ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) is to create new Board representatives in the Middle East & Africa and Latin America, as rises in membership and market significance justify them operating as stand-alone ACTE regions.
Previously the Middle East & Africa were combined with Europe to form one ACTE region, while Latin America was grouped with the US. Board representatives for the new, independent regions will be voted in at the next elections, taking the total number of ACTE regions to six: Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa and the US.
”This move reflects ACTE”s presence in each of these areas, which is a direct result of our expanding international education, networking and advocacy programmes,” said ACTE Global executive director, Susan Gurley. ”In the past year, ACTE”s membership in Latin America has grown by 500%.”
The Association”s focus on educational programmes in the Middle East and Africa, combined with ACTE”s growing involvement in Europe, also demands the two regions be represented separately.
Emerging markets such as Russia, as well as Central and Eastern Europe including Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria, have placed greater emphasis on ACTE”s presence there and highlighted the Asssocation”s view that Europe should operate as a single region.