出差人

网上国内机票购买和酒店预订，总的原则是多做调查，价比三家。具体操作上，

机票：

1.利用机票搜索引擎进行预搜
酷讯机票搜索引擎和去那儿机票搜索引擎是做得比较好的两个国内机票搜索网站。国内航空公司的直销价和绝大多数代理商的报价都能在酷讯或去那儿上看到。在它们那里预搜，网上的最低价比较容易找到。当然，为了确保百分百的准确性，可以再去国内航空公司的直销网站或网上国内机票比较有名的两个代理商：携程和艺龙查询及确认。

摘自MSNBC

These lightweight, smart computer gadgets will keep you going on the road
By Lauren Streib

With so many computer gizmos on the market, even the savvy business traveler can be forgiven for feeling confused about what accessories are worthy of their time, money and precious carry-on space.

From portable cooling stands to docking stations promising extra USB ports to lightweight, ergonomic laptop cases, the choices are endless.

But experts say if you're looking for ways to make navigating life on the road with a computer in tow easier, the key is to choose a few multi-tasking travel tools that boost your Internet and network connectivity, suit your style and—most important—protect your files.

摘自MSNBC

Don't forget reading material, sleep aids when planning for these trips

Traveling from Singapore to Newark, N.J.? Better bring lots of reading material — or Ambien. That's because you'll be onboard almost 19 hours — it's the longest route in the world.

For years, whether to refuel or allow for connecting flights, multi-stop trips were the norm for those traveling ultra-long distances. Not so today. That's because airlines are increasingly using planes with long-range capability and passengers traveling farther afield are eagerly boarding them.

According to July Airline Traffic Statistics from OAG, a global flight information and data solutions company, the number of scheduled long-haul flights has been increasing steadily over the past six years. There were 866 scheduled flights between Hong Kong International Airport and the U.S. or Canada in July 2001 vs. 1,000 scheduled for July 2007.

And there have already been 677 orders to date for the Boeing Dreamliner 787, one of the aircraft utilized for ultra-long, nonstop flights. The plane has yet to undergo test flights.

综合自北京商报，BBC News

美国波音公司生产的首架787“梦想”飞机昨天下线。这是波音公司1995年以来推出的第一个全新机型。

波音787将在今年8月下旬或9月试飞，计划2008年在日本全日空航空公司投入商业运营。迄今，波音公司已经收到677架波音787飞机的订单，交付日期已经排到2015年。

为了同波音公司生产的787型客机竞争，欧洲空客公司此前抛出了打折和其他优惠措施，吸引顾客购买它的产品，让利数十亿美元，其中787的竞争机型空客A350型客机售价折扣达到5折甚至更低。

摘自USA Today

HAWTHORNE, N.Y. — In a warehouse in a Westchester County industrial park north of Manhattan, Starwood's Aloft hotel chain, due to premiere in May 2008, is preparing for takeoff.
Expect lobbies with high ceilings and exposed pipes, cool bars and Starbucks-style nooks for working on laptops.

With rates starting at about $125, the idea is to bring the style and personality of Starwood's W hotels to the value-minded masses. "We want our 'cool' to be universal and inclusive," says Aloft president Ross Klein, offering a first look at lobby and room prototypes.

摘自新浪旅游

与越来越热的天气一样，旅游市场也正在逐渐升温，近日暑期线路价格普遍有小幅上涨。一年一度的暑期游大战已经拉开帷幕，专家分析，今年的暑期游热度已经直逼黄金周。

暑期出游价格小幅上涨

康辉旅行社市场部经理郭彧告诉记者，近日暑期线路价格普遍有小幅上涨，尤其是出境游和国内长线游。

出境游报价上涨主要体现在东南亚线路上，普遍上涨了200-300元，涨幅在10%左右。比如泰新马一线，从之前的3980元涨到了4280元。国内的长线游也大约有100元左右的涨价，例如昆明-大理-丽江双飞六天线路，从3430元上涨到了3530元。至于上涨的原因，郭彧表示，这主要是机票涨价造成的。

摘自环球旅讯

近年来，一种新型商业模式在欧美航空界迅速崛起，并对传统大型航空公司长期占据的高端商务市场（头等舱和商务舱）构成挑战，这种新模式被称作“低票价全商务舱”（Low-fare, all-business-class airline），简单理解就是以全商务舱飞机运行主要商务航线，其票价比商务舱的市场价格要低50%-75%。　

