The Spanish economy was one of the most challenged in Western Europe from 2011 through 2013 as it battled high levels of public debt, soaring unemployment and stagnating economic growth. The latest GBTA business travel forecast for Western Europe shows a surprising turnaround for the country however. Spain has exhibited a remarkable economic turnaround driven…
Poor economic prospects continue to take their toll on the Italian business travel market according to the recent GBTA Foundation Western Europe business travel forecast. Italy’s labour and markets continue to lack the structural and political reforms necessary for getting the economy back on its feet. Spending on business travel in Italy only grew 1.3…
Today and tomorrow, GBTA is hosting its 3rd annual GBTA Conference in Sao Paolo, Brazil bringing together travel buyers and suppliers in Latin America. Attendees will be able to network, build relationships, discover new opportunities and trends in the corporate travel market and learn best practices for travel management. Conference attendees will also hear industry…
Yesterday, we announced that we were pleased IATA put on hold its proposal to reduce the size of carry-on baggage by 20 percent. After polling our Members we now believe the proposal should be entirely scrapped. We released the statement below this morning that includes our polling data along with a comment from Senator Chuck…
The industry reacted swiftly and loudly this week after IATA introduced a proposal that standard carry-on baggage sizes be reduced to dimensions about 20 percent smaller than what most major airlines currently allow. IATA put the proposal on hold after much opposition including New York Senator Chuck Schumer who came out against the proposal saying…
Last night, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm President Barack Obama’s choice of Peter Neffenger to be the next head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) by a vote of 81-1. GBTA issued the statement below calling for a top-to-bottom review of TSA. First Order of Business for New TSA: Right The Ship On Monday night,…
Yesterday, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Meetings Committee and the Convention Industry Council (CIC) APEX Workgroup (APEX) released a new joint whitepaper, Improving eRFP Efficiency and Effectiveness for the Meetings Industry. The following press release went out announcing the new resource: The whitepaper combines findings from complimentary research conducted by the two groups in…
This week’s round-up starts with raves and rants. Money reports on the most loved and hated airlines in America ranked by the number of passenger complaints. Southwest and Jet Blue found themselves among the most liked according to the report. What do you look for from an airline? Skift reported on a SITA survey showing…
*This post originally appeared as an op-ed in Global Business Travel magazine volume three, issue two.* That’s the name of the game at July’s GBTA Convention 2015. This year’s Convention, July 25-29, is in Orlando, Florida, the home of Walt Disney World. Branding itself the “happiest place on Earth,” Disney World is a place predicated on…
GeekWire tell business travelers that your carry-on bag is about to become obsolete thanks to new guidelines proposed by IATA calling to shrink the size of carry-ons allowed on planes. According to IATA, this new size limit is an “optimal size” that will guarantee every passenger can fit a carry-on in the overhead bin. There…
Business travel in Western Europe is finally standing on solid ground. Companies however are still showing a penchant toward saving for the future in case the economy backslides – that pessimism is slowly starting to abate, but optimism has not fully set in. Still, the stronger economy, lower energy prices and smart fiscal policies are…
Germany holds its position as the brightest star in the European sky when it comes to business travel as strong economic growth and relatively competitive labour markets continue to propel business travel activity. The GBTA Foundation’s recent business travel forecast for Western Europe showed overall spending on business travel in the country in 2014 finished…
The New York Times ran a special section this week dedicated to business travel. GBTA’s Mike McCormick was interviewed for input on multiple articles including business travel trends in today’s world of traveler centricity and continuing high airfares despite falling oil prices. The special section also hit on business travel to Cuba, mass transit, U.S….
New research released today by the GBTA Foundation and American Express looks into how U.S. business travelers feel about their travel experience and how those feelings affect their actual behaviors related to travel. The GBTA Business Traveler Sentiment Index™, in partnership with American Express, is a proprietary data-centered barometer based on business traveler’s attitudes toward…
*This post originally appeared as a ‘letter from Mike’ in Global Business Travel magazine volume three, issue two.* We tend to think of disruptions negatively, as undesired events or activities. For business travelers, disruptions too often involve a loss of time and money. Thunderstorms can shut down airports and create cascading flight delays and cancellations….
