The Business of Travel

Global Business Travel Association

The Business of Travel is the official podcast of the Global Business Travel Association covering all things related to business travel. Expect weekly episodes each featuring interviews with industry experts and thought leaders on a range of key issues affecting the business travel industry. Visit gbta.org to learn more.

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20 episodes
Updated July 20

Episodes20

Newest first

July 20 · 24 min
Personalisation Technology Trends in Accommodation
In this episode of The Business of Travel, the GBTA Europe Accommodation Committee explores how technology is shaping personalisation across the accommodation experience in business travel. Hosted by Daniel Norris, Regional Director of Sales at ehotel and members of the GBTA Europe Accommodation Committee, the conversation brings together perspectives from across the business travel ecosystem, including travel management, accommodation providers, and hotel operations. Together, the panel discusses how personalisation is evolving beyond traveller preference alone and becoming increasingly connected to compliance, operational efficiency, booking experience, payments, and data integration. Listeners will gain practical insight into where technology is creating value today, how personalisation expectations are changing, and what organisations should consider as they evolve their accommodation programmes. Speakers: Daniel Norris, Regional Director of Sales, ehotel Juliet Howie, Account Manager, Radisson Hotels Group Andrea Batchelor I Global Hotel Lead | Travel & Expense, Barclays Jo Westlake, Executive Director, Global Corporate Clients, Acco Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
July 15 · 29 min
Digital Accessibility in Business Travel: From Compliance to Competitive Advantage
Digital accessibility is often treated as a compliance checkbox—but in reality, it's a complex, evolving discipline with direct implications for risk, customer experience, and operational efficiency. In this episode, a Product Manager and Accessibility Compliance lead at Cytric Easy at Amadeus IT Group (Nick Hebrant) breaks down what accessibility actually means in practice. The conversation demystifies WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines, clarifying that they are not rigid standards but guidelines—introducing interpretation, subjectivity, and inconsistency across organizations and regions. Key insights include: Why most accessibility issues are invisible and rooted in underlying code The absence of standardized scoring, and what VPAT/ACR reports really represent The operational and global complexity of managing accessibility across platforms Common pitfalls, including misaligned audits and lack of product context For Travel Managers (conversation led by Cristina Chimenti), the takeaway is clear: your role isn't to solve accessibility technically, but to manage the conversation strategically. By understanding on vendor mindset, structured progress, and informed questioning, organizations can move beyond focusing on compliance as an end goal. Accessibility isn't a finish line—it's an ongoing journey that separates reactive organizations from resilient ones. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
July 13 · 23 min
BTI en foco: Tendencias de viajes de negocios en América Latina / BTI findings for Latin America and share perspective from Visa
Nota: Este episodio está disponible en español. En este episodio de The Business of Travel, Mariana Pérez Ponce de León, Regional Director, Mexico, Central America and Colombia de GBTA, y Daniel Duarte, South Regional Manager de GBTA, conversan con Alfredo Dellepiane, Sr. Director – LAC Agro & WCS Head, Visa Commercial Solutions, LAC, sobre los hallazgos más recientes del GBTA Business Travel Index™ para América Latina. La conversación explora el crecimiento de los viajes de negocios en la región, las tendencias por mercado, la percepción de los viajeros, la gestión de costos, los pagos corporativos, la sostenibilidad y los factores económicos que están dando forma al futuro de los viajes de negocios en América Latina. Un agradecimiento especial a Visa por patrocinar esta serie de podcasts del BTI y por apoyar año tras año la investigación de GBTA. ---- Please note: This podcast episode is presented in Spanish. In this episode of The Business of Travel, GBTA's Mariana Pérez Ponce de León, Regional Director, Mexico, Central America and Colombia, and Daniel Duarte, South Regional Manager, are joined by Alfredo Dellepiane, Sr. Director – LAC Agro & WCS Head, Visa Commercial Solutions, LAC, to unpack the latest GBTA Business Travel Index™ findings for Latin America. The conversation explores regional business travel growth, market-by-market trends, traveler sentiment, cost management, corporate payments, sustainability, and the economic factors shaping the future of business travel across Latin America. A special thank you to Visa for sponsoring this BTI podcast series and supporting GBTA's business travel research year after year. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
July 9 · 51 min
2026 Hotel RFP Trends presented by the US GBTA Accommodations Committee
In this episode of The Business of Travel, presented by the GBTA U.S. Accommodations Committee, Fred Veliyev, Principal Product Manager at Cvent Transient, David Mollov, Managing Director of Travel Industry Solutions at Emburse, and Annette Cumming, SVP Business Development at CerebriAI, discuss the key trends that emerged from the 2026 hotel RFP season. The conversation explores what buyers should know as they evaluate hotel program performance, supplier strategy, sourcing decisions, and the evolving technologies shaping accommodation programs. Listeners will gain practical insights into the current hotel sourcing landscape and considerations for building stronger, more informed hotel programs moving forward. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
July 7 · 26 min
GBTA Board View: Are You Ready for Convention?
