Business – Getsetntravel

BBB Tip: How to avoid purchasing fake tickets to events | Business

Posted on September 25, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

As another Texas summer with record-breaking heat ends and the beginning of the fall season approaches, many people will be looking to get out and enjoy themselves at various events across the state. Residents may be planning to watch their favorite sports team compete this season or attend a concert featuring a famous musician. With the prices of tickets to major events increasing and the ever-present threat of con artists capitalizing on marketplace trends, BBB recommends consumers exercise caution when searching for and purchasing tickets to their next event.

While most people know to be careful when purchasing tickets off a third-party website or reseller, recent reports to BBB Scam Tracker show a concerning trend of scammers disguising themselves as reputable ticket sellers when interacting with the victim. These schemes often leverage the credibility of companies such as Ticketmaster to convince victims to provide payment for tickets that are either fake, for the wrong event or priced significantly higher than the going rate. Some may also advertise discounted tickets for high-priced seats or sections, which turns out to be false once the tickets are received, or the purchaser arrives at the venue.

In many worst-case scenarios, a consumer who is provided a fake ticket plans an entire weekend around the event, including travel costs and a hotel room, only to be turned away at the entrance. Victims may also find that the credit or debit card used to pay for the tickets has a series of charges they do not recognize, resulting in them having to cancel the card and dispute those transactions with their bank to varying degrees of success.

To help prevent fraudulent sellers from interrupting your event plans, Better Business Bureau provides the following tips:

Purchase directly from the venue whenever possible. Many consumers automatically go to a secondary resale market to purchase tickets for an upcoming event before first checking with the venue. Going directly to the venue may not only save money but is also a way to ensure that a purchase is for a valid ticket. Venues also often include what secondary resale organization they are listing their tickets on, giving consumers an additional layer of protection from purchasing fake tickets.
Consider your source. There is a significant difference between purchasing a ticket from a professional ticket broker and a ticket scalper. While dealing with the latter may result in obtaining valid tickets, the risk of encountering a scammer is significantly greater. Always exercise caution when purchasing from sources that are not members of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB) or Better Business Bureau.
Research the seller/broker. Brokers who are members of NATB offer a 200% purchase guarantee on tickets, protecting consumers that use their services. Visit NATB.org to confirm you are interacting with a NATB-member resale company.
Check for website encryption. It is good practice to always check for the lock symbol in the website address, indicating a secured system is enabled on the site. BBB strongly recommends against giving any banking information to websites that are not secured.
Know the refund policy. Only purchase tickets from a ticket reseller that clearly details the purchase terms. Avoid sellers who do not disclose where the seats are located or where purchasers can pick up tickets. If the deal seems “too good to be true,” trust your instincts and thoroughly investigate the seller before purchasing tickets.
Use protected payment options. Debit or gift cards, mobile banking apps and cash transactions are risky due to difficulties recovering money if the tickets are fake. BBB recommends using credit cards for all online purchases due to the additional protections they offer consumers to obtain a refund.
Verify tickets. If you doubt the authenticity of a purchased ticket, present it to the “Will Call” or customer service center of the event venue. They will inform you if it is legitimate or explain how a legitimate ticket for their venue should look.

If you have been a victim of a fake ticket scam, report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Information provided could prevent another person from falling victim.

For more information about ticket scams, visit BBB.org.

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SWISS offers new pre-selection meal option for Business Class travellers on long-haul flights – Breaking Travel News

Posted on May 28, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

SWISS offers new pre-selection meal option for Business Class travellers on long-haul flights Breaking Travel News

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Business Highlights: Inflation gauge, summer travel costs

Posted on May 27, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

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Key inflation gauge slowed to still-high 6.3% over past year

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Key inflation gauge slowed to still-high 6.3% over past year

WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge closely tracked by the Federal Reserve rose 6.3% in April from a year earlier, just below a four-decade high set in March and the first slowdown since November 2020. The report added to other recent signs showing that while high inflation continues to cause hardships for millions of households, it may finally be moderating, at least for now. The report also showed that consumer spending rose by a healthy 0.9% from March to April, outpacing the month-to-month inflation rate for a fourth straight time. The ongoing willingness of the nation’s consumers to keep spending freely despite inflated prices is helping sustain the economy.

