By Lisa Pitzer

For years I’ve heard my colleagues talk about the annual Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Convention: the educational opportunities, the people they’ve met, and the camaraderie among attendees; but I’ve never had the opportunity to attend this premier business travel event. This year I applied for an education scholarship through the Virginia Business Travel Association (VBTA), and to my delight, I was awarded the scholarship that gave me the opportunity to attend the GBTA Convention in Orlando July 25-29. Finally it was my turn!

What Happens at GBTA Convention?

As a “first-timer,” I had the opportunity to attend the First Time Attendee Orientation and Luncheon on Sunday. I was fortunate to be seated with a great group of other “first-timers,” as well as our table host, Samantha Bean, President of my VBTA chapter. The featured speaker was Robert Stevenson, author of the book “How to Soar Like an Eagle in a World Full of Turkeys.” Mr. Stevenson had us all in stitches, sharing many entertaining stories about customer service and sales in the business world.

In addition to a myriad of educational sessions, we had the chance to spend time in the Expo every day. I am a big believer that face-to-face meetings play a major role in working together towards a common goal, and finally shaking hands with many vendors that I work with on a regular basis was long overdue. In addition, I met many new potential vendors which enables me to make educated decisions in choosing the best options for my company, and most importantly, for Covington’s customers.

Networking plays a major role at the Convention and I used every opportunity to not only spend quality time with my colleagues, fellow VBTA members and current customers, but also to make valuable new contacts. I had many conversations with peers who share some of the same challenges and issues that I face routinely, and we shared best practices. It is always reassuring to know that you are not the only one facing a particular challenge.

In my opinion, one of the best parts of the Convention was hearing about the latest industry developments and technology. I strive to stay at the forefront of these trends so that Covington can provide the best advice and service to our very savvy customers. It is crucial to keep abreast of what is happening in the ever-changing travel industry, and I can think of no better venue than the Convention to keep me up to speed. At GBTA Convention I was able to learn about all the latest and greatest travel products and services all under one roof.

Non-Profit Causes Supported by GBTA

GBTA promotes many great causes and two that I personally found very appealing were WINiT and ECPAT.

WINiT is a non-profit organization that serves as a catalyst to drive change, provide support and educate the public about the benefits of career development, visibility and the promotion of women in the travel industry. Hey, that’s me!

ECPAT-USA (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking) is the leading anti-trafficking policy organization in the US. It advocates for federal and state legislation that prevents exploitation, promotes corporate responsibility, educates on how to identify child exploitation, and empowers people to become activists against this terrible trade. I never really thought about what this had to do with the travel industry until hearing GBTA’s call to action. Hotels, airlines, and other travel-related businesses all have the opportunity to identify and report suspicious activity.

My first trip to the GBTA Convention was an incredible learning experience, and I look forward to attending next year in Denver.

Lisa Pitzer is the Director of Business Travel Services at Covington Travel. She has over 23 years’ experience in the travel industry.

For information about how Covington Travel helps organizations manage their business travel, contact our Business Travel Services division.