March 11, 2011

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the situation in Japan in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake, measuring 8.9 magnitude, that struck northern Japan on March 11.  U.S. citizens should avoid travel to Japan at this time.  This Travel Alert expires on April 1, 2011. 

The Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid tourism and non-essential travel to Japan at this time.  Tokyo airports are currently closed; other airports in Japan may be closed or have restricted access.  Public transportation, including trains and subways are closed in the Tokyo area, and service has been interrupted in other areas.  Many roads have been damaged in the Tokyo area and in northern Japan.

Strong aftershocks are likely for weeks following a strong earthquake such as this one.  The American Red Cross recommends that in the event of aftershocks, persons should move to open spaces away from walls, windows, buildings, and other structures that may collapse, and should be alert to the danger of falling debris.  If you are indoors, DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON:  If possible, seek cover under a sturdy desk or table, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm.  If there is no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you.  Avoid damaged buildings and downed power lines.  Great care should be used with matches, lighters, candles, or any open flame due to the possibility of disrupted gas lines. 

U.S. citizens currently in Japan should contact family and friends in the United States to confirm their well-being at the earliest opportunity.  Where internet and telephone services are not available, it may be possible to contact people using SMS (Cell text message) or other forms of social media such as Twitter and Facebook.  U.S. citizens may contact the Department of State at JapanEmergencyUSC@state.gov and the emergency contact numbers below.

U.S. citizens in Japan are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at the following website:  https://travelregistration.state.gov. U.S. citizens without internet access may enroll directly at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulates. By enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy/Consulates to contact them in case of emergency.

Updated information on travel and security in Japan may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. For further information, please consult the Country Specific Information for Japan, as well as the Worldwide Caution, which can be found at www.travel.state.gov.

image source: SucceedingToday

The recession kicked U.S. corporate travel into decline from 2007-2009, with companies exhibiting a 20% drop in travel activity. But that was then. Now, business travel is making a comeback – and with it, the demand for cost-effective travel management service is on the rise.

According to a widely circulated report published by the Associated Press, U.S. companies expect a 5% boost in travel spending in 2011. The reason? As Silicon Valley executive Robert P. Genco put it, “you need to have face time.”

Despite the ubiquity of digital communication platforms, companies are putting a premium on face-to-face contact. CEO Bruce Smith observes that when representatives forgo digital media and speak in person, “the quality of the information you transmit goes up dramatically.”

It is this type of commitment to quality and individual service that spells success for America’s biggest and best companies, corporations and non-profit organizations. But in order for groups to get the most out of their travel ventures, organization and custom solutions are key.

Individual Service, Exceptional Results

In much the same way that corporate CEO’s prioritize direct communication for client satisfaction, the best business travel management services will employ cutting-edge technology and customizable booking plans to make meetings and retreats as efficient as possible.

With over 15 years of experience in business travel management, Association Travel Concepts (ATC) blends a deep understanding of complex booking and site selection details with the latest technology to provide exceptional value to every client, every time you travel. With a passion for serving non-profit associations and a dedication to meeting and exceeding each client’s unique needs, ATC aims to take the stress and expense out of travel planning.

It’s difficult to put a price on person-to-person contact; but even brighter horizons don’t necessarily come with unlimited travel funds. ATC understands the importance of affordable group travel, and offers a variety of discounts to optimize your company’s budget. Among the array of benefits included in ATC planning services, clients can expect:

• Complimentary earned tickets
• Negotiated air, rail and car contracts
• Up to 15% air discounts for association meeting travel
• Expert management of complimentary tickets and car rentals

If your association prioritizes customer service and appreciates exceptional quality, you need ATC to match your same level of commitment and excellence as it pertains to customizing your association travel itineraries. Contact Association Travel Concepts today and let us handle your conference and meeting planning needs.

image source: BusinessTravel.us

Business travel is set to soar in 2011, bringing with it greater networking opportunities – and added costs – for corporations nationwide.

J.W. Marriott Jr., CEO of Marriott International, noted in a recent Reuters report that “businesses are saying ‘we haven’t been out of the office in two or three years. We have to get out.’” Thanks to comprehensive technology and expert travel management planning skills, Association Travel Concepts can make corporate escape a smooth and successful reality. But the fact of the matter is, even managed travel costs money. So how can businesses offset the financial burden of group travel?

