WHAT'S NEXT

Five Top Trends in Travel
From pods in airports to spas in hotels, Barbara Benham takes a look at where travel is headed.
Executive Travel – 06/01/04

As we settle into the new millennium, the big theme that keeps cropping up is balance. Sure, we still work hard and play hard. But after the Go-Go 1980s, and the equally excessive 1990s, the zeitgeist has shifted. Instead of taking pride in working endless hours and logging a record number of frequent flyer miles, business travelers are looking for equilibrium. They're more mindful of elements that can enhance their travels, so they can stay focused and perform at their best, but still have time and energy left for life outside the professional box. With business travel on the rise, we looked at trends that should make the business-travel experience more pleasurable, and less taxing, for years to come.

Airports
Passengers in a pod
One of the most vexing challenges for business travelers is all the waiting and schlepping at the airport. Martin Lowson, chief executive officer of Advance Transport Systems Limited, in Bristol, England, may have developed a transportation system that will make getting from your parked car to the terminal quicker, smoother and, quite frankly, more fun: the ULTRa, a four-passenger, single-car "automatic taxi." The not-yet-named driverless vehicle, which has been dubbed a "pod," resembles a miniature monorail and would run on a network of tracks between parking areas and various terminals. So, instead of waiting for one of those infernal intra-airport bus services, passengers would catch an ULTRa at the parking area and take a direct "ride" to their terminal. "Getting around the airport is one of the most inefficient parts of your journey," says Lowson. "If you can improve that, it's a better journey for everyone."

What's the advantage? For starters, the ULTRa would offer a nonstop ride and, since the car only holds four passengers, you'd have more privacy. This is mass transit, but not for the masses—at least, not all packed into the same car. Moreover, you'd get to the terminal and back in a jiffy. To wit: In an analysis of carport-to-terminal passenger flow at Heathrow International Airport, the ULTRa would represent a 60 percent reduction in travel time, with the ULTRa taking seven minutes and the bus taking sixteen minutes. Lowson, a former aerospace engineer, points out that the ULTRa was developed using existing technology, mainly from the automotive industry. Lowson also likens the ULTRa to a horizontal elevator. The ULTRa is electrically powered and can travel up to 25 miles per hour. Most of the tracks would be elevated, so as not to interfere with other airport vehicle traffic. The pods, which are spacious enough to hold luggage, would move onto the main tracks from little "pit stops" in the parking areas and terminals.

Passengers would use a Smartcard to operate the pod. In trials underway in Cardiff, Wales, passenger reaction has been extremely positive, says Lowson. "Everyone has seen these in science fiction," says Lowson. "What we have is an engineering fact." The facts should soon start speaking for themselves, as airports start signing on to pilot-test the ULTRa. So far, several airports have approached Lowson, even though the firm has done no marketing to airports. In the U.S., Houston International Airport has expressed interest in the ULTRa. In Europe, several airports are also discussing ULTRa projects with Lowson's firm, but did not want to be identified by name. (Trust us, though, this is the big league of international airports.) Airports should like the pods for all sorts of reasons. Lowson says that the ULTRa system is even cheaper to build than a footbridge or footpath. "We're serious," Lowson emphasizes. "This is not a toy job. We've done three years of testing. We've done passenger testing. We're ready to roll."

Aircraft
Making every inch count with the e-jet
Savvy business travelers who fly coach do everything they can not to get stuck in the dreaded middle seat on a plane. Now, Brazilian aircraft-maker Embraer has introduced a new family of wide-bodied commercial aircraft, the Embraer 170 and 190, that eliminates the middle seat altogether. The new line of midsize jets—called e-jets—will hold between 70 and 110 passengers. They're bigger than a Regional Jet (RJ), which typically holds no more than 50, and smaller than the larger aircraft, which carry 120 passengers or more. If Embraer's calculations are correct, there's a huge market for this size aircraft. One could soon be coming to a city near you.

As for that missing middle seat, Embraer designed the new jets after asking dozens of airlines around the world what they thought was lacking in cabin comfort. The answers read like a gripe list for anyone who's ever flown coach, starting with that middle seat. "Everyone hates the middle seat," says Orlando Netto, director of sales for the $2 billion, Sao-Jose-dos-Campos-based concern. (The name Embraer looks like a Portuguese verb, but actually stands for Empressa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA.) Folks also complained about tight aisles, meager armrests and inadequate overhead storage space.

