Charter Services: Business Trends Indicate Incentive Travel on the Increase as Effective Morale Builder; Travel Planners Using Air Charter Travel in Incentive Programs.

Business Editors

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2003

What's the best way to reward effective employees, increase productivity and provide them with some rest and relaxation? A growing trend among many U.S. corporations is to reward top performers with something other than cash.

A recent study by Corporate Meetings and Incentives shows that the use of incentive travel as a management tool is on the rise, with 72 percent of corporate managers including meetings as part of employee incentive programs and 58 percent of those surveyed considering incentive travel more effective than cash or merchandise awards.

CSI Aviation Services d/b/a Charter Services Inc. (CSI), a leading air charter management company in the United States, is at the forefront of the incentive travel market, assisting many companies with creating an exceptional travel experience to motivate or recognize employees for increased sales, outstanding performance, building morale and increasing market share. Often these travel experiences lead groups to popular international destinations such as Cancun, Europe and the Bahamas.

How employees are traveling to their incentive destinations is just as important to many companies as what they do once they're there. That's where Charter Services comes in. With air charter travel, employees who are rewarded with an incentive trip are treated to a first-class travel experience. Executives and employees can travel together and arrive at their destinations without requiring long waits in ticket lines or security lines, along with added benefits such as special foods, open bar, and employee gifts or other items with corporate logos and colors. Special circumstances, such as visiting multiple sites to pick up additional colleagues enroute to the final destination, are also possible with air charter travel.

Used by many industries including computer/software, food products, electronics, automotive, insurance and pharmaceuticals, incentive travel is an investment by management in the future growth and market share of a company. The study by Corporate Meetings and Incentives indicates that in 2001, the average amount spent by companies on incentive trips was $3,376 per person, up from $2,818 in 2000.

"With increased security, longer lines, cancelled flights and complex ticketing, travel and meeting planning is becoming an increasing challenge," said Michele Esquibel, director of sales. "Corporate managers and meeting planners are quickly discovering the effectiveness of using air charter management companies like CSI to get large groups of travelers to their final destinations with ease."

Travel planners for companies like Maritz, one of the country's largest employee incentive companies, have discovered the convenience of using air charter management companies to transport travelers. With 24-hour, 7-day-a-week air charter management services, CSI has provided travel assistance to businesses with numerous situations ranging from employee evacuations from foreign countries, to last minute sales meetings, to extensive incentive trips for employees from a variety of industries. CSI's clients vary in scope and size and have included General Motors, Partylite, ChevronTexaco, Universal Studios, Pepsico, and Pfizer.

Founded in 1979, privately held CSI Aviation Services Inc. is the oldest and largest air charter management company of its kind in the United States. The company has long established relationships with aircraft leasing companies, airlines, and Part 135 operators, giving it unique access to thousands of aircraft throughout North America and internationally. CSI's ability to support customer requirements ranging from aircraft for one person to large groups, as well as aircraft for cargo and material, has made it a preferred supplier to numerous companies and government agencies worldwide. For more information, visit www.airchartertravel.com or call 505/761-9000.