Caleb Tiller, NBTA, +1 703-684-0836, ext. 138
Glenn Buckingham, NBTA-Asia Pacific, +61 02 9585 1945
Carol Moore, for NBTA-Asia Pacific, +61 02 9560 2826
Sydney, Australia (March 30, 2007) -- The Australasian Business Travel Association (ABTA) officially will become the Asia Pacific subsidiary of the U.S.-based National Business Travel Association (NBTA) beginning April 2, 2007, after ABTA members overwhelming supported a merger at an Extraordinary General Meeting in Sydney today.
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Buckingham (left) and Connors signing NBTA-Asia Pacific charter documents |
ABTA CEO, Glenn Buckingham, said the formation of NBTA-Asia Pacific was an exciting initiative that would expand the services and reach of both organizations in the Asia Pacific region, and enhance professional development and networking opportunities for members.
“With many of our member organizations being regionally or globally focused, and facing increasing competitive challenges, the ABTA Board investigated options to build a stronger regional presence and generate the additional income such progressive initiatives require,” Buckingham said.
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Carole Murphy (left), co-founder of ABTA, with NBTA's Connors at the Extraordinary General Meeting |
“We decided – and our members agreed – that an alliance with the world’s largest business travel association was by far the most advantageous arrangement to secure our longevity, build our influence and expand our member services far into the future.”
NBTA President and CEO, Suzanne Fletcher, said her association is delighted with the merger and the opportunities for expansion that it brings.
“The addition of NBTA-Asia Pacific to the NBTA structure will make NBTA a stronger organization globally and enable us to better serve all NBTA members,” Fletcher said. “We see the Asia Pacific region as critically important to our future expansion into China and India, particularly in assisting our members to tap into the significant business opportunities available in these growth markets. ABTA’s solid foundations, its impressive membership base and its aspirations for the future were all an excellent fit for what we were seeking in a regional partner.”
Fletcher said NBTA-Asia Pacific would maintain its local identity and a local board, while tapping into the global networking and resources of NBTA, a model utilized successfully with NBTA-Canada.
“NBTA-Asia Pacific’s agenda will be driven by NBTA-Asia Pacific members,” she said. “The larger NBTA organization will lend support in terms of infrastructure and expertise to help make the organization more successful, while also broadening the opportunities for professional education and networking around the world,” she said.
According to Buckingham, NBTA-Asia Pacific will continue to serve existing members with Asia Pacific-focused networking, education, resources and advocacy, while also expanding membership through the region.
“At the same time, members will gain opportunities to take advantage of benefits offered by our new parent organization at member rates, and NBTA will expand its global platform for sponsors to reach corporate and government travel buyers,” Buckingham said.
ABTA will be wound up as a solvent entity and begin operating as NBTA-Asia Pacific from April 2, 2007, and a new NBTA-Asia Pacific Board will be put in place, reporting to the NBTA Board.
In addition to the new name, the association will have a new logo (at right) and a new website – www.nbta.org.au (launching 5 April).
About NBTA-Asia Pacific
NBTA-Asia Pacific, formerly the Australasian Business Travel Association (ABTA), is the region’s largest business travel industry association and is active in progressing and promoting the status of business travel and improving the return on investment for members by way of member benefits and activities.
NBTA-Asia Pacific lobbies on behalf of its members and the industry on issues that impact members' ability to achieve their organizational goals. It is also committed to the professional development of buyers of business travel through access to education programs, presentations, and industry case studies. This allows members to develop their skills, measure their performance, and benchmark against their peers. For more information, see www.nbta.org.au (launching 5 April).
About NBTA
The National Business Travel Association is the source for critical information on the business travel industry. For nearly 40 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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