Thanks to modern technology, we now live in a truly global society where people from around the world can work closely with each other.

Almost any business, no matter how small, can operate on a global scale, forming business links and relationships with people on the other side of the world.

This offers huge potential for businesses to boost profits and move into new markets outside of their home country.

This is typified in the business travel statistics from China, which show that business travel amongst the Chinese has risen by an average of 15% every year since 2000.

These figures are set to rise further in the next two years, showing how lucrative the business travel market can be.

The global recession damaged the business travel market somewhat, but there are signs that it is on the road to recovery. But which countries benefit most from business travel?

The UK

The UK has long been a popular country for business travel, thanks to the strong global financial links of London.

In the heart of the capital lies ‘the City’, a thriving financial district which houses some of the biggest banks and financial institutions in the world.

This is often referred to as the capital of the financial world, so it’s no surprise that the UK ranks highly for business travel. The UK, along with Germany, Spain, France and Italy, make up 70% of Europe’s total business travel spend.

But it’s not just within Europe that the UK thrives; strong business links with India and growing links with China give it a global reach.

Germany

The only country in Europe with a larger business travel market than the UK is Germany, which sits top of the list as Europe’s most popular business travel destination.

Germany, like most other economies around the world, struggled in the aftermath of the global recession. But unlike most other economies, especially those within the eurozone, it was able to weather the storm and come out fighting.

It is for this reason that global businesses are attracted to Germany and its stable economy, which is often seen to be almost singlehandedly holding up the rest of the eurozone.

Business travel to Germany, through services like CT Business Travel, has fallen slightly in recent years, but research indicates that figures will return to growth this year by as much as 5%.

Brazil

There have been hiccups along the way, but all have recorded varying degrees of economic growth. China’s economy has fared particularly well, but it is Brazil that has shown signs of sustainable economic development with thriving business hubs in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

Brazil, along with other emerging South American nations, has seen a boom in business travel over the last two years.

Between 2011 and 2013, Brazil has seen its business travel market grow by a whopping 21%. With global sporting events on the horizon, and the economic boost they inevitably bring, this growth looks set to continue.

Major pre-planned strikes and demonstrations

Demonstrations on Wednesday 1 May 2013:

10:30am The Pan-Hellenic Fighting Front (PAME) will gather at Syntagma Square and then march to the US Embassy at approximately 11:30am

11:00am The Civil Servants Federation (ADEDY) and GSEE will gather at Klathmonos Square

11:00am Various leftist groups will gather at the Archelogical Museum

Transport – Work Stoppage for 1 May 2013:

No ferry services around Greece

6am to 9am and 9pm to midnight Trolleys and Blue Buses

24 hour strike – Trains and ships

METRO stations Syntagma, Panepistimio, Megaro Mousikis, Evangelismos are closed until after the demonstrations are over and as per police instructions.

Demonstrations take place regularly around major squares in central Athens, in particular Syntagma Square. The police have used tear gas to disperse demonstrators. You should follow local media and avoid large crowds and demonstrations. Road closures are common in Athens and are not always announced in advance. Demonstrations can be called at short notice, but there are certain dates on which demonstrations traditionally occur: 1 May, 17 November, 6 December.

View the travel advice in full here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece

• Fliers may feel the impact of automatic budget cuts put in place by Congress last year
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects to furlough many of its nearly 15,000 air traffic controllers for one day every two weeks
• Reduction in control-tower staffing at any time by 10 percent
• Could result in as many as 6,700 flight delays per day – more than DOUBLE the worst day in 2012
• Nature of the air traffic system means any delays could quickly spread across the country

The press statement from EL AL has been distributed on Facebook and twitter. Please see the link and statement below. The longevity of the strike remains unclear, however we are monitoring the situation closely and will update accordingly:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=444089035678494&l=b82bb6262b

Lufthansa passengers are being urged to check the status of their flight on the Lufthansa website before beginning their journey.

Passengers whose flights are operating, are advised to allow extra time when travelling to the airport, as they may experience longer waiting times in the terminals.

Please find below a copy of the statement on the Lufthansa website, which can also be accessed at http://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/Travel-information

lauFlights operated by Germanwings will not be affected.