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Prepare for sticker shock if you are traveling this summer

DALLAS (AP) — If you haven’t booked your summer vacation plans, you are already too late to snag the best deals, according to travel experts. Airfares are up, hotels rates are up, and airlines are bracing for a big summer. High prices are not the only thing travelers need to worry about. Airlines have thousands fewer employees than they did before the pandemic, and that means they could struggle to handle the expected crowds. Consumers seem to be taking it all in stride. Airlines say bookings are running at record levels, and spending on U.S. flights is running ahead of 2019 levels.

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Wall Street breaks 7-week losing streak, longest since 2001

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose on Wall Street Friday and closed higher for the week, breaking a seven-week losing streak, the longest such stretch since 2001. The S&P 500 rose 2.5%, increasing its gain for the week to 6.6%. That’s the biggest weekly gain for the benchmark index since November 2020. Technology stocks were a big factor pushing the market higher. That sent the Nasdaq composite up 3.3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.8%. Retailers also made solid gains. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which helps set mortgage rates, slipped to 2.74%. U.S. crude oil prices rose.

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‘We don’t have food’: African leaders meet as crises grow

DJIBO, Burkina Faso (AP) — African leaders have gathered for a summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to address growing humanitarian needs on the continent, which is also facing increased violent extremism, climate change challenges and a run of military coups. Leaders on Friday called for increased mobilization to resolve a humanitarian crisis that has left millions displaced and more than 280 million suffering from malnourishment. For people in Djibo in northern Burkina Faso, help can’t come soon enough. The city in the Sahel region has been besieged since February by jihadis who prevent people and goods from moving in or out and have cut water supplies. Residents are suffering with no food or water, animals are dying and the price of grain has spiked.

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G-7 pledges put coal on notice, could boost climate aid

BERLIN (AP) — Officials from the Group of Seven wealthy nations have announced they will aim to largely end greenhouse gas emissions from their power sectors by 2035. The move makes it highly unlikely that those countries will burn coal for electricity beyond that date. Ministers from the G-7 countries meeting in Berlin on Friday also announced a target to have a “highly decarbonized road sector by 2030.” That means electric vehicles would dominate the new car sales by the end of the decade. The G-7 also recognized for the first time the need to provide developing countries with additional financial aid to cope with the loss and damage caused by global warming. The agreements were largely welcomed by climate advocates.

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Biden renews sanctions license for Chevron in Venezuela

MIAMI (AP) — The Biden administration has renewed a license partially exempting Chevron from sanctions on Venezuela so it can keep operating in the oil-rich, socialist-run nation. The license issued Friday by the U.S. Treasury Department allows the California-based Chevron and other U.S. companies to perform only basic upkeep of wells it operates jointly with state-run oil giant PDVSA. Some in the Biden administration had been pushing for an expanded license so that Chevron would be allowed to resume exports and ease pricing pressure at American pumps.

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Tribal request to halt Arizona copper mine work is denied

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a request by Native American tribes to stop Toronto-based Hudbay Minerals Inc. from preparing a planned new Arizona copper mine’s site in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson. U.S. District Judge James Soto refused to issue a temporary restraining order and dismissed the lawsuit filed by the Tohono O’odham, Pasqua Yaqui and Hopi tribes and the group Save the Scenic Santa Ritas. Soto’s ruling Monday said Hudbay’s surrender of a suspended Clean Water Act Permit for a nearby project named the Rosemont Mine removed the lawsuit’s legal basis because the projects were not legally related.

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Alaska’s largest natural gas utility being sold for $800M

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The owner of the largest natural gas utility in Alaska says it is selling the company to Canada-based TriSummit Utilities Inc. The Anchorage Daily News reports the deal is worth $800 million. AltaGas Ltd. says the sale will include Anchorage-based ENSTAR Natural Gas, its associated pipelines and ENSTAR’s majority ownership in a gas storage facility. AltaGas is also based in Canada. It acquired Enstar in 2012. TriSummit has about 133,000 customers in Canada. ENSTAR has about 150,000 customers in Anchorage and parts of south-central Alaska. The companies expect the sale to close by early next year. ENSTAR Natural Gas has about 200 employees.

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The S&P 500 rose 100.40 points, or 2.5%, to 4,158.24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 575.77 points, or 1.8%, to 33,212.96. The Nasdaq surged 390.48 points, or 3.3%, to 12,131.13. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies jumped 49.62 points, or 2.7%, to 1,887.86.

