CONTACT:
Caleb Tiller, +1 703-684-0836, ext. 138, ctiller@nbta.org
Nicole Hayes, +1 703-684-0836, ext. 133, nhayes@nbta.org
40 Percent of Attendees are Travel Managers
15 May/Mai (Paris) -- Crossroads – the pan-European Business Travel Conference & Expo co-hosted by the Paragon Partnership alliance of business travel associations and 12 business travel organisations from around the world – welcomed 270 business travel professionals who spent the latter part of this week addressing the most important topics impacting the industry.
Kevin Maguire, CCTE, GLP, President & CEO of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), one of the hosts of Crossroads, said, “As the world faces economic uncertainty, companies are turning to effective travel management as a way to reduce costs and increase value. In turn, the European travel management community relies on Crossroads and all of its host organisations for the latest information and trends that will help them maximise value for their companies.”
Herman Huijer, Chairman of the Board of the Netherlands Association of Travel Management (NATM), commented, “The importance of Crossroads in large part stems from its uniqueness as a pan-European event. By drawing participants from 17 countries – and with 40 percent buyer participation -- we are able to create dialogues that are truly beneficial for European travel managers directing multi-national programs.”
Crossroads 2009 offered attendees a wide range of keynotes, panel discussions and education sessions, as well as an Expo of some 25 leading business travel industry suppliers.
Education sessions were divided into three tracks to address the most important topics challenging business travel professionals:
- Going “glocal” – finding the right local versus global strategy for multinational travel programmes
- Driving savings with strategic travel and meetings management techniques
- Travel management in uncertain times
Speakers included:
- Peter Griffiths, Regional Vice President Europe, International Air Travel Association
- Elling Hamso (European Event ROI Institute) and Maarten Vanneste (Abbit) - Designing Effective Meetings with Measurable Results
- Arjan van Weele (Eindhoven University of Technology) - Professionalising Travel Management: Dealing With Compliance and Governance Issues
- John Plender (Financial Times) - Through A Glass Darkly: The Global Economic Outlook
- Kell Ryan (co-founder of Ryanair) - Up in the Air: The Future of European Aviation
Crossroads exposition exhibitors included:
- AFTM
- American Airlines
- American Express Business Travel
- Avis Europe
- BCD Travel
- Carey International, Inc.
- CARINO Hotels and Resorts Worldwide
- Concorde Hotels
- Concur
- Dav El Chauffeured Transportation Network
- Diners Club International
- Edward Limousines & Travel Group - EQSL
- GetThere
- HRG (Hogg Robinson Group)
- Interstate Hotels & Resorts
- K Hotels
- Luxe Worldwide Hotels
- Mondial Assistance Group
- Posadas
- SkyTeam Global Airline Alliance
- Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts
- Thalys International SCRL
- The Leading Hotels of the World
- Travelport GDS
- UATP
- WORLDHOTELS
- Wyndham Hotel Group
Crossroads Paris: Paragon Business Travel Conference & Expo, to be held 14-15 May 2009, is a unique pan-European business travel conference. The event, now in its second year, is co-hosted by: The Paragon Partnership: The Global Alliance of Business Travel Associations; the Austrian Business Travel Association; the Brazilian Business Travel Association; the Danish Business Travel Association; the Finnish Business Travel Association; l’Association Française des Travel Managers, Verband Deutsches Reisemanagement (the Business Travel Association of Germany); the Netherlands Association for Travel Management; the Norwegian Business Travel Association; the Iberian Business Travel Association (Spain); the Swedish Business Travel Association; the Institute of Travel Management (UK and Ireland); and the National Business Travel Association (U.S.-based, global organisation).
Crossroads Paris offers corporate travel professionals unparalleled education and networking, as well as an Expo highlighting the latest products and services from the leading European business travel suppliers. The program will be in both French and English, with simultaneous translation.