The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has formed an “India Council,” to focus on key business travel management issues in this country.

According to a statement issued by ACTE President Greeley Koch, the impact of India on global international business travel is such that it will require a separate focus for the organization within its Asia region.

“In the last two years, ACTE has seen incredible membership growth in Asia. Our Asia-Pacific ‘Workshop’ has become a third annual conference. We are predicting the same kind of growth within India, and the launching of our next major educational endeavor there is a logical step for both the association and the industry.”

The advisory nature of the council will cover five primary areas:

Education (Executive Forums, certification program and PowerTalks throughout India)
Legislative awareness (Safety, security, business regulations)
Service issues
Aligning best practices with Indian corporate objectives
Industry awareness (communications)
The India council will consist of individuals from the corporate sector along with the travel industry supplier community, including the newly named New Delhi City Champion Aditya Loomba, Director, Tour Mart India and ECO Rent A Car, to work with ACTE’s Asia-Pacific Regional Director. ACTE plans to announce the names of the other two India Council members at their Global Education Conference in Barcelona (22 - 24 October 2006). The India Council’s first order of business will be to set an agenda for 2007. This will be released following their first official meeting early next year.

ACTE has been focusing on India with special sessions at its regional conferences for the past two years, and convened its first Executive Forum in New Delhi on October 3, 2006.

“Just as the ACTE Asia now has its own annual conference and ACTE Canada is holding its first nationwide travel industry event in November, it isn’t difficult to foresee the same future for India,” said Koch.
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