Check-In with Suzanne

GBTA Conferences, Connection and a Billion Dollar Forecast

For many businesses − and business travelers − the coming weeks through mid-December mark a busy and productive time toward closing out a successful calendar year. That’s also the case for GBTA as we serve our members and the industry.

Recently I was in Lisbon, Portugal, for a main stage chat with industry analyst, Henry Harteveldt, at the World Aviation Festival attracting 5,000+ attendees. (I found myself onstage in jeans and Birkenstocks when my luggage was delayed − can’t say it was the end of the world, going casual for a change. And my suitcase did catch up with me before my next imminent flight. So, all’s well that ends well!)

Last month was the GBTA APAC Conference in Singapore. Only our second conference in APAC and co-located with Worldwide ERC, the event attracted 600+ highly engaged delegates from 17 countries. This is a tangible sign that business travel and meetings are truly back in APAC with lots of opportunity ahead − including a forecast for the region to hit $800 billion USD in spending by 2027. It was also the first time we brought our GBTA Broadcast Studio to APAC – check out what regional leaders had to say here.

This week I’m back in Europe for the October 4th Carrefour des Experts Travel & MICE par GBTA event in Paris and the GBTA Conference 2023 Milano on October 5th. At both events I’ll be presenting global as well as just-released country-level spending forecast data and insights from our 2023 GBTA Business Travel Index^™ report.

This Thursday, GBTA will also be in Colombia for the LATAM Business Travel Forum Bogotá, an education and networking event exclusively for corporate travel managers. October 10th and 11th is our second annual GBTA Project, Crew and Team Travel Summit 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana, for those engaged in more complex sectors of business travel – such as managing crews, entertainment, sports, consulting projects, humanitarian travel and more – and the unique challenges and opportunities that presents.

Last week marked another significant event – hosting our first GBTA All-Team Retreat in Detroit, Michigan. The rewards were many in bringing together our now fully remote GBTA team “in real life” for two days of connection, learning, strategy sessions and fun in the Motor City. Most importantly, it was a chance to get to know each other better beyond just “virtual” interaction to help the industry to thrive. It is a reminder of the value of “internal travel” and why business travel = culture-building.

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you’re connecting – and GBTA looks forward to connecting with you!

Suzanne

Industry Spotlight

GBTA Canada
Call for Proposals for
GBTA Canada Conference 2024

Deadline to Submit: October 31, 2023

We're excited to announce that the Call for Proposals for GBTA Canada 2024 – Toronto is now open! This is your opportunity to shape the future of business travel and share your expertise with industry professionals from across the country.

GBTA is committed to incorporating diverse perspectives within each session and across the entire Conference. By submitting your proposal, you have the opportunity to showcase your expertise, build your professional network, and raise your profile in the industry. 

If you have a compelling case study, innovative solution, or an engaging presentation idea, we would love to hear from you!

GBTA Italy
GBTA Italy Annual Conference Milan

October 5 | 9:30 – 17:00 CEST
The annual gathering of the Italian Business Travel and MICE community

During a full day conference, keynote speakers and panel discussions will deep dive into the current main business travel market trends: Sustainability, Intermodality, DEI, AI, BT processes, Web 3.0 and the evolution of the meetings management.

With the active involvement of the audience, we will define the market priorities and design the strategies. Networking, best practice sharing and education sessions will provide the knowledge and the critical take-aways to face the future successfully.

Resources

Crisis24 Intelligence Brief

Asia - Typhoon Koinu tracking westward in the Philippine Sea early Oct. 3. Landfall likely over far southern Taiwan early Oct. 5.

Caribbean - TS Philippe tracking west-northwest in the North Atlantic Ocean late Oct. 2. Close approach to northern Leeward Islands through Oct. 3.

Germany - Numerous activist groups to stage separate protests in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 3. Heightened security, localized transport disruptions likely.

Italy - Climate activists plan to stage protests in several cities across Italy Oct. 6. Heightened security, transport disruptions likely.

More Information