What’s missing from this course? I just got asked by Steve Losey what I would improve and I was at a loss. Overall – great information, good coverage and students get a good overview of the government’s travel system and the main participants….except for one!
The traveler is missing from this course! All of us in the business understand that under normal circumstances government travel is usually similar to corporate travel. However, what happens when you have go to a meeting, and the city is full? What hoops do you go through to get enough to pay for a room? What’s it like for a young airman never out of Texas to be assigned to Diego Garcia and how the hell do I get there? When a tank backs into my rental car who should I call, and how do we get firefighters from Montana to California when the airports are shut down by smoke?
These are just a few of the stories we hear over and over from our government travelers and travel suppliers. Yes, they are the exception. However, they are part of the government travel picture. Understanding the unique role and unique challenges government travelers face is key to understanding what’s required to service these people and why the systems sometimes seem cumbersome and over-engineered.
Adding anecdotal information and traveler quotes throughout the course would help focus the student’s attention on the ultimate reason for this course and government travel management in general, helping the traveler accomplish their mission.
By Scott Lamb