Gateway Magazine - Issue 3

GATEWAY The magazine of Corporate Traveller Issue 3 • Spring/Summer 2018

SUMMER EVENT PLANNING IS A

WITH OUR 10-STEP GUIDE

Corporate Traveller’s pick of

5 top travel

Destination Zone:

NEW HOTELS HACKS FRANKFURT

Double Daily from London Heathrow Daily from Manchester

W ELCO M E & CO N T EN T S Summer’s finally here and that means social diaries are filling up fast.

No-one knows how to party better than Corporate Traveller’s sister company, cievents, which organises thousands of events each year.

The team shares tricks of the trade to help readers plan stressfree summer events – including tips for last-minute get-togethers.

I N T HI S I S S UE 4-5

News: What’s happening in the world of business travel

6-8

Hot Topic: GDPR

9-10

Get Ahead: Planning a summer event

15-16

Destination Zone: Frankfurt

Frankfurt isn’t known as a party place – it’s often described as being rather ‘dull’. Yet it’s striving to shake off its ‘boring’ reputation.

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Traveller Hacks: Our pick of new products for frequent travellers

Franziskus Bumm, country manager of Germany for Corporate Traveller’s sister brand FCM, knows the city well and reveals a different side to this increasingly important business hub.

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Interview with a Travel Booker: Meet ‘real-life Mary Poppins’ Sam Harris

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Q&A: Frequent traveller Luke Braham describes life on the road

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Village Voices: News from Corporate Traveller’s UK regional offices

Finally, I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing about GDPR but – just in case you need to check you’re complying with the new regs – we’ve asked small business lawyer and data protection expert Suzanne Dibble to put it all into plain English.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Lisa James

Editor editorgatewaymagazine@corptraveller.co.uk

CONTACT D E TA I LS Editor:

Lisa James

Designed by: Popi, Unit 11 West Point Business Park, Aylesford, ME20 6XJ www.popi.co.uk Contact:

Corporate Traveller, 11th Floor, CI Tower, High Street, New Malden, KT3 4TE corptraveller.co.uk

Email us at:

gatewaymagazine@corptraveller.co.uk

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TR AVEL

N E W S & D E V E LO P M E N T S CORPOR AT E T RAV E LLE R NE W S S MART MOVES

NE W D I V I S I ON F OR CT

C

T

he Savoy in London has become the latest property to join Corporate Traveller’s portfolio of 3,000 worldwide smartSTAY properties, which offers clients exclusive added-value benefits.

Clients booking a room will receive complimentary breakfast, free wifi, plus a 20% discount on spa and beauty treatments.

New to CT’s smartFLY programme of value-added airline extras is the offer of complimentary standard seat selection with Air France/KLM one way in economy on long-haul flights.

The smartFLY programme already features complimentary extras such as a free No.1 lounge pass for any customer booking Virgin Atlantic premium economy on any route.

CT UK general manager Andy Hegley said: “We believe in giving our clients superior personal service whilst helping them to reduce their business travel costs.

“Thanks to the buying power of our parent company Flight Centre Travel Group, we have been able to negotiate with suppliers to provide a whole range of tangible complimentary extras that are of considerable benefit to our clients.”

He added: “Companies are increasingly realising that a poor travel experience impacts on their employees’ productivity while away on business.

“The value-added benefits of smartSTAY and smartFLY can make a big difference to a traveller’s level of comfort without incurring extra costs.”

orporate Traveller has launched a new division, Production, Sports and Creative, specialising in the unique travel needs of creative and production clients.

The new division, based in CT’s flagship City office, provides expertise in group travel, media and entertainment fares, as well as other bespoke services.

CT UK general manager Andy Hegley said: “This is an exciting development as we already service the corporate travel requirements of many media, fashion and sports clients.

“Now we can fulfil the specialist travel and logistics required by the performers, support crews and technical staff of those industries, including excess baggage assistance, lithium battery advice, and entertainment rates on airfares and accommodation for groups.”

W I ZZ OV E R TO S LOVA K I A

L

ow-cost carrier Wizz Air has launched daily flights to the Slovakian capital Bratislava and a four-times-a-week service to the Italian port city of Bari. Wizz Air is the sixth-largest airline operating out of the UK, with three aircraft based at Luton, including a new Airbus A321 and A320. Five more aircraft are due to join by June.

VI RGI N OVERHAULS E CONOM Y CLA S S

V

irgin Atlantic has launched cheaper, hand-luggage-only ‘Light’ economy fares as part of an overhaul of its economy product.

It will also offer ‘Delight’ economy fares, which offer three inches more legroom, premium check-in and priority boarding, and a ‘Classic’ economy fare, which is similar to its current economy but with free seat selection.

All three fare types receive the same onboard service, including a meal and access to Virgin’s inflight entertainment system and onboard wifi.

Virgin’s existing Premium Economy class will remain, but it will be renamed ‘Premium’.

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T R AVELO DGE EXPAND S BUS I NES S - F RI E ND LY S UPERROOM CONCEP T

NE W S I N BRI E F Blackpool beckons Blackpool’s new £25-million Conference and Exhibition Centre is due to open in spring next year and bookings are now being taken for summer 2019 onwards. The new venue will be able to accommodate 2,000 delegates and can be booked on its own, or integrated with the wider Winter Gardens exhibition and events venues – to which it will be directly linked – creating an overall capacity of 7,000.

T

ravelodge is to convert another 400 rooms into business traveller-friendly ‘SuperRooms’ after reporting increased demand among customers and attributing the new-style accommodation to a boost in sales.

