| | |

Check-in With Suzanne

It might have felt like déjà vu this past week as the world started to assess the fast-emerging news about the omicron variant. Earlier in the year, we faced the discovery of the delta variant and whose effects we are still tracking. New COVID-19 developments will likely continue for the foreseeable future and will demand our ongoing agility and resiliency.   GBTA is staying agile, too. Out of an abundance of care and safety, working with our VDR partners In Europe, we made the decision to reschedule what would have been this week’s GBTA Europe Conference. (From the feedback we received, we know many of…

| | |

Check-in With Suzanne

Fresh from the GBTA Convention in Orlando last week, I am still processing many of the amazing moments. Coming back together truly reinforces the power and value of meeting in person.   Feedback that kept coming up in discussions with Convention attendees last week centered around quality. Quality of the content featuring important topics for our industry right now. Quality in the  education programs offered across all levels. And quality in the meetings held on the Expo floor and in the hallways. Many education sessions…

| | | |

GBTA Convention 2021 Sets The Pace For Business Travel’s Return

Business travel is on the road to recovery, as evidenced by the forecasts, insights and turnout at the Global Business Travel Association’s 2021 Convention held last week in Orlando, FL.    After navigating months of pandemic-related planning, the event—the world’s largest business travel expo annually—attracted over 3,500 registered professionals from more than 20 countries, and featured 170+ travel industry and expert speakers, 50 education sessions and 200+ exhibitors. The state of the industry, the future…

| |

Business Travel in Western Europe Expected to Fully Recover by 2024; Emerging Europe Set to Take Longer

Business travel recovery in 2021 proceeded at a slower, more cautionary pace than expected, particularly across Western Europe where business travel underperformed compared to other markets across the world. This is according to European-specific data from the latest business travel index–the BTI™ Outlook, from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel…

|

GBTA Calls For Details On Return To International Travel

Alexandria, VA  – GBTA supports the goals of the six-point plan to tackle the surge of COVID-19 put forth by President Biden today. The importance of vaccinations and testing are important and GBTA fully supports these initiatives. However, we were disappointed that another week has gone by without any details from the COVID Task Forces on when or…

GBTA Returns To In-Person Events As Demand For Face-To-Face Meetings Grows Across Europe

London, UK – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the world’s largest business travel association and worldwide leader in education, research, networking and advocacy for the industry has announced a number of in-person conferences and events as we head into the final quarter of 2021. The events, held across multiple European locations, are amongst…

| | | |

Check-In with Suzanne

One visit to the GBTA Hub and you’ll see there’s a lot of member discussion around one topic in particular: sustainability. Sustainability has always been on the business travel industry’s agenda over the years. Now it’s taken on a new and timely significance, fueled by developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic.   A recent study by Deloitte says that “sustainability has moved…

|

Europe – Pushing forward on travel and green initiatives

European Initiatives are shaping the future of business travel. From international travel to an ambitious, wide ranging climate plan, the European Union and Commission are introducing policies that impact your job. Shane Downey of GBTA and Otto Ilveskero of Grayling Public Affairs discuss updates on travel restrictions and the EU Fit for 55 agenda. Details:…

|

Check-in with Suzanne

Stepping Through The Door   I’m attending my first in-person conference since the pandemic began. Walking into a convention center this week surrounded by 1,000+ attendees felt familiar — but also different.  People were connecting, learning and attending programs, while event organizers prioritized health and safety for all. For our GBTA Convention in November, we are doing the same. (You can read more here.)    This week we are also celebrating recent strides in travel recovery as fully vaccinated travelers from the European Union and the United States will be allowed to travel to…