James Westgarth, Head of Extended Travel Enterprise, EADS, comments: “This event reflects the dynamic pace of the industry and key stakeholders’ teamwork. Amadeus has really put strategic focus and resources to be at the leading edge of travel technology. Such events and gatherings allows to better understand the challenges from the various stakeholders. It was great to share both corporations’ and Amadeus’ vision.”

Over 100 high-profile corporations and key industry players took part in an engaging business agenda, which included strategic networking opportunities, inspiring keynote presentations, panel discussions and an in-depth Technology Showcase. In addition, the first person to sail single handed and non-stop around the world, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, provided an inspiring discussion about the power of the team and the impact of technology on his endeavours, drawing inspiring comparisons with corporate travel.

Ron DiLeo, Executive Director, Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), comments: “The business travel industry needs new ideas and some degree of activism in driving change. The industry lacks new talent coming into the industry as compared to twenty years ago. We need to think about how to attract new people and fresh thinking into the business travel space and with it, new material to work with.”

Albert Pozo, Vice President, Multinational Business & Corporate Travel, Amadeus, comments: “Although the last few years have been tough for the business travel sector, we must concentrate our efforts on the future, exploring the different routes to growth and profitability. These important gatherings help us better understand the challenges from the various stakeholders in the industry, allowing us to align priorities and better focus our resources so that we can continue to be at the leading edge of travel technology and provide the most relevant global content in the market.”

Pozo continues: “The social media explosion is here to stay, making the business traveller more savvy than ever. The business travel industry can learn from the way leisure travel has successfully used social media to leverage all the new possibilities to create new business. At the same time we need to be conscious of how this would work for corporate travel purposes, and the value that it could provide travel managers to better steer their travel policy, while at the same time delivering a better service and experience to the traveller.”