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Name change for Guild
GBTA Conference special: The Guild of Business Travel Agents is to change its name to the Guild of Travel Management Companies from next year to better reflect the role of its membership.
GBTA chairman Richard Lovell said the term ‘business travel agent’ implied that members simply issued tickets when in reality they managed the travel itineraries and bookings for companies.
“The name Guild of Business Travel Agents is no longer representative of what we do,” he said. “We are in the business of travel management and have been for some time. Gone are the days when we simply issued tickets and travel documents and relied on commissions to earn a living.
“The travel management company is a business to business professional working closely with its corporate customers to manage their travel as cost effectively as possible.”
He said the line between leisure and business travel had become blurred.
“The difference is now between managed and non-managed travel. If a businessman is going on a low-cost flight to a meeting and packs his swimming trunks then why should that matter? Many trips are now a combination of leisure and business.”
The GBTA currently has 50 members, but Mr Lovell said this could drop to 35 with consolidation in the market.
“Changing our name is the first bit and the association will also develop,” he said. “We want to develop closer links with associations of mutual interest. We will also consider new members.
“Travelstore.com has become a member and anyone who meets our criteria in terms of size, longevity and profit will be considered. We don’t want to shut anyone out just because they are not an old school company.”
The GBTA has appointed a new parliamentary advisor (see separate story) and over the next 12 months will continue to lobby against increases in Air Passenger Duty and for the protection of customers’ money in the event of an airline collapse.
“We’ve been campaigning for a £1 per head levy for 10 years. The recent collapse of Duo Airlines has just highlighted the loophole in the law,” said Guild member David Whittaker of The Travel Company.
Report by Jeremy Skidmore from the GBTA Conference, Shanghai
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