SAN DIEGO -- Karl Dring is relieved. The general manager of San
Diego Travel Group said his agency "saw some dark days" during the
war with Iraq, but now that the war is over, business travel has
picked up substantially.
"Our volume is about 60% higher than the week the war started
[March 17], and corporate travel accounts for about three-quarters
of the increase," Dring said. "We're back to where we were at the
end of February."
Business travel to Asia still remains practically nonexistent
because of SARS, he said, but business travel to Europe has
increased, due to latent demand and lower fares.
"Net fares and published fares are inexpensive right now," Dring
said. "You can fly to Europe from San Diego for $400."
Rob Turk, executive vice president of Professional Travel in
Cleveland, also reports a significant increase in travel to Europe
-- a 12% rise over March levels. Domestic traffic is up about
5%.
"The media frenzy around the war also has ceased," Turk said.
"Travel is very psychological, and I think the media play a big
factor. People are impressionable about what they're told through
the media, positive and negative."
Rosenbluth International also reports an increase in
international travel. Last week, international travel was 8.7% of
overall transactions, up from 7.4% in April.
However, international travel still is down at Rosenbluth
compared with last year, mostly due to SARS. In April 2002,
international travel accounted for approximately 11% of all
transactions.
John Townes, co-CEO of Piedmont Travel in Greenville, S.C., also
said SARS is hindering the recovery of international travel but
said the agency's overall volume for May is about 10% higher than
levels reached in January and February and nearly 40% higher than
levels reached during March and April.
Townes said he even expects travel to Asia to increase soon.
Piedmont's clients in the automotive and textile industries are
loosening travel restrictions because the profitability of their
businesses depends on travel to Asia, he said.
"I think rational heads are prevailing," Townes said. "About
45,000 Americans die from the flu every year, but I don't hear
anyone saying we can't go to Chicago in the winter because we're
afraid of getting the flu."