How many exhibitors will be at the 2016 Business Travel Show?
David Chapple - We expect between 260 and 270 exhibitorscompared with 240 last year. All the major business travel brands are represented, including airlines, hotels and car hire, as well as the main business travel agencies and several technology providers. It's hard to find a major brand that isn't taking part in this year's event. Business Travel Show.
How many visitors are you expecting, and how many of them will be Travel Managers?
D. C. - We are counting on 7500 to 8000 participantscompared with 7,440 last year. We have a target, but we're waiting to see visitors through the doors of the show before we can really give exact figures. We expect between 400 and 450 travel buyers. There were 342 visitors in 2015, so the show is also growing in this area.
What will be the balance between the local audience and foreign visitors?
D. C. - In terms of suppliers, the ratio is fairly balanced between British participants and international exhibitors. In terms of visitors, the local public will represent around 70% of the audience. L'internationalisation of the Business Travel Show has been our priority for the last four years. Our strategy was to transforming a British show into an international eventWe're well on the way to achieving our objectives. We are well on the way to achieving our objectives.
Is there anything new to expect compared with previous years?
D. C. - This 2016 edition will not be fundamentally different from the previous one. We're simply adding more exhibitors, updating our conference programme, and launching the new "Launch Pad" area. But the fundamental principles of Travel Management don't necessarily change: it's about finding your preferred suppliers, improving processes, getting the most out of your travel programme, and making sure that travellers are in a safe environment. Our job is to monitor market trendsThis is why we are inaugurating the 'Launch Pad' area this year. That's why we're inaugurating the 'Launch Pad' area this year. But people still come for the same reasons: to meet suppliers, update their knowledge of the sector, and exchange ideas with their peers. These principles never change.
What are the new market trends?
D. C. - La personalising the travel experience thanks to technologies developed by suppliers, thecollaborative economywith players such as Uber and Airbnb, the integration of these platforms into a travel programme, by studying the impact on the passenger safety. La data management is also a crucial issue, as is the influence of technology on the development of theopen bookingThis allows travellers to make choices based on a budget rather than being forced to use a particular supplier, while retaining control and knowing where they are. Visit duty of care is also essential: business travellers are often unaware of the danger, thinking that nothing can happen to them in certain countries. The Paris attacks put this idea into perspectiveand questioned companies about their processes and emergency procedures.
How is the business travel events sector faring?
D. C. - The success of such an event depends on the organisers' ability to attract the right audience, both quantitatively and qualitatively. This is why some trade fairs dedicated to business travel have experienced slack periods in recent years. Events such as the GBTA Europe conventionDespite the remarkable work done by the organisers, they will have to struggle to grow because the audience is limited to members of the association. Unless the number of members is doubled, which is of course possible, it will be limited to a certain scale. The Business Travel Show has all the ingredients for a successful event: 270 suppliers from all over the world, including new entrants who are driving the market forward, and an audience that grows every year24% last year. So our future looks bright.
What are your priorities for the coming years?
D. C. - We will continue to emphasising the international dimension Business Travel Show. In the longer term, I think we need to study the possibility of exporting the Business Travel Show and to create other events of this nature in other countries, in Europe and around the world. With the exception of the GBTA, there are few organisers capable of putting on large-scale events dedicated to business travel. So it's a question of finding the right opportunities and exploiting them.
