Industry News - Chauffeur Driven Magazine

Details: Category: Industry News; Published: 2023, November 14

The votes have been counted and the results are in! With eight seats up for the taking, the National Limousine Association (NLA) has named the newly elected Board Members for the 2024-2027 term.

The winners are:

At Large (three seats): Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide, Brett Barenholtz of Above All Transportation/Boston Car Service, and Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide (who will serve the remainder term of the vacated seat up in 2026)
US Central Region (one seat): Tracy Raimer of Windy City Limousine & Bus
US Northeast Region (one seat): Tracy Salinger of Unique Limousine
US Southeast Region (two seats): Shawn Glasgow of Peak Limousine and Tim Rose of Dolphin Transportation Specialists
US West Region (one seat): Dave Uziel of Urban Worldwide

“I would like to congratulate all of the newly elected Board members and thank everyone who ran in the election. Your dedication and passion for the industry are to be admired and it is comforting to know that there are so many qualified people ready and willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved,” said NLA President Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide. He also noted that a record-breaking 51 percent of eligible members participated in this year’s election.

The term for the newly elected officers will being in January at the association’s annual meeting.

Visit limo.org for more information.

[11.14.23]

Details: Category: Industry News; Published: 2023, November 10

american limousines

American Limousines, a luxury transportation service provider, announces their recognition as the top Fast 50 Honoree by the Baltimore Business Journal for 2023. The Fast 50 list highlights the fastest-growing private companies in the Baltimore area, and American Limousines has been recognized as the number one honoree for its remarkable growth and success. The prestigious awards banquet to celebrate the honorees took place at The Winslow on November 2nd.

American Limousines Owner Gary Day (center)

The Baltimore Business Journal's Fast 50 program identifies and honors private companies that have exhibited significant growth over the past year. This recognition is a testament to American Limousines' dedication to excellence, its commitment to providing top tier luxury transportation services, and its contribution to job creation and supporting the local community.

"We are honored to receive this recognition from the Baltimore Business Journal. American Limousines has always strived for excellence, and this acknowledgment highlights the hard work and dedication of our team,” said American Limousines Owner Gary Day. “It's a reflection of our commitment to delivering exceptional service to our clients and our continuous efforts to grow and innovate."

The awards banquet to celebrate the honorees brought together leaders, entrepreneurs, and influencers from the Baltimore business community. It provided a platform for American Limousines to share its success story and network with other successful businesses in the region.

The Fast 50 recognition is particularly significant in the context of American Limousines' journey in surviving and thriving after the pandemic. The company has consistently delivered premium transportation services, including luxury limousines, sedans, motor coaches, buses, and executive transport, and has earned a reputation for reliability and excellence. The award underscores the trust that clients have placed in American Limousines and the company's commitment to exceeding customer expectations.

Visit amerlimo.com for more information.

[11.10.23]

Details: Category: Industry News; Published: 2023, November 07

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is out with its latest poll—its 32^nd in the series—surveying business travel professionals worldwide on what they expect in the coming months ahead, and the road looks good for continued recovery. However, the poll also identified areas where change might be coming throughout 2024, including cost management, sustainability (yup, it’s still a thing), and the continued integration of technology.

GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang

“With some exceptions, as an industry global business travel has continued to rebound over the past year and has made great strides in getting back to business as usual. As our latest GBTA poll outlines, ongoing challenges are expected, but there are optimistic indicators for an even stronger year ahead as organizations continue to leverage business travel and face-to-face connections as a critical part of their strategy to achieve important and ambitious objectives,” said GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang.

Some highlights of the poll:

Most industry stakeholders surveyed (84 percent) report their company’s business travel in 2023 has either largely (43 percent) or mostly (41 percent) recovered when compared to their 2019 levels.
Domestic business travel bookings stand at 76 percent (up from 72 percent in the April 2023 GBTA poll). On the international front, bookings reached 70 percent of their 2019 levels (up from 63 percent in April).
Respondents report domestic business travel spending has reached 77 percent of pre-pandemic levels, while international spend sits at 74 percent (up from 74 percent and 66 percent, respectively, from April).
Challenges: Respondents say the top barriers that affected their business travel in 2023 have included corporate budgets keeping up with price increases (69 percent), inflation/recession concerns (63 percent), and geo-political events (44 percent). Suppliers (67 percent) are more likely than buyers (59 percent) to say inflation/recession concerns are a significant barrier.
On a regional basis, stakeholders in Europe (54 percent) are more likely than in Asia-Pacific (23 percent), Latin America (23 percent) and North America (12 percent) to report climate impact concerns as a barrier. North America respondents (32 percent) are more likely than those in Europe (20 percent) to cite workforce hiring/retention as a significant barrier.
Meetings: Travel buyers report increases in their employees attending in-person meetings and conferences (55 percent), holding virtual meetings (52 percent), blending travel (50 percent) and “linking”(multi-purpose or multi-destination) business trips (49 percent) versus 2022.
Budgets: For 2024, 67 percent of travel buyers expect their travel budgets to increase (39 percent) or remain about the same (28 percent). Only one in ten (14 percent) buyers report they are currently implementing a plan to limit business travel because of economic concerns.
Cost Management: This remains a top strategic priority, with 62 percent of respondents emphasizing its importance for their company’s business travel program. Traveler safety (44 percent) and sustainability (37 percent) followed closely.