With all that in mind, Embraer designed its 170-190 line with cabin comforts typically associated with business class. The new planes are only four seats abreast, instead of six, which is standard on many aircraft. The seats are wider: 18.25 inches versus the 737's 17 or so inches; and the aisles are wider: 18.75 inches, 2.25 inches roomier than an Airbus 300. The overhead storage bin, as well as the lavatory, will be bigger, too. In addition to a higher ceiling, there will be two windows per row, versus the standard 1.5.

Embraer achieved many of these improvements by using a "double bubble" design. Instead of the standard oval, the cabin is shaped like two overlapping ovals. The lower oval allows more room below for cargo, so the floor in the top oval, the cabin, can be set lower. This means the cabin is taller, and the widest part of the plane is at shoulder level when passengers are seated.

Aviation consultant Michael Boyd, head of the Evergreen, Colo.-based Boyd Group, predicts that the e-jet will be the number-one growth aircraft in the next 10 years, with 1,500 of the larger 190s and 195s sold. "They're a lighter, more comfortable product," says Boyd. "The seats are wider, so passengers will be more comfortable."

Their market potential also signals the end of the RJ boom, one that Boyd predicted as recently as 2002. "Those RJ orders are going to start dropping," Boyd notes. "The economics are not good, and the ergonomics are awful." Boyd also points out that the term RJ is widely misused, and that RJs hold about 50 passengers, not more. So, technically speaking, the new line of Embraers does not consist of RJs. (Embraer makes a line of RJs, the 145.) This spring, Embraer delivered its first 170s to the U.S.: four 170s to US Airways (the airline has now purchased a total of 85). JetBlue, the trendsetting low-cost carrier, has ordered 100 190s, with an option to purchase 100 more. The first delivery is slated for the third quarter of 2005.

While Embraer's new e-jet isn't going to start a revolution, the company is pioneering new development methods. By reaching out to a global community of airlines, Embraer managed to synthesize the best of the best with its 170-190 family, especially with cabin comfort ergonomics. (That's one of the things the "e" in e-jet stands for. The others are efficiency, economics and engineering.)

Hotels
The spa-ing of America's urban hotels
You may have noticed on a recent business trip that urban hotels have been adding spa amenities to the mix. A massage room here, manicurist quarters there. Then along comes the W Hotels, one of the most successful hotel brands of the 1990s, with what is likely to raise the bar for spa amenities across the industry, particularly in big-city markets: Bliss, a brand-name spa. In late January, W's parent, Starwood Resorts & Hotels Worldwide, announced that it had acquired Bliss from LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed sum.

Founded by Marcia Kilgore in 1996, Bliss has three stand-alone spas—two in New York, one in London—and a mail-order catalogue. It's well known, in part because of its celebrity clientele. (Uma Thurman, Gwenyth Paltrow, Kate Moss. You get the picture.) Bliss is so popular, there can be up to a three-month wait for an appointment at any of the three spas. Treatments include everything from the Quadruple Thighpass (a cellulite treatment for the ladies) to Homme Improvement (a facial for the guys).

The W, which opened its first hotel in 1998 in New York City, has in less than six years also developed a track record as a trendsetter, with its emphasis on stark design and fabulously comfortable beds. That ultimate mattress culture has spread throughout the Starwood empire to the Westin and Sheraton. The competition is still playing catch-up with its own sleep initiatives. To this day, Starwood gets emails from customers asking where they can buy a mattress like the one that made them sleep as though they were in a coma.

Given the combined W and Bliss profile, the same spillover could happen with the W's introduction of Bliss spas. The W is planning to have a Bliss spa in each of its hotels, starting with the W New York, by year's end. Their size will vary from hotel to hotel. At the W New York, at Lexington and 50th in midtown Manhattan, plans are underway to devote a good portion of the fourth floor, about 17,000 square feet, to treatment rooms for massage, facials and waxing. There will be steam and sauna rooms in the locker rooms. In addition, the W is building four spa suites on the same floor, which will be part of a spa package. "They'll be giant guestrooms, an urban spa oasis," says Tyler Morris, president of Bliss. As for the spa, there will be a manicure and pedicure bar at street/retail level, with a dedicated elevator that takes guests to the fourth floor. The spas will be open to the general public, but W guests will have priority, and will be guaranteed access to the spa during its operating hours. At the W Times Square, the Bliss space will be smaller, about 3,000 feet. In L.A., there'll be 10,000 feet. At the W Chicago Lakeshore, the plan is to knock out 45 guestrooms and have a Bliss pool with between 15 and 17 treatment rooms. That won't open until next year. And so it will go, to every W Hotel.

Will business travelers indulge themselves? Morris expects as much. The Ws have a strong business clientele, and the expectation is that such clients will take time for a spa indulgence while they're on a business trip.