摘自环球旅讯

从国内领先的在线旅行服务公司携程旅行网了解到，随着上海进入盛夏，受各类商务活动、大型展会数量减少影响，沪上的四星、五星级酒店价格跳水不少。

来自携程旅行网的数据显示，7、8月份期间，上海高星级酒店降价幅度一般在15%左右。例如，上海浦西某五星级酒店的普通套房，6月底是2600元一晚，7月中旬则为1900多元一晚。浦东某四星酒店的豪华房，6月为900多元一晚，7月期间则为700多元一晚。不过经济型酒店受商务淡季影响较小，价格基本不变。

摘自世界日报

每年到了夏季，都是华人旅行业者最繁忙的时候，要求购买机票的电话络绎不绝，不论返乡探亲或到欧洲旅游，机票价格不但大涨，有时有钱也买不到自己想要日期的机票。要摆脱这样的困境，华人业者建议民众提前订票，另外如果不是必须的话，尽量不要在暑假期间出国凑热闹。
纽约市法拉盛亚美旅行社王小姐表示，每年的6月到8月都是旅游旺季，不少华人也趁著孩子放暑假的机会返乡探亲，但机票也是这个时候最贵。就以今年的行情来说，往返上海、香港和台北等亚洲主要城市的机票价格大多在1500元至1600元之间，而淡季时的机票价格则在一千元左右，有时八百多元也能买到。价格差不多涨了50%。

摘自MSNBC

Speed through security, land the best seat, and other business travel tips
By Ryan Underwood

Between long waits on the tarmac and having to pad around the security line in your stockinged feet, what's left to love about business travel? Certainly not the rundown "elite" passenger lounges, most of which resemble a forsaken Holiday Inn lobby that got its last makeover in 1989. Nevertheless, we've scrounged up some strategies and resources that make traveling something close to enjoyable. We interviewed travel experts and entrepreneurs who log more than 200,000 miles a year on business trips. On the following pages, you'll find their best tips for a better business trip.

中国十大综合旅游网站(以ALEXA全球排名为基础)

摘自指南针网

1. 携程
2. e龙旅行网
3. MAPBAR电子地图搜索
4. 同程旅游网
5. E都市杭州人家仿真城市
6. 图行天下
7. 久游网
8. 游易航空旅行网
9. 春秋航空旅游网
10. 指南针网

摘自LA Times

The number of overseas visitors dropped sharply from 2000 to 2005. Mayors urge more spending on marketing.
By Kimi Yoshino
June 22, 2007

Troubled by steep declines in international tourism, U.S. mayors are urging the federal government to spend more money on marketing the United States and to make the entry process friendlier and faster.

Responding to a survey by the Travel Business Roundtable, mayors from the country's top travel destinations said tourism — a driving force of the U.S. economy — needed to be a top priority.

The number of overseas visitors to the U.S. has dropped 17% since its peak in 2000 — and 20% in the top 15 cities — costing more than $100 billion in lost visitor spending through 2005, according to the Commerce Department.

摘自中国旅游报

近日，2007年凯悦旅游展在上海举办，值得注意的是，“水疗”概念首次亮相2007凯悦旅游展。

对此，凯悦国际酒店集团大中华区的健康水疗总监陶安盈介绍，今后凯悦集团在全球新增的酒店都将涵盖“水疗”概念产品，个别酒店甚至专辟水疗楼层客房，使客人足不出户享受健康养生服务。

凯悦国际酒店集团计划未来三年在亚太地区开设16家新酒店，其中有12家在中国，今年在北京、上海、广州、东莞、京津等地将有5家新酒店开业。该集团亚太区市场副总裁Grahame Carder说,中国是继北美洲以外拥有最多凯悦物业的国家,凯悦将继续其在中国的策略性发展。

摘自新浪旅游

随着2008北京奥运会的临近，很多人对能够在家门口观看奥运比赛充满向往，然而，奥运会期间的住宿成了不少中外游客最为关心的问题，如果届时宾馆房价猛涨，普通消费者是否能够承受？这么多人蜂拥而至，订不到房间怎么办？人们心中的疑问，随着到北京看奥运的热潮涌起，不少人顾虑重重。其实，在北京，除了为数众多星级宾馆之外，还有很多类型的住宿选择，比如规模较小、价格低廉的社会旅馆，奥运场馆附近的酒店式公寓，以及当地居民出租的民用住宅，都是可以选择的。旅游者可以根据自身的条件，和这些不同类型住宿地的特点，选择最适合自己的，尽量让自己的奥运之行住得舒适和方便。

摘自Travel Channel

Getting the Best for Less Around the World
Smart travelers can pick up a myriad of last-minute bargains in duty-free shops worldwide.
By Gretchen Kelly

Shop-a-holics unite! You have nothing to lose by buying duty-free but local and national taxes (though you'll still have to pay customs fees on articles over $800).