The budget-friendly hotel group introduced SuperRooms in May 2017, offering rooms on quieter ‘business floors’ with added-extras such as Lavazza coffee pod machines, more plug sockets, an ergonomic desk and choice of pillows.

The SuperRoom concept is currently available across 17 hotels and 1,000 rooms. The newly converted rooms will bring the total number of ‘premium economy’ SuperRooms to 1,400. Rooms cost around £15-£20 more than standard options.

Travelodge has just reported a 6.6% increase in revenue for 2017, to £637.1 million and attributes much of the growth to the business travel sector.

CEO Peter Gowers said: “Much of our recent success has been driven by our investment in quality and growing appeal to business customers. Our new hotels increasingly serve business locations and more and more customers are choosing our new SuperRooms.”

AVIO S R EWARD S PROGRAMME TO CLOS E

T

he Avios Travel Rewards Programme closed on May 20, with members transferring into the British Airways Executive Club.

Until now, the programme, Avios.com, has operated separately to the BA Executive Club, although they both use Avios points.

Customers with an Avios.com scheme will be transferred to the BA scheme automatically or can opt out and have six months to spend their points.

Avios says members who transfer will be able to spend Avios with 60,000 additional partner hotels and on 50,000 extra sight-seeing experiences.

Avios commercial director Chris Treadwell said: “This move is good news for members.

“Outwardly there will be very little change. However, they will also enjoy all the advantages that being a British Airways Executive Club Member offers, including a smoother online experience, even more ways to collect and spend Avios, plus tier benefits.”

DoubleTree has the key DoubleTree by Hilton in Swindon has become the latest to offer a Digital Key option. Guests who download the Hilton Honors app can use Digital Key to bypass check-in and gain access to their rooms, elevators, side doors and the fitness centre. When guests are within a few feet of a door, all they need to do is push the button for access.

No-frills transatlantic British Airways and its partners have rolled out no-frills tickets on some transatlantic flights for passengers with hand baggage only. Partners American Airlines, Iberia and Finnair are also offering no-frills fares, called ‘Basic’ on AA, BA and Iberia, and ‘Light’ on Finnair.

Luxury stake InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has acquired a 51% stake in luxury hotel operator Regent Hotels and Resorts for $39 million, with the right to snap up the remaining 49% in stages over the next few years. There are currently six hotels in the Regent portfolio but IHG plans to expand that to at least 40.

And finally…

Qantas has issued a staff memo saying words such as ‘mum’, ‘dad’, ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ could exclude same-sex couples or upset single-parent families, while customers could object to being called ‘love’, ‘honey’ and ‘darling’. Staff have also been told not to ‘manterrupt’ women – when a man talks over a female. Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott described the memo as ‘political correctness gone too far’.

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H OT TO P I C : G D P R Confused by the requirements of the new General Data Protection Regulation?

Business lawyer and data expert Suzanne Dibble cuts through the jargon.

Lisa James reports Everyone’s heard of it – many are thoroughly fed up of hearing about it – but there’s still a fair amount of confusion over General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force on May 25.

The other advantage is that companies that comply with the new regulation will gain a reputation as one that takes data security of customers, employees and partners seriously – a company to trust and to do business with.

The headlines often focus on the burden the regulations place on businesses, with tough penalties for non-compliance. Yet GDPR is good for us as individuals – and could be good for business too.

GDPR was adopted by the European Parliament in April 2016 and became fully enforceable throughout the EU on May 25 2018. For anyone who’s not familiar, here’s the lowdown:

GDPR promises to protect all EU citizens’ data privacy, with a higher standard of rules around consent and the right to be ‘forgotten’. It’s also expected that simplifying existing regulations and harmonising data privacy laws across Europe will eliminate confusion.

GDPR gives power back to the consumers by forcing companies to become transparent in how they are collecting, storing and sharing their customers’ personal data information.

It’s not necessarily bad news for companies and could be good for business...

It’s not necessarily bad news for companies and could be good for business, according to experts who say it’s a great opportunity to clear the clutter and free up space either on servers or in paper files.

This spring-cleaning exercise will leave companies with less data, which is up-to-date and relevant. Better data means companies can better target their marketing and improve take up from leads.

The EU GDPR replaces the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC and was designed to harmonise data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens’ data privacy and to reshape the way organisations across the region approach data privacy.

Non-compliance penalties apply. The maximum fine is €20 million or 4% of annual global turnover – whichever is greater. The maximum fine applies for the most serious infringements. Other penalties for lesser offences include reprimands and corrective orders.

The GDPR not only applies to organisations located within the EU but it will also apply to organisations located outside of the EU if they offer goods or services to, or monitor the behaviour of, EU data subjects. It applies to all companies processing and holding the personal data of data subjects residing in the EU, regardless of the company’s location.

KEY POINTS • Consent conditions have been strengthened. Consent must be clear. Language must be plain. Consent must be granular and not bundled. No pre-ticked boxes or opt outs – there must be a clear, affirmative act of consent. It must be as easy to withdraw consent as it is to give it.​ • Individuals have the right to data erasure, commonly known as the ‘right to be forgotten’.

• Users may request a copy of personal data in a portable format.

• Privacy by design calls for the inclusion of data protection from the onset of the designing of systems, rather than an addition.

• The appointment of a data protection officer (DPO) will be mandatory for companies processing high volumes of personal data.

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• Personal data is extended to include biometric and geo-location.

• Data Protection Impact Assessments will be required for projects where privacy risks are high.

• Parental consent is required for the processing of personal data of children under age 16 for online services (note that individual member states can lower this age to 13 and the UK government proposes to lower it to 13).

• A data breach that may pose a risk to individuals must be notified to the relevant supervisory authority (such as the ICO in the UK) within 72 hours and if it poses a high risk to individuals, to affected individuals without undue delay.

