Obama Demonstrates Firsthand the Benefits of Business Travel, Meetings October 22, 2009
President Barack Obama so far has visited more countries in his first year in office than any other U.S. president before him, McClatchy Newspapers recently reported, prompting the meetings industry to hold him up as an example, citing his busy travel schedule as proof of the power of business travel and face-to-face meetings.
"It is obvious by the president's actions that he sees the importance of personally meeting with other leaders to advance the objectives and business of the U.S.," Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) President and CEO David Gabri said in a statement released yesterday. "In other words, he and his team of specialists opted to personally meet, rather than teleconference, e-mail or simply call. Shouldn't American businesses and organizations be following these same sound business practices? After all, that is how business works."
According to the McClatchy Newspapers' Washington Bureau, which published its report about Obama's travels on Oct. 7, the president has visited 16 countries since taking office on Jan. 20, 2009, surpassing the 15 nations visited by Presidents George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford during their first years in office.
"Many of [Obama's] overseas trips have centered on international meetings, such as the G-20 economic summit," author Steven Thomma wrote in his report. "Others have included Obama's attempts to rebuild international support for the U.S."
Continued Gabri, "The president's actions visibly reinforce the importance and effectiveness of meeting together face-to-face to advance your agendas and objectives, to enhance important relationships, to recognize and motivate achievers, and to provide direction and leadership. It shows that 'Meetings Really Do Mean Business' and are critical to keeping businesses and organizations viable."
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