Feature
The best of both worlds...
Combining the best of Buying Business Travel and Business Travel World, we bring you the new Business Travel Awards ceremony next January
WITH THE ACQUISITION earlier this year of Business Travel World, we are proud to bring you this month the first of the new-look and expanded Buying Business Travel.
As well as incorporating the best elements of both publications, including the list of leading TMCs, more in-depth industry statistics and Business Travel World's popular legal column, in addition to all our regular features, we also bring you the best line-up of writers in the business.
In addition to our own award-winning team, including Bob Papworth, Jonathan Hart and Dave Richardson, and regular contributors Amon Cohen, Catherine Chetwynd, Tricia Holly Davis and Fiona Vandersluys, we welcome aboard Mark Frary, David Churchill and Ian Skuse.
Our aim is to create an even better publication for the future, underlining our commitment to our readers and advertisers alike, building on our success at the 2008 Business Travel Journalism Awards in which Buying Business Travel was voted Business Travel Journal of the Year by members of the Institute of Travel & Meetings (ITM).
This is underlined this month with the range of topics covered, from the issue of whether companies can still afford to go 'green' in the current economic climate, to the thorny subject of travel managers versus procurement specialists and the changing pattern of buying business travel. Plus a separate supplement, sponsored by MasterCard, on corporate cards and expense management. Plenty to get your teeth into and keep abreast of all the latest news and trends in the fast moving world of business travel.
As well as an enhanced publication, we are also pleased to announce the launch of the Business Travel Awards 2010, again combining the best of our own Diamond Awards and the Business Travel World Awards, recognising the industry's high achievers.
The new event will be staged at London's prestigious Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel, on Monday, January 18, 2010, and will bring together all the elements for a great night out.
The awards categories are being overhauled and there will be a new panel of judges, comprising mainly of top buyers and leading travel journalists.
Judging panel
The panel for the 2010 Business Travel Awards is drawn primarily from travel buyers and industry experts. The complete panel of judges will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Geoff Allwright
Travel and expenses manager, Airbus UK Geoff has overseen the deployment of a fully online travel-to-expense process with over 80 per cent travel booking adoption. He previously managed car fleet, travel and HR categories with HP, Intel and Virgin Media, and is well known as a speaker on travel and expenses related topics.
Simon Brown
Senior manager, travel services, Deloitte Simon has seen many things come and go during his varied 35-year career in the travel business, from stamping brochures in the local travel agency to managing niche business travel specialists. Made the move in the late 1990s to the world of corporate travel procurement at Citibank.
Catherine Chetwynd
Freelance writer Leading freelance writer on business travel and a regular contributor to Buying Business Travel. She writes on a wide range of subjects, including expense management systems, hotels and serviced apartments.
Niall Hossack
Head of global sales and account management, commercial cards, HSBC Entered the corporate payment card industry at its infancy in the UK market and was responsible for the creation and development of HSBC's commercial card products in 1994. Has worked for HSBC for 29 years across operations, sales and product disciplines.
Caroline Strachan
Global category leader, business travel, AstraZeneca At AstraZeneca, Caroline is building a world-class programme across more than 100 countries. Over the last 20 years, she has worked on the supplier side for the likes of Amex, and on the corporate side, helping create travel programmes at both Yahoo! and Cisco. She is the current ITM chairman.
Margaret Birse
Global director of travel, Serco Joined the international task management company in 1999 as travel manager for North America. Canadianborn, she moved to the UK in 2002, having suggested that Serco would benefit from a global travel programme, which she has implemented here, Britain being Serco's highest spend area.
Bob Papworth
Executive editor, Buying Business Travel Winner of the Business Travel Journalist of the Year Award and twice recipient of the award for the best feature writer. He writes on a wide range of subjects, combining informed comment with his unique writing style.
David Richardson
Transport correspondent Leading writer on transport and related topics, he was the winner of the environment category in the 2008 Business Travel Journalism Awards. Author of Wheels in Motion, an industry report on ground transportation, and ECOnomics, an industry report on how cost and environmental savings can be combined, both published by ITM.
Andrew Solum
Director, Travel Industry Associates Established the outsourcedtravel and event management company in 1998, following a five-year stint as a dedicated travel manager in the City. Solum has a worldwide client list. His enthusiasm for travel is well known, and extends as far as having a genuine pair of Concorde seats in his office.
There will be a total of 22 categories, covering all the major transport sectors, accommodation, airports, TMCs, expense management and specialist business travel providers, plus the travel buyer and travel team of the year. For the personality of the year award, we will be inviting nominations from our readers.
Business Travel Awards 2010 Categories
Best Small or Independent Hotel Brand
Best Hotel Group Brand
Best Serviced Apartment Company
Best Car Rental Company
Best Ground Transportation Company
Best Rail Operator
Best Short-Haul Airline
Best Long-Haul Airline
Best Executive Aviation Company
Best Airline Worldwide
Best UK Airport
Best Worldwide Airport
Best Expense Management Service Provider
Best Sales Account Management Team
Best Hotel Booking Agency
Best Specialist Business Travel Product/Provider
Best Business Travel Management Company (fewer than 250,000 UK transactions annually)
Best Business Travel Management Company (more than 250,000 UK transactions annually)
Best Environmental Contribution by a Company
Travel Buyer of the Year
Travel Team of the Year
David Brown Personality of the Year Award
Nominations will be invited and the judges will consider entries on the basis of clearly defined criteria. Should decisions come down to the wire, the main contenders will be invited to make a final presentation before the panel.
We will be seeking entries and nominations from June 8, 2009 at www.businesstravelawards.com
Commenting on the new Business Travel Awards, Caroline Allen, regional director, Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), responsible for Northern and East Central Europe and Russia, said: "We welcome and fully support the new combined awards and all that they represent, identifying and recognising companies and individuals that have gone the extra mile to deliver outstanding service."
Paul Tilstone, ITM CEO, added: "It's great to see a move to create a single, grand awards event to celebrate achievement in this industry. ITM is delighted to provide support through the participation of our chairman, Caroline Strachan, as a judge."
