Dave Hilfman’s Monday Memo to GBTA Members

Friends and Colleagues:

I hope all my friends in the United States had a happy and restful Thanksgiving holiday. I’m sure most of us are ready to wind down 2020, but before we do, we have some important happenings coming up at GBTA and I want to make sure you’re in the loop.

GBTA Annual Business Meeting – One Week from Today

The GBTA Annual Business Meeting will be held virtually on Monday, December 7 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST. We’ll be covering a lot of important ground during this meeting, including announcing the results of the current GBTA Board of Directors election and the presentation of our association’s annual report and 2019 Financials.

And a highlight of the year for many: we’ll recognize several shining stars of GBTA when we award the President’s, Allied Member of the Year, Direct Member of the Year and Committee Member of the Year awards and announce our Business Travel Service Awards honorees.

Make sure you register in advance to obtain the virtual meeting link.

 

GBTA Is Giving Out Two $1,000 Scholarships

Yes, you read that correctly. Two $1,000 GBTA scholarships are up for grabs, as part of our “Ready. Safe. Travel.” campaign video contest.

The goal of this campaign is to draw attention to the tremendous impact our industry has on the global economy, creating millions of jobs and $1.45 trillion dollars in global economic impact. For the “Ready. Safe. Travel.” campaign to succeed, we need the help of members like you.

It’s easy to participate. Just submit a :15 to :30 video from your smartphone, answering the question, “What does Ready. Safe. Travel. Mean to You?” Once you submit your video, you’re entered to win one of the scholarships. Click here to find out more.

Next GBTA Coronavirus Poll

Our 14th and final coronavirus poll of the year will go into the field next week. This poll series has become a media and industry standard for measuring business travel activity and attitudes. We rely on your participation to ensure we’re collecting the most accurate, valuable data. When you receive the survey email, please open it and take a couple minutes to answer the poll questions. We’d be most grateful.

As it has been for our entire industry, 2020 has been a very challenging year for our Association and its people. I’ve spent my entire adult life in the travel business, so I am not surprised by how resilient it has been and the strength shown by so many during the toughest of times. And even amid all the struggle, we have had our fair share of wins. I look forward to sharing those with you during our Annual Business Meeting next Monday.

Have a great week.

Dave