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Check-In with Suzanne

What do you value? What do you worry about? We’re listening. Recently over 500 members made their voices heard in a survey about in-person attendance at the GBTA Convention next month. Many shared their enthusiasm:  

  • “I need to connect with my prospects and partners in person and drive business along.” 
  • “Getting back to travel and seeing what the breakout sessions will offer as we work to find our new normal in business travel.”  
  • “It’s time to see our industry begin to flourish once again, and if it can’t begin at GBTA, where else can it?  
  • “Getting together in person with colleagues, and in-person education sessions, I get the most value of in-person learning-maybe because I’m virtual’ed OUT!”  

We also listened as closely to those who won’t be coming to Convention this year: 

  • “I was registered for this event, but my company is still only allowing essential travel.” 
  • “My reason for not attending in person is purely down to budget restrictions.”   
  • “We are not out of the woods with Covid. I do not feel large gatherings are quite safe yet.” 

Many also applauded the onsite safety protocols in place at Convention, while a very few wanted us to ditch the mask requirement. Some wanted us to require vaccinations, but that isn’t within our power. Our engaged, diverse global membership is part of what differentiates GBTA. As a member, your voice is always heard. It’s also what informs our Advocacy efforts. 

Every day we are committed to help getting business travel back to being a $1.4 trillion industry. Especially given the dynamic times we are in, we are also careful not to let good become the enemy of perfect. The voice of GBTA members matters—from important input to policymakers to our overall efforts as an Association. And being heard also means continuing to prioritize transparent communication between staff, our volunteers and members. 

Vaccination rates continue to rise, border restrictions are lifting, and business travel is increasing. If you and your customers are getting back out there, remember you can get find information about travel and health restrictions for any trip around the world by visiting our website and using the travel planning tool powered by Sherpa, brought to you in partnership by American Airlines and GBTA. To make it even easier, check out this new easy video tutorial. I’m using the Sherpa tool for my trip from New York to Germany in December to attend our GBTA event in Berlin. I’m excited about more business travel, more connection and more chances to listen. 

Suzanne 

 

News To Know 

Questions answered about Canada’s new vaccine passport for international travel 

All provinces and territories have agreed to conform to a national standard for proof-of-vaccine documents. With a standardized document, it will be easier for travel authorities domestically and abroad to verify the vaccine status of Canadians. 

Argentina scraps entry quotas for travellers arriving by air 

Entry caps for air passengers arriving to Argentina were eliminated recently, just two weeks the country reached half its population fully vaccinated. It was announced by an official communiqué from the ANAC (Administración Nacional de Aviación Civil), “In keeping with what was established by Administrative Decision 951/21 (on October 1), as from today there will be no cap of any kind for those arriving in this country by air.” 

Sixt adds hybrid and electric cars to ride options 

As sustainability continues to be of growing importance in the business travel space, mobility specialist Sixt has now added hybrid and electric vehicles to its booking options, offering passengers a low carbon alternative.  

New US Travel Rules bar foreign Covid survivors with one shot 

The new US travel policy will block foreign travelers who have recovered from Covid-19 and then gotten one dose of two-dose vaccines, despite it being a standard that France and the European Commission consider full vaccination. 

 

GBTA News & Reminders 

Ready. Safe. Travel. Workshop Series 

GBTA Canada’s first in-person event, Ready. Safe. Travel. Canada Workshop Series debuted in Vancouver on October 19th and in Montreal on October 26th. Attendees played an important role in restoring Canadian business travel and meetings.  The program is a full day workshop covering 6 key areas of business travel to breakdown what’s no longer applicable, then rebuild these aspects so your company, travelers and policy accurately reflect the best travel and meetings practices for the post-pandemic future.
The Ready. Safe. Travel. Canada Workshop Series moves onto Toronto on October 28 next. 

WINiT with Equity 

Learn how to make Diversity, Equity and Inclusion a top priority in your company, including furthering discussion with best practices and proven strategies with host Malaika Myers and speakers Tracy Mercer and Aileen Furlong.