Check-In with Suzanne

In my most recent constituent meetings, I’ve been connecting with our GBTA chapters and regional groups around the U.S., most recently joining members in Dallas (DFW chapter), in Denver (Rocky Mountain chapter), and New York City (NYC BTA). I am grateful for these opportunities, whether virtual or in person, because I get to listen and see firsthand how our chapters foster local and regional peer communities while also doing great work that has a positive impact on our industry.

Much like the partner associations we work with in Europe and our cross-Canada and LATAM-work, GBTA’s 37 US-based chapters focus on issues that matter at the local level, bring their unique views to the Association at-large, and deliver benefits through education, networking, and scholarships to local members. Thank you for all you do for GBTA and each other.

Today is a very exciting and important day as voting opens toward electing three new members of our Association’s Board of Directors.  

• We are encouraging and appealing to every GBTA member to exercise their right to vote so we can ensure we achieve the necessary quorum before voting closes on August 15.  
• The GBTA Elections 2022 web page has everything you need to be informed – including voting eligibility, dates to remember, Direct and Allied candidate platforms, and videos for the one available Allied seat and two Direct seats, plus bylaw voting guidance.  
• Look for an email from “GBTA Elections” sent to all current Allied and Direct GBTA members and electronically cast one vote for each available Board seat as well as proposed bylaw revisions. 

Today we are also less than three weeks away from coming together in San Diego for our annual GBTA Convention 2022, August 14-17. As we are putting the finishing touches on the event, I can tell you a lot will be packed into those four days – so plan to arrive on Sunday and stay through Wednesday. And just an insider’s tip: our Tuesday afternoon Main Stage session will include some big surprises related GBTA’s future evolution. Don’t miss out on a single minute.

With more than 950 buyers already signed up, I know introductions and best practices will be flying around the San Diego Convention Center! Thanks to our hundreds of exhibiting and sponsoring supplier companies and your teams for making this and every GBTA event possible, at this still ever-important phase of the industry’s pandemic recovery.

Check out more about what’s new and not-to-be-missed at Convention in my recent conversation with GBTA’s EVP of Global Sales, Robert Ambrozy, including more insights on who’s registered . 

Suzanne 

News to Know:

US carriers report sharp rebound in business travel

Business travel continues to rebound for US-based carriers United Airlines and American Airlines, as both reported record-breaking quarterly earnings for the second quarter on Thursday. United Airlines reported business demand at 75 per cent of volume levels in the same period of 2019 and 80 per cent of revenue. United EVP and chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella said during an earnings call that the recovery rate of international business travel “still looks really good” despite the recent travel disruption in Europe and the daily passenger cap implemented at Heathrow Airport earlier this month.

CDC eliminates Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships

The CDC has scrapped its Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships, according to its website.The CDC Cruise Ship Guidance page reads that the program is “no longer in effect.” The CDC also said, “Cruise ships have access to guidance and tools to manage their own Covid-19 mitigation programs.” It goes on to say, “New guidance for cruise ships to mitigate and manage Covid-19 transmission will be available in the coming days.” Along with the end of the Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships, the CDC has retired its color-coding system for denoting Covid-19 cases aboard cruise ships.

Canada reintroduces random Covid testing for international arrivals

Canada has resumed its mandatory arrival testing for fully vaccinated air travelers. The testing program at Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto was temporarily suspended on June 11 as part of a strategy “to transition traveler testing for air travelers into the community”. Unlike before, the Covid-19 testing will now take place outside of airports to reduce congestion in the terminals. This must be completed by the end of the next calendar day after arriving into Canada, either by an in-person appointment at select testing provider locations and pharmacies or via virtual appointment for a self-swab test.

Northern Europe leads global recovery in hotel occupancy

Northern Europe has seen the highest hotel occupancy levels of any global region, with the UK and Ireland leading the way. The UK recorded occupancy of 84 per cent for the week ending on 16 July, according to hotel data specialist STR. Ireland’s hotels performed even better by filling 86 per cent of their rooms for the same week. These rates were only 0.4 per cent lower than the comparable week in 2019 showing how the hotel sector has bounced back quickly this summer in both countries.

GBTA News and Reminders:

GBTA Convention 2022

We’re getting back to business travel and back to business. GBTA Convention 2022 will bring together the best of the best from around the industry and beyond to re-connect, re-imagine and re-create the future of business travel.