The GBTA Convention annually brings together thousands of business travel professionals to connect, learn, grow and shape the future of the global industry. So, what can attendees expect at GBTA Convention 2026 in Chicago, August 3-5, and how can they make the most of their experience? In this podcast, Alison Rogan, Vice President of the GBTA Board of Directors and Head of Travel, Events and Expense Management at HSBC; Kevin Sullivan, Treasurer of the GBTA Board of Directors and Managing Director of Sales at Southwest Business; and Edward Galvin, President of the GBTA Allied Leadership Council and Vice President & Head of North America B2B Commercial Payment Sales at Visa, provide an insider's preview of GBTA Convention 2026 in Chicago, highlighting what attendees can expect, must-see sessions, and new programming. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
June 15 · 25 min
AI in Meetings: From Insight to Action
Simple meetings may represent the majority of meeting volume, but they often remain the least visible, least controlled, and most difficult to measure. In this three-part podcast series from the GBTA Europe Meetings & Events Committee, Jason Long, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at HRS, speaks with industry leaders about how organisations are tackling data gaps, improving compliance, and using technology and AI to build more effective and measurable meetings programmes. In this episode - Jason Long speaks with Andrew Needham, CEO of Headbox, about the unescapable role of AI in meetings management. Together, we'll explore the pros & cons of how AI can be used in the meetings space of business travel. We will examine how it reduces manual effort, prevents leakage, strengthens decisions and increases the user experience. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
June 15 · 19 min
Smarter Meetings Management via Integrated Technology
Simple meetings may represent the majority of meeting volume, but they often remain the least visible, least controlled, and most difficult to measure. In this three-part podcast series from the GBTA Europe Meetings & Events Committee, Jason Long, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at HRS, speaks with industry leaders about how organisations are tackling data gaps, improving compliance, and using technology and AI to build more effective and measurable meetings programmes. Across the series, listeners will gain practical insight into sustainability reporting, financial oversight, automation, and integrated technology strategies shaping the future of meetings management. In this episode - Jason Long joins Gill Day, Senior Global Account Director at BCD Meetings & Events, to examine how integrated technology can help organisations gain greater transparency and control across simple meetings programmes. The discussion highlights how automation and connected systems can reduce manual processes, improve compliance, and create a stronger foundation for scalable programme management. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
June 15 · 22 min
Small Meetings, Big Footprint
Simple meetings may represent the majority of meeting volume, but they often remain the least visible, least controlled, and most difficult to measure. In this three-part podcast series from the GBTA Europe Meetings & Events Committee, Jason Long, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at HRS, speaks with industry leaders about how organisations are tackling data gaps, improving compliance, and using technology and AI to build more effective and measurable meetings programmes. Across the series, listeners will gain practical insight into sustainability reporting, financial oversight, automation, and integrated technology strategies shaping the future of meetings management. In this episode - Jason Long speaks with Carol Fergus, Director of Global Travel and Events at Fidelity, about why simple meetings continue to create major visibility and reporting challenges for organisations. Together, they explore how travel leaders are working to connect fragmented data sources to better measure sustainability, savings, and traveller satisfaction outcomes. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
May 11 · 23 min
GBTA Europe Tech Committee - Rethinking Corporate Travel with AI
AI in corporate travel is no longer theoretical. It is operational. In this episode of Business of Travel, the GBTA Europe Technology Committee takes a practical look at how AI assistants are being deployed across managed travel programs. Host Lenny Hornsby speaks with Johnny Thorsen, a technology leader with hands-on experience implementing AI solutions, about availability, onboarding, ideal client fit, limitations, and measurable impact. The discussion moves beyond buzzwords to address real questions: Where is AI working today? Where does human intervention still matter? What governance and data considerations must travel leaders understand? For corporate travel managers and global program owners, this episode provides a grounded framework for evaluating AI tools in managed travel. Speakers: Heinz Lennard Hornsby (Lenny) – Chair of the GBTA Europe Technology Committee Johnny Thorsen – VP Strategic Business Development, Serko Ltd. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
