 sectors per year.

All levels offer valuable discounts for corporates and added services for passengers.

“With our new Business Powered solutions, we have created attractive packages for coorporates that bring them real added value in terms of services and budget optimisation” explained Jochen Schnadt. “Bespoke, the fourth level of Business Powered, enables corporates to choose their own routes and departure times, through our charter services. Besides giving passengers the freedom to fly when and where they want, the Bespoke services mean that clients can choose customised onboard catering and services - and even the livery of their aircraft.”

Full service, cost efficient

bmi regional offers attractive fares while remaining a full-service airline, with no unexpected price add-ons at the airport. bmi regional is bringing a greater level of flexibility and choice for travellers with its newly launched ‘fare families’, which run in parallel with the Business Powered

½½ CEO PETER SIMPSON

corporate product. The flexible fares are branded as Classic, Classic Plus and Executive. Classic fares, for travellers on a budget, include one item of checked in baggage of up to 20 kilos, along with free drinks and snacks on board.

Comfortable leather seats, with above average personal space for economy class, are all either window or aisle access. The next fare family level, Flexible Economy, includes fully refundable and flexible tickets. Added advantages are an allowance of two pieces of checked in luggage, as well as fast track security and lounge access in certain airports, including Brussels. Preferred seats can be booked upon check-in, whether flying Economy or Flexible economy.

“Our new mobile check in service and restructured fare framework have just been introduced” added Peter Simpson. “Looking further ahead, we may be looking at integrating some aircraft with a slightly higher passenger capacity.”

Moreover, bmi regional offers a fast, convenient service.

Voted the UK’s most punctual airline for 10 years, the airline has tailored its schedule to the demands of business travellers, with short check-in times of just 30 minutes.

“We are aimed at a business audience, with a premium, convenient service, quick check in and everything included, which is great for corporates” summarised Peter Simpson. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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DESTINATIONS

Nottingham

a growing destination for corporate and leisure travel

Nottingham is a regular business commute for many of the passengers on bmi regional’s flights between Brussels and East Midlands Airport.

We took a trip to find out more about this city of striking contrasts and its journey from a medieval metropolis, to former bastion of the industrial revolution and its rebirth as a thriving business and cultural hub.

½½ ROBIN HOOD EZEKIAL BONE 2015 - © EXPERIENCE NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

S

A chequered past

ETTLED IN THE YEAR 600 BY THE UNFORTUNATELYNAMED KING SNOT OF DENMARK, NOTTINGHAM WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS SNOTINGAHAM. It flourished down

through the middle ages, while its castle remained an important royal residence, until the end of civil war in the 1600s.

A new period of growth followed, 200 years later, when Nottingham became one of the first towns in the UK to prosper from the Industrial Revolution. The city became a major European centre for machine-produced textiles, and in particular lace. During this period, the city’s population mushroomed and many of its most impressive mansions and public buildings, as well as its two famous football grounds, were constructed.

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City highlights

Among Nottingham’s attractions are the grand cultural and civic institutions built during the great fortunes of the Industrial Revolution – such as the Theatre Royal and the Galleries of Justice Museum. The Galleries of Justice Museum gives visitors the chance to experience Nottingham’s dark history of crime and punishment, with performance-led tours of the courtroom and jail. For private events, the museum offers an eclectic mix of spaces, including a banqueting hall, while themed events and animations are a speciality.

½½ LACE MARKET HOTEL AND GALLERIES OF JUSTICE MUSEUM

Nottingham’s best-known landmark is its castle. Originally built by William the Conqueror, what remains of the ancient castle are its gatehouse, some ramparts and a vast system of underground caves which can be explored with a guided tour. Most of the present day castle dates back to the 17th century. Now used as a museum and art gallery, it is currently undergoing 25 million euros of renovations and investments, to be completed by 2019. The site is also the backdrop for some of Nottingham’s biggest tourism events, such as the Robin Hood Beer & Cider Festival and the Robin Hood Pageant – both held in October.

Robin Hood, the folklore hero from the days of King John and Richard the Lionheart, is Nottingham’s favourite celebrity. The best way to discover more about the legend, is to join one of Ezekiel Bone’s entertaining and informative tours which bring Nottingham’s history to life. In his persona as Nottingham’s de facto 21st century Robin Hood, the Ezekiel Bone tours have become one of city’s most popular attractions. Special events and tours can also be arranged in nearby Sherwood Forest, now part of a 450 acre natural reserve.

Shopping is another major lure for visitors. Nottingham’s roots have always been in the textile and design sectors and the city has been ranked by Experian as one of the

UK’s top 5 retail areas. Shoppers are spoilt for choice among the independent boutiques, designer shops, lively markets and shopping centres, dotted by pubs, cafés and restaurants. Here too is the birthplace, and headquarters, of designer Paul Smith – whose flagship store is located in a magnificent Georgian mansion, at Willoughby House.

