The Nbta Is Hosting Its International Convention This Month. What Makes It Stand Out As The Premier Business Travel Event?
NBTA is widely recognized as the premier association for corporate travel professionals because it combines practical education, extensive resources and unmatched networking opportunities. Each year the association’s convention gathers thousands of travel managers, buyers and suppliers to exchange best practices, discover new technologies and explore current industry trends.
Business travel continues to evolve, and NBTA adapts to help members navigate those shifts. Recent economic pressures led many companies to tighten travel policies and control costs across travel and entertainment. As the economy recovers and travel volumes rise, many of those stricter policies remain in place. This year’s convention emphasizes equipping travel managers with actionable tools and strategies for managing travel programs in the new economic environment.
Explain What Nbta Does And How Our Readers Can Become Involved In Their Local Chapters.
NBTA connects the global corporate travel community through education, advocacy and industry research. In partnership with international affiliates — NBTA Australia/New Zealand, NBTA Canada, NBTA Europe, NBTA Mexico and the Brazilian Business Travel Association — NBTA represents more than 5,000 corporate travel managers and service providers. Collectively, these members oversee hundreds of billions in business travel expenditures, predominantly for large multinational companies.
The association tracks developments in the business travel sector and produces timely research and analysis that help travel managers make better decisions. NBTA also represents the industry in the media and before policymakers, communicating the needs and perspectives of corporate travel professionals.
At the local level, NBTA’s 40 U.S. chapters deliver regionally focused education, networking and member services. Chapter activities include local events, professional development scholarships, community initiatives and peer-to-peer learning. Local chapter involvement is a practical way for travel professionals to build relationships, learn about regional issues and access resources tailored to their market.
Nbta Conducts Travel-related Research. Can You Share Some Of The Latest Findings?
NBTA’s recent research shows business travel rebounding in 2010. A survey of U.S.-based corporate travel managers found average travel spending rose 1.5 percent from Q1 2009 and 2.8 percent from Q4 2009 to Q1 2010. More than 40 percent of respondents reported increased trip volumes, and roughly a quarter cited lower negotiated rates as a contributing factor.
The association also studied the operational and financial impact of the volcanic ash disruption, one of the most significant crises to affect the industry since 2001. Among the nearly 2,000 companies represented in the survey, more than 310,000 travelers experienced interruptions, costing companies an estimated $367 million in total. Seventy-six percent of affected companies arranged hotel accommodations for stranded travelers, and 62 percent organized alternative transportation such as chartered flights or buses. Travel managers also provided emergency funding for displaced travelers (35 percent) and adjusted expense policies or caps in response to the crisis (23 percent).
Tell Us About Your Career In The Travel Industry.
I began my career training as a flight attendant but was furloughed during a fuel crisis and transitioned into travel agency management. From there I moved into corporate travel, and I currently work with Hilton Worldwide to design and implement a global travel program that incorporates traditional channels, online booking and automated expense reporting.
My involvement with NBTA has included service on the ground transportation task force, founding chairmanship of the global risk management committee, and chapter leadership as president of the Los Angeles, Rocky Mountain and Southern Colorado chapters. Those roles have allowed me to contribute to industry initiatives and to support the professional development of corporate travel managers.