Caleb Tiller
, 703-684-0836, ext. 138
Courtney Leigh Beisel
, 703-684-0836, ext. 133
Alexandria, VA (April 6, 2006) -- The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is pleased to announce it will represent the corporate travel industry as a Gold Sponsor of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 6th Annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit, hosted April 10-12 in Washington, D.C. The event is anticipated to attract more than 600 leading travel executives from around the globe, including ministers of tourism; leading reporters; presidents, CEOs and chairmen of global hotel chains, airlines, car rental companies, limousine and chauffeured transportation providers; and more.
NBTA President and CEO, Suzanne Fletcher, commented, “Taking an active role in the Global Travel & Tourism Summit is one more way NBTA is representing the interests of the global corporate travel community. NBTA has members in more than 25 countries around the world. We are the global business travel industry, and as a cornerstone of the travel business, it is important that our voice be heard within the global travel community.”
The annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit is conducted in an “in the round” format. Each session is moderated by news anchors from the global media to ensure an open exchange of ideas and thoughts. Topics scheduled for discussion include the global growth of travel and tourism in the future, the impact of changing global demographics on the travel and tourism industry, the dynamics of the aviation industry and preparing the travel and tourism industry for global disasters.
Vincent Wolfington, Chairman, WTTC, and Chairman Emeritus, Carey International Inc., said, “Business travel is one of the most important sectors of the global travel and tourism industry, accounting for nearly one out of every five dollars spent on travel, so WTTC is pleased to welcome the leading corporate travel association – NBTA – as a major sponsor of the annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit.”
“This year’s summit is aptly themed Open Mind, Open World – a school of thought NBTA fully supports,” added Fletcher, a speaker at the event. “It is through open minds and innovation that the corporate travel industry continues to expand and grow by taking on new responsibilities and developing new methods and tools for business. And, the quest for an open world, free of burdensome travel restrictions yet safe for the business traveler, is an issue NBTA has tirelessly championed in its advocacy on behalf of the industry.“
Additional summit speakers will include Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Chairman & CEO, Carlson Companies; J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman & CEO, Marriott International; and Jonathan M. Tisch, Chairman & CEO, Loews Hotels. The event is co-hosted by the Travel Business Roundtable and the Travel Industry Association of America; NBTA represents the corporate travel sector as a member of both organizations. More information on the event can be found online at www.globaltraveltourism.com.
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 2,700 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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