A recent GBTA Foundation study released earlier this week showed an overwhelming majority (83 percent) of organizations that have travel risk management programs, have risk management protocols in place as part of their travel programs to ensure the safety and well-being of their business travelers. GBTA only expects this number to go up. Of those…
The week in review is back this week wishing everyone a happy Memorial Day weekend! Let’s start with what not to do on your next business trip: USA Today reported that a man stripped naked in the Charlotte airport after becoming upset that his flight was overbooked. Ever wonder why America can’t have high speed…
Today, Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), John Katko (R-NY) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY) introduced a bill that would end managed inclusion for PreCheck, a practice where Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents allow travelers to use PreCheck lanes when they have not been properly vetted. GBTA, while a strong supporter of programs like TSA PreCheck, has been…
Congresswoman Lois Frankel welcomed GBTA’s Legislative Symposium attendees to Washington, D.C. saying, “there is nothing more important that having citizen lobbyists.” She said there are so many issues that come in front of Congress that they depend on folks like those in the room who have practical experience to share their ideas on what works…
“We want Amtrak to work. We want Amtrak to be profitable,” Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA) told attendees at GBTA Legislative Symposium 2015. During the event, Denham discussed his commitment to Amtrak and the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act, which recently passed the House of Representatives. Denham also detailed a few of his priorities, including…
Rep. John Katko (R-NY) today told attendees at GBTA Legislative Symposium 2015 that he plans on introducing bipartisan legislation that would put an end to managed inclusion in PreCheck – the practice of enabling travelers who have not been screened for PreCheck to go through the PreCheck lane. “Managed inclusion defies the logic of what…
The week began with the tragic news of the earthquake in Nepal on Saturday that killed more than 3,700. Buying Business Travel reported that the Foreign Commonwealth Office warned against all but essential travel to the region. Our hearts go out to all impacted by this tragedy. According to Aviation Pros, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony…
Isabel Hill, director of the National Travel and Tourism Office at the U.S. Department of Commerce, today detailed how her office is seeking to make travel to the United States easier through a range of programs, from helping people get visas faster to improving the customer experience in airports. In an age where everything is…
Next week GBTA will host nearly 100 members at its annual Legislative Summit. The event will kick off with speeches from members of Congress and industry leaders along with education sessions. On the final day, GBTA members will head to Capitol Hill to meet with their representatives to talk about issues important to the business…
On Thursday, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety and Security held a hearing to examine the funding of airport capital needs. The Hill’s Keith Lang reported on the potential topics including PFCs and talked with GBTA’s Mike McCormick about why GBTA opposes a hike in the PFC cap. The Washington…
“We are going to the Hill, we are going make a difference and we are going to make things happen” – Dianne Bradley, Chair of GBTA’s Government Relations Committee. Dianne, together with and Mike McCormick, GBTA Executive Director and COO, kicked off GBTA Legislative Symposium 2015 by welcoming the more than 90 members who…
Before GBTA members take to Capitol Hill tomorrow to deliver business travel messages to Congress, Greg McDonald of Cornerstone Government Affairs provided an overview of the 114th Congress. By the Numbers: 12,174 members have served in Congress over the years Today, the House consists of 247 Republicans, 193 Democrats – with 1 vacant seat The…
What is the number one way to influence a member of Congress? Citizens have more power than they realize – personal communications from constituents make all the difference. 46 percent of Congressional staff report that in-person visits from constituents had “a lot of positive influence” on Members/Senators, compared to 8 percent who had the same…
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a major champion of business travel and someone The Washington Post called a rising star of the Democratic Party spoke to GBTA members as part of today’s Legislative Symposium. Sen. Klobuchar led off joking about the weather in Minnesota as she lauded the business community for being able to draw the NFL…
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