SmartBrief for The Business Traveler

American Airlines embarks on remodel of Admirals Clubs, other facilities American Airlines is beginning its revamp of Admirals Clubs in Phoenix and Sao Paulo, part of more than $2 million in spending on aircraft and airport facilities. "In the future, when our customers see an Admirals Club sign anywhere in the world, they'll know they'll find a reliable, modern space where they can charge their devices, grab a bite to eat, get caught up on work or unplug from the world around them," said AA's Fernand Fernandez. The Dallas Morning News (free content)/Airline Biz blog  O'Hare offers Mobile Passport Control app for customs Chicago O'Hare International Airport offers passengers the ability to use the Mobile Passport Control application. Three other U.S. airports feature the app, which allows passengers to enter information requested by Customs and Border Protection and use an express lane for customs. USA Today/Today In The Sky blog (4/28) Your hotel is at capacity. Your network shouldn’t be. Connectivity is the number one priority for hotel guests. At the same time, guests are travelling with more devices than ever, putting pressure on your network.Comcast Business provides the capacity you need to satisfy guests, with Ethernet scalable up to 10Gbps. And Internet with speeds up to 100Mbps, complete with two separate modems at no extra cost. Learn more.

The Smarter Traveler Sponsored By GBTA projects rise in business travel spending in India India will see a 9.8% increase in business travel spending this year and a 10.9% increase next year -- which would be the country's first double-digit growth in spending since 2011, according to the latest BTI outlook by the Global Business Travel Association. India is also looking to enhance its tourism industry through a new tourism policy that includes infrastructure improvements. TravelPulse  Orlando Reaches New Heights. Orlando's expansion continues with the completion of the largest observation wheel in the East, offering new and exciting experiences for groups. The Orlando Eye at the new I-Drive 360 will tower 400 feet above the Convention District providing the best views of central Florida and a great new way to connect and entertain clients. See why there's more to meetings in Orlando at OrlandoMeeting.com

Refuel and Refresh Hotels find new normal for business travelers Select-service hotels, which may offer free Wi-Fi and breakfast but generally eschew room service, valet parking and bell service, are gaining in popularity, particularly among business travelers. Once considered budget hotels, select-service hotels now feature high-end accommodations with a few select amenities offered at an affordable price. Some see the category, which grew 3.5% last year, as an answer to Airbnb. BuzzFeed (4/22) Starwood allows SPG members to use their Apple Watches as room keys Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has enabled the use of Apple Watch devices for checking in and unlocking select hotel rooms under its SPG Keyless program, currently only available to SPG rewards members. The program is expected to be introduced to more than 30,000 rooms soon. Ubergizmo.com FEATURED ARTICLE: Understanding the Power of the Pareto Principle Here's how the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80-20 rule, can show you which customers you should spend the most time with. Read the article to learn more.