Business Travel Professionals Gather in Washington to Educate Congress on Industry’s Economic Impact

Washington, DC | The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) – the world’s leading association representing the business travel industry – this week hosted the 7th Annual NBTA Legislative Summit in Washington, DC. More than 65 corporate travel professionals from throughout the United States gathered to learn about current legislative affairs affecting business travelers and the travel industry as a whole. Attendees yesterday met with their representatives on Capitol Hill to discuss aviation infrastructure updates and the importance of corporate travel, meetings and events to the U.S. and global economy.

Kevin Maguire, CCTE, GLP, NBTA President & CEO, said, “Each year NBTA members look forward to the Legislative Summit, seizing the opportunity to learn about Congressional matters that may harm or enhance their current jobs and future career opportunities. By taking action today to speak out about efficient facilitation of business travel, corporate travel professionals are working to advance the industry toward a better future.”

While meeting with member of Congress, attendees urged representatives to:

• Resist congressional efforts to dictate travel policies within companies that have accepted TARP funds and consider the positives meetings bring to local communities and the global economy when speaking publicly.
• Enact FAA reauthorization to spend deployment of NextGen (the Next Generation Air Transport System) and reduce delays caused by an antiquated air traffic control system. NBTA members also expressed concern with a provision in the bill passed in the House (H.R. 915) that would increase the current cap on Passenger Facility Charges.

Maguire added, “As corporate travel professionals, we have a duty to voice our concerns about and support for issues that directly affect the business travel industry and the communities in which we reside. NBTA members yesterday took it upon themselves to meet face-to-face with their local and state representatives to reinforce the economic impacts business travel has on hard-working Americans and their families.”

About the Global Business Travel Association | The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world's premier business travel and meetings organization. Collectively, GBTA's 5,000-plus members manage over $340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA provides its network of 17,000 business and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education & professional development, research, and advocacy. For more information, visit gbta.org