The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) hosted its first GBTA China Conference from April 15 through April 17, 2013 in Shanghai. More than 150 business leaders and travel industry professionals from across China, Asia Pacific and the US gathered at Shanghai’s Jin Jiang Tower Hotel. The three-day event featured speakers, panels, and educational seminars about the fast-growing Chinese business travel industry. Delegates had an opportunity to network and forge new business relationships with industry peers, while sharing best practices and exploring emerging trends that generate savings and better utilization of resources in China.
At the conference, Michael W. McCormick, GBTA Executive Director and COO, presented the key findings from the GBTA BTI China Outlook, Spring 2013 report, a semi-annual analysis of the Chinese business travel market. The report predicts that business travel spending will increase by 15 percent in 2013 as China remains on track to become the world’s largest business travel market by 2015. McCormick also announced the founding of the GBTA China Chapter.
Expert speakers and panelists discussed the challenges and opportunities that corporate travel management is facing due to the rapid growth of business travel expenditure in China and the Asia Pacific region. Professor Weng Jin, Vice Dean of the Department of Tourism at Fudan University in Shanghai delivered the Keynote Speech at the conference, and spoke on the theme of “China’s Travel Industry: Future Trends and Policies.” George Cao, CEO of Dragon Trail and Tripshow.com, gave a presentation about connecting with Chinese travellers by digital and social media.
Conference panels discussed topics including China’s new policy on international distribution companies, the role of TMCs in China, factors influencing the evolving Chinese airline industry, cultural differences of doing business in China, and the increasingly diverse landscape of China’s business hotel industry.
As a result of the success of the 2013 GBTA China Conference, the GBTA and Jin Jiang International Hotels have confirmed a commitment to continue their partnership, and will work together on the next conference, which will take place in Shanghai in April 2014.
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