Executive Travel

Carlos E. Garcia

* Name: Carlos E. Garcia

* Position: President

* Company: Garcia Research Associates, North Hollywood

As I started to travel more and more, it became less and less fun. The mere thought of business travel not only lost its luster, it became dreadful. This is particularly true if you feel, as I used to, that you absolutely have to work while you fly. Guilt is a terrible thing.

In a systematic effort to remove dread from my life, I try to make flying something to look forward to as “found time.” This is time for me, for reading a good book or writing a letter to an old friend or watching the movie--or all three. I work all the time anyway, so why not accent an already hectic schedule with a little peace?

When I arrive at my destination, I am relatively rested and much happier about being there because getting there has been fun.

Because I work in Hispanic marketing, I tend to visit cities with large Hispanic populations--such as New York, Miami, Chicago and San Antonio--where I can relate to and speak with the Latino personnel at airports, hotels and restaurants.

It’s amazing how far even a small effort to recognize service workers as human beings can go. This helps take the stress out of business travel because I get particularly attentive and friendly service. Naturally, I try to do the same regardless of the race of the people I encounter, but this is just one more advantage of being bilingual-bicultural in the ‘90s.

Do you have advice for fellow business travelers or a travel-related experience you would like to share? Please mail your typewritten contribution to Executive Travel, Los Angeles Times--Business News, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053. Or fax it to (213) 237-7837. Or send it electronically to 3666973@MCI-MAIL.COM on the Internet. Please be as detailed as possible and include your name, title, company and a daytime phone number.