Meetings
The advent of the Webinar
Several years ago, a group of about 60 United Nations officials convened at The Resort on the Mountain in Welches, Ore., near Mount Hood. Ed Hopper, proprietor of the 300-acre resort, describes the setup: Each official's laptop was hooked up, via high-speed Internet, to their home countries, so they could communicate as needed.

If that same group were to meet there today, they would have another option for conducting their meeting: Web conferencing, with audio and text interface capabilities. Last year, The Resort partnered with Encounter Collaborative, a Portland, Ore.-based Web conferencing firm, to make audio and Web conferencing services available to meeting planners. Conceptually, Encounter's products are akin to group Instant Messaging, with the ability for folks to work with text, as well as pipe in audio and video. "It's a multilayered, multimedia experience," says Ian Widger, CEO of Encounter Collaborative. People can talk and write and see and hear each other all at the same time. While Widger's biggest market is the workplace, he and Hopper think Web conferencing will be the next wave in offsite meetings also.

In fact, Widger is so optimistic that he can't help but toss around the latest industry buzzword, the "Webinar." The way these two partners see it, a core group of people, like the board of directors or, say, top performing sales representatives, will gather at a meeting location, then interface with colleagues back at headquarters or in other offices. What's nifty about Encounter is that it's relatively straightforward and doesn't need hours of training to use, Widger says. In addition, Hopper adds, it doesn't require special equipment. "All you need is a computer and a telephone, and you're in business."

Here's what a Webinar setup would look like: With the core group, there would be a presenter leading the discussion, perhaps on a large computer screen. The other people attending the meeting would either look at the large screen or at individual computers. A hands-free phone would be set up so people could communicate with their colleagues offsite. Everyone could hear and talk to each other, both on-site and off, and everyone could exchange text, on-site and off. People could also wear headsets for better audio—like a conference call with group Instant Messaging capability. "It's a paradigm shift," says Hopper. "I think there's a reluctance out there to do these sorts of meetings. It's like when ATM machines came out. Look how easy they are to use."

If that group of U.N. officials were to plan another meeting, Hopper says, a core group of five or so leaders could travel to The Resort, while the remaining 55 would participate in the meeting from around the globe.

Other properties have started offering Web-conferencing-enhanced meetings, but they have yet to take off. One possible reason is that there seems to be an enormous disconnect between the meeting planner community and the techies at a company. Janet Kearney, director of sales at The Resort on the Mountain, recounts that she was at a recent meeting of the Oregon chapter of Meeting Professionals International on the future of technology. When someone asked if anyone planned to use Web conferencing in conjunction with meetings, only one person besides Kearney, out of about 125 attendees, raised a hand. "This is new for meeting planners," says Kearney.

Indeed, the conventional wisdom of the not-so-distant past was that Web conferencing was going to end meetings as we know them. Instead, it looks as though Web conferencing is going to enhance meetings as we know them. "The impact on the meeting business can be profound, if we are smart enough to use this new technology to our advantage," observes Hopper. In fact, as early as 2000, Meeting Professionals International advised in-house meeting planners to start thinking of themselves as Chief Interactive Officers, and, among other things, to stay on top of cutting-edge technologies. These days, the question is not how, but when.

Vacations
Far, but not too far, from the madding crowd
Getting away from it all has always been a balancing act, with choices ranging from hustle-bustle hotspots to more remote destinations—including, especially of late, private island getaways. This up-and-coming trend in vacations could well provide the best of everything: You get privacy, but with an opt-out clause, at high-end villa rentals that are isolated, but not too far off the beaten track. "They're a little off the hotel zone," says Monica Beaupre, spokeswoman for American Express Travel. (Executive Travel is published by American Express Publishing.) Beaupre calls it flexible isolation. "You have the choice of staying in your own surroundings, but with the option of going into town and mingling with the masses, if you will," she notes.

Fueling villa madness is the current rage for group travel, be it with friends or family, with luxury thrown in for good measure. "There's a notion of 'togethering,' of extended families and groups of friends [wanting] to get together and relax, have their own pool, even their own personal chef," says Beaupre. Of course, "villa" is a relative term, and can mean anything from a stand-alone 18th century farmhouse in Provence, with a swimming pool, gardens and other amenities, to a separate suite, often with a private pool, in a resort enclave.

Few properties embody the extravagant villa-flexibility paradigm like The Mansion at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. For rates starting at $5,000 a night, you can rent one of 29 "villas," actually oversized suites in the 290,000-square-foot mansion. They were designed for the MGM Grand Casino's high rollers, but are made available to the general public when space allows. Some have their own pools, and some have their own chefs. When you tire of lolling around the mansion, which was inspired by an 18th-century Tuscan villa, you can hit the casino.