The first duty-free liquor counter was opened at London Airport in 1959. Since then, travelers have counted on doing their last-minute shopping at the increasingly mall-like duty-free centers in airports around the world. But how can you get the most from duty-free? Start by comparing prices at www.thedutyfreepriceguide.com, which will tell you if that bottle of new Armani cologne is going to be cheaper at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, than at a store back home.

摘自环球旅讯

旅游搜索引擎Kayak已在其英国网站上推出酒店搜索功能，而且将在今年第三季度增加度假旅行和租车服务。

Kayak网站最近进行的一系列开发工作，将使其与强大的美国竞争对手Sidestep（2006年9月进军英国市场）以及有一定名气的英国在线旅游比较网站TravelSupermarket、Kelkoo处于平等的竞争地位。

From Fortune

Faster passports
Check your passport. If it's going to expire in the next six months, you have a problem. Swamped by applications, partly because of new rules that require passports for all air travel to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Canada, the State Department can take up to ten weeks to issue a new passport. (Even expedited service can be as long as a month.)

To get it faster, here are two options: If you live close to one of 14 regional passport agencies, appointments are available, but be prepared to wait in line. To save some headaches, private passport expediters can often get a passport processed the same day. "Business is up 30 percent this year already," says Jeffrey Fine, president of CIBT, one of the largest expediters.

摘自彭博财经

Rooms to grow: Hotel companies target China

By Oliver Staley

April 11 (Bloomberg) -- During a visit to Shanghai last month, toy salesman Wang Zhiyong and his wife stayed at a Courtyard by Marriott, one of dozens of new hotels in the city.

``Three- and four-star hotels are affordable and quite accessible,'' the 36-year-old Wang, who's from the northern Shanxi province, said in an interview at the hotel. He paid 900 yuan ($116) a night for his room in the financial district.

Since 2000, more than 35 hotels have opened in Shanghai alone, including the Courtyard where Wang stayed. The expansion into China, which has about 12,000 hotels, is part of a push by companies such as Marriott International Inc. and Wyndham Worldwide Corp. to double their rooms in Asia and take advantage of rising affluence and increased travel.

``You have a rapidly growing economy, an expanding middle class and investment in infrastructure that makes those markets a great opportunity,'' Wyndham Chief Executive Officer Stephen Holmes, who made a five-day trip to India last month to discuss hotel deals, said in an interview.

China and India are the most attractive Asian markets, hotel executives say. China's gross domestic product expanded 10.4 percent in the fourth quarter, making the country the world's fastest-growing major economy. India's economy grew 8.6 percent, the second-fastest.

China already ranks among the top five countries in spending for business travel, according to the London-based World Travel & Tourism Council. India, now 18th in business travel, probably will rank among the top five in 10 years, while China may vault to No. 2 in tourism travel from No. 6 at present, the Council estimates.

`Geared to Penetrate'

``Every major international brand is geared to penetrate these markets,'' said Patrick Ford, president of Lodging Econometrics, a consulting company in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Industrywide, 481 hotels are under construction or planned for China, and 198 in India, up from 316 and 161 last September, Lodging Econometrics estimates.

Another 283 hotels are under development in the rest of Asia, with Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam drawing the most interest, Ford said.

Wyndham franchises 11 hotels in India and has an agreement to open 10 more Ramada Inns in the country. In China, the Parsippany, New Jersey-based company operates or franchises 84 hotels under brands such as Days Inn, Super 8 and Howard Johnson. It expects to double the number of Super 8s to almost 90 in the next year.

Doubling Up

Bethesda, Maryland-based Marriott's chains, including Ritz- Carlton and Renaissance, have 39 hotels in China and India, with another 27 planned. Hilton Hotels Inc. has 13 full-service hotels in China and India and plans to double that number. The Beverly Hills, California-based company also plans to open another 75 in India through a joint venture, plus 25 Hilton Garden Inns, a lower-priced brand, in China.

London-based InterContinental Hotels Group Plc expects to double its Holiday Inns in China, to 125, in the next 22 months.

The hotels' interest boils down to demographics, said Vasant Prabhu, chief financial officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., based in White Plains, New York.

China, with 1.3 billion people, is the world's most populous country, while India's population of 1.09 billion makes it the second largest. Income levels are rising in both countries, with per capita annual income up 87 percent, to $1,750, in China and 62 percent, to $730, in India from 2000 to 2005, according to the World Bank. China's urban incomes rose 12.1 percent in 2006.

