GBTA BTI - A View From Europe

Simple meetings may represent the majority of meeting volume, but they often remain the least visible, least controlled, and most difficult to measure. In this three-part podcast series from the GBTA Europe Meetings & Events Committee, Jason Long, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at HRS, speaks with industry leaders about how organisations are tackling data gaps, improving compliance, and using technology and AI to build more effective and measurable meetings programmes. In this episode - Jason Long speaks with Andrew Needham, CEO of Headbox, about the unescapable role of AI in meetings management. Together, we'll explore the pros & cons of how AI can be used in the meetings space of business travel. We will examine how it reduces manual effort, prevents leakage, strengthens decisions and increases the user experience.   Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

Simple meetings may represent the majority of meeting volume, but they often remain the least visible, least controlled, and most difficult to measure. In this three-part podcast series from the GBTA Europe Meetings & Events Committee, Jason Long, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at HRS, speaks with industry leaders about how organisations are tackling data gaps, improving compliance, and using technology and AI to build more effective and measurable meetings programmes. Across the series, listeners will gain practical insight into sustainability reporting, financial oversight, automation, and integrated technology strategies shaping the future of meetings management. In this episode - Jason Long speaks with Carol Fergus, Director of Global Travel and Events at Fidelity, about why simple meetings continue to create major visibility and reporting challenges for organisations. Together, they explore how travel leaders are working to connect fragmented data sources to better measure sustainability, savings, and traveller satisfaction outcomes.   Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License   

Simple meetings may represent the majority of meeting volume, but they often remain the least visible, least controlled, and most difficult to measure. In this three-part podcast series from the GBTA Europe Meetings & Events Committee, Jason Long, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at HRS, speaks with industry leaders about how organisations are tackling data gaps, improving compliance, and using technology and AI to build more effective and measurable meetings programmes. Across the series, listeners will gain practical insight into sustainability reporting, financial oversight, automation, and integrated technology strategies shaping the future of meetings management. In this episode - Jason Long joins Gill Day, Senior Global Account Director at BCD Meetings & Events, to examine how integrated technology can help organisations gain greater transparency and control across simple meetings programmes. The discussion highlights how automation and connected systems can reduce manual processes, improve compliance, and create a stronger foundation for scalable programme management.   Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

AI in corporate travel is no longer theoretical. It is operational.​ In this episode of Business of Travel, the GBTA Europe Technology Committee takes a practical look at how AI assistants are being deployed across managed travel programs.​ Host Lenny Hornsby speaks with Johnny Thorsen, a technology leader with hands-on experience implementing AI solutions, about availability, onboarding, ideal client fit, limitations, and measurable impact.​ The discussion moves beyond buzzwords to address real questions:​ Where is AI working today?​ Where does human intervention still matter?​ What governance and data considerations must travel leaders understand?​ For corporate travel managers and global program owners, this episode provides a grounded framework for evaluating AI tools in managed travel. Speakers: Heinz Lennard Hornsby (Lenny) – Chair of the GBTA Europe Technology Committee Johnny Thorsen – VP Strategic Business Development, Serko Ltd.   Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

Diving into the European business travel outlook, using recent data from the GBTA Business Travel Index, our annual global benchmark sponsored by Visa, Chris Ely, Research Director, GBTA sits down with Romain Mialane, Visa, Sales Director, Europe.  What you'll hear:  What Europe data really says  How payments data adds context  What travel managers should be paying attention to as we head into the next planning cycle.    Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

In this episode of GBTA's The Business of Travel, Chris Ely, Research Director, GBTA, sits down with Edward Galvin, Head of Visa Commercial Solutions, North America, to unpack what the latest GBTA Business Travel Index (BTI) forecasts about the state of business travel worldwide. From the big-picture forces driving global spend to a closer look at how key regions are performing, they break down the numbers behind the headlines and what they mean for travel programs and suppliers. The conversation also explores how technology and AI are reshaping everything from the traveler experience to payments and program management, before closing with a clear-eyed outlook on where business travel spending might head next.   Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

