Meetings and conferences not affected by H1N1 fears, survey says
While an underlying concern for the spread of the H1N1 influenza is prevalent in the business travel industry, an overwhelming number of corporate travel managers and travelers are not letting it interfere with their immediate itineraries. This is according to a statement issued by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) at their Global Education Conference, currently being held in Prague.
Though a majority of corporations have indicated they have 'serious concerns' about the potential threat of the H1N1 influenza, these concerns are not yet carrying over into the travel planning process for the remained of 2009 and 2010, nor have they warranted any special consideration outside of their overall disaster contingency planning, said Susan Gurley, ACTE executive director. On one hand, it is commendable that companies are not giving in to panic. Yet on the other hand, this is a situation that can develop very quickly and it is very important that the appropriate arrangements be put in place.
Of the 105 international organizations participating in the survey, 91 percent indicate that they are not holding off on meetings or conferences until after the influenza season. Only 9 percent responded yes. And, 94 percent of participants responded No to the question Have your travelers asked not to travel in flu season this year? Only 6 percent said Yes.
According to Gurley, these statistics indicate either that global commerce is confident that the H1N1 threat will fail to materialize just like the avian influenza, or that it will be much milder than the worst case scenarios currently cited by government and media sources. This position is supported by additional numbers regarding corporate preparedness regarding the H1N1 influenza specifically.
Sixty-three percent of survey participants report that they had serious concerns about the spread of the H1N1 influenza. And, when asked whether or not they have a plan or instructions for travelers who may get caught up in airport screenings with flu-like symptoms, only 34 percent of organizations responded in the affirmative.
Follow up investigation by the association reveals that nearly all corporations are urging employees and travelers to stay home if they are feeling ill, regardless of their symptoms, and that bottles of hand sanitizer are as common at meetings as the little bowls of mints.
Gurley warned that a sudden upsurge in the H1N1 influenza, in which much larger numbers of travelers or employees are involved, could create a spike in Internet demand, and tax a company's ability to effectively communicate through that means. This is an ideal time to get that mechanism in place, and to make sure that key people are trained in its use, said Gurley.
Source: The Association of Corporate Travel Executives; www.acte.org.
Reprinted with permission. © CCH
(Submitted Oct. 28, 2009)
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