May 4 · 27 min
GBTA BTI - A View From Europe
Diving into the European business travel outlook, using recent data from the GBTA Business Travel Index, our annual global benchmark sponsored by Visa, Chris Ely, Research Director, GBTA sits down with Romain Mialane, Visa, Sales Director, Europe. What you'll hear: What Europe data really says How payments data adds context What travel managers should be paying attention to as we head into the next planning cycle. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
April 27 · 24 min
Jet Fuel Pricing and Supply Risk: Implications for Global Business Travel
While the situation continues to evolve, regional experts discuss how disruptions across the Middle East are having global ramifications impacting aviation, fuel availability, and airline operations. Designed for global travel buyers, this episode aims to provide clarity, context, and actionable takeaways to support informed decision-making in global business travel. Hear scenario-based insights and actionable approaches to help you navigate volatility and plan with greater confidence, focusing on practical implications for cost management, supplier strategy, and programme resilience. Moderator: Calum Hawley, Chair of GBTA Transportation Committee and Managing Director, BTC Global. Ben Park – Direct Seat, Regional Europe, GBTA and Executive Director Travel & Sustainability Parexel Peter Harbison, Chairman of Greener Airlines and co-founder of FACTS Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
April 27 · 23 min
GBTA BTI Global Highlights
In this episode of GBTA's The Business of Travel, Chris Ely, Research Director, GBTA, sits down with Edward Galvin, Head of Visa Commercial Solutions, North America, to unpack what the latest GBTA Business Travel Index (BTI) forecasts about the state of business travel worldwide. From the big-picture forces driving global spend to a closer look at how key regions are performing, they break down the numbers behind the headlines and what they mean for travel programs and suppliers. The conversation also explores how technology and AI are reshaping everything from the traveler experience to payments and program management, before closing with a clear-eyed outlook on where business travel spending might head next. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
April 20 · 25 min
Reframing Sustainability: Navigating Uncertainty with Action | The Carbon Compass
Geopolitical uncertainty, shifting ESG narratives, and budget pressures are forcing companies to think differently about sustainability. This session dives into how organizations are turning these constraints into catalysts—reframing sustainability as business value, leveraging it as a competitive advantage, and finding innovative ways to fund and scale their efforts. Speakers: Townsend Bailey, VP Global Corporate Responsibility Strategy, Reporting, & Technology, IHG Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Air Lines Page Motes, Chief Compliance & Sustainability Officer, Hertz Brought to you by GBTA Foundation Sustainability Partners Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
March 30 · 21 min
GBTA M&E APAC Power Talk Series – Episode 1 - Featuring Destination Singapore with Carrie Kwik from Singapore Tourism Board
About Episode One: Singapore has a 2040 vision for the future of business events. What does that mean for the rest of APAC? In the latest episode of Business of Travel, GBTA's APAC MICE Power Talks series, Navodit Srivastava, Hospitality Cloud Leader for Cvent in Asia Pacific, sits down with Carrie Kwik, Executive Director, Conventions, Meetings & Incentive Travel, Singapore Tourism Board to explore how one of the region's leading destinations is preparing for the next two decades of MICE growth. They unpack infrastructure investment, sustainability priorities, evolving buyer expectations, and what it takes for destinations to remain competitive in a complex regional landscape. About APAC MICE Power Talks GBTA APAC MICE Power Talks is a thought-leadership podcast series created by the GBTA APAC MICE Committee to explore how the business events industry is evolving across Asia-Pacific. Designed for corporate buyers, destinations, venues, DMCs, and industry partners, the series brings forward practical conversations on strategy, innovation, sustainability, technology, and the future of meetings and events in one of the world's most dynamic regions. Each episode features candid discussions with industry leaders and decision-makers, focusing on real challenges and opportunities shaping MICE programmes today. The intent is not promotional, but insightful—offering perspectives that help planners, suppliers, and stakeholders make better-informed decisions in a complex, multi-market environment. A defining feature of