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6 Tips for a Smooth, Stress-Free Business Trip

Posted on May 27, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

Article written by Andres Zuleta, the Founder of Boutique Explorer

Do you have an upcoming business trip? Whether you are traveling across the country to showcase your product to a potential supplier or meeting with manufacturers in a different continent, it is paramount to do a bit of pre-planning for your trip. This will help ensure that your travel experience is well-organized, streamlined and, most importantly, enjoyable. The last thing you want to do is take a business trip that causes you nothing but stress and aggravation.

In my journey as the founder of Boutique Explorer (a company that plans private luxury trips around the world), I know how important pre-planning is for a successful trip. So to help with your travel plans, here are some of my own tried-and-true tips for a smooth and stress-free business trip:

Less Time, More Structure

To make the most of your valuable time, I recommend planning short but highly efficient business trips. For example, I’ll often go to Mexico City for just two days or Tokyo for four days. I find that with less time, I’m able to achieve more with less energy.

To make this work, organize your days strategically, such as by scheduling meetings for each meal (for example, a breakfast or coffee meeting, a lunch meeting and a dinner networking session). I have found that this makes business trips extremely productive, and you should still have some time in between to rest, exercise or catch up on other work.

Book Comfortable Accommodations

As a business owner, you are likely always thinking about your enterprise’s bottom line and may therefore be tempted to just book a cheap hotel. After all, you won’t be spending much time there. However, staying in uncomfortable accommodations can make your trip a lot less enjoyable and prevent you from getting the deep, rejuvenating sleep you need to be on top of your game for the next day’s business activities.

Because of this, I always find it’s worth spending a bit extra to ensure you’ll have a truly restful place to recuperate, whether it’s a hotel or Airbnb. This way it’s also a treat to head back to your accommodations to recharge in between meetings. Obviously, location is essential too, to save time and energy shuffling back and forth.

Con Digital Spine, los clientes de Aeroméxico y Delta hacen check-in desde sus dispositivos. (Photo: via iStock / Getty Images Plus /j acoblund). — A business traveler checking into a hotel. (Photo via iStock / Getty Images Plus /j acoblund)

Book Pleasant Flights

Yes, the flight from NYC to California with two layovers may save you some money. But what’s the point in exhausting yourself with various connections and stopovers if you’ll not only lose time but also be less fresh for your business trip? Even though it’s pricier, always go for nonstop flights when possible. Maximizing your own time and energy (and minimizing travel time) is a worthwhile investment.

Organize a Thorough Itinerary

There’s a time and a place for just winging it, and a business trip is not it. You don’t have to make a spreadsheet if that’s not your thing, but at the very least write out your schedule for each day in your phone’s notes app or even on paper. Think about your day in chunks: on certain days, it may make sense to plan down to the minute, while on others you may just schedule fewer, longer meetings.

Walk yourself through each day and think about logistics, too. Will you need a rental car? Make sure to rent one well in advance. If you’re driving from place to place, will traffic be an issue? Check Google Maps at different times of the day, and give yourself some buffer time. If you’re scheduling meetings at restaurants or coffee shops, don’t leave it to chance: make reservations when possible.

I’m a planner by nature and profession, but if every single second of my day is pre-planned, it can feel claustrophobic. So I also make sure to include some unstructured windows of time (to relax, explore, exercise or just take a nap). It’s not a vacation, but decompressing a little helps keep me sharp and motivated during a busy business trip.

Pack Travel Gear Wisely

There are so many products out there that can help make your business trip more comfortable, stress-free and pleasant. Here are some travel essentials that I always bring with me on my own business travels:

Noise-Canceling Earbuds

I’ve looked at larger noise-canceling headphones, but because they take up so much space, I love my compact noise-canceling earbuds. There are cheaper options that offer some noise-canceling functionality, but if you love music or are sensitive to sounds, go higher-end with a headphone company that actually specializes in hi-fi audio. The noise reduction will work better and make it far more pleasant to relax, sleep, work or watch movies during your flight.

Portable Charger

This is a no-brainer! When you are traveling to a meeting, it can be stressful when your phone or tablet battery is low and you don’t have ready access to an outlet. The one thing to always remember before your trip is to make sure your portable charging device is fully charged. For most trips, just one charge on the device can provide multiple charges for your phone. Buy one that is as small and light as possible, as some models are fairly heavy.

Toiletry Bag With Leak-Proof Toiletry Bottles

The last thing you want is for a cheap drugstore toiletry bottle to leak in your luggage and all over your clothes. Even for business trips, I recommend purchasing a set of toiletry bottles designed for active outdoor adventures. They will seal beautifully and prevent even the slightest leak!

