The
three-day event featured a programme of educational seminars about
the fast-growing Chinese business travel industry, and was a chance
for delegates to network with industry peers and forge new business
relationships.
GBTA
China Conference attendees were the first to hear Michael W.
McCormick, GBTA Executive Director and COO, present the key findings
from the GBTA BTI™ China Outlook, Spring 2013 report, a semi-annual
analysis of the world’s most dynamic 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 an
exciting new initiative, the founding of the GBTA China Chapter.
Throughout
the three days of the conference, GBTA delegates shared best
practices and explored emerging trends that generate savings and
better utilization of resources in China. Alongside this, expert
speakers and panelists discussed the unique 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.
The
Keynote Speech at the 2013 GBTA China Conference was delivered by
Professor Weng Jin, Vice Dean of the Department of Tourism at Fudan
University in Shanghai, who 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 brought together Chinese and global travel industry leaders to
discuss key business travel 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.
