Check-In with Suzanne

How Partnership Can Get Us to Bigger, Better and Bolder in Business Travel

Some things are truly “better together,” and our events last week in Copenhagen proved it. It was certainly the inspiration and driver behind the productive and insightful three days of the GBTA Sustainability Summit and our annual European Conference.

With record attendance—over 1,300 delegates representing 38 countries at the Conference and 850 at the Sustainability Summit— these co-located and partner-rich events sparked essential dialogue and action across a spectrum of topics and geographies. From benchmarking and accelerating a greener future for business travel, to exploring a rising spend forecast for Europe expected to hit 360.4 billion euros this year, and addressing what industry professionals most want and need, these gatherings reflect the vital issues facing our industry today. (For more on the latest European insights from the GBTA Business Travel Index − go here.)

The success of these events was made possible by the collaborative efforts of our partners at VDR (as we celebrated our 10th annual conference together) and the Nordic Business Travel Associations (marking the event’s first time in Copenhagen), along with industry and sustainability contributors, advisory groups, and committees. And a big thank you to all our sponsors of the Summit and the Conference, as well as the tradeshow exhibitors, for making it possible.

It’s through in-person conferences like these that we aim to connect learning, new ideas, innovation and expertise. Every day across our sector, we see the value of managed travel programs − and always with a great appreciation for those who work to make them better within our complex industry.

Each year at this time, we start thinking ahead to a new year, and GBTA has valuable programming lined up in the coming weeks to support that planning. Upcoming webinars include the GBTA BTI’s five-year forecast on November 13 and insights into global travel and event pricing trends on December 4. Watch for the insights from our final quarterly GBTA Business Travel Industry Poll of the year this week, as it will examine industry sentiment for 2024 and look ahead to 2025.

Stay tuned for our December 2 podcast, featuring GBTA Board members and a UBS analyst sharing insights on industry outlook and the bigger picture for business travel. And on December 10, we’ll explore the post-election U.S. political landscape including policymakers’ focus in the next four years, potential legislative issues and the opportunities for business travel.

Make sure to take advantage of these opportunities to hear – and be part of – the many voices that are shaping the future of our industry. Our purpose has never been more important.

Suzanne

Industry Spotlight

New Research from FREENOW and GBTA Examines How Travel Programs and Travelers Can Maximize Ground Transportation Safety

Both corporate travel managers and business travelers in Europe have a shared responsibility as well as opportunities to mitigate risk by making smart choices when it comes to ground transportation for business trips. This is according to a new report, titled “Maximising Duty of Care: Choosing the Safest ‘Last Mile’ Option for Business Travel” released today from FREENOW and GBTA.

The research is based on a survey of business travelers and corporate travel managers in four European markets: Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, and Ireland. “Last mile transportation” refers to ground transportation trips that are taken over distances of 75 kilometers or less, excluding long-distance rail.

The findings show a large majority of travel programs (85%) have risk-related policies for business travel, but only about half (55%) “always” or “often” address ground transport. In addition, most travel programs (62%) conduct regular safety trainings for employees about business travel, but only about half (56%) “always” or “often” include ground transport risks. Most travel programs (89%) have a traveler tracking system in place, however only one-quarter (24%) can “always” or “often” locate employees using ground transport data.

On November 20, GBTA and FREENOW will host a related complimentary webinar which will further explore ground transport safety, the role of sustainability in the mobility ecosystem, and how business travelers and travel managers perceive transportation options. Register here.

Read more in today’s full announcement here.

GBTA Webinar
Don't Miss Tomorrow's Free Webinar

The 2024 Business Travel Index Outlook:
What Is in Store for 2024 and Beyond

Tomorrow, 11:00 AM EST

Join us for an insightful webinar where we will delve into the latest forecasts for the business travel industry and gain invaluable perspectives from business travelers around the world.

The 2024 BTI, made possible through a collaboration with Visa, offers invaluable insights and comprehensive analysis, along with a detailed five-year forecast for the corporate travel sector. By illuminating critical data and addressing economic, business, and traveler considerations, the GBTA BTI™ seeks to empower policymakers, organizations, and professionals who support global business travelers.

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