More details: www.eugdpr.org

MYTH BUSTERS Is this the end of email marketing?

Not at all. The requirement to obtain opt-in consent from prospects means more targeted and more effective email marketing. It means the people who are actually interested in your emails will have more chance of seeing them. Better to have a more engaged smaller list than a large non-responsive list.

I’ve not done anything about it – I’ve missed the boat All companies and organisations need to comply with GDPR and it shouldn’t take long for the majority of small businesses to work out what they need to do and implement it.

I’m a small business, so I don’t have to worry about this GDPR applies to all businesses within the EU (or who are outside the EU but process data about people within the EU) no matter what the size. It’s a myth that it only applies to businesses that employee 250 or more employees.

It only applies to digital data GDPR also applies to hard copy personal data if it is part of a filing system.

Nothing to do with me - the IT department is on it GDPR is about more than a legislative box-ticking exercise. It is about a culture change of valuing and protecting the personal data of your customers, your employees and your prospects. That culture change needs to start at the top and all staff should be trained on the implications of GDPR on the organisation and for their particular role.

We’ve already got a tick box on our website for consent, so we’re OK Having a tick box (that is not pre-ticked) is just one of the required parts of consent under GDPR. Do you have a link to your GDPR compliant Privacy Notice?

Do you have the required granularity of consent with different tick boxes for different processing and different purposes? Have you kept a record of your consents? If your existing consents aren’t up to the GDPR standard, then you need to obtain fresh consent that is to GDPR standard.

WHAT GDPR MEANS FOR FREQUENT TRAVELLERS Travel management companies (TMCs) are used to working with clients whose businesses demand total confidentiality and robust security and GDPR simply formalises the responsibilities many global TMCs have been practicing for years.

GDPR means travel managers and suppliers have to know what data they hold on their travellers, why they’re holding it and for what purpose.

TMCs already have the processes and systems in place to assure clients their data is in good hands.

Organisations are required to inform consumers if profiling is taking place and TMCs update a regular traveller’s profile on a regular basis.

The onus is on airlines, hotel and car rental companies, train operators and payment card providers to ensure that their processes are fully compliant, and to make that compliance transparent.

As with anti-corruption and Duty of Care legislation, the companies that regard the new rules as simply an extension of business best practice, or common sense, will prevail.

This is EU regulation and the UK’s leaving, so post-Brexit it’ll all be irrelevant anyhow I’m afraid not. The UK has committed to implementing GDPR to ensure the free flow of data to the EU.

JARGON BUSTER DATA SUBJECT: Someone whose personal data is processed by a controller or processor.

DATA PROCESSOR: The entity that processes data on behalf of the Data Controller.

DATA CONTROLLER: The entity that determines the purposes, conditions and means of the processing of personal data.

PERSONAL DATA: Any data about an identifiable person. A person can be identified by their name, phone number, email address, reservation number, IP address or any information that allows them to be uniquely identified.

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How to prepare for GDPR – a quick checklist ONE

TWO

Understand what constitutes personal data and what doesn’t.

Personal data is data that is capable of identifying a natural person. Names and associated email addresses are personal data. However, an email address such as info@xyzltd.com is not personal data.

FOUR

Carry out an inventory of the personal data you currently process – how did you obtain the data, what do you process it for and for what purpose, who do you transfer the data to, how long do you keep it, how do you keep the data secure, is any of it special category data, what categories of people do you process data about (eg customers, prospects, employees)?

FIVE

Consider whether you need to obtain fresh consent for sending marketing emails to your customers and/or prospects. If you do, consider a re-engagement campaign before you send an email asking them to opt in or you risk not getting very many opt ins.

SEVEN

Think about whether you need to add tick boxes to your website and other marketing materials where you are collecting personal data (eg email addresses). Consider whether a preference centre would be more suitable.

EIGHT

Put in place a new Privacy Notice that is more transparent about the processing. GDPR sets out a number of things you need to include in your Privacy Notice.

TEN

When transferring personal data to third parties who are processing personal data for you (eg virtual assistants, payroll processors, email service providers, hosting companies), make sure you have a written contract with them (a processor agreement) that includes the provisions prescribed by GDPR.

ELEVEN

Consider whether you need to appoint a Data Protection Officer.

Consider when you need to carry out Data Protection Impact Assessments.

THREE Document your lawful grounds for processing that data – is it consent, contractual, legal, legitimate interests or something else?

SIX Implement a system for keeping evidence of consent for marketing (and any other processing where consent is the lawful ground) and also keeping records of any opt outs.

NINE If your data transfers involve a transfer of personal data outside of the EEA (eg to an email service provider or a hosting company), ensure that there are the necessary safeguards in place.

T W E LV E Be mindful of the enhanced rights of data subjects, train relevant staff on these rights and put systems in place to respond to them.

Myth busters and checklist provided by multi-award-winning business lawyer Suzanne Dibble, who consults with multi-nationals and small businesses on data protection law and the upcoming GDPR. She has worked alongside Sir Richard Branson at Virgin, managing a group-wide data protection project.

