1. Buyers Only: Benchmarking Travel Budget & Corporate Performance

Read more about materials needed for this lab. 

Over the past two years, the GBTA Foundation, its economic research partner Vantage Strategy, and American Express Business Travel's eXpert insights research practice have partnered on ground-breaking research into the return on investment (ROI) in business travel. In 2011 updated analysis of the ROI of travel -- incorporating the effects of the Great Recession on travel's impact to the top-line -- will be published as well as an additional detailed investigation into which company characteristics -- such as industry, size, number of offices and international presence -- effect optimal travel budget planning. Join this session to walk through the ROI concepts, how they are calculated, and why they are important in setting up and sustaining competitive travel budgets and programs in 2011 and beyond. 

Christa Degan Manning, Director, Research & Media, Global Advisory Services, American Express Business Travel
 

Kenneth McGill, Executive Vice President, Research Services, Vantage Hospitality Group, Inc.
 

2. Suppliers Only: Building a Demand Creation Strategy

It’s ugly out there. Is your pipeline anemic? Is there enough Demand to feed both you and your hungry competitors?  Is your sales process built on a Demand Creation philosophy or on a Demand Capture philosophy? When there are not enough customers to be found, they will have to be made. Do you know how?

Michel Brisson, Senior Consultant, Revenuestorm Corp.

1. Buyers Only: Dynamic Communication

Making Your Travel Program’s Value Proposition Matter
Dynamic Communication establishes the foundation around which fluid dialogue can take place…connecting the dots between the sender, the receiver, and the message itself.  Travel executives in today’s environment need to understand how to craft the content of their communications in ways that drive specific results.  This Lab is based on practical exercises designed to help the travel executive understand and articulate the CORE MESSAGE behind each of their program’s specific value drivers and how to most effectively present them to key stakeholders.  Attendees will be guided through the steps of connecting those value proposition drivers directly to company goals and stakeholder’s objectives.  The end result of the work is the creation of core message communication content that is  relevant, accurate, and irrefutable.

Mike Malinchok, President, S2K Consulting, LLC

 

2. Suppliers Only: Getting the Politics Right

Any Account Manager or Sales person with experience will testify that every account opportunity has a political component and even if you get everything else right, it won’t matter if you get the politics wrong. Being aligned with the most powerful person who will advance your company in your absence is the ultimate competitive advantage.  Upon the Lab’s completion, you will have learned how to:

The Hottest Topic: Airline Strategies and the Shape of Things to Come

How will evolving airline revenue & and distribution strategies affect your program?  How will the shift from airline brand to alliance brand marketing as well as the new fleets affect pricing and marketing strategies?  Renowned aviation analyst Michael Boyd will put the key issues in context. 

Michael Boyd, President, Boyd Group International

The Future of Travel Management

What did we learn? How can buyers & suppliers work more collaboratively? Where are we heading as a profession? As an industry?  Don’t miss this conference recap and preview of the future!

Moderator:
Joe Bates, Director, Research & Project Management, GBTA Foundation