GBTA Europe Conference 2023 Showcases Regional Business Travel Outlook and Opportunity

Europe’s business travel community once again came together to explore, discuss and connect around the current and future state of the sector in the region at the GBTA + VDR Europe Conference 2023 held this week at the CCH-Congress Center in Hamburg, Germany.

Hosted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and German Business Travel Association, VDR, the conference attracted almost 1,100 business travel industry professionals from 29 countries including 275 travel buyers. The event featured 61 new and returning exhibiting companies with more than eight hours of Expo Hall time for buyers and suppliers to connect. Education also remained at the forefront with over 90 speakers and 26 sessions.

“In business travel, nothing stands still, and change is inevitable, especially in today’s world. GBTA is excited to again host this conference with our partners at VDR as a place and platform for the many voices of the region to network, learn from each other, and tackle some of our industry’s biggest challenges and opportunities together,” said Catherine Logan, Senior Vice President, EMEA and APAC for GBTA.

“We are looking forward to shaping business travel mobility of the future – in an economically and ecologically balanced way. Together with our members, the buyers and suppliers, GBTA and VDR will navigate the challenges ahead," said Jens Schließmann, Executive Director VDR, in his closing speech at the conference.

During the event, Flavio Ghiringhelli from Emirates was the recipient of this year’s Luoma Award, established in 2011 to recognise volunteers who support the development of GBTA and its local market partners in Europe. The GBTA Europe Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023 was presented to Hans- Ingo Biehl, former Executive Director, VDR.

In 2024, the GBTA Europe Conference will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, 4-6 November.

Read all the conference highlights here.

Industry Spotlight

GBTA Professional Development
GBTA and e-Cornell Offer Member-Exclusive Pricing on Business and Leadership Courses Until December 22, 2023

As Q4 2023 continues full speed ahead and 2024 is on the horizon, now is the time to take stock of training budgets and professional development goals. Did you and your team utilize this year’s allotment? Are you pledging to focus more on your career in 2024?

That’s why GBTA and eCornell, Cornell University’s external education unit that provides online professional and executive development, are partnering to offer GBTA members exclusive access to a selection of courses at a special discounted rate of only $795 per course (regular pricing is up to $1,500 per course).

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Crisis24 Intelligence Brief

Canada and United States - Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli activists to rally in several cities across US and Canada through late November. Disruptions likely.

Japan - Severe weather forecast across much of Japan through at least Nov. 19. Transport, business, and utility disruptions likely.

Madagascar - Further protests, increased security likely across Madagascar through at least late November following presidential elections on Nov. 16.

Philippines - FLASH: Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes off southern Mindanao at around 16:14 Nov. 17. Significant damage possible; no tsunami threat.

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