Chinese Travelers

``If you thought Japanese travel in the '80s and '90s was big, can you imagine 300 million middle class people in China?'' Prabhu told investors at a conference in Naples, Florida, last month. ``That's bigger than the population of the U.S., bigger than the population of the EU.''

Increasingly, Prabhu said, the travel is within countries and regions. ``Ten years ago, two-thirds of hotel stays in China were from outside Asia,'' he said. ``Today, two-thirds come from within Asia.''

Starwood has 31 hotels in China and 18 in India. The company plans to double its properties in China in the next two to three years, spokeswoman Nadeen Ayala said.

In China, much of the development is large luxury hotels in urban centers, with 68 percent of all new projects four- or five-star hotels, Ford said. An exception is Wyndham's economy Super 8 chain, which is benefiting from the Chinese belief that eight is a lucky number. ``It's sort of a windfall for Wyndham,'' said Ford.

Evenly Distributed

In India, the development is more evenly distributed. About half the projects are for mid-range and economy hotels that will cater to the growing number of software companies in the suburbs, Ford said.

``In terms of total hotel rooms, in the five-star category it would be about 35,000 to 40,000 but if you consider across all star categories it would be more than 100,000 rooms. On average 10,000 to 15,000 rooms are being added across the country every year,'' said R.K. Gupta, who oversees $68 million of assets at Credit Capital Asset Management in New Delhi.

One of the hurdles facing foreign hotel operators is finding real estate developers who can build hotels on time and within budget, said Amit Kapoor, an analyst at White Plains, New York-based Gabelli & Co., which owns shares of Starwood.

``Asia has a different regulatory environment, and they need partners who won't get caught in the bureaucracy,'' he said.

To surmount those obstacles, companies are opening Asian development offices, such as Hilton's in Shanghai, New Delhi and Mumbai, and staffing them with knowledgeable locals.

If they bear fruit, tourists like Wang and his wife will have even more hotel choices in the coming years.

出差人按：
以下是摘自三月底的中国经营报的一篇关于08年奥运北京酒店预订的报道。因为想着奥运期间北京酒店肯定涨价，当初本来也没打算要现场看比赛。但看完这篇报道，还是对酒店涨价的幅度感到震惊。7000元一天的房价，比平常一张北京来回洛杉矶的经济舱机票都贵！而且只接受十六天一起的全程预订。前段时间我的一位美国朋友跟我说明年会乘奥运之机和她的先生首次来中国旅游，假如知道那时候在北京住一晚要花九百美元，不知她还愿意来否？中国第一次举办奥运会，政府的国际形象和声誉提升不少；北京的地产开发商从飙升的房价中已赚的盆满钵满；现在看来连北京的众酒店也捉住了这个几十年一遇的机会狂宰游客一把。那普通的老百姓除满足了些虚荣心以外，还真正得到了什么？为了不让现场观赏奥运比赛成为富人的专利，请大家对奥运期间北京的酒店说不！

2007年03月24日 16:53 中国经营报

作者：王娜　　

　　“我们奥运会期间的房价定在7000~8000元人民币一晚，目前只接受全程预订，订金必须提前交。”当体育迷们正在计算看一场奥运会需要花多少钱时，北京昆仑饭店销售部经理王超给出了住宿的价格。　　

　　随着奥运倒计时的开始，京城的部分酒店已经嗅到了奥运旅游市场所带来的商机。奥运会全程16天，按照王超的说法，以一天7000元计算，来北京看趟奥运会的住宿费就得11.2万元，而且这笔钱还必须以订金的形式提前划入酒店的账户上。昆仑饭店是与北京奥组委签订了奥运会住宿接待服务协议的112家星级酒店之一，根据协议约定，奥运签约酒店70％的客房将被奥组委征用，其他30％可自行出售，王超所说的可预订的客房，即为30％那部分。　　

酒店房价飙升高出奥组委给出的价格　　

　　尽管目前大部分酒店的奥运预订价格还没出台，且暂不接受预订，但在同样已经开始接受预订的其他奥运签约酒店，情况大致与昆仑饭店类似。“必须是奥运会赛事期间连续居住，最普通的房也得3200元一晚。”建国饭店预订部一位工作人员说。　　

　　而京伦饭店奥运期间客房价格的涨幅达到了现在的六倍，“奥运会期间的房价是6000元加15％的服务费含早餐。”预订部的销售人员对于奥运房价的询问脱口而出，“这是一间标间的价格，而且必须全程预订，预订两三天后，就得将全款交齐。”这家四星级酒店，目前标间的报价为1080元加15％的服务费。有着同样涨幅的还有兆龙饭店，其市场部的工作人员告诉记者，奥运期间只剩下10间7000-9000元一晚的套房可以预订，而这些套房平时的价格为1500元加15％的服务费。　　

