Testimonials
The Port Columbus International Airport reports receiving a $90 million dollar grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for their new south runway project. This allocated amount will also be used for much needed improvements to the existing runway. The funds will aid in keeping the project moving towards its opening in the spring of 2013.
The current economic situation has forced many companies to make hard financial decisions across the board. In many instances business travel and meeting funds are one of the first to diminish, as many companies look at the expense as nonessential to their day to day operations. Countless news stories have surfaced regarding corporations spending large amounts of money on lavish executive retreats and get a way's, while simultaneously laying off thousands of employees. This negative press has aided in cut back decision making and the hospitality industry has felt the backlash. In early 2009 the U.S Government implemented the Troubled Assets Relief Fund (TARP) in order to "bail out" many corporations that were in need of assistance. With this assistance came stipulations on corporate spending; this included any expenditures that might be viewed as a "luxury" items. In many instances corporate meetings, business travel, and special events were lumped in with the excessive spending notion. This culmination of events spawned many industry related associations to speak up and show law makers and corporate America that business travel is essential to their company's revenue stream, and is not something that can be thrown to the wayside.
