It was a busy, productive agenda with 12 meetings with elected officials over two and a half days. Tune in for our video takeaways from Brussels: from Shane Downey, GBTA Vice President, Government Relations, onsite at the European Parliament; Delphine Milliot, GBTA SVP of Sustainability & Advocacy and Managing Director of the GBTA Foundation from the European Commission; and my own insights here at the European Council.

Together we made the case for sustainability, passenger facilitation and infrastructure needs that the business travel industry requires.

The focus on and in Europe continues this week as today we kick off the GBTA + VDR Europe Conference 2023 in Hamburg, Germany.

With over 1,000 attendees registered, this event is THE place where the European business travel community comes together to network with peers, learn from experts, and connect for business. The three-day event starts with dedicated programming in a critical area for our industry: sustainability and climate action.

The full event lineup includes education sessions, expert speakers, roundtables and workshops and important topics for discussion and action such as travel programs and compliance, purposeful meetings and events, evolving business traveler behavior, and cultivating our future workforce − along with ample time for buyers and suppliers to connect in the Expo.

In tandem with the event, GBTA will also be unveiling the near- and longer-term forecast for Europe based on regional data analysis from our 2023 Business Travel Index™ Outlook global report. In addition to economic and trend indicators, we will share results from our survey of over 1,100 European business travelers about their preferences, spending patterns and more. (Watch GBTA’s communications channels for the news.)

And if you’re interested in more future-focused insights, don’t miss the latest GBTA Business Travel Outlook poll results released last month reflecting global industry sentiment about 2023 and for the year ahead.

Finally, American Thanksgiving is just around the corner – and I’m mindful at this time of year to give thanks for all that’s good in our world. You’re a motivating force for my team, our board, and me – thanks for all you do to make business travel and GBTA a great place to gather, learn, and grow.

If you are interested in more about GBTA’s ongoing related initiatives, read our latest GBTA Europe Advocacy Newsletter. Advocacy sets us apart at GBTA – and we need your ongoing support and engagement in this regard to keep our industry moving forward together with policymakers around the world.

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