NBTA Convention Draws Record Attendance | Nearly 5,500 Travel Professionals Participate in the Leading Corporate Travel Event
Chicago | The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) 2006 International Convention & Exposition comes to a close today after attracting the largest delegation in the annual conference's 38-year history to the four-day event hosted this week at Chicago's Lakeside Center at McCormick Place. The nearly 5,500 attendees was comprised of approximately 1,300 travel buyers, 4,200 travel suppliers and more than 80 reporters
The association, which represents more than 2,700 corporate travel professionals, has begun preparations its 2007 convention in Boston, having already sold more than 105,200 square feet of exhibit hall space for the event.
Suzanne Fletcher, President and CEO of NBTA, commented, "NBTA is pleased to have broken yet another attendance record at the International Convention & Exposition. This annual increase in attendance to the convention is even further proof of the value managed travel programs provide to companies around the world and the important role corporate travel plays in the global economy. We were pleased to welcome more than 5,500 attendees to our convention this year to provide education, networking opportunities and other resources to dedicated corporate travel professionals."
The NBTA Convention featured more than 50 education sessions in eight session tracks, including seminars focused on the progress of travel-related initiatives set forth by the Bush administration, tactics for ensuring the safety and security of employees traveling internationally, and an update on the latest developments in the global distribution market (GDS). Frank Moss, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Passport Services; Robert Mocny, acting Director of the US-VISIT program; and Stephen Barth, Associate Professor, University of Houston were notable panelists included in the more than 100 speakers at the event. The NBTA Convention also featured keynotes speeches delivered by former President George H.W. Bush, veteran journalist Bernard Shaw and former President and CEO of Hewlett Packard Carly Fiorina.
The exhibition portion of the convention featured more than 406 suppliers, covering 107,000 square feet, in a variety of categories within the travel industry including airlines, hotels, car rentals, travel management companies, safety and security experts, and technology providers. Numerous companies exhibiting at the event made announcements of new products and services aimed to improve efficiencies, drive savings and enhance the comfort level of the road warriors. For a complete listing of vendor announcements made at the NBTA Convention, please visit http://pressroom.nbtaconvention.org/nbtapressroom.
Fletcher added, "NBTA extends its thanks to all of the attendees of this year's convention, including our generous sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, journalists and buyers. Without their support and enthusiasm throughout the history of the association, the NBTA Convention would not be the industry-leading event it is today. We look forward to another successful and ground-breaking event in 2007 in Boston."
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For more information regarding the NBTA International Convention & Exposition, please visit www.nbtaconvention.org. Members of the media interested in attending the NBTA Convention should visit www.nbtaconvention.org/pressroom.asp for registration and more information.
About the NBTA International Convention & Exposition
The NBTA International Convention & Exposition, now in its 38th year, is expected to attract more than 5,000 corporate travel buyers and representatives of exhibiting suppliers. With a tradeshow spanning nearly 110,000 square feet of Lakeside Center at Chicago's McCormick Place and more than 50 cutting-edge education sessions, the NBTA Convention is widely recognized as the must-attend event for travel buyers, suppliers, industry leaders and business travel journalists.About NBTA | The National Business Travel Association is the source for critical information on the business travel industry. For more than 35 years, NBTA has dedicated itself to the professional development of its mibers through advocacy, education and training, and networking opportunities. NBTA represents over 2,700 corporate and government travel managers and travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than $170 billion of expenditures within the business travel industry. For more on NBTA, visit .
Caleb Tiller
(703) 684-0836 Ext. 138
GBTA