In addition, the Legal Services Board and the Law Society have heralded her innovative approach to helping small business owners with complex regulations, including GDPR. Suzanne has built the biggest GDPR community of small business owners on Facebook (GDPR for Online Entrepreneurs) where she posts daily videos about GDPR. More at: www.suzannedibble.com • For more information on points raised in the checklist, and for a more detailed list, go to: www.suzannedibble.com/gdprchecklist

WINNER

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Programme

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GET AHEAD B U S I N E S S K N O W- H O W, T I P S A N D M OT I VAT I O N TO H E L P YO U A C H I E V E YO U R G O A L S

PLANNING THE PERFECT SUMMER PARTY With the summer party season almost upon us, Corporate Traveller’s sister company, cievents, offers its top-10 tips for unforgettable ‘wow-factor’ bashes

1

Know your audience Tailor the event to the audience. Some will love oldfashioned games, others a lovely roof terrace. People love old school games, such as boulles and croquet. Recently, some companies have gone down the route of holding a family fun day summer party. Is the event going to be tied in with a mid-year business update; a product launch; an awards celebration or just a nice excuse for a summer party?

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Location, location, location Make sure the venue is in an accessible location – or provide the travel means to get there in order to maximise attendance. Also, whether the event involves speeches, awards or entertainment, ensure everyone can hear what’s going on.

Theme it Having a theme makes a summer party fun and makes people want to engage. How about a classic Café del Mar all-white party, or a Hampton Garden party with croquet and games that could be played on the lawn? Bringing in little touches such as flower garlands can be a really cost-effective way of making an impact.

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Themed summer parties are increasingly popular

Fit in with the theme Make sure the chosen venue fits with the summer theme. There are lots of roof gardens and roof terraces, particularly in London but also elsewhere, that work well for summer events and many are seasonal and only open during the summer. Ensure food and beverage also fits with the theme. For example, give guests a signature cocktail on arrival, serve little sandwiches and ice creams – perhaps out of an old-fashioned ice cream van for a special touch.

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Name the day People’s diaries get booked up quickly in the summer, so ensure maximum return on investment by sending a ‘save the date’ invite with an RSVP request to get an early idea of numbers. Send it out as soon as the date has been decided. Don’t clash with other corporate hospitality dates or national events.

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Plan for all weathers Always ensure there is a wet-weather back up, such as a suitable marquee or a room that people can go into when it starts raining. Branded weather props such as parasols or umbrellas are a nice touch.

Get creative with the invites Sending out invites is a great opportunity to do something tangible and fun as well as introducing an element of surprise. Nearer the time, send attendees a reminder that the event’s coming up, such as a cool pair of coloured sunglasses, flip-flops or beach balls.

It’s all about getting people excited about the event.

Capture the occasion Book a photo booth or have photographers capturing moments that people can have as keepsakes. Use social media to spread the word about the event, asking people to use a hashtag when they upload their images. These days, photo booths can automatically upload to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and other social media.

owgraveeH G ad

m ha ra

J

Lucy Francis

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Think food and drink According to cievents, nine out of 10 negative feedback comments are about the food. Events cost a lot of money, so to avoid negative feedback, ensure there is enough food for the type of event planned and ask people to provide dietary requirements at the time of accepting. There is nothing worse than having a guest who is unable to tuck into any of the food.

Book early Summer venues get booked up quickly and a lot of people book their summer parties as soon as Christmas is over. But, for those who’ve not organised anything yet, it’s not impossible to secure a late booking by being flexible on dates and checking for last-minute cancellations. The key days for work summer parties are Thursdays and Fridays, so look at a different day of the week and/or venues outside of London. Make a note to book earlier next year!

cievents organises over 1,000 events a year and its knowledgeable staff have the latest and greatest access to every element that puts a wow factor into each event.

Jade Howgrave-Graham, head of account management at cievents says: “For some clients, their summer event is the key event of the year. It could be their awards celebration, mid-year business update, a product launch or simply a summer party.

“We have clients that just ask us to find the perfect venue. Others want us to find the venue, suggest a theme, come up with the entertainment, send out all the props and organise it on the day.”

Bringing a professional company on board has lots of benefits, explains cievents general manager Lucy Francis.

“Clients get to enjoy the event themselves, rather than stressing. We take care of the health and safety aspect and manage the risk.

“We charge a fee to clients, but our buying power means clients get a much better deal than if they booked with venues direct. In addition, we know the venues and which ones will work best with clients.” cievents-uk.co.uk

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W H AT’ S N E W

G AT E W AY ’ S R O U N D - U P O F N E W P L A C E S T O S TAY, E AT A N D E N T E R TA I N LO NDON

CA M BR I D G E Ideally situated in the vibrant new city quarter of Cambridge, the 155-room Tamburlaine has recently become a Preferred Hotel and Resort. It’s a two-minute walk from the city’s train station and a 10-minute walk to the city centre. Public areas include the grand garden room, relaxing library, chic Steam Deli and lively brasserie restaurant.

Mirroring the 1920s glamour of its theatrical surroundings, the art deco Hotel Indigo London – 1 Leicester Square has bespoke rooms with walls adorned by framed scripts, gently spot lit with stage lights hanging from rigging and plush velvet stage-inspired curtains. Its rooftop bar, overlooking London’s iconic skyline, is perfect for a hearty breakfast or evening drink. It’s one of two new properties to open in the UK under InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)’s boutique brand. www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/gb/en/ london/lonls/hoteldetail

MANC H ES T ER IHG’s Staybridge Suites are perfect for longer stays and soon-to-open Staybridge Suites Manchester Oxford Road is now taking bookings for August 5 2018 onwards. Cosy studios or one-bedroom suites have home comforts, mod-cons, a fully equipped kitchen. Plus complimentary laundry, 24/7 fitness room and weekly ‘The Social’ event for drinks and snacks with neighbouring guests.