While the situation continues to evolve, regional experts discuss how disruptions across the Middle East are having global ramifications impacting aviation, fuel availability, and airline operations. Designed for global travel buyers, this episode aims to provide clarity, context, and actionable takeaways to support informed decision-making in global business travel.  Hear scenario-based insights and actionable approaches to help you navigate volatility and plan with greater confidence, focusing on practical implications for cost management, supplier strategy, and programme resilience.  Moderator: Calum Hawley, Chair of GBTA Transportation Committee and Managing Director, BTC Global. Ben Park – Direct Seat, Regional Europe, GBTA and Executive Director Travel & Sustainability Parexel Peter Harbison, Chairman of Greener Airlines and co-founder of FACTS Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

Geopolitical uncertainty, shifting ESG narratives, and budget pressures are forcing companies to think differently about sustainability. This session dives into how organizations are turning these constraints into catalysts—reframing sustainability as business value, leveraging it as a competitive advantage, and finding innovative ways to fund and scale their efforts.   Speakers: Townsend Bailey, VP Global Corporate Responsibility Strategy, Reporting, & Technology, IHG Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Air Lines Page Motes, Chief Compliance & Sustainability Officer, Hertz Brought to you by GBTA Foundation Sustainability Partners   Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

About Episode One: Singapore has a 2040 vision for the future of business events. What does that mean for the rest of APAC? In the latest episode of Business of Travel, GBTA's APAC MICE Power Talks series, Navodit  Srivastava, Hospitality Cloud Leader for Cvent in Asia Pacific, sits down with Carrie Kwik, Executive Director, Conventions, Meetings & Incentive Travel, Singapore Tourism Board to explore how one of the region's leading destinations is preparing for the next two decades of MICE growth.   They unpack infrastructure investment, sustainability priorities, evolving buyer expectations, and what it takes for destinations to remain competitive in a complex regional landscape.   About APAC MICE Power Talks GBTA APAC MICE Power Talks is a thought-leadership podcast series created by the GBTA APAC MICE Committee to explore how the business events industry is evolving across Asia-Pacific. Designed for corporate buyers, destinations, venues, DMCs, and industry partners, the series brings forward practical conversations on strategy, innovation, sustainability, technology, and the future of meetings and events in one of the world's most dynamic regions. Each episode features candid discussions with industry leaders and decision-makers, focusing on real challenges and opportunities shaping MICE programmes today. The intent is not promotional, but insightful—offering perspectives that help planners, suppliers, and stakeholders make better-informed decisions in a complex, multi-market environment. A defining feature of the podcast is its destination-focused approach. Selected episodes spotlight specific APAC destinations, including established hubs and emerging markets. These conversations go beyond surface-level narratives to examine each destination's MICE ecosystem—covering infrastructure, policy developments, sustainability initiatives, talent, technology adoption, and the unique experiences they offer to global and regional buyers. By combining destination voices with corporate and industry perspectives, GBTA APAC MICE Power Talks provides a balanced view of how destinations are positioning themselves for the future of business events. The series serves as a platform for shared learning, regional collaboration, and forward-looking dialogue—bringing APAC destinations into focus through meaningful, industry-led conversations. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

The Big Idea: How divisive debates in travel are shaping the future  The verdict is in! After three fiery debates across GBTA's APAC, Europe, and Australia conferences, we're unpacking the results, reactions, and revelations that shook the business travel community. This isn't a replay; it's a deep dive into what the debates revealed about the future of our industry. Which arguments swayed the audience? Where did consensus emerge, and where did fault lines deepen? Join us as we explore the key insights and implications from these high-stakes discussions: The Future of OBTs: Are they on the brink of extinction, or evolving with AI and chatbots? Next-Gen Traveller Behaviour: Does flexibility drive better outcomes than rigid policy? Biometrics & Secure ID: Will tech streamline travel or create new global challenges? Expect candid analysis, surprising trends, and expert commentary on what these debates mean for travel programs, technology, and the traveller experience. If you want to know where the industry is headed, and why, this podcast has the answers. Brought to you by BCD   Moderator: Chris Elmitt, CEO LIVVE  Speakers: Sarah Whiting, Senior Director Global Solutions Engineering, BCD Travel Siobhan Prideaux, Sr Director Sales , BCD Travel   Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License