CONTACT: Caleb Tiller | 703-684-0836 Ext. 138
Alexandria, VA (August 8, 2005) -- The focus of the business travel industry will be on San Diego beginning on Sunday, August 14 as the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) kicks off its 37th Annual Convention and Trade Show. With business travel accounting for nearly one-third of all domestic travel and hospitality/tourism being one of the largest revenue generators for the city, the event has lasting implications for San Diego.
The impact of the NBTA Convention and Trade Show on San Diego extends beyond the revenue generated by its thousands of attendees. More than 4,500 professionals are registered to attend the NBTA Convention, an expected 1,200 of which are travel managers who control more than $100 billion in corporate travel expenditures. These travel managers are not only responsible for managing travel policies and expenses, but also the safety of their companies’ road warriors.
Corporate travel managers working for some of the city’s most prominent companies will have the opportunity to attend more than 50 educational sessions on a variety of topics including contract negotiation, anti-American sentiment, travel procurement, policy compliance and travel safety. With this year’s Convention being hosted in San Diego, nearly all of the more than 100 members of the NBTA local chapter, the San Diego Business Travel Association (SDBTA), will join their peers from around the world to learn about how to protect their companies’ travelers and interests.
Christine Lardizabal, CTC, senior travel coordinator for Amylin Pharmaceuticals and director of public relations for the SDBTA, commented, “In addition to having the opportunity to show off our beautiful city, members are looking forward to the variety of education programs and networking opportunities that they will have at their fingertips. With the event being hosted in San Diego, it’s easier than ever for our members to attend these professional development courses, giving them the chance to learn about how to manage their companies’ travel more effectively and serve the business travelers of San Diego.”
In addition to the education opportunities, attendees will be exposed to more than 410 travel service suppliers showcasing everything from airline seats to technology solutions, and they will have many chances to network with their peers at special events. Keynote speeches will be given by Deborah Norville, host of Inside Edition, Tom Ridge, first secretary of Homeland Security and former governor of Pennsylvania, and John Major, former prime minister of the United Kingdom.
Lardizabal remarked, “SDBTA is extremely excited to have the NBTA Annual Convention and Trade Show come to our city this year. It has been especially thrilling for our Board and Convention Steering Committee to work on making the convention’s first visit to San Diego a memorable one. Other members are encouraged by the high attendance this year and realize that the exposure will certainly bring a great deal of new future business to America’s Finest City!”
Members of the media who would like to attend the NBTA Convention and Trade Show can register here.
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 2,500 corporate and government travel managers and travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than $170 billion of expenditures within the business travel industry. For more on NBTA, visit www.nbta.org.
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