"Villas are hotter than a firecracker," says John Greer, president of Unusual Villas and Island Rentals, a Richmond, Va.-based firm that represents 2,000 exclusive privately-owned villas around the world. At the drop of a hat, Greer names properties that fit the flexibility-isolation mold. In the British West Indies, the Anguilla Luxury XIII, a 22,000-square-foot oceanfront modern mansion in Anguilla, is a world apart, with its own beach, pool, tennis courts, a staff of nine (including a chef from Lyon) and a helicopter pad. "It's on the east end of the island," says Greer. "You can take a 20-minute ferry or a five-minute helicopter ride and go over to St. Martin, in the French West Indies, and go to the casinos," he says, adding that St. Martin also has the best shopping in the Caribbean. In other words, there's plenty to do outside the compound, but afterwards, you can retreat to your own private villa. Prices start at $7,000 per night.

At many luxury resorts, top accommodations take the form of villas and private houses. At Parrot Cay, a resort on a pristine, 1,000-acre private island in the Turks and Caicos, guests can stay at one of five private villas, each with its own private deck and infinity-edged pools, which are part of the resort. Villas start at $1,500 per night off-season. In keeping with the flexibility-isolation theme, guests can boat over to Providenciales, the main island of the Turks and Caicos, for golf and shopping. In another twist, Parrot Cay plans to expand its villa offerings when Donna Karan and Bruce Willis build their own private villas on Parrot Cay. Once the celebrities' lodgings are completed, guests will be able to rent them out, while also enjoying the amenities of the resort. Now that's balance.

Marvin Cetron's brave new world
Marvin Cetron gazes into a crystal ball—metaphorically speaking. The 74-year-old founder and president of Forecasting International, a Falls Church, Va.-based consulting firm, forecasts the future for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to the White House. He calls himself a forecaster, as opposed to a futurist, because he uses quantitative methods.

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing International Association, Cetron prognosticated the travel of tomorrow. Yes, predicts Cetron, the moon could well be the next Antarctica: a faraway research outpost for travelers intrigued by the prospect, as well as the snob appeal, of visiting a great frontier of exploration. Cetron thinks travel to the moon could arrive by the 2030s, aided by a space elevator that runs along nanotubes made of carbon, a material 20 times stronger than steel. As for Mars, Cetron forecasts that travel to that red dot in the sky won't come until 2075, and it won't be for anyone looking for a weekend getaway. He estimates it will take three months to get there in a nuclear-powered spaceship.

Back on earth, the world will get smaller and smaller, as jets and trains get faster and faster. Cetron envisions high-speed magnetic-levitation trains, with speeds up to 500 miles per hour, carrying tourists on a Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas route by 2020. (The ones currently operating in places like Japan only hit 200 miles per hour.) "Next will be between Washington and Boston, with one stop in New York," Cetron says.

As for destinations, Cetron predicts more of the "build it and they will come" sort, such as a glass-floored resort over the Great Barrier Reef in, say, 2010. "It would have an elevator that [goes] down into the reef," Cetron conjectures. "And it's already happening," he adds, noting the underwater restaurant in the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, which has a glass ceiling that looks into the Red Sea, and the Jules Underwater Resort—it's more like a high-end research lab—in Key Largo, Fla.

Some of Cetron's more intriguing predictions involve practical applications, like hand-held optical-character readers, coming to market in 2020 or thereabouts. You'd point one at a foreign text, and it would translate for you—even from languages that use another alphabet, like Greek or Russian, or characters, like Chinese or Japanese. "You could use it in a restaurant or in a drugstore," Cetron said. "You could get close to medicine instructions to know how to take your medicine."

Sooner still, hand-held voice-recognition translators will use software that translates authentically from one language into another. No more tripping over hard-to-translate idiomatic expressions— the software, which could reach markets by 2010, will contain hundreds of them, as well as 9,000 words. Another fun idea: super clothes, outer gear that will contain heating and cooling devices for those who like to travel in extreme climates. They'll also have built-in Global Satellite Positioning devices. No more asking for directions? Could it really be?

Farther out, yet not too far out, we can probably say good-bye to foreign currency exchange. Cetron predicts the world will only have one or two main currencies by 2050. That same decade, he predicts English will become the world's dominant language. So, don't bother saving your optical-character readers for the grandchildren. Sadly, global warming could render Florida, the Caribbean and other parts of the world uninhabitable, never mind visitable, by 2075. Where to go then? What about Siberia? It could, predicts Cetron, be the next Alaska.

Barbara Benham is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.

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