CNN Business Traveller

Episode 63

New Year's Resolutions for 2008

It’s the same every year - we’ve all made them with the best of intentions and forget all about them. 2008 will be different as we gear up to make some resolutions for the business traveller. This month, Richard Quest is in Egypt by the Red Sea – it’s one of the top 5 destinations that frequent fliers cash in their air miles for especially during this time of year – some winter sun is a great way to start the year right.

GET ORGANIZED

Nowadays there are so many ways to accrue and redeem miles and points – it’s an addiction we are all happy to feed. There are so many different frequent flyer and loyalty programs that constantly have special deals and perks for us to take advantage of and the next level to work towards. It can be a little difficult to digest. Frequent flyer guru Randy Petersen gives us some top tips on how to get your loyalty programs in order and how to get round redeeming those precious points.

DO MORE TO HELP OTHERS

Your miles can go further than you think. You can put your miles to good use and donate them to charities through frequent flyer programs. We speak to United Airlines and the American Red Cross. The disaster relief organization uses donated miles to send staff and volunteers to disaster areas and to the cities where they train them to prepare for coping with people affected on the ground.

LEARN TO FACE YOUR FEARS

Fear of flying is a serious and prevalent issue amongst business travellers who end up suffering in silence because they have to make that important meeting. There are courses that can help alleviate the anxiety that has in some cases accumulated over the years and suddenly crept up on business travellers. We talk to a business traveller who took a course and is now flying high. While he tells us how he faced his fear, Richard Quest dives straight in to face his own.

OUT WITH OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

It’s time to spring-clean your gadgets! Tom Dunmore, Editor of Stuff Magazine gives his top 5 trends and gadgets that we should look out for in 2008.

MAKE MORE TIME FOR YOURSELF AND FAMILY

The most popular resolution that we should all try and keep!! From Sunrise to Sunset, Richard Quest leaves the Pyramids of Giza to visit the hidden Egyptian treasure of Luxor, exploring the Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings with Amr El-Ezaby, Chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Authority; and sailing down the Nile in a traditional Felucca.