Going The Extra Mile

Business owners travel differently than employees on business trips. They pay for their travel expenses out of their own pockets, with no generous corporate expense accounts to fall back on.

The bad news for you business owners: Business travel costs rose to record levels last year. In a recent survey, American Express found that travel and entertainment expenses were the "third-largest controllable expense" for its mostly Fortune 500 client base. But for small companies with aspirations to grow, travel and entertainment is probably the largest controllable expense.

The good news is the word "controllable." Even in times of rising rates, there are still ways you can cut travel costs. That's why our annual Business Travel Awards are devoted to recognizing the suppliers that cater to entrepreneurial travelers--those who seek value and economy over cushy comforts and status symbols. Our 4th Annual Business Travel Awards are not an official ranking or a formal survey but simply a recognition of those companies that consistently offer entrepreneurs an affordable option to overpriced travel.

This article was originally published in the June 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Going The Extra Mile.