I am a business road warrior. Last year, I logged over 100 flights and traveled the same distance as going around the world over four times. This is why I am excited to participate in the inaugural National Business Traveler Day (NBTD) on April 24, 2018

I think that business travelers are heroes in this economy. The U.S. travel industry represents 3% of national GDP supporting 7.4 million jobs and generating $135 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. These travelers take almost 2 million business trips every workday and it’s far from being glamorous. Sure, I get to mostly fly first class and stay in some comfortable hotels. But I am not like George Clooney in the movie, “Up in the Air”. Each trip is time away from home. I rush to get to and from the airport where I wait.  I am always eating on the run. There is constant pressure to get to the big meeting or do the presentation perfectly the first time. Of course, there is an ever-present anxiety of delays and cancellations due to weather and a million other unseen factors.

Founding partner Upside is joined by The Wall Street Journal and two dozen other leading brands to present National Business Traveler Day. They have all contributed giveaways, prizes, and upgrades to the event.

The Business Traveler Dream Sweepstakes will feature a Grand Prize of “Free First-Class Upgrades For 20 Years” ($5,000 a year for 20 years to cover the cost of domestic upgrades), plus other prizes like First Prize of “Free First-Class Upgrades for a Year” and two roundtrip International Business Class tickets from United Airlines.

One of my favorite other activities associated with National Business Traveler Day includes “The 32 Greatest Business Trips in History Bracket”, where business travelers can determine the greatest business trip ever. Was it Shackleton’s South Pole adventure or the Wright Brother’s at Kitty Hawk? Predict the winning match up and get a chance to win $5,000. Entries close on April 5th!

Start to get involved here!