　　虽然北京奥组委服务部副部长向萍在2008年奥运会观众接待工作会议上表示，根据预测，在2008年第29届奥运会举办期间，北京五星级饭店的标准间均价为353美元／间夜；四星级为272美元／间夜；三星级为176美元／间夜。但从目前记者了解的情况来看，奥运会期间酒店的房价，都要高出奥组委给出的价格。同时，一些非奥运签约酒店也欲从中分得一杯羹。北京朝阳富豪宾馆就开出了奥运会期间2900元一晚的房价，而其现在的房价可折扣至400元一晚，奥运的房价比现在上涨了七倍。但大部分旅行社并不看重与非签约酒店的合作，“目前旅行社正在积极与一些签约酒店接洽，而非签约酒店的价格上涨是不可控的，所以并不在旅行社的考虑之列。”中国青年旅行社的负责人说。有业内人士表示，这样的涨幅在情理之中。因为，悉尼奥运会期间房价涨幅约为2到3倍，雅典奥运会期间则是平时房价的3到6倍。事实上，在房价上涨的背后，除了奥运商机之外，还有一个重要的原因是，很多酒店都对硬件设施进行了改进。　　

预订严苛，旅行社迟迟不敢行动　　

　　酒店价格的上涨，直接导致的是，目前旅行社在开发奥运旅游产品时仍很保守。“我们目前只是向酒店询过价，价格比奥组委给出的价格高出很多。”北京中国国际旅行社欧销部经理吴立德说。按照吴立德的说法，旅行社如果现在就开始与酒店预订客房的话，风险很大。因为手上还没有团，再加之酒店的价格会上涨，而且现在预订的话，旅行社要预交一部分订金。比如，酒店要求，旅行社若想预订，得先交1/3的房费，今年年底再交1/3，明年将剩余房费全部付清。　　

　　北京中国国际旅行社是承接境外旅游团的大户，这家隶属首旅集团的旅游公司，因集团下有着北京饭店、贵宾楼饭店、西苑饭店等众多星级酒店，而占尽酒店资源优势。吴立德表示，公司会选择集团内部的酒店。但北京中国国际旅行社并没有将奥运旅游产品的开发作为公司目前的主要业务，其石景山门市部的一位工作人员表示，奥运旅游最早要到今年8月才有具体的产品推出。　　
　　除了担心酒店的价格上涨外，让旅行社迟迟不敢行动的一个最主要原因是：究竟能拿到多少奥运会门票，目前仍是个未知数。　　

　　北京中国国际旅行社、中国青年旅行社、北京青年旅行社等在谈到未开发奥运旅游产品的原因时，都总结归纳为“现在没有奥运会门票”。　　

　　“奥运会门票都实行实名制，这样游客也许只能通过所在国的运营商购票，我们完全没有了主动权。”中国青年旅行社的负责人表示。据北京奥组委预计，北京2008年奥运会申办成功，为发展我国体育旅游产业提供了一个极佳的契机，保守估测，到2008年奥运会期间，可增加40余万外国游客，加上港澳台游客，将可能突破60万人次，按每人最低消费5000元人民币计算，就可以直接创收30亿元人民币，这还不包括因“奥运卖点”而到内地其他省区深入游览的客人。但目前看来，这样的预计仅停留在纸面上，“闻风而动”的旅行社甚少。　　

　　“奥运不仅是一项赛事，也是一种精神。所以，奥运旅游产品的设计，绝不仅仅是只考虑将游客带进场馆、安排住宿，当务之急是要借助奥运精神和梦想，打造契合市场的旅游产品。一个奥运旅游产品，应该是奥运精神与旅游本体（快乐、放松）的结合。”针对目前奥运旅游市场的现状，中国旅游营销策划研究院副院长王祖淦在接受本报采访时说。因此，他建议，旅游经理人要提炼出奥运的精神，使其充分与传统旅游资源相结合，让游客觉得，来到了北京、甚至是来到了中国，就是参与了奥运，体会了奥运的精神和快乐。

前段时间在CNNFn上偶尔看到携程的最新季度财务报告,并且与行内行外的一些世界著名的公司做了些比较,真是感慨万分!

根据携程的最新季度财务报告计算, 它的06年四季度的利润率(non-GAAP operating income/net revenue)是37.9%,06年全年是40%.行内全球著名的EXPEDIA公司(包括Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Hotwire.com等,也是e龙的战略投资者)的相对应的利润率分别是18.7%和15.7%.再看看行外两大世界级的高科技公司微软(MICROSOFT)和思科(CISCO).它们的最新季度及最近六月的利润率分别是27.7%,34.0%和30.2%,29.7%.

