In an earlier post, I introduced an exciting new program –GBTA Ladders and told you that you would be hearing from the three finalists beginning today. I am proud to introduce the first blog post from finalist Brian Butler from Radius Travel based loosely on his presentation for Ladders. Over the next three weeks, he…
I was very pleased when Steve Singh, Concur CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, accepted our invitation to be a featured speaker at this year’s 2014 GBTA Convention. As the chairman of the GBTA Foundation, Steve is no newcomer to GBTA events. Thoughtful and innovative, Steve embodies entrepreneurial thinking and his vision about…
As promised, here is the second blog posting in our series from the finalists from the GBTA Ladders Program. Great Advice! Thank you, Damar! I’m sure you figured out from the title that I have been part of the corporate travel industry for almost eight years now. I had the privilege of spending the first…
Earlier this week, GBTA applauded a House decision to reject new fees on business travelers and fully fund the Next Generation Air Transportation Systems (“NextGen”). We are pleased with the continued investments in the FAA and NextGen, which will help ease congestion in the skies, reduce delays and continue to keep the U.S. economy moving….
Here is our third blog posting in our series from the finalists from the GBTA Ladders Program. Every few weeks, I find myself boarding an airplane. Like so many of you, I’m sure, it’s a ritual of sorts. You’ve done it so many times…arriving at the airport, parking your car, navigating the shortest TSA lines,…
I’m excited to announce that today GBTA unveiled an important new networking resource for the industry – The Global Leaders Directory 2014. The Directory is the very first of its kind for the business travel industry! This new resource will enable you to connect with key leaders in our industry: directors, corporate officers and members…
It’s one thing to look for a needle in the haystack. But the crash and disappearance of Malaysian Air flight 370 is confronting investigators with an even more difficult task — they first have to find the haystack, and that may take many more days. The lack of a widespread debris field leads me to…
First Business News reported today on the growing economy and rising business travel. They talked about the fact that even in an age where technology allows us to stay more connected than ever, there is really no replacement for the handshake and face-to-face interaction. They also interviewed GBTA Foundation’s Vice President of Research Joe Bates,…
Last week I participated in the White House Business Council briefing on travel and tourism in the U.S. Administration officials gave an update on the economy and discussed how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other Agencies work to promote travel and tourism from, to and within the United States. The meeting was an…
Yesterday the GBTA Foundation released a study showing the economic impact of business travel on the U.S. economy. The numbers speak for themselves demonstrating that business travel is in fact a major economic driver. Of course the value of business travel comes as no surprise to us and I am guessing, you. There really is…
Earlier this week, GBTA filed comments with the Department of Transportation (DOT) asking for a ban on cell phone voice calls during flights. Aside from the safety and security implications, you must consider the practical concerns if this were allowed. I can just imagine sitting in a middle seat while a loud talker to my…
Nîn håo! I’m writing this post from Shanghai as we kickoff our 2nd annual GBTA China Conference 2014. The conference promises to offer both local and international participants the opportunity to learn more about the Chinese business travel market – a market that continues to grow at impressive levels according to our latest forecast. Yesterday,…
The White House recently released its proposed fiscal year 2015 Federal Budget. Although there is no chance that Congress will pass the budget in its current form, it does provide us with a sense of the President’s travel-related priorities. But more importantly, it is a cautionary tale about the future without a comprehensive, long-term national…
On Friday, we wrote about what President Obama’s proposed 2015 budget means for business travel. Here is a closer look at the four things that are good for business travel and four things that are bad for business travel in the proposed budget – and what they really mean. We’ll start with the positives, albeit…
U.S business travel is expected to continue its surge in 2014 despite a record-breaking, seemingly endless winter where the effects of the polar vortex and multiple snowstorms halted travel across much of the country. Despite all of this, for the second quarter in a row, we are increasing our business travel spending forecast for this…
It’s Tax Day in the United States – the dreaded day for many on which individual income tax returns are due to the federal government. The Beatles 1966 hit song “Taxman” tells a story of despair at being overtaxed to the breaking point. If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street If you try…
United Airlines’ Jeff Smisek was a featured speaker on the “Sunday Night Live” welcome session at GBTA’s 2011 Convention in Denver fresh off United’s merger with Continental, making it the world’s largest airline at the time. Jeff told us about his plans for United to not just be the world’s largest airline, but to become…
Today, GBTA released our latest GBTA BTI™ Outlook – Western Europe report, a semi-annual analysis of the five most critical business travel markets in Europe: Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain. These five markets together form the lion’s share of business travel in the region acting as a good barometer of the health of…
Downloadable Assets Since the roll-out of TSA Pre✓™ GBTA has met with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) numerous times discussing ways to provide platforms that easily answer the many questions about TSA Pre✓™. TSA has listened to you and the concerns we have raised and created a Toolkit that allows you to take official material and…
We released our latest U.S. quarterly forecast last week and it is filled with positive news! Business travel spending finished out 2013 with better than expected growth and is poised for even greater growth in 2014. There has been a great deal of media interest in this report and I found many reporters asking me…
We met last week with Representative Gus Bilirakis (R) from Florida’s 12th District, who represents the fast-growing Tampa Bay region of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Recently, Rep. Bilirakis joined Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) to co-chair the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, which includes a bi-partisan group of over 90 Congressmen. The good news is that we…
I was invited to speak at the Wisconsin Business Travel Association’s Education Day in early January, just as the polar vortex was engulfing 26 states in wind-chill warnings or watches. Wisconsin, of course, is a state known for its cold weather; it was in the low teens when I arrived, and the wind chill made it…
1. The world is still a big place. 2. The same rules don’t apply everywhere. 3. For all other issues, see Rule #2. The world may be getting smaller, but it is not getting any simpler, and the scope of knowledge required of global travel professionals only continues to increase. Data analytics, risk management, and…
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend GBTA’s The Masters Program in Washington, D.C. It was a fantastic chance to connect with some wonderful people in the industry – both those that I’ve known for years and others who I just met. The event kicked off with a dinner and remarks from Senator…
The GBTA Convention has always been a meeting point for the dynamic individuals who make up the business travel industry. Like the industry itself, this year’s Convention is moving forward fast. I’m excited to share some exciting new changes to Convention with you. Convention this year begins on Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27,…
I was very pleased when U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole accepted our invitation to be a featured speaker at this year’s 2014 GBTA Convention in Los Angeles. Of all the agencies and government officials the GBTA Government Relations team deals with, it’s the TSA officers that interact with you and your…
I have been a member of GBTA since 2000. I know that your membership dues are a solid investment in your career. Over the years, I have participated as a member on the board of directors, as the chair of the Technology Committee, worked hard on getting my GLP (Global Leadership Professional Program) designation, and…
A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the GBTA Latin America Conference held at the Hilton Madero in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The event was a success with over 350 business travel professionals from ten Latin American countries and the United States attending the two day event. The great novelist, Henry Miller…
Congress is once again considering an increase in the aviation security tax paid by passengers. As the Budget Committee tries to deal with the next round of mandatory cuts in agency budgets due to sequestration, any measure that brings in additional revenue or decreases spending is on the table. We need you to let your…
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