This issue.(Editorial)

The prevailing gloomy economic climate is casting long shadows over the business world and is understandably having a knock-on effect on travel budgets too. In this issue's cover feature we look at the ways in which companies are having to tighten their belts and determine whether this could actually be counterproductive to getting the most out of executives on the road.

Measures such as using low-cost airlines and no-frills hotels seem to be the solution proposed by many credit-crunching corporates, but our report suggests that paring down travel budgets too far could have a negative impact on productivity. Read all about the pros and cons of going the budget route on page 32.

Low cost business models may be one way to go, but the Gulf has weathered the present global downturn better than most other regions, and some countries are determined to show that there is still a place for high-end travel options. One such is Kuwait where the launch of premium carrier ...