Check-In with Suzanne

Travel is recovering with gusto. People are looking forward to summer vacations. Events, conferences and conventions are returning. Companies are hiring. We’re connecting in-person with colleagues and friends. And business travel continues to make its way back.  

We’re almost halfway through 2022 and it seems like a whirlwind. We’re ramping back up in our lives and in business. But as we keep moving ahead, it’s also important to take a breath and reflect. 

It hit me during last week’s U.S. Legislative Summit, our last multi-day, in-person event before the GBTA Convention, August 14-17 in San Diego. It’s moments like these representing GBTA members and the industry – in this case, testifying in a Senate Committee hearing – that truly drives home our collective purpose and impact. And the subsequent lifting of COVID-19 testing requirements for inbound U.S. travelers just two days later is just one of the many milestones over the past 2+ years that have guided our industry’s road to recovery. 

I’ve also been reflecting on the critical role that GBTA plays as a leading provider of industry data and research – and it’s because of all of you. Every time you take a GBTA survey or poll, it not only results in actionable insights and data for our industry, but it also fuels advocacy efforts, amplifies our collective voice, and helps the world understand the value and impact of our $1.4 trillion global industry. So thank you again for taking a few minutes today to fill out our June Business Travel Recovery poll – it’s the last one prior to Convention. 

We’ll have more to reflect on as part of the GBTA Annual Business Meeting on July 19. But for now, I hope you’ll join me in taking some time to reflect… to breathe… and to appreciate where we’ve been… As we get ready for where we’re going next together. There’s still a lot more to come in 2022. 

Suzanne 

News to Know:

US drops inbound testing requirement

The requirement for all inbound travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within a day of travel will be lifted this Sunday. The move comes after a heavy push from the travel industry to end the requirement. Suzanne Neufang, CEO GBTA asserts, “Americans have been unwilling to take the chance of being unable to return to the U.S. at the end of their business trip or vacation. This will also help to ensure we create an easy path forward for international travelers to return to the U.S. for business, conferences, and meetings. We’ve made progress in returning to life and business and cannot afford to go backwards.”

Canada’s Travel and Tourism Industry Welcomes Announced Changes to Travel Testing Requirements Made by Canada and U.S. Governments; Calls on the Canadian Government to Lift Remaining COVID-19 Restrictions

The Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable (“the Roundtable”) welcomes the announcement made  by the American federal government to remove all testing requirements for travelers to the United States. Similarly, the Roundtable welcomes the step taken by the Canadian government to temporarily suspend mandatory arrivals testing for vaccinated travelers to assist with current congestion at airports but continues to call on the Canadian Government to permanently remove all arrival testing and other remaining COVID-19 restrictions.

The Quickly Changing Landscape of Latin American Aviation

Latin American aviation is projected to grow at a healthy 5% annual growth rate, making it among the fastest growing regions in the world. Its population doesn’t make it, or anywhere else, a match for China and India for aviation growth. But excluding those, growth in Latin America is where a lot of new aviation activity is being created. With a great mix of now two truly global, pan-regional networks, combined with exciting growth of low-cost airlines all through the region, the need for airplanes, crews, and all related support services is huge.

Heathrow continues recovery with busiest month since March 2020

London Heathrow enjoyed its busiest month for more than two years in May, reaching 79 per cent of May 2019’s traffic levels. The UK’s hub airport catered for 5.3 million passengers in May – its busiest month since March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic first took hold. Heathrow’s CEO John Holland-Kaye said the airport was continuing to “make good progress” with its plans to increase capacity this summer.

GBTA News and Reminders:

The digital mindset in business travel

Join us June 14^th to learn more about the digitalization of travel has been a process that has been going on for some time in many companies. It is extremely important to put the human and ecosystem aspect first by making the Travel Manager assisted by the supplier / partner a key enabler of the digital revolution of business travel in the company.

Ground transportation, meals, and business travel hot topics: Results from GBTA & Uber for Business joint research

Join GBTA and Uber for Business on Thursday, June 23 at 2pm ET for an interactive session where we discuss results from our first joint business travel ground transportation report, which include, the role of rideshare platforms in travel programs, how sustainability is addressed in travel programs, and dining options for business travelers when on the road. Also, hear firsthand from a travel manager about the value of a managed ground transportation program, and end the day with a rooftop cocktail hour including a hosted bar and passed appetizers.