With spacious rooms, five meeting space options for up to 150 guests and locally sourced seasonal dishes in the brasserie, it’s ideal for business travellers and event organisers. www.preferredhotels.com/ destinations/cambridge/ tamburlaine

www.ihg.com/staybridge/hotels/gb/ en/manchester/manox/hoteldetail

GUILDFORD

D U R HA M Also new under IHG’s Hotel Indigo brand and set in former university offices at Old Shire Hall, the Hotel Indigo Durham welcomes guests into a world of Victorian luxury. Brass etchings line the lobby walls, marble tiles adorn floors and stained glass dapples the light in the Rotunda Bar. Guests can unwind in blissful spa bathrooms, recharge with Nespresso coffee and relish cathedral views. www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/gb/en/ durham/mmedh/hoteldetail

The Ivy Castle View has opened in the new Tunsgate Quarter shopping centre, bringing a taste of London’s iconic The Ivy restaurant to Surrey, with all-day dining, a private room for 30 seated and 70 standing guests and views of Guildford Castle. theivyguildford.com CHESTER La Brasserie, the new, Art Decoinspired Champagne bar at the Chester Grosvenor, in the heart of the city, is the epitome of glamour and elegance and perfect for wowing business clients. www.prideofbritainhotels.com LONDON Treat business partners to cocktails in the clouds at London’s newest rooftop bar, Jin Bo Law. It’s located on the 14th floor of the new Dorsett City hotel, on Algate High Street, with panoramic views. jinbolaw.co.uk

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The Montcalm at The Brewery London City An award-winning transformation from a historic brewery to a handsome five-star hotel, it wears its heritage with pride The Montcalm at The Brewery London City, is a place where past and present meet with timeless elegance.

Beautifully appointed bedrooms hint at the building’s history while offering every modern comfort. The enchanting blend of classic and contemporary extends also to a memorable dining experience, with the best of modern British food served in a beautifully restored dining room and an atmospheric gastropub.

www.themontcalmlondoncity.co.uk

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From

Abu Dhabi to the world

D E S T I N AT I O N ZO N E:

FRANKFURT Germany’s fifth-biggest city, officially called Frankfurt am Main after the river that runs through it, is shrugging off its ‘dull’ reputation and has earned a new nickname of Mainhatten, thanks to its fast-changing skyline and growing importance as a financial hub. It’s already the headquarters of the European Central Bank and is set to become an even bigger business and finance destination after Brexit. Franziskus Bumm, country manager Germany for Corporate Traveller’s sister company FCM Travel Solutions, gives us an insider’s view.

FY I Time difference: : GMT + 1hr Flight time from UK: 90 mins Tipping: Tipping is appreciated: 5-10% at a restaurant; round up to the nearest euro or so at cafes and in taxes.

Getting around: U-Bahn (subways) Strassenbahn (trams) and buses can be used interchangeably at a single price based on fare zones. Tickets are valid for one hour on routes in the same direction.

Save money on a day ticket (Tageskarte) for unlimited travel inside Frankfurt’s central zone or the Frankfurt Card, available at tourist offices, which covers the greater Frankfurt area, including airport shuttle bus, plus reduction on tours and admission into museums. ©Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board, Photo: Holger Ullmann

#visitFrankfurt

Taxis can be hailed in the street or picked up at a taxi stand.

Frankfurt Main Train Station is Germany’s most important train hub.

“Frankfurt is far from being boring, I lived there for 19 years and even now I still manage to stumble across extraordinary new places. The city has an unusual mix of very modern and medieval heritage.

Frankfurt has a ‘New York feel’ since many people who live in the city don’t stay there for a very long time, so you often hear that tourists don’t feel like tourists. You could be someone who is part of the community even if you are only there for a day.”

Eating and drinking Frankfurt is a very international place and a commuting city.

Everyday 300,000 people commute into the city, which makes it very quiet in the evenings. But there are many good restaurants in all price categories – you just have to know where to find them.

Apfelwein Apple wine is served in many pubs and restaurants. Drink it neat, sour (with sparkling water) or sweet (with orange juice).

Frankfurter sausages Frankfurt is famous for its Frankfurter sausages and can be eaten in apfelwein bars and restaurants. This service comes with a special charm – the food is great and plates can often be shared.

Don’t eat meat?

There’s plenty to eat for vegetarians. The best-known dish is gruene soße, made with potatoes and herbs, which was an essential food during the war. It’s a delicacy nowadays and is copied in many countries, but it originally comes from Frankfurt.

Where the locals go My tip is Fichtekränzi (Wallstraße 5). It opened in 1894 and is one of the oldest restaurants in Frankfurt, with long tables and benches. It’s off the tourist route and a lot of locals go there in the evenings.

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#visitFrankfurt ©Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board, Photo: Holger Ullmann

Night on the town

Walking

Old Sachsenhausen has long been a touristy place, since Frankfurt was the Allied headquarters and staff from across the Atlantic populated this area. Today you can wonder around the streets of this part of the town and find plenty of pubs, restaurants and nightclubs. I’d also strongly recommend the Nordend area and the streets around Bergerstraße. This is where a lot of students live and there are good restaurants at great prices.

On sunny days I would recommend a walk along the Main River, which flows right through the middle of the city. If you have a bit more time the outskirts of Frankfurt are really beautiful and in 20 minutes you are surrounded by fabulous nature. Frankfurt is a banking town and, wandering around the many skyscrapers can easily feel like a little tour through ‘Mainhatten’.

Music and dancing

Take a trip to the Feldberg for views over the metropolitan area.

From there you can see the next bigger towns of Wiesbaden, Mainz and Darmstadtm which are also great to explore if you have an extra day.

The Jazzkeller (Kleine Bockenheimer Straße) remains a hidden gem as it’s bit tricky to find but it is really worth it. Since 1952, again as a result of Frankfurt’s position after the war, a lot jazz stars have come through this cellar club, which turns into a disco with turntables on a little desk. The club usually does not close before 9am the next day.

