The Business Travel Show, which launches in Dubai on October 29-30 at the Madinat Jumeirah Arena, has unveiled an educational programme which will run in parallel to the upcoming exhibition.
The two-day programme has been tailored for delegates who are keen to learn more about the benefits of establishing travel management policies for their organisations or to improve existing policies.
It will provide eight educational sessions per day with opening keynote addresses on the future of the hotel sector in the Middle East region and future trends in air travel.
The aim of the sessions, which have been developed in association with the Association of Travel Executives (ACTE), is to provide the best educational and learning opportunities for those involved in arranging or purchasing business travel.
“It is clear that there is a huge educational need in the Middle East and companies require knowledge of best practice regarding managing their business travel effectively,” says Sally Pugmire, event director for the Business Travel Show, which is a joint venue between Centaur Exhibitions in London and Dnata World of Events in Dubai. “From the education programme lead by industry experts, visitors can learn from and build upon their knowledge. Armed with this information, they are then well placed to discuss their specific company travel needs with the exhibitors present, finding the most suitable products and services.”
Educational topics will cover: Why you should introduce a travel policy within your company, learning how to minimize costs and maximize value; discovering how to source the right travel information and achieve maximum service for your travellers. Safety and Security will also be addressed, with information on travel insurance and the most common safety issues. Internet usage, how to obtain the best airfares using consolidated fares and the secrets of finding cheap tickets will be covered.
The debate as to whether your company should use a travel agency or book on line and the use of travel data to get better deals with suppliers – topics of considerable interest to corporate travel departments – are on the agenda.
The impact of low cost carriers and budget hotels and the integration of these services into travel policies will run alongside a review of whether private jets can save you time and money.