Event Planning & Event Marketing

Lower cost of airfares may benefit meeting planners and event planners who want to promote attendance at their events.

According to the American Express Business Travel Monitor for the second quarter of 2009, domestic and international airfare rates are the lowest seen since the second quarter of 2005. Average domestic fares paid decreased 18 percent year over year, while international fares paid fell by 19 percent. Booked domestic hotel rates remained flat year over year but dipped by 2 percent since the first quarter; booked international rates, on the other hand, fell by 12 percent year over year but actually increased by 6 percent over the first quarter. The Business Travel Monitor is published quarterly by eXpert insights, the research arm of American Express Global Advisory Services.