Yeah... That's the Ticket.

• Author: Cayford, Tracie
• Position: Brief Article

Small businesses book online to save money.

Small businesses are saving up to 30 percent on travel costs by booking through websites customized for their companies.

Business executives in Utah and across the country are turning to the Internet to save money on corporate travel. For example, recent national media reports show small businesses are saving up to 30 percent on travel costs by booking through websites customized for their companies.

Employees at Inetz Media Group, a Salt Lake City website development company, like the convenience of the Internet for obtaining pricing information on airlines, hotels and car rentals for business-related travel. "With the Internet, you can get prices immediately," says JT Holt, chief operations officer at Inetz. although he admits he prefers the "human advice" of an agent when arranging complex international itineraries. He estimates more than half of the company's corporate travel is booked online on travel-related websites such as Travelocity.com and Priceline.com.

Another money-saving device for businesses is working with airlines to develop specialized software that allows them to bypass travel management firms. Franklin Covey Co., for example, is working directly with Delta Air Lines. "There is a marvelous push (by the tourism industry) to get the general public to book online, however the airlines aren't dumb," says James Thalman, Franklin Covey's corporate travel manager. They know they need to deal directly with businesses for their bread and butter. "You can't fill a plane with families going to Disneyland."

Airlines servicing Salt Lake City, including Southwest and Delta, offer incentives businesses can take advantage of such as extra frequent flyer miles to customers who book directly through travel websites. However, Internet customers need to talk to a service agent if they are cashing in those miles or if their itineraries are too complex.

Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program offers incentives such as free flights for its frequent travelers. Tickets don't necessarily have to be booked online to receive this benefit, but if they are, the points accumulate faster.

A survey released earlier this year by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) found that Internet websites are ranked as the most useful sources for travel news. The reason, according to William S. Norman, president and CEO of TIA, is they are available 24 hours a day and can be accessed from both home and...