DALLAS, Jan. 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Although more small business travelers than ever are booking travel online, they may not be aware of the many other conveniences offered by travel sites, reported the American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA). ASBTA is a national alliance that is focused specifically on the travel needs and interests of small business travelers.
"It's widely accepted among the small business community that booking directly on a travel provider's web site can save time and money on business travel, but that may be where most small business travelers' expectations end," said Chuck Sharp, ASBTA President. "In reality, the best travel web sites also offer a number of other convenience features and services and provide an excellent customer service experience at the traveler's immediate beck and call."
For instance, in addition to offering customers affordable fares when reservations are booked on American Airlines' web site, AA.com enables customers to purchase upgrades and Admirals Club day passes, book AAdvantage awards, book vacations, check flight information, and check-in for a flight -- all 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers can also enroll in the AAdvantage program and join Admirals Club using the web site. In addition, American Airlines also works in conjunction with their travel partners to allow customers to book car rentals, hotel stays and other services directly from AA.com while earning AAdvantage points for doing so. (For more information on these and other services, visit www.aa.com.)
Like American, some of the best hotel chains and car rental companies provide expanded services beyond booking on their web sites. Hyatt.com, for example, offers customers low rates, plus full control over reservation changes and cancellations and the ability to redeem gift certificates and reward points online. Especially useful to small business travelers is the ability to plan and book meetings through the Hyatt web site. On a smaller, but equally useful, scale, Hertz's web site offers instant access to customized driving directions, local weather conditions and current exchange rates. (Visit www.hyatt.com and www.hertz.com for more information.)
"Not all travel web sites include these convenient features and services, but those that raised the bar significantly on customer services offered for the online travel market. The best part is, we are only seeing the beginning and we should expect to see many more advances in the near future," said Sharp. "For the moment, however, our objective is to make small business owners and travelers aware of what they might be missing out on right now and help them make their travel experiences less expensive and more productive."
About ASBTA and SMBTA:
ASBTA is a national organization dedicated to serving and educating small business travelers by providing information regarding travel and mobile technology. The Small and Medium Technology Alliance (SMBTA) is part of ASBTA focused on helping businesses better utilize technology. If you're a small business owner and want to learn more or become a member for free, visit our sites -- www.asbta.com and www.smbta.com. Members of the media can receive a free copy of survey results by contacting ASBTA by phone at 469-648-0190 or email at surveys@asbta.com.