StarCite Blog Space

Out of a discouraging new story on Purchasing.com, comes a bit of good silver-lining-type news for 2010 -- in terms of business and meetings travel.

Purchasing magazine reports on a new USA Today-sponsored Gallup poll that says Americans aren't likely to travel more than they did in 2009 -- despite the "optimism being expressed by travel industry leaders and market analysts who have said the slowly improving economy would increase demand for airline tickets, rental cars and such services as hotel meetings and business-gathering catering."

The story made reference to NBTA's recent forecast that corporate travel would grow next year (69% of buyers thought corporate travel would grow), but also features a quote from American Express, which this fall had forecast rising business travel spend and more sophisticated meetings management as 2010 trends, now predicting that demand for most travel services likely won't return to pre-recession record levels anytime soon.

OK. So, despite the positive signs we may see around us, such as Wall Street's climbing numbers, it's still going be a struggle getting business travelers in the air and meeting rooms filled. But there's a silver lining. Featured in the story was PricewaterhouseCoopers' U.S. lodging forecast that American hotel occupancy levels fell in 2009 to 55.2%, versus a peak of 63.3% in 2006. And that metric will rise to just 55.8% in 2010.

Not such good news for hotels but better for organizations looking to negotiate favorably on sleeping and meeting rooms. As I've said a few times in this blog, if you're a meetings or procurement manager, with numbers like these, it's never too late to approach preferred vendors and work out more favorable deals. You'll both benefit -- and that's the best kind of arrangement.