Football stadiums and conference venues

While for some, Nottingham may conjure up images of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest, for others, it is the legends of Notts County and Nottingham Forest. The two famous rival football clubs are located just a stone’s throw from each other, to the south east of the city. Besides giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy matches during the season, both have developed extensive facilities for conferences, events and corporate hospitality, with many spaces offering stadium views. Most of Nottingham Forest’s events spaces have been refurbished over the last three years.

Nottingham’s two largest conference centres are the EMCC and the Nottingham Conference Centre. The East Midlands Conference Centre sits on a 330 acre landscaped park, three kilometres from Nottingham city centre and 15 minutes from East Midlands Airport. The EMCC offers all technical and logistical facilities for exhibitions, conferences and evening events and has the flexibility to host between 10 to 1,000 delegates. Adjacent to the centre is the 202 room Orchard Hotel, opened in 2012. Both the EMCC and the Orchard Hotel are operated by De Vere Venues.

Nottingham Conference Centre, which opened in 2010, has a variety of event spaces, from modern boardroom suites and auditoriums, to a beautfilly restored 19th century function rooms for up to 450 delegates. The venue benefits from a city centre location and natural daylight in all of its rooms.

½½ NOTTINGHAM FOREST FC STADIUM

The city also offers a large choice of unique events venues, such as the hall at Nottingham Castle, the medieval church of St Mary’s and Nottingham Contemporary, one of the largest contemporary art centres in the UK. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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DESTINATIONS

The 176-room Hilton Nottingham offers a Regus Express business lounge, meeting spaces for up to 200 people, a brand new American-diner style restaurant - Brick - and a LivingWell health club with swimming pool.

½½ THE MERCHANT RESTAURANT

The Crowne Plaza has one of Nottingham’s largest meetings’ offerings, with 17 events spaces. The largest of these is the Arcade, an impressive glass-ceilinged atrium which adjoins the hotel’s restaurant and bar. The Crowne Plaza also features a business centre, an executive club lounge and an Urban Escape Spa with indoor swimming pool.

Other hotels in the city include the Jurys Inn Nottingham, with 264 rooms and 11 meeting rooms, and the 4 star Mercure Nottingham City Centre, with 76 guest rooms and 2 meeting rooms.

After hours

As a city with two universities, Nottingham has a wealth of bars, restaurants and musical entertainments to suit every taste. Some of the city’s pubs are exceptional and offer unique venues for corporate events – or just a pleasant atmosphere for an informal meeting while enjoying the region’s local beers.

The Pitcher and Piano is housed in a beautifully restored former church, complete with upper galleries and stained glass windows. The property is frequently hired for private events and lends itself particularly well to medieval themed events.

With the distinction of being one of the oldest pubs in England, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem dates back more than 800 years.

Inside visitors will find a small maze of bars and rooms, complete with antique curiosities and underground caves.

½½ MALT CROSS

Boutique hotels

Nottingham has a good range of hotel accommodation – from international business chains to luxury boutique hotels.

Among the latter, one of the best known is the Lace Market Hotel. Housed in an elegant Georgian building, the property completed a 3 million pound redesign of its 42 guest rooms and suites, along with its restaurant and public spaces, at the end of 2015. Popular with corporate groups, the hotel has a selection of meeting rooms, its own pub (The Cock and Hoop) and a fine dining restaurant. The Cock and Hoop serves a selection of local ales and traditional pub meals, while The Merchant restaurant specialises in contemporary French cuisine.

Among business travellers, another of the city’s popular boutique hotels is Hart’s Hotel. A design-award-winning contemporary 4 star property, Hart’s is situated on part of Nottingham Castle’s ramparts. The hotel has 32 rooms and suites, with hill top views over the city, as well as its own private gardens. Adjacent to the hotel is Hart’s Restaurant, one of Nottingham’s leading upmarket eateries, where Chef Dan Burridge reinvents British cuisine with a modern twist.

The restaurant and hotel bar pride themselves on their high quality wine list, selected by owner Tim Hart. Above the restaurant is a large, fully equipped meeting space.

Business hotels

Nottingham’s international business hotels include the 4 star Park Plaza Nottingham, part of the Carlson Rezidor group.

It features 178 guest rooms and suites, a range of meeting rooms for up to 220 delegates and two eateries including the Chino Latino - an Asian fusion restaurant and bar.

Finally, the Malt Cross is a bar within a tiny theatre, one of the few remaining Victorian music halls in the UK. With its small stage and upper galleries, the venue plays host to regular musical events and arts workshops.

Nottingham’s new era

Recent years have seen a massive transformation of Nottingham, supported by multi-million euro investments focusing on digital, media and creative industries, as well as improvements to the city’s infrastructure. Nottingham now benefits from an excellent network of public transport, including trams and, thanks to road improvements, is just 15 to 20 minutes’ drive to East Midlands Airport. It has also become one of the UK’s six Science Cities, home to more than 15,000 businesses within a wide range of technology and engineering sectors. Nottingham now has the fourth highest per capita income of any UK city, after London, Edinburgh and Belfast.

