With 4,300 attendees, including 1,000 first-time attendees, this year’s convention was still smaller than pre-pandemic. For some, the trip to San Diego was their first major global business conference since the pandemic began. For others, it may have been their first flight or first significant business trip. But the energy and excitement were palpable – on the tradeshow floor, in education sessions and at after-hours events, you could feel people’s eagerness to reconnect and move forward. Conversations have turned from “How about that pandemic?” to “Tell me what’s next, what’s new, what’s better?”
Video: Relive #GBTA2022 with BCD Travel
Breaking news
At the show, Advito’s Olivier Benoit announced the development of the industry’s first ISO certified carbon emissions calculator for meetings and event. It’s based on Advito’s ISO certified carbon emissions scale, GATE4. Advito and BCD M&E developed the calculator to help clients factor sustainability into their event strategies and to understand and measure the non-traditional elements contributing to overall emissions. Advito and BCD M&E are empowering their clients to make the environmental impact of their meetings and events a central element of their planning process and driving the industry toward a more sustainable future.
Benoit, Principal and Vice President, Air, I&A, Sustainability at Advito, shared the news from GBTA’s first-ever Sustainability Pavilion, a dedicated convention space for key sustainability topics.
Industry awards at GBTA
Jorge Mesa, Director, Global Crisis Management at BCD Travel and Co-Chair of GBTA Europe Risk Committee, received the 2022 GBTA Business Travel Service Award, an elite recognition for GBTA members who have made significant contributions to the business travel industry and distinguished themselves as industry leaders devoted to advancing their company, their association (both local and national), their fellow business associates. Mesa was recognized for his outstanding contribution to GBTA as Co-Chair of the EMEA Risk Committee which works to educate and inform GBTA and its members as to the necessity of integrating risk management into their global travel and meetings programs. Mesa presented the topic, “ISO 31030 – What is it and what do I do with it,” during an education session at the convention.
The ability to meet in-person again at the GBTA Convention 2022 in San Diego truly exceeded our expectations. If you missed us at the show or want to relive the experience, check out this video, which opens with an introduction from our global Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer Mike Janssen.
