The Business Travel

TBTC'21

RECONNECT, RESET, RESTART

With just days to go until The Business Travel Conference 2021, here's a reminder of what's in store...

Long-awaited and much-needed, The Business Travel Conference is back for 2021 and promises to be one of the most memorable in its 15-year history.

The intimate event, with a maximum of 200 buyer delegates, is being held at the Hilton London Bankside on September 14-15 with a top line-up of speakers and a programme packed full of content that will help you and your travellers get back to business travel.

With a theme of ‘Reconnect, Reset, Restart’, the event will kick off with a keynote speech from MP Stephen Hammond, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) dedicated to business travel.

Delegates will then hear from industry leaders, including Ian Sinderson, CEO of ATPI, and James Parkhouse, CEO of Agiito (formerly Capita Travel and Events), and Dave Bishop, CCO Gray Dawes Group, who will set the scene before the conference sessions begin. Programme highlights include a Back to the Futurethemed immersive experience, with headline sponsors Blue Cube Travel, where delegates will step into Doc Brown's time machine for an unforgettable journey back to the origins of business travel and into its future.

Alongside lively and engaging sessions, there'll be plenty of time for the networking that we've all missed so much during the pandemic and exhibitors representing all corners of the sector are looking forward to meeting you and updating you about their products and services.

Peace of mind

With the safety and comfort of visitors in mind, the conference organisers and the Hilton London Bankside have put a number of measures in place. Hilton is continuing to implement EventReady, its stringent global meetings and events programme designed to create event experiences that are clean, flexible, safe and socially responsible. This includes room seals for guest and meeting rooms, sanitising stations in public areas and meeting spaces and an EventReady Room Checklist. Hilton Bankside staff will continue to wear masks throughout the conference and will also be taking regular voluntary lateral flow tests. There will be numerous hand sanitisation stations positioned throughout the venue and attendees will be encouraged to use them frequently.

Speedy arrivals

To minimise queuing and speed up the arrivals process, conference registration will be open an hour early each morning (8am) and registration teams have been expanded.

Registration teams and all conference staff will wear masks when interacting with attendees and will also take daily lateral flow tests in the run-up to and during the event.

Attendees will also be asked to take a voluntary lateral flow test prior to attending.

The right signals

In order to meet different levels of comfort with regards to social distancing, visitors to the conference will be offered optional wristbands in three colours, based on a traffic light theme.

Wearing a green wristband will indicate to others that you're comfortable with hugs and physical contact, amber will show that any greetings should be restricted to fist or elbow pumps, while red signals that you're comfortable to chat but prefer to avoid any physical contact. Wristbands can be changed during the conference.

“We hope this will help all attendees relax and respect comfort levels and avoid any awkward moments!” says Kirsty Hicks, Publisher and Head of Business Travel for event organisers BMI Publishing.

Risk factors

In collaboration with the Hilton London Bankside, a full risk assessment has been completed for the event.

The hotel has an NHS check-in/check-out code displayed at the entrance to the property and if anyone presents with Covid symptoms at the conference there are plans in place to protect them and others from the risk of transmission.

Double celebration

All of the safety measures outlined here will also apply to the conference refreshment breaks, lunches and evening events. On the first night, delegates will be able to catch up with friends and colleagues over drinks and canopés and, for the first time, the Business Travel People Awards will be held on the evening of the second day of the conference. There's so much to catch up on and we can't wait to see you there. thebusinesstravelconference.com

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

DAY ONE Tuesday September 14

8AM Registration opens/breakfast networking

9.30AM WELCOME

9.45AM OPENING KEYNOTE AND Q&A Stephen Hammond MP, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Business Travel

10.20AM VIEW FROM THE TOP Where are we now? Industry experts share their insights into the current state of the business travel sector and set the scene for the conference.

11.00AM Refreshments/networking

11.40AM TMC TRANSFORMATION Brand, culture, servicing, data capabilities and business models are all under the spotlight as buyers look for their future TMC partners. Experts will discuss the shifting landscape to help you ensure you have the right relationship for success.

12.20PM READY FOR TAKE-OFF As domestic and international air travel restarts - with reduced schedules, fewer suppliers and no meaningful data to base your negotiations on - an expert panel shares top tips on how to get your programmes back in the air and instill confidence in flying.

12.50PM Lunch/networking

2PM WAKE UP CALL Representatives from across the accommodation sector provide valuable insights on rate and booking trends and how to progress your hotel programme post-pandemic.

2.30PM TRANSPORT LINKS Experts from rail, car rental and taxis and transfers debate the impact of technological innovation, remote working, and growing concerns about sustainability and safety, and tell you how to better manage that 'last mile'.

3PM Afternoon refreshments

4PM SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS Now is the time to make your travel programme truly sustainable, but how is that achieved? Our experts offer practical ways to make your business travel more responsible and outline what suppliers are doing to help you meet your targets.

4.30PM DIVERSITY CHALLENGE In an open and honest conversation, our experts will discuss what the corporate travel sector must do to be truly representative and how it can fully represent the business travellers it serves.

5PM

DRINKS & CANAPE RECEPTION

DAY TWO Wednesday September 15

8AM Registration opens/breakfast networking

9AM VIEW FROM THE TOP What’s next? Industry leaders share their insights into what the future brings for the sector, how it should respond to current challenges and take advantage of the exciting opportunities going forward.

10AM Late breakfast/networking

10.45AM BACK TO THE FUTURE In a first for The Business Travel Conference, an immersive experience will take delegates on a journey to the origins of business travel and back to the future of corporate travel, featuring travel risk management as the flux capacitor and traveller wellbeing safely strapped into a DeLorean. Hold on tight!

11.45PM Refreshments/networking

12.15PM THE NEXT GENERATION A buyer-focussed panel discusses the changing role of the travel manager and the exciting new opportunities for those who are up for the challenge.

12.50PM CLOSING REMARKS

1PM Lunch/final networking

6.30PM THE BUSINESS TRAVEL PEOPLE AWARDS 2021