在这我无意对携程的商业策略和公司运营做任何的评价.我想做的是对它的客户 - 中国大陆的旅游出差者说,假如你们在考虑买机票,订酒店时聪明些,成熟些,那携程的财务报告上是绝对没有那么高的利润率的!

那如何才能聪明些,成熟些呢?总的原则是多做调查,价比三家.具体操作上有如下几点:

1. 利用互联网进行调查.中国的宽带比美国还要普及,中国的网吧到处都是(你没有个人电脑的话).

2. 买中国国内机票时先去去那儿?做做比价搜索.再去别的旅行社或航空公司确认.我用过去那儿?的服务几次,在它上面搜到的最低机票价还是比较可靠的.

3. 开通你的银行的网上支付功能,网上买电子票不仅快,而且至少比纸质票省几十块.

4. 订国际品牌酒店时,尽量先去它的网站查询(这时候懂点英语和有信用卡就派上用场啦),再与携程,e龙等国内网站进行比价.大部分的国际品牌酒店有最低价保证,而且提前两个星期订房,用信用卡担保或预付的话常常拿到很好的价钱.

5. 订国内品牌或其它酒店时,最好也查查同程网.同等价钱下它有比积分更实惠的奖金奖励.

当携程的财务报告上的利润率跌到20%以下时,也就是中国旅游出差者成熟之时!

From LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-biztravel9dec09,0,3722957.story?coll=la-headlines-business

BUSINESS ITINERARY
Expect crowded airplanes, higher hotel rates in 2007
Rising costs may also prompt firms to tighten travel rules. It adds up to no fun on the road.
By James Gilden
Special to The Times

December 9, 2006

For business travelers, 2007 is not shaping up to be a happy new year.

Hotel room rates and airfares will be higher and planes will be more crowded as more business travelers take more trips, experts say. Companies, meanwhile, are expected to tighten employee travel rules.

The news is enough to make even the most grizzled road warriors want to cash in their frequent flier miles for a year on the ground.

"There are a lot of factors converging in the travel industry this year," said Mike Streit, vice president for global advisory services for American Express Business Travel, a unit of New York-based American Express Co. that does an annual global business travel forecast.

Planes are already flying nearly full as airlines have cut the number of aircraft on domestic routes to increase profitability.

This year through August (the most recent data available), 80.4% of all seats on planes were occupied, according to the U.S. Transportation Department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. That is up from 78.4% for the same period in 2005. The number of available seat miles (a measure of airline capacity) was down for the period — even as the number of fliers was up.

If airlines do not increase the number of planes flying, business travelers can expect even more crowded planes in 2007. And we'll be paying more for the privilege. Airfares are predicted to rise as much as 7% in 2007, according to the forecast.

The outlook is equally grim for hotel prices, according to the American Express forecast. Rates will increase as much as 8% in the coming year, with even higher rates expected in large cities with strong business travel such as Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

New York, with rates already in the stratosphere, will see increases of as much as 18%. For travelers to Asia, rates at mid- and upper-range hotels will be up as much as 25%.

A strong economy and higher wages in India are helping to fuel the hike in hotel rates for Asia, Streit said. Foreign business travelers are competing with Indian business travelers for hotels, creating more demand than there is supply.

Hotel prices are being driven globally by an increase not just in business travel but also in leisure travel.

"Demand from the leisure traveler is creating an environment where hotel operators are making some very strategic decisions about the capacity they allocate to these two groups," Streit said. Fewer rooms are being allocated for corporate negotiated rates, as hoteliers can fill them with higher-paying leisure travelers.

Business travelers, of course, must travel regardless of the cost.

"When business is up or when business is down, people are still on the road," said Suzanne Fletcher, director of travel and meetings for Federal Way, Wash.-based Weyerhaeuser Co., which counts about 8,000 business travelers among its employees.

"If business is down, you want your sales guy on the road. When business is up you've got everyone else out there."

Fletcher is also president and chief executive of the National Business Travel Assn., a Washington-based education and lobbying group that has its own view about what 2007 holds for business travelers.

In its annual forecast based on a survey of corporate travel managers, the association found that 87% expected to spend more on travel in 2007 than in 2006. But it's not just because of increased costs. Two-thirds said their travelers simply would be on the road more than this year.

Companies are likely to monitor employee travel more carefully. Three-quarters of those surveyed said they anticipated stricter enforcement of travel policies in 2007.

