PLUNKETT'S AIRLINE, HOTEL & TRAVEL
INDUSTRY ALMANAC, the third edition of our guide to the
travel and hospitality field, is designed to be used as a general
source for researchers of all types.
The data and areas of interest covered are intentionally
broad, ranging from the costs and effectiveness of the airline
sector, to emerging technology, to an in-depth look at the 300
major for-profit firms (which we call “THE TRAVEL
300”) within the many industry sectors that make
up the travel and hospitality system.
This reference book is designed to be a general
source for researchers. It is especially intended to assist
with market research, strategic planning, employment searches,
contact or prospect list creation (be sure to see the export
capabilities of the accompanying CD-ROM that is available to
book and eBook buyers) and financial research, and as a data
resource for executives and students of all types.
PLUNKETT'S AIRLINE, HOTEL & TRAVEL
INDUSTRY ALMANAC takes a rounded approach for the general
reader. This book presents a complete overview of the entire
travel, lodging and tourism system (see “How To Use This
Book”). For example, you will find trends in the airline
and hotel markets, along with easy-to-use charts and tables
on all facets of travel in general: from the average expenditures
by visitors to the number of airline passengers flying yearly.
THE TRAVEL 300 iis our unique
grouping of the biggest, most successful corporations in all
segments of the global travel and hospitality industry. Tens
of thousands of pieces of information, gathered from a wide
variety of sources, have been researched and are presented in
a unique form that can be easily understood. This section includes
thorough indexes to THE TRAVEL 300, by geography, industry,
sales, brand names, subsidiary names and many other topics.
(See Chapter 4.)
Especially helpful is the way in which PLUNKETT'S
AIRLINE, HOTEL & TRAVEL INDUSTRY ALMANAC enables
readers who have no business background to readily compare the
financial records and growth plans of large travel companies
and major industry groups. You’ll see the mid-term financial
record of each firm, along with the impact of earnings, sales
and strategic plans on each company’s potential to fuel
growth, to serve new markets and to provide investment and employment
opportunities.
No other source provides this book’s easy-to-understand
comparisons of growth, expenditures, technologies, passengers,
corporations and many other items of great importance to people
of all types who may be studying this, one of the largest industries
in the world today.
By scanning the data groups and the unique indexes,
you can find the best information to fit your personal research
needs. The major growth companies in travel and hospitality
are profiled and then ranked using several different groups
of specific criteria. Which firms are the biggest employers?
Which companies earn the most profits? These things and much
more are easy to find.
In addition to individual company profiles, an
overview of travel markets and trends is provided. This book’s
job is to help you sort through easy-to-understand summaries
of today’s trends in a quick and effective manner.
Whatever your purpose for researching the travel
and hospitality field, you’ll find this book to be a valuable
guide. Nonetheless, as is true with all resources, this volume
has limitations that the reader should be aware of:
-
Financial data and other corporate
information can change quickly. A book of this type can be
no more current than the data that was available as of the
time of editing. Consequently, the financial picture, management
and ownership of the firm(s) you are studying may have changed
since the date of this book. For example, this almanac includes
the most up-to-date sales figures and profits available to
the editors as of mid 2005. That means that we have typically
used corporate financial data as of the end of 2004.
-
Corporate mergers, acquisitions
and downsizing are occurring at a very rapid rate. Such events
may have created significant change, subsequent to the publishing
of this book, within a company you are studying.
-
Some of the companies in THE
TRAVEL 300 are so large in scope and in variety of
business endeavors conducted within a parent organization,
that we have been unable to completely list all subsidiaries,
affiliations, divisions and activities within a firm’s
corporate structure.
-
This volume is intended to be
a general guide to a vast industry. That means that researchers
should look to this book for an overview and, when conducting
in-depth research, should contact the specific corporations
or industry associations in question for the very latest changes
and data. Where possible, we have listed contact names, toll-free
telephone numbers and World Wide Web site addresses for the
companies, government agencies and industry associations involved
so that the reader may get further details without unnecessary
delay.
-
Tables of industry data and statistics
used in this book include the latest numbers available at
the time of printing, generally through the end of 2004. In
a few cases, the only complete data available was for earlier
years.
-
We have used exhaustive efforts
to locate and fairly present accurate and complete data. However,
when using this book or any other source for business and
industry information, the reader should use caution and diligence
by conducting further research where it seems appropriate.
We wish you success in your endeavors, and we trust that your
experience with this book will be both satisfactory and productive.
