NBTA Europe to Provide Business Travel Resources
Regional, Buyer-led Model Network Launches with Six Affiliate Organisations
JANUARY 7, 2009 - The National Business Travel Association (NBTA, the largest global association for corporate travel professionals, today announced a major expansion of its operations into Europe. NBTA Europe will provide corporate travel professionals in the world's second-largest business travel market with the first buyer-led, multinational European business travel and meetings network.
NBTA Europe launches with the cooperation of several partner associations: Danish Business Travel Association, the Iberian Business Travel Association of Spain, the Institute of Travel & Meetings (ITM) of the UK and Ireland, NBTA, Nederlandse Associatie voor Travel Management (Netherlands Association for Travel Management), the Norwegian Business Travel Association, and the Swedish Business Travel Association. Members of these partner associations will automatically be members of NBTA Europe for the networks' first year.
NBTA Europe is "powered by ITM," which means that the UK & Ireland association will manage the operation on behalf of NBTA. The network is led by a combination of buyer-led “Advisory Board” and “Partnership Council”, with each of the partner associations retaining a seat on the council to ensure the network maintains a European feel and focus. The Advisory Board buyer and supplier members are to be announced in the coming weeks, but will be headed by Caroline Strachan, Global Category Leader for business travel at Astra Zeneca, for the first two years.
Speaking about the formation of the network, Caroline Strachan, the newly appointed Chairman of NBTA Europe, added "NBTA Europe will bring a new collective business travel buyer voice to the European community. Together NBTA Europe members and partner organizations will take the issues we experience in each of our countries and create a truly representative position to discuss with industry and government."
Members of the NBTA Europe network will gain access to a unique suite of resources including networking opportunities, education and professional development, industry research, plus CSR and benchmarking tools. NBTA Europe will hold a number of events throughout the year including forums and an annual conference to bring together Europe's travel and meetings industry professionals for high level debate, discussion and networking. Details are to be announced soon.
NBTA Global President & CEO, Craig Banikowski, CCTE, C.P.M., CMM, commented on the network's focus on creating resources. "Europe is an important, complex market that deserves a cohesive, buyer-led network. The formation of NBTA Europe is designed to meet that need by bringing together travel and meetings stakeholders from across the continent. We will create new resources to help members advance their careers and drive greater travel value on behalf of their companies."
Talking about the drive behind the creation of the network, NBTA Global Executive Director & COO, Michael W. McCormick said, "NBTA members and our European partners have told us that they want NBTA to help them tap into an integrated network of colleagues across the globe. NBTA Europe is the latest addition to NBTA's network of regional affiliates, which already connects members of organizations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. We're pleased to be expanding into one of the most dynamic and important business travel markets in the world, and to be doing so in partnership with ITM and five other national associations from across Europe."
Paul Tilstone, the newly appointed Managing Director of NBTA Europe, added, ”We have some great plans for this network in the year ahead. We will be able to make a real impact on the industry in Europe as we take the size and experience of NBTA, add it to the knowledge and passion of local European associations and use the drive and innovation of ITM. This is just the start of something great for the European business travel and meetings community”
For details visit www.nbtaeurope.org.
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