One in five managers surveyed plan to reduce the number of preferred airlines on which corporate travelers can book. This would allow them to concentrate their business with fewer carriers and get greater leverage in negotiating fares.

Many corporate travelers can also expect to find themselves in less comfortable hotels in 2007. Three-quarters of travel managers surveyed said they were booking fewer luxury hotels in favor of mid-class properties, continuing a trend seen in the surveys for several years.

It's enough to foment revolution.

"As travel becomes more of a hassle, we'll see more and more business travelers say, 'I want a decent hotel,' " said Terry Trippler, an airfare expert with MyVacationPassport.com who has been monitoring the industry for 38 years. "You're the one that's away from home and it's not fun, and you deserve a nice place to stay.

"Companies can crack down but travelers will eventually revolt, and business travelers always end up winning."

Trippler is a contrarian on airfares. After predicting that fares would be up 10% to 15% in 2006, which he says they largely were, he believes that with Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. poised to exit bankruptcy, there could be more available seats in the air and that rates will be flat in 2007.

He even thinks there might be a return to the days of fare wars in select markets as the so-called legacy airlines go head-to-head with low-cost carriers in new markets.

"I believe the low-cost carriers are in for the fight of their life," Trippler said.

Maybe he'll be right. But regardless of whether 2007 brings higher fares, fewer choices and more crowded planes, we will manage to cope, said Fletcher of the business travel association. "There is no one more resilient than the corporate traveler."

From CNNMoney.com

If airline mergers fly, fares could follow
While some carriers tout savings, critics say deals would limit flyers' choices and boost fares in some markets.
By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer
December 13 2006: 12:07 PM EST
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Airline passengers could soon face far fewer choices booking flights, and that could mean higher fares in many markets.

The six major airlines could be reduced to just three or four afterUS Airways (Charts) bid for Delta last month and amid reports Wednesday that UAL (Charts), the parent of United, the nation's second-biggest airline, was in talks to buy No. 4 Continental Airlines (Charts).

Meanwhile, discount airlines could see their own round of deals after AirTran (Charts), one of the smaller low-fare carriers, made a hostile bid to buy rival Midwest Express (Charts) Wednesday.

Some analysts and industry executives say the carriers need to merge to keep costs under control in an industry long plagued by excess capacity - one that only recently climbed out of a five-year slump that led to $42 billion in losses.

But critics argue that the traveling public will be hurt by fewer choices, and that reduced capacity can do nothing but put upward pressure on fares. The proposed and reported deals have a series of opponents lining up against the bigger ones.

"Any merger that takes out a brand takes out an option," said airline consultant Michael Boyd. "Whenever a consumer has less options, you're going to have higher fares. That's all there is to it."

Experts say the talks being reported between United and Continental are very early and at least partly a reaction to US Air's offer for Delta.

"This is just preliminary, nothing is imminent," said Ray Neidl, analyst with Calyon Securities. But he said that an AirTran-Midwest merger was likely.

"With the [24 percent] premium being offered, I think it's a good chance of the deal getting done," said Neidl. "There's very little overlap, and relatively little in the way of regulatory hurdles."

Atlanta-based AirTran offered $11.25 in cash and stock, or more than $200 million, to buy Midwest Express Holdings, a Milwaukee-based carrier. AirTran said Midwest had rejected the offer.

"As the airline industry becomes more competitive and consolidations are more commonplace, a combination of our two companies ensures the best opportunity for serving our respective constituencies," AirTran CEO Joe Leonard said in a statement. "This will enhance our ability to provide value to travelers, protect the long-term security of our employees and generate significant economic benefits to Milwaukee, Atlanta and all the communities we serve."

The proposal that sparked the recent takeover frenzy, the $8 billion hostile bid by No. 7 US Airways Group (Charts) for No. 3 Delta (Charts), will also get attention Wednesday. Delta management, which says it intends to emerge from bankruptcy as an independent carrier, is set to meet with a creditors' committee to urge them not to back the US Air offer.

The reported move by United, meanwhile, is no surprise. Experts had predicted a rash of deals after US Air's offer for Delta, and United has made no secret of its desire to make an acquisition.

"Our aspirations remain quite the same. We think consolidation is good for the industry," UAL finance chief Jake Brace said in comments to investors last month. "If it makes sense for us to participate in, we will."

But Larry Kellner, the CEO of Continental, is on record as saying his airline prefers to stay independent, adding he's not convinced consolidation is as likely as widely assumed.

"If industry consolidation occurs on a broader scale, it's very important. But I wouldn't put the probability that high," he said last month at an investors' conference.

