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July 1, 2026

News to Know


Airlines and Airports Urge Urgent Rethink of EU Border System Amid Summer Disruption in Open Letter to European Commission
SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REVIEW, 7/1

Europe’s leading aviation bodies have issued an open letter to Ursula von der Leyen, warning that the rollout of the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing severe operational disruption at airports, with border waiting times reaching up to five hours during peak periods. The signatories urge the European Commission to introduce immediate flexibility measures, including the temporary suspension of EES where passenger volumes exceed border control capacity, as the summer travel season intensifies.

 
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AVIATION

Brussels Airlines to Resume Tel Aviv Flights in August (TRAVEL TOMORROW, 7/1)

Asian Airlines' Europe Windfall Fades as Gulf Rivals Rebound (REUTERS, 7/1)

SAS to Spend $10B-Plus on Aircraft Purchase (BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS EUROPE, 7/1)

China Southern Airlines Schedules More Than 190,000 Flights for Summer Travel Peak (GUANGZHOU DAILY, 7/1)

Qantas Unveils Cabin Design for Project Sunrise (THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE, 7/1)

OTHER SECTORS

Aviation’s Hybrid Moment Has Finally Arrived (INNOVATION NEWS NETWORK, 7/1)

Bleisure Travel on the Rise With 63% Extending Work Trips Into Weekend Breaks (THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE, 7/1)

Conferma and AirPlus in Partnership on Virtual Card Payments (BUSINESS TRAVEL EXECUTIVE, 6/30)

Travel Experts Address Tech, Demand Shifts at RateHawk Futurecast (ZAWYA, 7/1)

Industry Spotlight


 

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GBTA Foundation
GBTA Foundation Gala 2026

August 2 | Field Museum | Chicago

Will you show up for the future of business travel?

The GBTA Foundation Gala is where the business travel community comes together to celebrate leadership, recognize impact and invest in what’s next.

Whether you’re looking to host clients, bring colleagues together or attend as an individual, the evening offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders while supporting the GBTA Foundation’s work across People and Planet.

Many across the industry have already secured their place – see who's joining us and be part of it.

On August 2 at Chicago’s Field Museum, your place in the room can be part of something bigger than the event itself.

Tables and individual seats are available now. 

 

New Episode from The Business of Travel Podcast
From RFP to Strategy: Hotel Program Trends for 2026

     

In this episode of The Business of Travel, presented by the GBTA U.S. Accommodations Committee, Fred Veliyev, Principal Product Manager at Cvent Transient, David Mollov, Managing Director of Travel Industry Solutions at Emburse, and Annette Cumming, Senior Vice President at CerebriAI, discuss the key trends that emerged from the 2026 hotel RFP season.

The conversation explores what buyers should know as they evaluate hotel program performance, supplier strategy, sourcing decisions, and the evolving technologies shaping accommodation programs. Listeners will gain practical insights into the current hotel sourcing landscape and considerations for building stronger, more informed hotel programs moving forward.

 
Upcoming Events

GBTA Annual Business Meeting & Board Elections Results
July 8

GBTA Foundation Gala
August 2

GBTA Convention 2026
August 3 - 5

GBTA LATAM Conference 2026 | Mexico City
October 1

GBTA + VDR Europe Conference 2026 in Partnership with ABTA
November 2-4

View More Events

The future of business travel isn’t shaped in isolation — it’s shaped by the people working in it every day.

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When professionals come together to share insight, challenge ideas, and exchange perspectives, the entire industry moves forward.

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GBTA Community+
View the Meetings and Events Toolkit on Community+

Meetings and events are a core part of business travel. GBTA's Meetings and Events Toolkit provides practical templates and resources to help organizations source, plan, and execute events of any size or type, including an RFP module and guidance for selecting the right hotels and venues.

The toolkit includes nine modules, with the first three available to everyone and the remaining six exclusively for GBTA members.

View the Toolkit >

Not a member? Join GBTA to unlock the full toolkit and access exclusive member resources in Community+.
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