Shirt Protector

Whether you’re traveling with a duffel bag or rolling suitcase, I recommend using a slim shirt protector, which keeps button-down shirts nicely folded and generally wrinkle-free. If you’re a stickler for wrinkle-free clothes, you may still need to do some ironing when you reach your destination, but on the whole, it’s a time-saver and also helps make packing smoother.

travel toiletries — Travel toiletries. (Photo via nadisja / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Enjoy Yourself

Since I’m in the travel industry, my business trips tend to be enjoyable by nature: I’m usually meeting guides and local experts, checking out hotels and restaurants and exploring cities – all for research. But no matter what industry you’re in, I recommend breaking up meetings with other fun activities to make the most of your trip and keep you relaxed. For example, see friends where possible, splurge on a massage, go kayaking after your trade show, check out a local street fair or do something else to take a break from pure business. Trust me, you will leave your trip much more fulfilled!

To Wrap It All Up

Pre-planning is absolutely essential for a smooth and stress-free business trip. To make the most of your business travels, plan for less time and more structure, book comfortable accommodations and select pleasant flights. Also, put together a thorough itinerary and bring along helpful travel gear. Finally, add in some leisurely activities so that you can enjoy yourself! Following these tips should help you have a relaxing, hassle-free and delightful travel experience.

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Business Travel Accessibility Still a Hurdle

Posted on May 24, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

Doing that likely will require a host of conversations and an effort to learn about those other “lived experiences.” Crohn has engaged in that process with her DEI lead at Coverys and come away with new perspectives, she said.

“I now look at every single thing I do through the lens of inclusivity, and I did not do that prior to two years ago,” she said. “I didn’t even know what it meant.”

Crohn specified the ways she now picks menus to be gluten free and provide choices that adhere to common restrictions like nuts or certain meats. She provides opportunities in the registration process for participants to share information that will improve their experience as an attendee. Most importantly, for Crohn, it’s about creating an environment of inclusivity for all while remaining mindful of attendees unique needs.

“I really look at it through the eyes of, ‘Am I being inclusive of as many people as possible?’ And if the answer is no, what do I need to change or what approach can I adjust or who else can I bring into this conversation to make it more inclusive?”

Evans said it’s not necessary to “boil the ocean” in one go, and one small change at a time is better than none at all. “On a scale of one to five, we all start at zero,” she said. Over time, small changes can accumulate to new models that organizations can apply to more situations, including how they work with travel and meeting suppliers.

Partnering for Progress

Suppliers are taking note. Choice Hotels International head of associate diversity, equity and belonging Corinne Abramson told BTN, “We have an associate resource group that’s dedicated to ensuring within our organization that we think about the business in regard to including people with all different kinds of abilities.” Choice calls the group Enable, and Abramson said it continuously reviews Choice’s offerings to ensure the company is thinking about all those lived experiences. “For example, do we have within our large meetings the ability to have closed captioning? What is the technology that we’re offering, and what options can we toggle on for folks, and how do we make [those options] available?”

Meetings technology provider Cvent also has advanced its accessible options, and the company is working to further accessibility and inclusivity for meetings and events.

It recently hired Stephen Cutchins as senior product manager for accessibility to ensure Cvent technology platforms consider usability from the perspective of those who are blind, deaf or have physical disabilities. The company incorporates Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, as defined by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium, that level the playing field for such users.

“They are pretty technical standards and not a lot of people know about them,” said Cutchins, citing best practices around color contrast standards, images and “alt text” that make images not only readable but meaningful within the context of the other content on the page. “There are 78 ‘success criteria’ defined in WCAG 2.1, and we have a third-party firm reviewing our technology so that we can be transparent about not only what we are doing well but also where we fall short. Because we know we aren’t perfect, but building an awareness around this type of usability is critical for us so our own users can reach as many people as possible.”

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Jane Young: Cost-saving tips on travel to Europe | Business

Posted on May 22, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

This is an excellent time to start planning for a trip to Europe. You will experience fewer crowds than before the pandemic and most countries have relaxed COVID restrictions and requirements, making it easier to visit your favorite sites.

One of the biggest expenses associated with travel abroad is airfare; this is especially true with the recent increases in airline tickets. Using miles to purchase your airline ticket is one way to save money on this expense.

Consider signing up for one or two airline loyalty programs and credit cards that provide a sign-up bonus. For example, the American Airlines Aviator Master card issued by Barclays is currently providing 50,000 bonus miles and the United Airlines MileagePlus Visa Card issued by Chase provides 60,000 bonus miles, if you spend $3,000 within the first three months.

