Last week GBTA released a poll of U.S. business travel buyers about their company’s travel to Europe. The poll showed U.S. travel to Europe remained resilient despite the attacks. We also surveyed European business travel buyers last week and issued the following statement today regarding the survey: GBTA Poll Shows European Business Travel Remains Resilient…
When President Obama addressed the nation Sunday night to discuss the threat from ISIS, he seemed to suggest that one of America’s most important and effective security programs – the Visa Waiver Program – should be placed under review. However, the President misspoke, and the White House corrected the error within minutes. This correction is…
It may not be the most exciting topic, but expense reports are something every company must address. The expense reporting process is different at each company and often differs by region, too – you can learn more about that in my previous post on the state of expense reporting across the globe. Even the most…
At our record-breaking conference this November in Frankfurt, I took the stage with German Business Travel Association VDR’s Hans-Ingo Biehl to talk about advocacy efforts and policy issues in the EU that impact our industry. GBTA is working in Europe, Latin America and North America to advance business travel through advocacy. That involves educating decision…
Yesterday, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson issued a statement saying Congress can help strengthen the Visa Waiver Program by codifying into law recent enhancements already made to the program and by fully funding the Obama administration’s budget request for aviation security. To be a viable economic driver, travel must first and foremost…
Millennials, far more than their Gen X or Baby Boomer colleagues, want to travel more for business. For some, this is part of a love affair with the road. For others, it’s a realization that nothing – not even technology – can replace a face-to-face meeting. Overall, according to a new U.S. study from the…
The following is a guest blog post from the chair of our Risk Committee. Erin reflects on the Paris attacks and the understanding that travel security risks exist everywhere and that anything can happen anywhere in the world at any time. You will also find more links below her post to resources created by the GBTA…
Last week GBTA President Christle Johnson issued a note to members expressing GBTA’s deepest sympathies for those impacted by the Paris attacks and noted that the business travel industry is resilient and we will continue to work together and stand strong. On Friday, the Chair of GBTA’s Risk Committee reflected on the Paris attacks and…
*This post was originally sent as a member email on November 19.* Like all of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened last week when I heard the news of the Paris attacks. I had just returned home from GBTA’s Europe conference in Frankfurt when the incidents occurred. My heart breaks for the victims, as…
In 2014, the European Council adopted Directive 2014/95/EU establishing mandatory environmental, social and governance reporting requirements for companies of significant public relevance with more than 500 employees. The EU member states are currently transposing the Directive into national law and mandatory reporting will be enforced beginning in 2017. This new Directive makes reporting of non-financial…
Attendees at GBTA Conference 2015 Frankfurt were treated to a jam-packed afternoon Tuesday featuring top-notch, global information with sessions on Centre Stage highlighting advocacy, research, and industry insight from a CEO panel. Building on the message delivered at GBTA Convention 2015 Orlando, ECPAT talked about its vision – a world in which no child is…
Day two of GBTA Conference 2015 Frankfurt in partnership with VDR began with for the first ever GBTA Media Briefing. Buzzing, energetic and full of conversation, international journalists had the opportunity to meet with a range of suppliers learning about the latest in business travel. Back at Centre Stage, the day opened with a Presidential…
GBTA Conference 2015 | Frankfurt in partnership with VDR officially kicked off on Monday. Dirk Gerdom, President of VDR, and Christle Johnson, GBTA President, welcomed over 1,000 delegates. This record number represents a strong growth in delegate numbers and sponsor support this year, making it the largest and most diverse industry gathering of its kind in Europe….
GBTA issued the release below today on TSA Administrator Neffenger’s testimony. You can find our release from earlier this summer urging TSA to conduct a top-to-bottom review here. Today, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator Peter Neffenger testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform providing his vision for the evolving…
Yesterday, the GBTA Foundation released a study, sponsored by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, that assessed China’s Meeting, Incentive, Convention & Exhibition (MICE) market. This is the first time the market has been quantified like this revealing that MICE activity comprises nearly half (42 percent) of total domestic business travel volume in China and 45 percent…
The latest GBTA Business Traveler Sentiment Index™, in partnership with American Express, shows business travelers enjoy most elements of the travel experience. Satisfaction is highest with staying at hotels (78 percent), the overall travel experience (73 percent) and making travel arrangements (73 percent). While satisfaction levels are high, a decline of 3.7 percentage points in…
GBTA’s recently released quarterly U.S. business travel forecast, GBTA BTI™ Outlook – United States, showed the growth rate for business travel spending in the country is slowing. The study also looked into both group and individual business travel. Individual business travel soared in 2014, growing 6.7 percent, but total spending fell 0.3 percent over the…
Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would be stepping up security measures in light of the recent crash of a Russian airplane over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, which officials from some countries have linked to terrorism as the crash remains under investigation. Homeland Secretary Jeh Johnson and new TSA chief Peter Neffenger said…
Earlier this month, GBTA released a study on extended stay accommodations in partnership with WWStay. It looked at usage patterns and preferences finding differences across generations and genders when it comes to U.S. international business travelers and also covered how extended stay accommodations fit into travel policies. This post looks into satisfaction, preferences and challenges…