Kellner has one ace in the hole if he decides to say no to United or other possible buyers - Northwest Airlines has a so-called golden share in Continental that would allow it to block a deal for the carrier.

The moves toward consolidation came under fierce criticism from some industry observers. They say that even with with the rise of competition from low-fare carriers, some travelers are likely to see fare increases, especially when flying to or from second-tier markets.

"The mantra is we need consolidation - that just means we're going to see areduction in service in small and mid-size communities," said Boyd, the industry consultant. "A US Air-Delta deal is basically going to reduce competition along the East Coast."

Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, an advocacy group, said business travelers would also face higher fares because of reduced capacity.

"This is the ultimate warning of the 'tsunami' of airline industry consolidation most feared by business travel advocates," said Mitchell. "The market power of resultant, reconfigured global alliances with antitrust immunity could be stunning."

But besides the fact no deals have been agreed to despite all the talk, any proposed mergers would face opposition from powerful airline unions and close scrutiny from regulators.

The leaders of the Air Line Pilots Association at Delta are holding a rally Wednesday against US Air's bid for their airline, and they've been joined by both senators from Georgia and two members of the House as well.

Neidl says he sees only a 30 percent to 40 percent chance of the US Air offer for Delta winning regulatory approval since some markets in the South and on the East Coast would lose most of the competition they now see.

And there are competitive issues that go beyond that deal, he noted.

"Washington will look at this very carefully. They know it's going to set off a round of consolidation," Neidl said.

From Money magazine
http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/moneymag/travel_secrets/index.html

Nevada casinos win big in '06
Gamblers bet a record $170 billion in the state, but the Strip's revenue is eclipsed by Macao's.
From the Associated Press

February 10, 2007

CARSON CITY, NEV. — Gamblers bet a record $170 billion in Nevada casinos during 2006, and the clubs set another record by winning $12.6 billion of the total, according to a state report released Friday.

A breakdown of the win shows that the Las Vegas Strip accounted for $6.7 billion of the total. That's also a record — but it wasn't enough to fend off booming Macao, the Chinese territory that apparently eclipsed the Strip for the first time with 2006 gambling revenue of $7 billion.

"Macao probably has surpassed the Las Vegas Strip gaming win," state Gaming Control Board analyst Frank Streshley said in releasing the Nevada report. "But there's a lot of uncertainty because the computation of their gaming win may not be the same as ours. It may not be a true apples-to-apples comparison."

Macao aside, Streshley said, the Nevada figures showed that even with some softening in the second half of 2006 the state's casinos showed 8.3% growth over their 2005 win. He added that 2006 ended with a $1.1-billion win in December, up 17% over December 2005.

The win is what was left in casino coffers from the $170 billion in bets during 2006. That means the clubs held on to 7.4% of all money wagered.

Win is a gross figure, with no operating costs or other expenses deducted. And it is casino revenue only — separate from hotel, restaurant or bar revenues generated by the resorts.

The Las Vegas Strip win of $6.7 billion was up 10.9% over the 2005 win. For all of Clark County, encompassing the Strip, downtown Las Vegas and other southern Nevada cities, the total was $10.6 billion, up 9.5%.

Throughout the state, a breakdown shows record wins for all major markets except for downtown Las Vegas, casinos on Lake Tahoe's south shore and the Minden-Gardnerville-Carson City area.

Downtown Las Vegas won $630.4 million, down 3.6%, while the south Tahoe resorts won $333.7 million, down 0.5%. The Minden-Gardnerville-Carson City win of $124.3 million was down 0.3%. Although slight, that's the first decline in 13 years.

Resorts in the Reno-Sparks-North Tahoe area in northern Nevada took in nearly $1.1 billion. That included $767.7 million for Reno, up 1.7%. Clubs in Elko County, on the state's border with Utah, won $272.2 million, up 5.3%.

The $12.6-billion statewide win included a record $8.3 billion from slot machines, up 6.9% from 2005, and a record $4.2 billion from table games, up 11.1%.

A breakdown of games that produced the most revenue in 2006 shows the clubs won $1.38 billion on blackjack, $463.4 million on craps and $835.8 million from baccarat.

In slots, multi-denomination devices won $3.5 billion of the total. Dollar slots won $1 billion, quarter slots won $1.3 billion, and penny slots won $1.3 billion.

Sports betting produced $191.5 million in winnings, up 52%. Poker winnings totaled $160.9 million, up 14.8%.

For the current fiscal year to date, the state's revenue from gambling totaled $443.6 million, 1.6% below forecast. That included $51.1 million in taxes based on the December casino win, which was up 11.6% from forecast amounts.