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GBTA Ladders Season 11 Summit: A Launchpad for the Future of Business Travel 

ByNataliia Safronova

The GBTA Ladders Season 11 Summit brought together over 150 rising and established professionals for a high-impact, future-focused gathering of ideas, innovation, and leadership development.

This year’s theme—“If I Had a Crystal Ball: Re-shape, Re-frame, and Reinvigorate a Trend for the Future of Our Industry”—challenged 17 teams to explore the next era of business travel. Over several months, teams of mentees, mentors, and alumni advisors collaborated to pitch visionary solutions. The journey culminated at the annual Ladders Summit, where four finalist teams presented live to an audience of peers and industry experts. 

Celebrating Innovation 

Team RITA took home the top prize with their futuristic concept: a smart security gate that eliminates traditional checkpoints, offering a seamless and secure passenger experience. Their win earned them a presentation at the GBTA Convention, where they shared their idea with a broader industry audience. 

A Summit of Ideas and Impact 

Attendees engaged in rich programming across seven educational sessions and interactive workshops: 

  • Power Hour: Looking Through the Crystal Ball Like a Leader – A leadership panel exploring the evolving business travel landscape.
  • Passport to Tomorrow – A keynote on emerging travel trends and shifting consumer behavior. 
  • The Value You Bring to Your Organization – A hands-on session focused on self-awareness and professional growth. 
  • The Crystal Cup – An interactive exercise that invited participants to forecast the future through a fun and collaborative “headlines from 2035” challenge.
  • Breakouts on DEI, career pivots, and networking skills – Real-world insights and practical tools for building stronger, more inclusive teams. 

Giving Back and Looking Ahead 

True to tradition, Ladders gave back to the community. This year’s summit supported Latinitas, a nonprofit focused on empowering girls through culturally relevant education. Attendees assembled backpacks filled with supplies and words of encouragement for students. 

The summit also introduced the pilot of the student program, A Rung Up. Undergraduate students participated alongside Ladders teams, with several making it to the final round—including one on the winning team. 

Access the Event Recap Report HERE.

Relive the memories by viewing event photo album.

What’s Next: Season 12 and Beyond 

Building on the momentum of Season 11, GBTA Ladders is setting bold goals for the year ahead: 

  • Regional Expansion: New cohorts in APAC and LATAM.
  • University Partnerships: Scaling the student program to bring fresh talent into the industry.
  • New Leadership Pathways: Launching Regional and Local Ambassadors to strengthen peer connections and local engagement.

These initiatives reflect Ladders’ ongoing mission under the GBTA Foundation’s People Pillar: to improve lives and advance careers in the business travel community. 

The future of business travel isn’t just something we imagine—it’s something we build. Season 11 was a powerful step forward, and Season 12 is already shaping up to be the most ambitious yet – and applications are open until September 26, 2025!

Stay tuned—and stay inspired.