Despite alert, business travelers won’t stay home
The State Department has issued a worldwide travel alert. It says terrorist groups are continuing to plan attacks, and it warns Americans visiting other countries to be careful, though it stops short of warning people not to travel.
“Just be vigilant,” said Karen Christensen, deputy assistant secretary for overseas citizens services at the State Department. “You have to think in terms of what might be an attractive target, where there are lots of people gathering. And that could be a public gathering, it could be public transportation.”
Christensen said she understands that business people need to travel. She said, just make your decisions carefully.
The Global Business Travel Association, a trade group in Washington, did a survey of corporate travel managers a few days after the Paris attacks, and found little change in businesses’ plans.
“It was interesting because it found that three-quarters of U.S. business travel buyers say their companies’ travel to Europe will remain largely unaffected,” said Shane Downey, the association’s lobbyist and director of government affairs.
He said only a small number of the companies surveyed temporarily suspended travel to Paris.
Carol Roth will keep up her business travel.
“I will, otherwise I’m out of a job,” she said, laughing.
Roth is a deal strategist who makes a lot of speeches and TV appearances that require travel. She is thinking about canceling a family trip abroad next month. She’s a lot more willing to forgo personal travel. It’s not essential, and it can be dangerous. You’re out exploring popular, crowded places. But for business travel?
“I usually spend all of my time sitting in a hotel or a conference room somewhere,” Roth said. “I will tell you there are actually days when I travel places where I don’t even open the window shades of my hotel room.”
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