Scholarship Winner David Kuffel Highlights the 2016 GBTA Convention
Posted by elaineadmin on Aug. 25, 2016 / Subscribe 0
The GBTA convention was held in Denver, CO this year. It was my 12th GBTA conference, but I had not been for the last 3 years. I appreciate the opportunity BABTA gave me to attend this year, with the assistance of the scholarship. It is always a very valuable experience for buyers and suppliers. There were over 6,500 people in attendance this year, and it was the first time GBTA sold 100% of its convention floor space to suppliers. The city of Denver was a gracious host and the Convention Center is a great facility for such a large event.
There were valuable and informative presentations given by industry leaders. Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines, who presented challenges the carrier experienced after their merger, and what they were doing to become a better carrier for passengers and their employee base. He also discussed the challenges the airline industry faces in general, what changes lie ahead, and what buyers and consumers can expect in the coming months. He also answered a few questions regarding the health challenges he recently faced, and his miraculous recovery and return to the helm of one of the largest global carriers.
Next, we heard from Peter Neffenger, Administrator for the TSA. Peter was confirmed by the U.S. Senate just over a year ago, as the sixth administrator of the TSA. Before this, Mr. Neffenger served as Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. He felt that this position helped him prepare for his role with the TSA, now leading a team that also protects the interest of the Public at large, as he did when he led the team of dedicated members of the U.S. Coast Guard. The TSA continues as a professional counterterrorism agency dedicated to the protection of U.S. transportation systems and the people who use them. He is working hard to make the traveler experience easier and more efficient through use of new procedures and technology which continues to be tested at various locations before full deployment. TSA Pre-Check will continue to expand and evolve into a program that becomes more and more traveler-friendly, while maintaining the high level of security required at our nation’s airports. He discussed some of the challenges they face on a day to day basis throughout the system, from individual lack of awareness of the process, to real incidents they have to handle as threats to the safety of the U.S. transportation network and those who use it.
Tuesday, there was a lively discussion about the future of Ground Transportation from a couple of opposing leaders is the industry- Scott Solombrino and David Baga, moderated by Richard Quest, an anchor/correspondent from CNN. There are differing opinions within the industry about the viability, safety and the Duty of Care various parts of the transportation industry provide to their customers. This presentation clearly provided that differing insight, leaving consumers and buyers to determine what best fits their individual needs and corporate culture/requirements. The discussion is not over yet….
The featured speakers at lunch ranged from actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to football legend- Peyton Manning and finally to astronaut Scott Kelly. Each discussed the path of careers that led them to where they are today, the value of their many experiences and the personal passion they had for their careers, which really fueled them to reach the goals they each aspired to.
The over 80 educational sessions were well received and covered topics such as- new technologies and how they continue to advance necessary access to information for both users and corporations as our marketplace becomes more and more open to new avenues of consumption. While we are open to new ideas/technologies, we sometimes yield to caution, as we remain somewhat risk adverse as corporate entities. How to balance the need for Duty of Care, access to the best pricing for the various services that we purchase, and the reporting/information options we need to consolidate this data for benchmarking, procurement and risk management, is an ongoing challenge. There were a wide variety of forums that covered these various topics.
Finally, the Convention Expo was its usual amazing expanse of space filled by dozens and dozens of our valued suppliers presenting their value/ purpose to the business consumer. They identified what sets each of them apart from their competitors and all added a bit of fun and education to each interaction they had. Collectively they provided end to end solutions to the corporate traveler and the companies they work for.
It was a very valuable experience for me as a buyer. Networking with other industry colleagues is one of the most valuable parts of the convention experience, as well as information on current and emerging technologies. This industry is massive and evolving at a faster pace than ever before. The value of the vast knowledge and experience of our industry peers and their willingness to share their expertise, is what continues to make these conventions such a rewarding event. It also reminds us to find the Balance we all need to be successful.
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