The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Institute for Supply Management (ISM) together with exclusive media partner, Procurement.travel announced the third annual GBTA and ISM Travel and Meetings Summit is to be held April 19-20, 2011 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans.
The Summit is designed to meet the needs of senior purchasing and supply management professionals with oversight responsibilities for their companies’ meeting and business travel spend. The two-day program will feature the latest research on trends in indirect services procurement, how to align procurement with corporate performance as well as case studies from leading corporations who have optimized these categories.
“As more trips are taken and as rates are expected to increase this year, the importance of this event is obvious. Helping participants find new efficiencies in their travel and meeting spend will help them drive better results for their clients or companies,” said Mike McCormick, Executive Director and COO, GBTA. “We are pleased to partner with ISM again to host this important event and provide those in the industry far-reaching access to the knowledge and training that will continue to positively impact companies into the future – the progression of our industry is pushed forward by powerful events such as this summit.”
“The recovering economy and the increasing price of fuel are going to drive up the costs related to business travel,” said ISM CEO Paul Novak. “More and more, supply management professionals are being tasked with the responsibility for this spend. Whether this task is a new area of responsibility or an existing one, a conference devoted to this spend can only serve to make you more successful in its management.”
Also new for 2011 is a Pre-Summit workshop on Strategic Meetings Management: Building the Business Case. This one-day workshop is designed to help participants clearly articulate the benefits of implementing a Strategic Meetings Management Program (SMMP) in their corporate environment. The Pre-Summit workshop is open to both buyer/managers and suppliers of SMM programs. The Pre-Summit workshop is complimentary to all full Summit attendees or available at cost of US$199 for individuals not registered to attend the GBTA and ISM Summit.
Online registration and a full agenda for the Travel and Meetings Summit can be found on the GTBA website www.gbta.org.