All the experts agree that good travel management has the potential to save vast amounts of money for the economy. But how will the dynamics among the players on the market change in the near future? What are the methods, strategies and instruments that will lead to success? What new developments will have to take place in order for senior executives’ growing expectations to be satisfied?
Anyone looking for answers to these questions must necessarily exchange views with colleagues, and the ITB Business Travel Days from 9 to 11 March 2011 in Berlin offer precisely that opportunity. That is where travel managers, business travel bookers and event organisers will gather to take part in a practice-oriented advanced training programme. In order to set a good example as far as saving money is concerned, ITB Berlin will be offering visitors to the fair to take part in the lectures, workshops and panel discussions free of charge. On request, participants will also receive a free certificate.
The first day involving the programme will be devoted to event planning. Items for discussion will include MICE guidelines which help to reduce in-house time and effort as well as external costs during procurement, typical mistakes during briefings, and optimum return on investment. Naturally at a MICE Day, which is organised in collaboration with Vereinigung Deutscher Veranstaltungsorganisatoren e.V., the topic of social media is a must. A workshop will discuss how organisers and speakers can use social networks to realise their own aims. The panel discussion will conclude with participants exploring trends in the meetings industry and highlighting current developments.
On the Thursday of the fair (10 March) senior travel management executives will be able to find out about a wealth of ideas on “strategies for economic recovery“, as well as developments in the foreseeable future. Among the items to be discussed are the airlines’ current pricing policy of adding more and more surcharges, the advantages and disadvantages of alliances, and ways of organising sustainable business travel. The programme will also debate what effect mobile technologies have on business travellers’ productivity levels. Jürgen Büchy, the new President of the German Travel Association (DRV), will hold the keynote on ”Business travel in 2011 – opportunities, risks and scenarios”.
The heading of the Practical Day on the Friday (11 March) is ”From unmanaged to managed travel“. Discussion will focus on showing travel business managers with small and medium-sized enterprises viable ways of keeping costs under control – outside their national borders as well. The topic for discussion will be “What can corporate travel management do to overcome difficult economic times?” Those taking part will also find out what they can do to get works council and data protection representatives on their side, instead of having them as enemies.
In Hall 8.1 the well-established ITB Berlin Business Travel Lounge, operated by HSMA, will invite decision-makers and senior executives to talk about successful networking. The associations Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) are the new partners collaborating with the Lounge.
A travel special offering a limited number of tickets is available to visitors wishing to travel to the ITB Business Travel Days. The entire package costs 179 euros. Reservations can be made until 15 Feb. 2011. The package contains a ticket for travel with Deutsche Bahn (1st class return fare to Berlin, valid from any railway station in Germany), a single-room overnight stay with breakfast at the Estrel Hotel Berlin from 10 to 11 March 2011, a shuttle bus trip to the exhibition grounds and back to the hotel, a trade visitor ticket for admission to the ITB Berlin (valid from 9 to 13 March 2011), participation in the seminars at the ITB Business Travel Days 2011, and a visit to the Stars in Concert show at the Estrel Hotel Berlin on 10 March 2011. Travel managers and business travel bookers are eligible to make reservations. Bookings can be made online.
