WITH just weeks to go for UAE companies to apply for its Business Opportunity Grants, global premium airline British Airways is encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the UAE to apply to win a year’s worth of business- class travel.
The airline – which is set to invest Dh6.5 million ($1.76 million) in a programme targeting UAE businesses – said that any SME with a demonstrable business need can visit www.ba.com/uae-grants for the chance to win ten return Club World (business class) flights from the UAE to anywhere within its global network of more than 150 destinations, throughout 2010.
A shortlist of the strongest entrants will be created after the closing date on January 31, 2010, and the 30 winning companies will be revealed in early March.
Speaking of the campaign, Paolo De Renzis, British Airways’ area commercial manager, Middle East, said: “In the face of economic adversity business travel is probably more important as it allows customers to meet face to face, increasing the chances of closing the deal and building the relationship.
“We believe restricting travel budgets is an unwise, short-term approach and we are putting our money where our mouth is by helping businesses to get moving again.”
A recent survey amongst 2,200 Harvard Business Review readers was carried out to assess perceptions within the international business community regarding the importance of face-to-face meetings.
Initial results revealed a staggering 95 per cent agree that face-to-face meetings are key to success in building long-term relationships and 93 per cent said in-person meetings are helpful when negotiating with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
One Saudi Arabian executive who participated in the survey supported De Renzis’ statement saying: “Emails and phones cannot bring the level of confidence face-to-face meetings bring to the table. It is vital to meet with our principals and potential suppliers on a regular basis to discuss our way forward.”
The campaign is open to UAE businesses with fewer than 250 employees.