Business Traveller July/August 2019

Our focus in this summer double issue is on environmental and sustainable issues, with regards to accommodation, aviation, and even ethical investing. I think most of us have, from time to time, considered the impact our travels have on the world. I hang up my towels so they can be reused (even though each time I do, I return to the room to find a new set); I refuse plastic bottles (unless there is no alternative) and I recycle (when given the opportunity). But is this enough? Probably not, especially when I have to own up to never having offset my flights, and, my goodness, there have been a few of those. So the purpose of this issue is neither to virtue-signal, nor green-shame anyone. We all have a responsibility to…

AMAR GROVER Lawyer turned journalist Amar grew up in Hong Kong and has contributed features to newspapers and travel magazines. He has been visiting India regularly since the late 1980s, and for this issue headed for Chennai, capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, to check out its business scene. He discovered a thriving city with booming IT and automotive sectors – and suitably serious traffic; see page 42. JENNY SOUTHAN Formerly Business Traveller’s features editor, Jenny is editor and founder of Globetrender, an online magazine and trend forecasting agency dedicated to the future of travel. An award-winning travel journalist, she writes for publications including Mr Porter, The Telegraph, Forbes, Wired and City AM. She presents selected highlights of LA’s Venice Beach for those in a hurry; see page 56. DAVID CREIGHTON Based in…

A NEW FLEET HAS begun to roll out on the Scotland-London night rail service. The carriages herald a significant upgrade for the Caledonian Sleeper, with features including hotel-style keycards, en suites and a Club Car serving Scottish dishes. However, issues have been reported – from understaffing to low water pressure in the bathrooms. Services have also been delayed or cancelled owing to technical problems. Said one BT reader: “Caledonian Sleeper markets a hotel on wheels, but right now it’s Fawlty Towers.”…

HYATT HAS ADDED TWO PROPERTIES to its upscale Unbound Collection, which comprises architecturally distinctive hotels. The Hôtel du Louvre in Paris and Parisi Udvar Hotel Budapest are centrally located and occupy historic buildings, with both recently opening after extensive renovations. Later this year, the brand is set to gain the Great Scotland Yard in London and the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz. It currently includes the Hotel Martinez in Cannes, the Hotel Sofia in Barcelona, and Nish Palas in Istanbul.…

AT AIRBUS’S INNOVATION DAYS held in Toulouse in May, the company showcased its online upcycling platform, A Piece in the Sky. The carrier is transforming end-of-life aircraft parts into distinctive furnishings. Created by entrepreneurs Anaïs Mazaleyrat and Jérémy Brousseau, the project was picked up by Airbus BizLab, a network for start-ups, last year. There’s a small preorder-only collection online, as well as products with limited supply, and certificates will detail the traceability and origins of the products. Highlights include a mechanical-looking Spine X chair crafted from an aluminium wing rib and rare elm wood (pictured; €1,500). apieceofsky.airbus.com…

GARETH REDMOND-KING is head of climate and energy policy at WWF-UK (wwf.org.uk). He works on advocacy and campaigns to tackle climate change. What encouraged you to work for WWF? We are the first generation to know just how much harm we are doing to our planet and could be the last that can do anything about it. We have the opportunity to prevent climate breakdown; what else could I do but get involved? Can travel be a force for environmental good? Travel helps to connect people and cultures and builds understanding. WWF is an international organisation, so we have staff who work around the world – you can’t do all of that by a conference call. But air travel can also contribute to the problems we’re tackling and it’s a tool we…