Imagine a service that simultaneously streamlines travel planning and stimulates profits to compensate for fees. Sounds like a match made in heaven, right? Enter the ATC Affinity Program.

Share the love: refer clients and reap the benefits

Our team at ATC is dedicated to providing businesses and associations with the best group travel experience possible – and if you appreciate our services, chances are your clients will too. That’s why we’ve developed the ATC Affinity Program, a referral and revenue-share system that allows our clients to use our custom booking tools and profit their companies in the process.

Members of the Affinity Program market our services to their corporate members, vendors, partners and sub-associations, and receive access to the following cutting-edge tools:

• Branded Travel Center – an introduction to branded travel and familiar vendors

• Private Label Rearden Reservation System – a best in class corporate reservation feature that is cost-prohibitive to most small companies

• ATCres Booking Engine – a comprehensive search and comparison tool that covers consolidators and private fares.

The resultant profits are continuous and easy to track, yielding a simple avenue for added income and a symbiotic relationship between ATC, business travelers, and corporate clientele.

For more information about the ATC Affinity Program, or to enroll your company and start earning towards impending travel costs, contact us online or call 703-253-6004. We make it our business to plan perfect trips – and now we invite you to join us.

We are very excited about some of the new features of the service and over the next few weeks will share details on these options including:

- The ability to have a private phone number dedicated to your account
- An optional VIP line for selected individuals in your organization
- Voice Mail to Email capabilities bringing voice messages into agents email in box

Please note that our extensions will now be four digits. Simply add a “0″ to the current three digit extension you now use. For instance extension 118 will now be 1180.

image source: TravelOn

We are excited to announce that the Mobile Personal Assistant for iPhone is now available! It’s incredibly easy to download and even easier to use. Similar to the BlackBerry application, it packs the functionally of many features into one, so when you are traveling, all the information you need will be available on your iPhone. You can download the Mobile Personal Assistant for the iPhone either from the Mobile tab within the online Rearden Personal Assistant, or from iTunes. Simply search for “Rearden Commerce” once you access the iTunes store from your computer or iPhone.

For complete instructions, login to your Rearden Personal Assistant account and click the MOBILE link at the top of the page.

image source: AirTran

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Secure Flight Program requires all airlines to provide a passenger’s name (first, middle and last) as it appears on the government issued ID they plan to travel with, as well as travelers date of birth, gender.

Traveler profiles are created by ATC by uploading the Rearden User Template sent by the association. This template includes first and last name fields and the entries in these fields must match the traveler’s government issued ID.

Travelers can only edit the middle name field, birth date and gender in their online Rearden profiles due to security settings.

When providing the Rearden User Template to ATC please ensure that the traveler’s first and last name match the traveler’s government issued ID.

Please bookmark the TSA web site for the most current requirements for air travel:
http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/

ATC is replacing the “splash page” to which you are currently directing your travelers with a new Travel Center, which will be branded for your association. The new Travel Center is to be used by both Authorized and General Membership travelers. The Travel Center offers additional travel benefits and options to your travelers and will be periodically upgraded with new features. A sample of a live Travel Center can be viewed at www.atcmeetings.com/tc. Unless you request otherwise, the change will go live in one week. There is no cost for a Travel Center.

One important change is that you are currently using the Rearden Personal Assistant for both your authorized travelers as well for your general membership. Although Rearden has been tremendously successful for staff & authorized travelers, we have seen a decline in member bookings to meetings. We believe this is because Rearden requires an account (profile and log-in) prior to checking rates. To increase member bookings we developed an alternate non log-in online booking tool, which is found on the new travel center. We believe using this new tool will substantially increase member bookings and help you to earn more free tickets. No action is required on your part.

The Travel Center is a member benefit that currently provides convenience & discounted meeting travel. We will be adding other member benefits in the future. The Travel Center may also be used in a Revenue Share program that can be a source of non-dues revenue for your organization. Please contact Ken Scherer @ 858-254-2348 if this is of interest to you.

Please Note: THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE TO YOUR AUTHORIZED TRAVELERS USING THE REARDEN PERSONAL ASSISTANT. Authorized travelers will be able to login to the Rearden site from your new Travel Center.

image soruce: Usabilis

Hotel Store Redesign FAQs

We are pleased to provide you with our hotel store redesign. This new version enriches the user experience by providing detailed content in an easy-to-use format, while further promoting corporate policies to enforce preferred programs and drive cost savings. The new features and functionality incorporates feedback from our customers and partners, in addition to our own usability testing.