the podcast is its destination-focused approach. Selected episodes spotlight specific APAC destinations, including established hubs and emerging markets. These conversations go beyond surface-level narratives to examine each destination's MICE ecosystem—covering infrastructure, policy developments, sustainability initiatives, talent, technology adoption, and the unique experiences they offer to global and regional buyers. By combining destination voices with corporate and industry perspectives, GBTA APAC MICE Power Talks provides a balanced view of how destinations are positioning themselves for the future of business events. The series serves as a platform for shared learning, regional collaboration, and forward-looking dialogue—bringing APAC destinations into focus through meaningful, industry-led conversations. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
February 9 · 18 min
The Big Idea: How divisive debates in travel are shaping the future
The Big Idea: How divisive debates in travel are shaping the future The verdict is in! After three fiery debates across GBTA's APAC, Europe, and Australia conferences, we're unpacking the results, reactions, and revelations that shook the business travel community. This isn't a replay; it's a deep dive into what the debates revealed about the future of our industry. Which arguments swayed the audience? Where did consensus emerge, and where did fault lines deepen? Join us as we explore the key insights and implications from these high-stakes discussions: The Future of OBTs: Are they on the brink of extinction, or evolving with AI and chatbots? Next-Gen Traveller Behaviour: Does flexibility drive better outcomes than rigid policy? Biometrics & Secure ID: Will tech streamline travel or create new global challenges? Expect candid analysis, surprising trends, and expert commentary on what these debates mean for travel programs, technology, and the traveller experience. If you want to know where the industry is headed, and why, this podcast has the answers. Brought to you by BCD Moderator: Chris Elmitt, CEO LIVVE Speakers: Sarah Whiting, Senior Director Global Solutions Engineering, BCD Travel Siobhan Prideaux, Sr Director Sales , BCD Travel Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
January 12 · 36 min
When the Data is the Story
In an era where data tells the truth about traveller motivations, "When the Data is the Story" explores how numbers can illuminate narratives of culture, identity, and experience. Drawing from the 2025 Traveller Identity Consensus report, Evita Robinson and Dr. Alana Dillette reveals how BIPOC traveller data does more than quantify, it humanises and reframes the industry's understanding of community-driven exploration and global movement. Key Takeaways: How to translate raw data into storytelling frameworks that reflect lived cultural experiences. The role of inclusive data collection in shaping equitable tourism narratives. Strategies for leveraging insights from underrepresented travellers to inform media, marketing, and policy. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Dec 29, 2025 · 15 min
Rethinking Corporate Travel with AI - Episode 2
Brought to you by the GBTA Technology Committee Europe. In this episode Sarah Whiting & SkyLink (Episode1), Christopher Feuerecker & Blockskye (Episode 2) and Heinz Lennard Hornsby & Serko, Content will be about AI, revolutionizing the industry with a new approach, challenges with the customer demand (scope, requirements, etc.) This is the second in the podcast series featuring Christopher Feuerecker & Danielle Caviar, VP Sales Blockskye. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Nov 4, 2025 · 14 min
Are the roles of traditional TMCs becoming obsolete or just going through a serious shake-up?
Corporate travel management: obsolete relic of the fax machine era… or the industry's best-kept secret weapon? Depends who you ask. Airlines will say, 'We don't need TMCs.' TMCs will say, 'Good luck with duty of care when your VP of Sales is stuck in O'Hare at 11pm.' This 20-minute discussion will focus on the predictions and fears of the TMC's future role Speakers: Stephanie Lachance EHI, Strategic Sales Director Mauro Di Re, Travel Portfolio and Corporate Expenses – Managing Partner at American Iron & Metal (AIM) Brought to you by the GBTA Canada tech committee Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Oct 13, 2025 · 14 min
Personalising the Business Travel Journey: 5 Key Trends You Need to Know
Personalising the Business Travel Journey: 5 Key Trends You Need to Know Dan Norris, Andrea Batchelor, Juliet Howie, Jo Westlake GBTA Europe Accommodations Committee Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Sep 29, 2025 · 9 min
Rethinking Corporate Travel with AI - Episode 1
This is the first in a series of podcasts from the GBTA Europe Technology Committee - exploring the opportunities for AI in the business travel industry. First up is Sarah Whiting & SkyLink. Music track is Space Jazz by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License