Globility. Say the word out loud. What comes to mind? A global community, cultural understanding, or communication that transcends geographic boundaries?
The term “globility” doesn’t appear in the dictionary, and that’s intentional — it’s open to interpretation and limited only by imagination. Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO of Global Traveler, coined the word nearly a decade ago to capture the magazine’s mission: an openness to the world’s cultures and experiences. Today, globility is a guiding philosophy for the Global Traveler team, and we are proud to introduce the 20 members of Global Traveler’s inaugural Globility Board.
Composed of seasoned world travelers, the GT Globility Board serves as a direct channel between Global Traveler and its readership. Board members provide firsthand perspective that goes beyond survey data, sharing insights into what experienced travelers want from airlines, hotels and other travel-related services.
The board’s profile is notable. Members range in age from their mid-30s to 60-plus, and include 14 men and six women, with two married couples among them. Twelve members hold advanced degrees. Roughly half of the board logs more than 50 flights a year, and three members exceed 100 flights annually.
“We wanted a group of top international travelers who read and know Global Traveler to offer insight into what they expect from an airline, hotel or anything related to travel,” says Gallagher. “We are often told by outside sources what these high-flying travelers think, but we wanted a direct-from-the-source, true and clean sense of their preferences, likes and dislikes.”
After a review process, Global Traveler invited candidates to apply for the Globility Board. Applicants submitted background and employment information, travel history and a statement explaining their interest and what expertise they would bring. Global Traveler then selected the strongest applicants as charter members of the new board.
“Travel is more than getting from point A to point B,” says board member Frank Brightwell, a Seattle-based traveler who takes more than 100 flights each year. “I’m hoping my experiences and opinions will contribute to the dialogue focused on shaping the future of business and leisure travel.”
Brightwell and his colleagues will help represent Global Traveler’s broader audience by offering feedback on print and web content and participating in forums with industry partners — major hotels, airlines and tourism boards — to provide insights on how seasoned travelers perceive their products, services and marketing.
“These members are beyond everyman,” Gallagher says. “Our readership comprises a broad spectrum of business and luxury travelers. The board is made up of frequent travelers who have a keen eye for travel, what’s best and what could be better.”
Board members bring diverse backgrounds and priorities. Donna Childs, founder and CEO of Prisere LLC and author of Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best, represents independent business owners who must balance face-to-face relationship building with travel costs.
“As an entrepreneur, I recognize the importance of face-to-face meetings to build relationships, but I am also attentive to the costs associated with business travel; I seek to maximize value for every dollar spent,” Childs explains. “I am willing to pay for amenities that enhance my travel experience and increase remote productivity, but I want to see the value for the spend.”
Jim Elliott, a self-employed business owner in Reston, Va., shares a similar goal: to create a stronger voice for small-business owners within the global travel industry.
At 36, Benjamin de Lee is the youngest board member, yet his travel experience is extensive. In the past year he took multiple domestic trips and visited Istanbul, Moscow, Thessaloniki, Athens, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Vienna, flying with carriers such as Delta, Alitalia, KLM, United, Southwest, Croatian Airways and Olympic Air. A UCLA lecturer now based in Los Angeles, de Lee has lived in Asia, Africa and Europe and sees the board as an opportunity to share and expand his knowledge.
“I consider myself an avid traveler, and I believe travel is an essential part of broadening one’s horizons,” he says. “I want to encourage others to travel, to share my experiences and to learn from them.”
Dorothy Wood, president and CEO of J D & W Inc., a Virginia construction firm, brings extensive travel experience — from flights on Qatar Airways and Emirates to trips to San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, Sitka, Argentina, Ukraine, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Named among the “Top 10 Women in Commercial Real Estate,” Wood aims to advocate for the hospitality industry.
“Travel is a passion for me, and I love sharing my knowledge,” she says. “I want to learn more so I can better advocate for the hospitality industry.”
Daniel Green, a U.K. expatriate and on-air host for ShopNBC with expertise in cooking, adds insider perspective. He has created in-flight menus for KLM and regularly travels on European, Middle Eastern and Asian carriers, giving him insight into premium-cabin travel and major global hubs.
Longtime Global Traveler readers Celeste and Tom Linhard of Parker, Colo., joined after meeting staff at the Global Business Traveler Association convention. They look forward to influencing improvements in the travel industry.
“The opportunity to know more about the people and companies in the travel industry, where I spend a significant amount of time and money, was intriguing,” Tom says. As a Diamond-level member in two hotel chains and a million-mile flyer, he hopes his perspective on what makes travel safe and comfortable will resonate with others.
Jean-Christophe Murat, a business manager in export sales for Sovereign Chemical Co., values the chance to offer meaningful feedback to travel suppliers and to help influence future trends in airlines and hotels so the travel experience becomes more enjoyable and memorable.
Tony Noble, a retired Episcopalian priest now living in Australia, brings deep knowledge of points and rewards programs. He organizes his travel online and appreciates bargains and loyalty program intricacies.
Couple Angela and Steve White of Los Angeles contribute complementary viewpoints. Angela, an attorney in the music business, and Steve, vice president of sales and marketing for Kuhn Rikon, each want the travel industry to hear frequent travelers’ perspectives on products and service.
Jamie Awad, owner of Club Papi Productions in San Francisco, sees the board as a way to put frequent travelers in direct conversation with industry executives to help shape new products and services.
Ultimately, the Globility Board is a bridge between real travelers and industry decision-makers. It helps Global Traveler refine editorial content to better reflect the needs and interests of its well-traveled readership.
As board member Theresa Staskus, director of reimbursement for Therigy, puts it: “Businesses that focus on exceeding customers’ expectations build a foundation of success.”
The Global Traveler Globility Board helps us understand — and ultimately exceed — your expectations.