Association provides resource for travel professionals to voice policy concerns
CONTACT
Washington, D.C. (April 22, 2004) – The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) announced today the creation of the NBTA Legislative Action Center, an online resource for travel management professionals to access information about current legislative issues affecting business travel and to voice their concerns to policymakers and the Administration. In addition to other recent initiatives, the Legislative Action Center is part of NBTA’s efforts to advance business travel issues in Washington.
To inform its members and the industry of the larger impact of new travel security measures, the NBTA Data Protection Committee has prepared a new white paper, “Travel Managers Guide to Data Privacy,” which will be released next week. The document provides a comprehensive overview of proposed CAPPS II regulation and new security measures at U.S. airports, including biometric visa requirements and registered traveler proposals. The paper also outlines issues of particular interest to the business travel community, including new data requirements that may affect the information corporations request from their travelers, the systems they have to manage this data, and the benefits and risks of the proposed registered traveler program.
“We hope this study will provide travel management professionals with a comprehensive overview of these security measures and their impact on corporate travel programs,” said NBTA President and CEO Carol Devine.
In recent weeks, NBTA has contacted various Congressmen urging them to address inconsistencies in airline passenger screening procedures and to ensure the effectiveness of the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPSII). There are also privacy concerns regarding who will have access to the information provided and how it will be stored and protected. “Travelers must have the right to review their personal information for accuracy and have a method of appealing incorrect security ratings,” continued Devine. “NBTA supports the TSA creating a Passenger Advocate program to address these and other security issues.”
Finally, NBTA will be working with the General Accounting Office (GAO) on a congressional request to produce a report on the impact of CAPPSII on the private sector and the traveling public. “The impact of these new security measures includes extra taxes, additional visa costs, as well as the costs to corporations of security delays, personnel reassignments, and increased data reporting responsibilities,” concluded Devine. “All members of our industry need to speak out more on issues that will have a tremendous impact on the way corporations manage their travel in the future.”
White Paper:
Travel Managers’ Guide to Data Privacy
CAPPS II & US Port of Entry: What is the overall impact?
Developed by NBTA Data Protection Committee April 2004
The National Business Travel Association is the source for critical information on the business travel industry. For more than 35 years, NBTA has dedicated itself to the professional development of its members through advocacy, education and training, and networking opportunities. NBTA represents over 2,400 corporate travel managers and travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than $170 billion of expenditures within the business travel industry.
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