MAP VIEW

Question: Can I book directly from the map view?

Answer: The hotel quick view pop-up from the map provides a quick summary of the hotel information and a link from the pop-up to the hotel details page where hotel room rates are displayed.

Question: Can I turn off the map view?

Answer: No. The map view is essential to the product. It’s also consistent with the map functionality within the other Rearden Personal Assistant products.

Question: How does company location work?

Answer: The company location will function as it did in the previous hotel product. If you selected an area where you have uploaded reference points, the drop down list will display the information.

Question: What differentiates your map view of the hotels from your competitors?

Answer: Rearden Commerce provides a more comprehensive integration of the map view with the rest of the hotel store. It’s a cohesive set of features and functionality. The map view ties the dynamic filters, result set, and company location together.

SEARCH RESULTS

Question: Why were the Hotel images and address removed from the search results?

Answer: The hotel images are still within the search result objects. The address of the property was not removed but moved to the hotel quick view in the map view. This was based on usability testing to determine what was the most important information needed within the search objects

Question: What is the default search radius?

Answer: The default is automatically set to 30 miles but can be changed using the filters on the initial availability page.

Question: Will I be able to search by hotel super brands?

Answer: Yes, you will be able to search by a hotel super brand, or search for a particular hotel chain within the super rand using the filters on the availability page.

Question: How will hotels display when there are no rooms available?

Answer: Previously, the hotel properties that did not have availability would be displayed at the bottom of the availability list. With our new design they will remain in whatever order was returned in availability.

Question: Have there been any performance improvements made with the new hotel redesign?

Answer: Yes. Rearden Commerce has implemented a new search engine to obtain static hotel information faster. This is what allows us to display the results on the page while real-time price and availability is being retrieved from the GDS.

FILTERING AND COMPARING RESULTS

Question: How do the filters work in conjunction with the sort function?

Answer: The dynamic filters allow you to narrow your result set. The more filters you select the more granular your results will return. Once the results are returned, the sort function will only apply to that set of results. The filters are “smart filters”. For example if you select only 5 star properties, certain hotel brands will be grayed out since they are not considered 5 star properties. This prevents the system from returning “No Results”.

Question: Can I apply my pre-defined amenities from my profile to searches?

Answer: Yes, on the results page, under “Narrow Your Choices” select the link “Set to my Hotel preferences”. This will retrieve your filters from your profile and apply it to the result set.

Question: Can I compare multiple hotels on different pages?

Answer: Yes. You can compare up to 8 hotels from different pages.

Question: When a hotel comparison is being done, why are there green check marks next to various amenities?

Answer: These check marks show which amenities match to a user’s profile but does not necessarily reflect the complete list of hotels with their profile criteria.

Question: How do I narrow my search based on a specific hotel name or amenity?

Answer: These filters used to be found on the search page but have been moved to the results page where you will still be able to filter down on an amenity or hotel name. This ensures that your company preferred properties are not filtered out of the results during the initial search.

CORPORATE POLICY ENFORCEMENT

Question: How does the new hotel redesign impact company preferences or policies?

Answer: The redesign does not affect company preferences or policies. All configurations are backward compatible.

SITE CONFIGURATION

Question: What configuration is needed to setup the newly redesigned hotel product?

Answer: No additional functionality is necessary.

Question: Is the matrix functionality a part of the new hotel redesign?

Answer: Although no longer, visible, the matrix functionality is still available and has been incorporated into the brand and distance filters.

image source: WorldMate

Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Secure Flight Begins- Are you ready?

TSA (Transportation Security Administration) announced in March 2009 that they are requiring airlines and travel agencies with online booking capacity to supply Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) in every passenger’s record. SFPD consists of:

1. The Full name, as it appears on the government issued picture ID, including middle name and any suffix.
2. Date of Birth
3. Gender

The TSA will then take this data and verifies it against their government watch list and will supply airlines the boarding pass authorization results. Passengers will be denied online check in, kiosk check-in and delayed boarding until this information is supplied and may even miss their flight.

This program is being rolled out in 3 phases.

05/13/09 – Airlines are required to provide FULL names as they appear on the government issued ID including middle names and suffix.
08/15/09 – All domestic flights will require SFPD info.
10/31/09 – All airlines (foreign and domestic) will be required to supply SFPD