Further afield

W H E R E T O S TAY ?

NH Collection Frankfurt City Previously the NH Frankfurt City Center, this recently renovated hotel is within walking distance of exclusive shops, historic downtown, financial district, exhibition centre and two Michelin-starred restaurants: Seven Swans and the Lafleur.

SmartSTAY extras for CT customers: Complimentary breakfast and wi-fi plus 10% discount on food and beverages.

Quick snack Along the River Main, at 35 Schaumainkai, is Dönerboot, a red and white boat where chef Meral serves Turkish kebabs, fish and homemade lemonade to passing trade who either pass by on foot or pull up alongside by boat.

Sightseeing Do not miss the Old Opera House (Alte Oper); and Goethe Street (Goethestraße) the luxury shopping street in the city centre, situated within the Opera Quarter. It’s named after writer and stateman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was born in Frankfurt.

The Schirn is a very modern art museum; right next to it is the Romer (City Hall): an old part of the city that has been carefully reconstructed to show how Frankfurt looked before the war.

Intercontinental Frankfurt Overlooking the River Main in the city centre, with the Old Town’s central Römerberg square 15 minutes’ walk away. Enjoy a drink in the stylish DAXx Mainhattan’s Bar or work out in the airy, 24-hour gym. SmartSTAY extras for CT customers: Complimentary breakfast and wi-fi plus 400 bonus IHG Rewards Club points.

Holiday Inn Express Frankfurt – Messe A modern and newly renovated hotel, close to the Congress Center Messe Frankfurt.

It’s a 30-minute stroll to the Museumsufer river embankment and seven minutes by no 37 bus to Frankfurt Central Station. There’s a pillow menu and 24-hour business centre. SmartSTAY extras for CT customers: Complimentary breakfast and wi-fi, plus 400 bonus IHG Rewards Club points.

To find the best deals and see all available hotels visit www.corptraveller.co.uk/smartstay and check out our smartSTAY range.

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5 GENIUS

TRAVELLER HACKS Check out the latest apps, products and tips designed to make travelling on business easier

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H E AT H ROW E X P R E S S A P P Download the Heathrow Express smartphone app to check times of forthcoming departures and get live service updates. Star Alliance Gold status holders and BA Executive Club Gold Guest List Members can upgrade to Business First Class on Heathrow Express, and passengers can also collect Avios points when booking tickets on the fastest route from central London to the UK’s busiest airport.

Heathrow Express is a preferred supplier of Corporate Traveller, so for the best rates, book via YOUR.CT.

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The new Libratone GO range features a selection of colourful portable speakers so travellers can play their favourite tunes on the go. Easily set up on Google Play and/or the App Store, the speakers are splash proof, have 10 hours of battery life, offer 360° sound and can be connected with other Bluetooth speakers.

Price: from £109-£139, from www.libratone.com, John Lewis and Amazon.

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APH is a preferred supplier of Corporate Traveller, so for the best rates, book via YOUR.CT.

DON’T BOT TLE IT Ditch the plastic and pack a handy shampoo soap bar instead.

This one from Natural Soap Company contains coconut milk and a wonderful cocktail of nourishing oils to give hair a treat from root to tip. It lasts for ages and is much more convenient that messing about with bottles.

MEET AND GREET For frequent travellers looking to skip the transfer bus and arrive at the airport in style, the meet and greet service by Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is the ideal solution. Just drive to the designated meeting point at the airport’s terminal, hand your keys to the awaiting chauffeur and head to the check-in desks while your car is parked for you. On arrival back to the UK, a driver will be waiting outside the terminal with your car.

TUNE IN

Price: £3.95 for a 100g bar; £2 for a 50g bar. www.naturalsoap.co.uk

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G E T PAC K I N G Those who fall into the ‘organised traveller’ category swear by packing cubes, which save time and maximise space in luggage, meaning packing is easy and unpacking is a breeze. The Dot&Dot Travel Packing Cubes range comes in different sizes. Some are large enough for clothes (each cube compresses fabric, enabling more to be fitted in) and some smaller ones are suitable for toiletries and accessories.

Price: from £16. Stockists include Amazon.

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INTERVIEW WITH A

TR AVEL BOOKER Real-life Mary Poppins Sam Harris tells us about organising travel as part of her job as an executive assistant at technology company PubMatic Tell us a bit about yourself I’m a modern-day Mary Poppins. I’m not afraid to challenge the norm, do things differently and get things done with a smile on my face and two feet on the ground. I’d love a travel bag like hers! I’ve been a Brownie leader for over 20 years and this stands me in good stead for working with execs and leadership teams!

How did you get into this type of job?

I have always liked ‘organising’ whether people, events or a weekend to-do list. At senior school I organised my form tutor every morning for registration, so I think you might say it was destiny that I ended up being an executive assistant (EA). I started out as an admin assistant for a global packaging company then moved into my first technology company role to be EA to a CEO. I joined PubMatic four-and-a-half years ago.

Tell us a bit about the company PubMatic is a technology company that works with online publishers. We help them sell their digital advertising more efficiently and help them make more money from it.

How much of your time is spent booking business travel?

Four to five hours each week on average.

However, if there is an event coming up that requires travel for more than two or three staff or clients then it can feel like a full-time job.

What else does your job entail?

At first I was responsible for anything that wasn’t allocated to anyone else, but I now focus on more strategic areas such as employee engagement (social committee activity, community days etc) as well as training and development plans. I also look after the diary of our chief revenue officer (CRO) EMEA and support him with any strategic initiatives he is working on to reach yearly sales targets.

Who do you book business travel for?

