Media Brief – July 20, 2010

CONTACT:

Caleb Tiller, +1 703-684-0836 ext. 138, ctiller@nbta.org
Nicole Hayes, +1 703-684-0836 ext. 133, nhayes@nbta.org   

‘Misguided’ Statements Could Undermine Recovery of Travel Industry, U.S. Economy

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) – the voice of the business travel community – is disappointed to see the Obama Administration take another misguided swing at the travel industry.  Reports of a statement issued by the Administration calling for reduced government travel come at a dangerous time for an uncertain U.S. economy, and NBTA is concerned this unilateral action could undermine the slight recovery the travel industry is just now starting to experience.

Michael W. McCormick, Executive Director & COO of NBTA, stated, “President Obama’s recent statements calling for a reduction in government travel are troubling for two reasons. First, they are part of a pattern of negative and misguided comments from the Administration that hurt the travel industry at an incredibly challenging time. Second, they seem to imply that cutting travel is the goal. The goal should be to use travel as cost-effectively as possible to meet the needs of the United States. Instead of unilateral cuts I encourage government agencies to reach out to the industry and learn how to properly manage travel and ‘green’ their travel system.”

Like the U.S. government, NBTA and its members strive to achieve results that are transparent and environmentally sustainable. NBTA will continue to seek opportunities to work with the government agencies to promote corporate travel practices that are environmentally sound.

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and corporate meetings organization. NBTA and its regional affiliates – NBTA Australia / New Zealand, the Brazilian Business Travel Association (ABGEV), NBTA Canada, NBTA Europe, NBTA Mexico, and NBTA USA – serve a network of more than 17,000 business travel professionals around the globe with industry-leading events, networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. NBTA members, numbering more than 5,000 in 30 nations, are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers. They collectively manage and direct more than US$340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually on behalf of more than 13 million business travelers within their organizations. For more information, visit www.nbta.org