A recent survey of small business travelers indicated that 45 percent travel internationally, some as frequently as 10 or more times a year, reported the American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA), which recently completed its first comprehensive online travel survey of current and prospective members. ASBTA is a national, non-profit alliance that provides valuable services and functions focused specifically on the travel needs and interests of small business owners.
“Considering there are 25 million small business employees in the U.S., the survey suggests that the number of small business travelers doing business overseas is far greater than previously expected,” said Chet Gray, ASBTA vice president of Sales and Marketing. “With such a high proportion of international small business travelers, America’s international airports are rising to the occasion and offering more and better services to cater to this segment’s specific needs.”
For savvy small business travelers, international services such as foreign currency exchanges, shoe shines and US Postal Service mailboxes are no longer enough. They indicate they need business-friendly services like a quiet workspace with fax machines and printers and a choice of WiFi networks. They also want more seating at the gate, better dining options, private showers and more personal services. All of these elements are critical to international business travelers, particularly considering that an overseas flight can often mean at least a two- or three-hour wait at the airport.
Fortunately, several airports have already stepped up to the plate. An October 2003 Travelocity survey indicated that international airports such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield are among the top five airports preferred by business travelers, while Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel published an article in May 2004 that cited Dallas/Fort Worth, San Francisco, Chicago O’Hare and Seattle-Tacoma International airports as being among the top ten airports for business customers. These airports are at the top of business travelers’ lists for good reason.
More: home.businesswire.com
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