Portraits from FNO at Lord & Taylor

ROGUE IS VOGUE - TALES FROM THE GBTA EUROPE CONFERENCE 2012

I’m in Budapest for the GBTA Europe Conference and, what appears to be this year’s recurring theme in corporate travel, has reared its head once more: Rogue is Vogue.

Max Keegan, a 17 year old ‘digital native’ took to the stage this morning to share his experiences of booking travel in a bid to help buyers understand how they will need to evolve to cater for future travellers. In short, it’s all about digital, and his message to corporate travel buyers is that they need to adapt now to deal with social hungry travellers like him. 

It seems the new generation of business travellers is feeling rebellious. They don’t want to be reined in by regimented booking policies and procedures. They want the freedom to be able to book corporate travel using the types of booking tools – and with the same level of ease – they experience when booking leisure travel.  

What’s behind this urge for rebellion? Technology. Technology has enabled business travellers to pick and choose rather than be directed. It allows them to be flexible. And, according to this morning’s speakers, flexibility is one of the most important messages that buyers should take away from this conference. Closed, structured, mandated and managed policies are dinosaurs. The future is about open travel booking. 

Instead of forcing travellers to stick to very strict procedures, buyers are now being encouraged to allow travellers to book whatever, however as long as they stay within more general parameters of policy, whether that’s financially set or otherwise. By giving travellers this freedom and access to the booking experiences they are used to, it’s more likely they will stay within set parameters and everyone’s a winner.

David Chapple is in Budapest for the GBTA Europe Conference 2012 (#gbtaeurope2012). If you’re there, too, say hi. If not, say hi on Twitter – www.twitter.com/btshowlondon

LONDON SCRAPBOOK

Choosing Keeping

Hello Darlings,

Finally a post of musings, memories, photo treasures, and more from my time in London a few weeks ago. I cannot begin to tell you how much I fell head over heels in love with this city. I have been before, but never quite like this. I wanted to do a very organic and playful tribute to my time spent there (a departure from my usual postcard posts). Hugs and kisses to Sadat and Julia for showing me the most extraordinary time in London town. I hope you like!!

More to come from Paris...

Much love,
Meag xx

Fashion's Night Out at Lord & Taylor 2!!

Happy Saturday My Loves!!

How was everyone's week?! I'm finally catching up with myself after the most insane 14 days and digging myself out of the mound of clothes tossed around my bedroom (fashion week wardrobe fails and wins). I plan to post photos from my trip to London & Paris over the next few days, but wanted to show you this awesome video from FNO at Lord & Taylor, made by the lovely Hannah Maryse (sister of the brilliant Mara Cespon). It was so awesome reuniting with my former classmates and professors. FIT will always feel like my home away from home.

Look out for me in the video at the 1:20 min mark!! Talk soon friends.

Much love,

Meag xx

Happy 2nd Birthday Travel Write Draw!!

Hello My Loves,

It's TRAVEL WRITE DRAW'S 2ND BIRTHDAY YAY!! Can you believe it?! It's already been two years since starting this heartfelt journey of blogging and illustrating for the worldwide web. I am so beyond grateful for this experience, everything I've learned from it, and all the opportunities that have come my way as a result. I've made incredible friendships with inspiring individuals through this blog. I've been found by wonderful people from my past. I've traveled the world even if I was just sitting behind my computer screen in Manhattan.

Travel Write Draw means everything to me. I like to think of my blog as my raison d'etre. It pushes me to be better, to challenge myself, to grow, to communicate, to fail, and to be stronger. Whenever I feel down, or disconnected, all I have to do is prepare a post here and I know I'm not far from anyone. I never dreamed that I would have come this far and I'm that much more encouraged to see where it goes from here. Thank you to EVERY ONE of my loving supporters, my family and friends, and all of you who continue to root for me along the way.

I promise to pay you back one day ;)!! I must sign-off so my blog can blow its candles and make its wish for the year.

Much love,
Meag xx

LOVE FROM LONDON

Across the Atlantic and back again...a picture from my last night in LONDON TOWN!!

Thank you immensely to my incredibly gracious hosts for showing me the best of the best in London & Paris. My experience in both cities was so much different than it has ever been and I'm more in love with London than I thought possible. Visions of driving through the city in a Zipcar blasting Feel The Love by Rudimental will live on in my memory forever and ever.

But it doesn't stop there my darlings. Off the plane and onto the launch party of Allie Kingsley's novel The Liar, the Bitch, and the Wardrobe (thank you Mr. Heisler ;), and Fashion's Night Out at Lord & Taylor tomorrow evening!! NYFW will soon be in full effect and the city is already sizzling with the influx of Fashion's power-players. I shall catch up with you all when the madness dies down this weekend. Until then, HUGS & KISSES from yours truly!!

Much love,

Meag xx

DEAR PATRICK MCLOUGHLIN, PLEASE PUT PARTY POLITICS TO ONE SIDE FOR THE SAKE OF UK PLC

In the first cabinet reshuffle since the Coalition Government took power, anti-third runway Transport Secretary Justine Greening has been ousted and Patrick McLoughlin has taken her place. Not much is known about Mr McLoughlin transport-wise, apart from the fact he has a fear of flying and he represents the most landlocked constituency in the UK.

 

No doubt, airport expansion, and the issue of a third runway at Heathrow in particular, will be top of his agenda this morning. Speaking on behalf of the business travel industry – if I may – I urge Mr McLoughlin to use this opportunity to put party politics to one side, to not succumb to the NIMBYs (not in my backyards) who will fight against expansion at whichever airport affects them most, and to focus solely on what’s good for UK PLC.

As the Government continues to dither and decisions are delayed, cities like Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris – all with world-class, well-connected hubs – continue to attract global corporations and the UK continues to slide down the scale as a centre of global commerce. 

Our lack of airport capacity is also preventing us from introducing new routes to the BRIC countries, which is essential to fuel economic growth long term.

In my opinion, that means putting a plan in place to create a long term transport strategy that will support the UK as a centre for business and fuel its economy over the next 20-30 years. And in the short-medium term look to airports such as Gatwick, Luton and Stansted to ease the capacity issues at Heathrow that everyone is getting so blindsided by.

As event director of the Business Travel Show, I’d like to extend an invitation to Mr McLoughlin to address the business travel industry at our event in London next February where he will meet a very eager audience keen to question him about the issues affecting our business including airport expansion, APD, green taxes, and high speed rail and franchises.

David Chapple, event director Business Travel Show, david@businesstravelshow.com