Sustainability in Action… So far in my sustainability series posts we have talked about the principles, opportunities and benefits from creating a ‘Responsible Travel Program’. Let’s now look at a real-life example of how working with your suppliers can deliver a great program, and a significant return on investment. Autodesk is a global leaders in…
In a couple short weeks, we will face a political standoff over the debt ceiling and the prospect of yet another government shutdown a few weeks after that. An op-ed from GBTA ran on The Hill’s Congress Blog this week about the lasting and real impact this is having on the economy. I know the Trump 2016 reality…
This week in business travel news, Inc. covered the latest GBTA study, in partnership with American Express, showcasing the Millennials’ secret weapon for winning over business. Successful Meetings also covered the study, writing about Millennials embrace of business travel with a majority of the group saying technology can never replace face-to-face meetings to get business done. In…
A new study released today from the GBTA Foundation, in partnership with American Express, reveals that Millennials are significantly more likely to want to travel more for business than Baby Boomers (45 percent to 26 percent, respectively). In addition, a majority of Millennials (57 percent) believe technology can never replace face-to-face meetings to get business…
On September 1, the Lufthansa Group implemented a €16 per booking surcharge on travel purchased anywhere other than its websites, service centers and airport ticket counters. This morning we issued the findings from a new global survey conducted by GBTA and its European partner network showing 42 percent of travel buyers surveyed have decreased bookings with Lufthansa since it…
This morning we released findings from GBTA’s BTI™ Outlook semi-annual forecast reports on Brazil, China, India and Russia, sponsored by Visa, Inc. Our VP of research, Joe Bates, is also presenting the results this week at ITB Asia in Singapore. In the latest round of forecasts, we found the BRICs are no longer acting as…
American business travelers are masters at understanding the planes, trains and automobiles that we all rely on. We know just when to arrive at the airport so we can make it through security and walk onto the plane. We know which train is likely to be on time, and which one is always delayed. And…
The GBTA Foundation released its quarterly U.S. business travel forecast last week. It included a projection that average airfares have dropped to $379 this year, down from $392. This is a long anticipated drop for consumers due to the collapse in global oil prices. I talked about this phenomenon with Fortune’s Chris Elliott who wrote…
This week in business travel news CNN reported on the increasing bleisure travel trend looking at the new breed of traveler who is mixing business with leisure. They turned to GBTA’s ranking of the top 15 business travel markets to see where travelers are “splashing the cash” on these trips. Bloomberg covered the GBTA Foundation’s…
Sustainability in Action… In this third blog post in my new sustainability series, I continue explain why following a responsible approach to a sustainable travel and meetings program is good for business. Having a sustainable travel program for business travel and meetings is no longer a ‘nice to do’. ‘No longer a ‘nice to do!’…
The GBTA Foundation released a study yesterday in partnership with WWStay, revealing that Millennials (18-34) use extended stay accommodations more than any other group. In the past year, 72 percent of Millennials stayed at one for international business travel. In comparison, only 48 percent of Gen Xers (35-54) and an even smaller 26 percent of Baby…
*Updated – November 3, 2015, 11:30AM* U.S. Customs and Border Protection made its official announcement today about the expansion of Global Entry to UK citizens. UK citizens can register for Global Entry beginning December 3. Read the full release from CBP and see the latest coverage from Tom Newcombe of Buying Business Travel. Are you a…
Last week GBTA released a study, in partnership with WWStay, which revealed that nearly half (48 percent) of all U.S. business travelers have used an extended stay accommodation in the past 12 months when traveling internationally for business. An intriguing finding from the study showed that 60 percent of business travelers who use extended stay…
Today, GBTA released our third quarter outlook for U.S. business travel, and it clearly shows the effects caused by an uncertain global economic environment. U.S. business travel spending will increase by 3.1 percent in 2015 and 3.7 percent in 2016. While this is still positive growth, it is down from our July projections of increased…
Real ID is a federal law passed as part of the 9/11 Commission in 2005 and requires states to issue standardized ID cards and driver’s licenses that include new technology. The intent of the law is to prevent forged documents and inhibit terrorism. There are four states that have yet to comply with the law…
The GBTA Foundation is establishing a buyer-ledTask Force of seasoned industry professionals to review, update and revise the existing Managed Travel Index®, which is more than six years old. The purpose of the updated assessment is to benchmark the effectiveness of your managed travel program. This includes benchmarking end-to-end processes and meetings management. Most importantly,…
The GBTA Foundation is establishing a Task Force of seasoned industry professionals to review, update and revise the existing Sustainability Benchmarking Tool. This endeavor, sponsored by BCD, is projected to take roughly 9 to 12 months. The existing tool is more than 6 years old. Much has happened in the business travel industry during this…
The following is a guest post in our GBTA Ladders Blog Series. The GBTA Ladders program is a unique mentor program designed to help develop the passion and skills of business travel professionals enabling them to help solve the major challenges facing business travel. A call for new mentors and mentees for the next round…
Last week, GBTA released its annual Compensation and Benefits study. If you haven’t already seen my post on average incomes for travel buyers increasing 5 percent over 2014, read it here. Last year travel buyers were noticeably more satisfied with their compensation after a four-year plateau. The trend continues this year as three quarters of…
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