There are now over 50 people located across our six EMEA-based offices, so with the support of our wonderful travel consultant at Corporate Traveller, Pete Miles, I have taken the big risk of allowing the team to book their own travel. With a clear travel policy and a rigorous approval process in place, this means our travel costs still remain as low as possible. I personally book all travel for our CRO, EMEA as well as groups, such as our annual sales conference, which is usually in the US.

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Where do they travel to?

Here there and everywhere within our EMEA region as well as Asia-Pacific and the US. As the EMEA business expands, the locations are becoming slightly more exotic.

Do you organise other elements of their travel?

Yes – visas, trains and cars. The company’s Employee Global Mobility programme means eligible staff can apply for roles in other countries and I am part of the team that ensures that they get there in one piece and have somewhere to stay for the first 30 days.

Do you ever get to travel on business yourself?

I get to visit our offices in Milan, Stockholm, Munich and Amsterdam once a year and travel to our annual sales conference.

What would make life easier when booking travel?

Having our own in-house travel agent! The travel industry can be tough to navigate and even after all this time I am still learning new tricks and tips.

What advice do you have for someone new to booking travel?

Don’t be afraid to challenge any itinerary that is offered and be creative with trying to get the best deal. Work with “DON’ T BE AF RAI D TO your travel agent and use C HALLENG E ANY I TI NERARY their years of experience to THAT I S OF F ERED AND BE get the best value for money C REATI V E WI TH TRY I NG from your travel booking.

TO G ET THE BEST DEAL” What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you first started?

I couldn’t agree more with a previous CEO that I worked for who described the secret to happiness at work as ‘fun, love and money’. You have to have fun, you have to love what you do but it’s got to be worth the money.

INTERVIEW WITH A

BUSINESS TR AVELLER LUKE BRAHAM, IT MANAGER AT RED, the global system applications products (SAP) solutions provider based in London, tells all about life on the road.

Tell us about your most memorable travel

Are you a stickler for travel policy or a maverick?

experience?

I have a tendency to be a bit of a maverick, but our travel

It was a two-week trip to Curitiba, Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro.

consultants at Corporate Traveller keep me on track and always

Brazil is an incredible country.

make me aware if I’m booking out of policy. Corporate Traveller,

What’s been your worst business travel experience?

is wonderful at keeping us in the loop with our airline/hotel spend

On a recent flight from Frankfurt-London City, we were 90% of the way back to London when an issue with the plane meant we had to

and online adoption.

What one thing would you change about your

return to Frankfurt. I’m still not sure what the logic was behind it.

travel policy?

What’s your preferred airline?

I’d stay at set hotels in each destination, regardless of the cost.

For the incredible choice and amount of food on offer, it has to be Virgin Atlantic.

And your favourite hotel?

The Lido Palace in Lake Garda.

What’s your opinion of loyalty points?

It’s the key to cheap or even free travel in the future and your upgrade chances are much better. My favourite loyalty scheme is BA/Avios, although Accor and Virgin are racking up too.

What’s the most irritating aspect of frequent travel?

People who don’t travel on a regular basis. They are soooo slow at security. If only there were airports, planes and hotels without infrequent travellers.

Number of business trips per year: 10 Regular destinations: New York Most recent trip: Munich Next trip: New York Can’t wait to go back to: Rio de Janeiro Hope I never go back to: Penzance Best overseas landmark: Iguassu Falls, Brazil An original version of this interview was published in the February/March issue of The Business Travel Magazine.

Do you pack light or go fully prepared?

I pack as little as possible, but I never leave home without travel adaptors, laptop and phone.

Do you work, rest or play on a flight?

Play! Watch films and eat and drink as much as you can.

Do you connect onboard?

Yes, wi-fi should be standard on every flight.

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“ CO R PO R AT E T R AV E L L E R IS W O N DE R F U L AT K E E PIN G U S IN T HE LO O P ”

TA K E O U R Q U I Z

W H AT SO RT O F M A N AG ER A R E YO U – O R CO U L D YO U B E?

Q 1 . What’s your attitude to meetings?

Q 4 . You start the day…

B Great opportunity for a bit of a gossip

A Pouncing on team members the moment they enter the office, demanding to see their diaries

C Too many meetings disrupt my work flow

B Chatting about Love Island

D A good way to make sure staff are happy

C Re-rehearsing your presentation to the team

E An essential part of the smooth running of an office

D Making everyone a tea or coffee

F Total and utter waste of time

E Asking everyone to please stop talking and get on with their work

A Vitally important. I need to find out where everyone’s at

F Searching for the meeting agenda, then deciding to wing it

Q 2 . A staff member asks if they could work from home for a while, due to an undisclosed change in personal situation. Your response...

A Reluctantly agree – but insist the team member accounts for every single minute of their working day and resolve to try to catch them out B Find out as much as you can about what’s going on at home so you can be the first to relay to the rest of the gang C Sure thing – it’s easier to get stuff done at home D Give the person a big hug and ask them if there’s anything that you can do E No way!

F Great idea – in fact, let’s expand this option to the rest of the team

Q 5 . There’s a spare place on an overseas business trip. It should go to: A Me, so I can keep an eye on the rest of the rabble B Me! Can’t wait to see come back with all the gossip C The person who’s pulled in the most business and continually works their butt off for this company…in other words, me!

D Wouldn’t it be a lovely gesture to offer it to the newbie?

E The longest-serving member of staff. Perks have to be earned F Let’s organise a drinking game to decide

Q 6 . It’s the end of the working week, the big boss is away on business and all’s quiet in the office. Do you:

Q 3 . There’s been a bit of a cock-up with a travel booking. Your reaction: A From now on, everyone must run everything by me B Well you didn’t want to say anything, but the person responsible has taken their eye off the ball lately…and you know why!