Nottingham’s growth as a new business city is balanced by its thriving entertainment and cultural scene, while the value of tourism has grown consistently over the last few years. In 2014 the city attracted nearly 33 million visitors.

In fact, in the words of Ezekiel Bone, “Nottingham has everything that London has, but on a smaller and more affordable scale.”

bmi flies to East Midlands Airport with 10 weekly frequencies. For more information about Nottingham visit www.experiencenottinghamshire.com

| THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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DESTINATIONS

Meetings & Incentives blessed by the Gods

in Sicily

If Hera, Zeus and other ancient deities ever decided to come back to visit the sanctuaries dedicated to them in Sicily, it is a safe bet that they would stay at Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel! In this temple to refinement where the 5-star hotel concept takes on its full meaning, these Gods would certainly savour the moment by taking advantage of completely relaxing in the luxurious rooms and suites overlooking the Mediterranean, resolve human conflicts in the ultra-modern conference centre, and get revitalised in the spa, among the largest in the world. There is no doubt that they would also appreciate Sicilian charms and hospitality and would be delighted to have a game of golf in a paradisiacal setting that would certainly have no reason at all to envy Olympus‌ Fortunately for us, mere mortals that we are, Verdura Resort makes these divine pleasures available to us all for meetings, incentives, conferences and events.

O

PEN THE SHUTTERS IN YOUR ROOM AND ENJOY A SPLENDID VIEW OF THE RIPPLING TURQUOISE BLUE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA A MERE HUNDRED METERS FROM YOUR TERRACE‌ That is the first thing that you will certainly remember

of your stay at Verdura Resort. Jewel of the prestigious Rocco Forte Collection, this luxurious hotel was established in 2009 in a 230-hectare estate, rich in orange trees and lush olive groves that embellish one of the most beautiful plains of the south-west coast of Sicily, between the picturesque port of Siacca and the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento.

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5-star service

In this verdant setting stretching along a 1.8km private coast line, the Rocco Forte Verdura Resort offers you 203 rooms and suites.

In addition to their terrace with a seaview, these rooms and suites are characterised not only by their superior luxury symbolised by the four-poster beds or the regal-dimension bathrooms, but also by a 5-star service. You will also find this attentive service in the 9 hotel restaurants and bars, where you can enjoy fine cuisine marrying modern techniques and traditional Sicilian flavours, and, in particular, using many fresh local products such as olive oil, oranges and aromatic herbs grown even within the resort itself. Furthermore, we can highly recommend that you take a cookery course in Sicilian cuisine with one of the resort chefs - one of the many incentive activities that the Verdura Resort offers.

| THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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DESTINATIONS

Golf and Spa

For the incentive level specifically, there are endless possibilities. Apart from unique activities such as diving, a flyover of Mt Etna in a helicopter, or scooting around on a Vespa, along with many team-building formulas, the Verdura Resort will win you over by its golf and spa facilities. Who has never dreamed of being able to practise golf almost all year in a pleasantly mild climate and in idyllic surroundings beside the sea? Designed by the famous golf-course architect Kyle Phillips, the two 18-hole courses as well as the 9-hole course and the vast practice area are something that really must be experienced. The same holds true for the Verdura Spa which extends over at least 4,000m². In addition to its beauty salon, which offers 11 treatment rooms, fitness equipment at the cutting edge of technology, an indoor swimming pool and no fewer than 4 external thalassotherapy pools, a steam room, infrared and Finnish sauna.

| THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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DESTINATIONS

Land blessed by the Gods

You can also immerse yourself completely in Sicily thanks to the many excursions that are on offer. It is highly recommended to taste the wines of the Planeta family (www.planeta.it). You will be grateful yet again that Dionysos, according to the legend, introduced this divine beverage to the island. There you will discover, in particular, the local king of vines Nero d’Avola in all its splendour. Another unmissable splendour: the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, registered as a UNESCO world-heritage site! In addition to the temples of Zeus, Hera and Hercules, the Concorde is the best-preserved Greek temple in the world. A feeling of grandeur… Not far from there, you can also stop off for a typical lunch at the Fattoria di Mosè (www.fattoriamose.com), a farm dating from the 18th century and where time seems to have stood still in the 1950s.

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Events

Finally, for more down-to-earth considerations, but perhaps those which interest us most, Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel, thanks to its cutting edge 4,000m² convention centre, offers countless event opportunities. Its 10 meeting rooms and its ballroom will allow you to organise all kinds of meetings, conferences, product launches, themed evenings, etc. Finally, thanks to the clemency of the weather gods, you can also enjoy a pleasant dinner in an illuminated grove of olive trees or hold meetings outside in the Amphitheatre, as was common currency about 2,000 years ago in the ancient world.

MORE INFO To discover all the capabilities, opportunities and MICE references of Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel, click on www.roccofortehotels.com/verdura-resort.

| THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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