Check-In with Suzanne

Putting Words Into Action for Sustainable Business Travel 

We are all systems go for Brussels! Demand is high for our Sustainability Summit on November 8. And for the European Conference November 8-10, with attendees from more than 24 countries already registered – that’s twice as many buyers signed up now as attended our Berlin event in late February of this year… This is another sign that in-person conferences are recovering at a healthy pace and that in-person collaboration is driving the demand to meet. We hope to see even more of you there… Register here. 

One of the Summit highlights is the interactive think tank session where attendees will provide insights and input for GBTA’s Industry Climate Action Plan which will outline concrete pathways for our industry to deliver positive change. We are an industry transforming itself for the future of our sector, people and the planet. Be part of the process in Brussels as we map the journey for the global business travel sector toward reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. 

Important conversations around emissions reduction and achieving net zero are taking place across our industry — the United Airlines’ Eco-Skies Alliance meeting that took place last week is just one example among many. Our industry is ramping up with planning and actions toward making tangible impacts on climate action goals. Getting there will require us to keep experimenting, keep collaborating, to find the best way forward. 
 
GBTA also continues to take action to ensure our collective purpose is heard when it comes to sustainability. GBTA recently issued a position paper supporting the European Commission’s initiative to propose a harmonized framework for calculating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, called CountEmissionsEU.  As our members make reducing their business travel carbon footprint a priority, being able to consistently track, measure and benchmark emissions data will be essential to achieving our goals. 
  
Suzanne 

News to Know:

Americans Are Determined to Travel, Despite Inflation Concerns

ASTA’s research indicates that 40% of travelers are spending more on travel this year than they did before the pandemic, outranking increased spending for cars (36%), home improvement (32%), entertainment (31%), or electronics and technology (28%). That number is even higher for 2023, when 75% of respondents plan to spend the same or more on trips. (Travel Age West)

Travel industry urges Sunak to provide ‘stability and confidence

The UK’s latest prime minister Rishi Sunak has been urged by travel organizations to provide “stability, clarity and confidence” to businesses in the sector after weeks of economic turmoil. Former chancellor Sunak is taking over as prime minister from Liz Truss, who is stepping down after a disastrous six-week spell in charge of the country. Sunak had previously lost out to Truss in this summer’s Conservative leadership campaign to replace Boris Johnson. (BTN Europe)

Five Reasons Why Airline Business Travel Has Permanently Changed

Business travel for airlines has been the lifeblood for the largest U.S. and worldwide airlines. When a company is paying the bill, issues of schedule, airport and cabin treatment, frequent flier program, and more matter the most to the flyers. As a result, corporate business travelers have historically paid rates three to four times more than the leisure traveler, and sometimes much more than that. Every large U.S. airline has built their business to attract and retain this kind of traveler. It affects their fleet, schedule, seating configuration, airport real estate, management organization, distribution strategy, corporate policies, and almost everything else the airline does.

Asia-Pacific’s travel industry could be the first to recover by 2023

A new report indicates the travel industry in Asia-Pacific may be the only one in the world to recover by 2023. This year’s “Travel & Tourism Economic Impact” report — an annual publication by the London-based World Travel & Tourism Council — shows that, compared with pre-pandemic levels, tourism revenue in 2020 dropped more in Asia-Pacific (59%) than anywhere else. Recovery efforts in the region were muted in 2021, with most countries there maintaining strict border restrictions. Tourism revenue’s contribution to regional gross domestic product rose about 16%, lower than the 28% in Europe and 23% in North America. (CNBC)

GBTA News and Reminders:

GBTA Conference 2022 – Brussels in Partnership with VDR

GBTA Conference 2022 – Brussels in Partnership with VDR on 8-10 November is Europe’s largest conference for business travel and meetings management professionals. It is important now, more than ever, that we come together to design and devise new strategies to protect our industry. The heart of our industry’s growth is the value of our relationships. Whether you’re a Buyer or a Supplier, it is by innovating together that will drive our industry forward. Attend GBTA Conference 2022 – Brussels in partnership with VDR and you’ll return to your organization armed with new knowledge, expertise, and impactful best practices to move forward successfully as we continue to push and prepare for a strong return of business travel.

GBTA Sustainability Summit

GBTA will be hosting its first-ever Global Sustainability Summit on 8 November 2022 in Brussels, focusing on Driving Action on the Race to Net Zero. This one-day, high-level event will bring together experts, industry, and policy leaders to outline concrete solutions to decarbonize business travel, in alignment with the Paris Climate Goals – and concurrently to the 27th UN Climate Summit (COP 27), taking place in Egypt from 7 to 18 November.

PATA – GBTA APAC Travel Summit 2022

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) will host their inaugural PATA & GBTA APAC Travel Summit at the new, state-of-the-art Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand from December 8-9, 2022.