A Insist the team spends the remaining time tidying their desks and sorting out the cupboards B Crack open your private stash of booze and have a game of Truth or Dare

C Put it right. Learn from it. Move on.

C Get them to put the finishing touches to next week’s sales pitch

D Give the person who made the mistake a big cuddle and make them a coffee

D Tell everyone else to go – you don’t mind staying behind in case any enquiries come in

E Immediately issue a written warning

E Announce that anyone leaving a minute before 17:30hrs will be reported to HR

F OK, so they didn’t make the conference in Perth, Scotland but Perth, Australia’s a pretty cool city!

F We’re in the pub already!

TOT UP THE SCORES…

Mostly As

Mostly Bs

Mostly Cs

Mostly Ds

Mostly Es

Mostly Fs

Micromanager

Office Gossip

Fast tracker

Mother/father figure

Jobsworth

Maverick

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VILL AGE VOICES 1)

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1) Members of the Chancery Lane office had an Easter Fun Day with a bake sale, games and bonnet-making competition. From left: Stuart Graham, Stephen Coplen and Tina Vekaria 2) Loughborough ran a successful charity fun day, with special guests Paw Patrol 3) The Vauxhall team, from left: Machek Tubisz, Shastra Reay, Rosie Elliott, Candice Jenkins, Anna Stephens and Siobhan Mathias, held a ‘fortune telling’ Easter fundraiser

F U ND RA I S I N G E V E N TS

NEWCASTLE AND SCOTLAND NEWS

Members of CT’s Spartans – one of the three operational areas within Corporate Traveller, which covers Chancery Lane, City, Wimbledon, Vauxhall, Gatwick and Loughborough offices – are on a mission to become the most charitable area in the company.

So far, members have raised over £8,000 in the current financial year, which runs until June. All money will be matched by CT’s parent company Flight Centre, with all donations going to Mind – the Mental Health Charity and the Flight Centre Foundation.

Charity events have included bake sales, challenges (see separate stories on Tom and Anton) and fun days (see picture captions, above).

CT teams in Newcastle and Scotland have been getting out and about meeting clients at a number of events at venues including Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Pictured is Cara Dzivane, CT’s Glasgow-based assistant team manager and business development manager, keeping clients up-to-date on the latest CT developments at one of the events.

RUNNING FOR CHARITY Congratulations to Tom Jennings (left), expert travel consultant at CT’s London City office, who ran the Paris marathon in April, to raise money for Mind – the Mental Health Charity. Tom reached the finish line in an impressive four hours, 34 minutes and has raised well over his £500 Just Giving target, which will be matched by Corporate Traveller.

There’s still time to add to the fund at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thomas-john-jennings Anton Kaniecki (left) from CT’s Wimbledon office has set a challenge to raise £1,000 by running 1,000 miles in 2018 for Mind – the Mental Health Charity.

He said: “I am doing this in the hope that I can inspire others to get active while donating to a great cause. Follow my updates on social media as I take on the year-long challenge of running every day in 2018.”

You can donate at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/anton-kaniecki

ON THE MOVE Dave Gore (left) is taking over as regional operations manager from Hollie Turner who is currently on maternity leave, based in New Malden, covering Bristol, Clerkenwell, Oxford, New Malden, Waterloo and Woking. Dave’s Corporate Traveller career began in October 2012 in the Wimbledon office, before moving to Woking as senior manager in August 2015.

David Robinson (left) has been promoted to account manager at CT’s Wimbledon office. He’s worked with the company for over 10 years, in Clerkenwell, Woking and New Malden. His new role includes travelling up and down the country for face-to-face meetings with clients, running of and analysing travel reports and making suggestions to help save money on travel spend.

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Through Corporate Traveller’s regional UK hubs, clients have access to a team of local experts to ensure they get the most from their corporate spend. Each issue, we’ll bring readers a round-up of office news – and ask some of the team a travel-related question.

This issue, we ask:

Who’s the most famous person you’ve met on a flight?

Gary Ward, Account manager, Scotland and Newcastle “On a Dublin-London flight I sat next to Emmy Award-winning actor Brendan Gleeson (star of Braveheart; Gangs of New York and the Harry Potter Films, in which he played Alastor Moody). I said hello and told him I was huge fan. We both ordered a Jameson whiskey straight up and had a chat. He was really nice.“

Edinburgh Glasgow

Hannah Ventham, Account manager, New Malden

Michelle Hurst, Business development manager, Gatwick

Newcastle

“I met the rapper Fat Joe in the business class bar.

He showed us all his moves from the Lean Back video and told us about the first time he met fellow rapper Drake, who asked for his medallion. He ate salad and drank Diet Coke all flight. I’ve also met Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley who spoke to everyone and was really charming.“

Leeds

”I was hosted by Virgin Atlantic on its inaugural flight to Detroit, the home of Motown. I sat in premium economy, one row behind Sir Richard Branson. He came over to speak to me and then I ended up dancing with him when out of nowhere a group of gospel singers got up and sang Motown songs.”

Hull

Manchester Liverpool Loughborough Birmingham

Sam Wickerson, Team manager. City 2, London ”Last year I sat next to Andre Agassi on a flight to Las Vegas. I’m a tennis fan so I was excited to be seated next to a hero. I was too embarrassed to ask for a photo but he was super sweet. His wife Steffi Graf was there to meet him off the plane on arrival. Two mega stars in one day.”

Oxford Bristol

London

Woking Gatwick

Clerkenwell Chancery Lane Vauxhall Wimbledon New Malden Waterloo

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