At the NBTA 36th Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL, nearly 4,800 corporate travel managers and supplier representatives took advantage of…
At the NBTA 36th Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL, nearly 4,800 corporate travel managers and supplier representatives took advantage ofthe industry’s premier networking and educational opportunities.
During more than nine hours of Trade Show time, over 400 exhibitors showcased the products and services they offer corporate travel departments. With more than 50 educational sessions to choose from in nine subject matter tracks, NBTA Convention attendees are returning to work armed with knowledge of the latest developments in business travel management.
“The Trade Show was lively and informative, the educational seminars were tremendously well attended and received, and the general sessions brought us all together to laugh and be challenged by top-notch speakers Al Roker, Steve Forbes, Mary Matalin and James Carville,” said NBTA President and CEO Carol A. Devine, CCTE. “By the most important measure — the feedback of the travel managers and suppliers in attendance – this Convention was not only a success, it was one of the best NBTA Conventions to date.”
In addition to the seminar sessions, educational opportunities for Convention attendees included the following:
- the first-ever class on the Fundamentals of Business Travel Management
- electives for NBTA members working toward industry certification as a Certified Corporate Travel Executive (CCTE)
- a masters-level course that was part of the Global Leadership Program offered by NBTA’s educational foundation, the Institute of Business Travel Management, in conjunction with The Wharton School
- the 6th Annual Technology Pavilion, in which more than 40 suppliers offered 25-minute demonstrations of their technology offerings
- the CEO Exchange — a candid discussion on the travel industry moderated by Chris McGinnis, Travel Correspondent for CNN Headline News, and featuring Jeffrey Katz, Chairman, President and CEO of Orbitz; Larry Kellner, President and CEO of Continental Airlines; and Robin Schleien, President, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, North America.
Convention speakers and presenters included 20 top-level executives who hold positions of senior vice president or above.
“At the opening reception at Universal Orlando CityWalk and the closing reception at the Peabody Orlando, we had a chance to let loose and have fun. In between, we had three days packed with the best professional development for those involved in managed travel,” said Devine. “Shifts in recent years in business travel have led to changes in the way travel managers provide value to their companies. At the Convention it was clear that the travel management community is responding to those changes and is more relevant than ever.”
One measure of the success of the NBTA 36th Annual Convention and Trade show is the excitement it generated for next year’s Convention. Eighty percent of the Trade Show floor space for Charting the Course — the NBTA 37th Annual Convention and Trade Show in San Diego, August 14-17, 2005 — was sold during this week’s Convention.
“It was gratifying to have dedicated business travel professionals approach me at Convention to tell me what a positive experience they were having and then say that they are already planning to attend next year,” said Devine. “Now we’re turning our attention to the 2005 NBTA Convention in San Diego, and we’re ‘Charting the Course’ for another world-class show.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
