ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) — the world’s largest business-travel association and worldwide leader in education, research, networking and advocacy for the industry — has shifted the dates of its GBTA Convention 2021 to November 17 to 19 in Orlando, Fla. The decision to change the dates of The Business Travel Event of the Year was made after taking into consideration feedback from members, exhibitors and sponsors and in recognition of the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global travel sector.
This year’s convention will be the first of its kind, providing attendees firsthand experience on how to travel post-COVID-19, plus insights around the future of work and what travel and mobility will encompass coming out of the pandemic. Programming will include new and different ways to learn together and opportunities to share best practices, educate and be educated, cultivate new opportunities and solve looming challenges to help the industry recover and rebound.
“Ensuring this year’s Convention — our first large-scale meeting since 2019 — is a valuable experience for all attendees is a top priority, and we’re ‘upping our game’ to provide practical and strategic tools to help attendees get business done in the new, post-pandemic normal,” says GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang. “This shift allows us to better accommodate all our members, especially those travelling from outside the U.S., and to send the important message that global business travel can be accomplished safely, as vaccination programs gather momentum and as COVID-19 testing becomes easier and less costly.”
A special virtual event with valuable content is being planned for July 20 and is expected to include a mid-year association update and business meeting, valuable education sessions and the announcement of the election results of the new Board members.