If you plan ahead, you can generally purchase a round-trip ticket in economy or one way-ticket in business class to Europe for 60,000 miles. You will continue to earn miles by using your airline card for ongoing expenses. Just be sure to pay the entire balance at the end of the month.

The key to saving on travel is to be flexible with your dates and locations. You can save by flying during the shoulder season, between mid-April to early June and late August to early October. Flights to Europe are even cheaper as you move later into the fall and winter. The day of the week you book your flight does not really matter, but the cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. It is best to book your international flight about three to four months in advance.

However, due to the limited availability, tickets purchased with miles need to be secured earlier. Major airlines such as American and United begin selling tickets about 330 days before a flight. To purchase a business-class ticket for a reasonable number of miles and a decent itinerary, you need to buy them as soon as they become available.

You can also save money or increase your chances of purchasing a good ticket with miles if your travel dates are flexible and you are flexible with your departure and arrival airports. It is generally cheaper to fly to Europe from a major international airport. Rather than booking a flight from a small regional airport, it may be cheaper to book a separate ticket on a commuter flight or drive to the nearest international airport and fly to Europe from there.

Additionally, search for the cheapest arrival city within Europe. It is easy and inexpensive to travel between cities in Europe by train or on discount airlines; Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz Air are a few low-cost options. For example, if you are going to Rome, it may be cheaper to book an international flight to London and take a separate flight on a discount carrier from London to Rome rather than flying directly into Rome.

Jane Young is a fee-only certified financial planner. She can be reached at jane@morethanyourmoney.com

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Business class travel tips and tricks and more news from this week

Posted on May 21, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

Business class travel tips and tricks and more news from this week

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Domestic and short-haul business trips back to 2019 levels

Posted on May 20, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

For the first time since the pandemic, domestic and short-haul business flight bookings have returned to 2019 levels, according to new research released on Thursday from the Mastercard Economics Institute. Long-haul traffic, however, remains considerably down on pre-pandemic volumes.

The report, which integrates booking data from Mastercard transactions as well as IATA passenger data and Google Community Mobility Reports, highlighted the cautious return of business travel.

A surge at the end of March 2022 saw overall global business flight bookings inch just above 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic. In comparison, at their lowest in 2022 (mid January) business flight bookings were roughly half of pre-pandemic levels.

In Europe, domestic and short-haul business travel surpassed 2019 levels in April by 30 per cent and 37 per cent, respectively. Medium-haul was just below (-5 per cent), and long-haul travel lags behind (-46 per cent), but an upward trajectory continues.

This is similar to global recovery trends, where short- and medium-haul business travel are at +24 per cent and -5 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, respectively. However, long-haul is improving at a slightly faster pace (-8 per cent), largely driven by an uptick in Asia Pacific in late April, where bookings climbed to 11 per cent of 2019 figures.

Beyond travel restrictions, the report identified how new ways of working are affecting business travel, with business flight bookings underperforming in markets with the most work-from-home labour forces.

Other headwinds include ongoing uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 variants and a rise in airline operating expenses and, therefore, airfares. However, price increases are not consistent across all markets. In the UK, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Switzerland prices at the end of April were below 2019 levels. Meanwhile, price in Germany, Norway, Turkey and Hungary were more expensive.

“Like any flight, the travel recovery has faced both tailwinds and headwinds,” said Natalia Lechmanova, senior economist, Europe and Middle East Africa at Mastercard. “The resilience of the consumer and the desire to return to ‘normal’ and make up for lost time gives us optimism that the recovery will continue, even if there are bumps along the way.”

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MUSIC BUSINESS NEWS: Imagine Dragons pays off venue mortgage • Sustainable music travel guide • Bandsintown hits 70M users • YouTube live shopping • more

Posted on May 19, 2022 | by getsetntravel | Leave a Comment

With the internet and digital technologies driving rapid change within the music industry, articles about new releases and who has been hired and fired are no longer enough. Our up to the minute industry news alongside insightful commentary helps our readers sift through the rumors and developments to find the information they need to keep their businesses moving forward.

Hypebot is read daily by more than 30,000 music industry professionals including executives and senior staff of music related tech firms, internet based music sites, every major label group and most indies as well as many managers, artists and members of the live music community:

Contact us for the latesst stats, ad rates and sponosorship opportunites. We also offer combined rates with MusicThinkTank.

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