Check-In with Suzanne

Ready for GBTA Convention 2022? Over 1,000 Travel Buyers Are

It’s getting close to kickoff time with the GBTA Convention 2022 just days away. We know for some attendees, this might be your first foray out to attend a major global business conference since the pandemic began. Or maybe it’s even your first flight or first significant business trip.  

Among other firsts, we know that from among the 4,300+ attendees already registered, several of you – over 900, actually – will experience the annual GBTA Convention for the first time. And we can confirm that over 1,000 travel buyers have indeed signed up for a jam-packed few days of in-person insights, learning, and connection as we unpack what’s next for global business travel together. 

We look forward to seeing so many familiar faces as well as new ones. It’s a testament to the ongoing value but also the transformation around the work we do as professionals and as an industry. It’s time to get down to business because #BusinessNeedsTravel. 

For those of you not able to attend in person – you can join nearly a dozen of our largest sessions via live stream and on-demand with Convention Plus – here’s more information. 

For those joining us in person, here are just a few tips to help as we get ready to Re-Connect, Re-Create and Re-Imagine together.  

Watch for the Convention 2022 “Know Before You Go” attendee email with everything you’ll need to get ready to hit the road. 

You’ll also want to download and set-up the GBTA Convention app in advance. Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and download the “Cvent Events App” then search for “GBTA Convention.”) You can stay up to date with the latest news and announcements, see your personal schedule and create your profile. Additionally, you’ll want to keep the app handy onsite to participate in live polling questions and post-session surveys. 

And finally, I wanted to share my pride and gratitude to a very special group – the GBTA Team. The talented and tenacious people in our global team have been giving so much every day (and night) to do what it takes for an event like this – which is also quite a feat considering our current association staff size is still only about 60% of what it was in 2019. Look for them wearing black and a GBTA name badge if you need anything during Convention or want to say thank you as well. 

This will be my last Tuesday Check-In until after Convention, but we’ll be sharing plenty of updates and news about all the happenings. We’re excited to welcome and host you in San Diego. 

Wishing you all safe and easy travels, 

Suzanne 

News to Know:

Cost of travel rising fastest in East Coast US but Europe not far behind

Barcelona, Berlin and Paris have seen the steepest rises in average hotel rates in Europe so far this year, while flights between London and Berlin have seen the sharpest climb in average fares. Analysis by travel management company TravelPerk of its top 15 destination cities and 15 most-booked flight and rail routes reveals the extent of travel price inflation between Q1 and Q2 this year, with costs rising fastest on the US East Coast.

Hotel companies reap the benefits of Europe’s travel surge

Europe’s summer travel surge has been a boon to hotel giants Marriott International and Hilton, with both companies crediting the return of international travel to Europe as a key revenue driver during the second quarter. In an Aug. 2 call with analysts, Marriott CFO Leeny Oberg said that Europe had “the swiftest RevPAR recovery of all of our regions this year.” She added that Marriott’s RevPAR in Europe surpassed 2019 levels in June, marking a 57-percentage-point increase from January.

Hong Kong Cuts Hotel Quarantine for Incoming Travelers to 3 Days

Hong Kong will shorten the Covid-19 hotel quarantine period for all arrivals to three days from seven, taking another step to gradually unwind stringent pandemic rules that have isolated the Asian financial hub. The measures will be effective from Friday, the city’s leader, John Lee, told a news conference on Monday. Arrivals will need to self monitor for a further four days, during which they will be forbidden to enter such premises as restaurants and bars.

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.