The Guild of Travel Management Companies has steered away from industry speakers for its annual conference, which begins on Friday in Barcelona.
Only two travel industry figures, British Airways’ head of UK and Ireland sales and marketing Richard Tams and Travelport GDS UK and Ireland regional director Simon Ferguson are on the bill.
A number of non-industry speakers will address the theme Are We Ready? They include Paul Richards, Labour activist, editor of Tony Blair In His Own Words and author of How to Win an Election and Be Your Own Spin Doctor.
Other notable appearances include John Rosling, UK chief executive of Shirlaws, an international business coaching organisation. Shirlaws claims to have predicted the recession in 2007, advising companies to ‘cash up’ or ‘rein in’. Rosling will speak on why it is now time to start investing again.
Another keynote speaker is David Lewis, founder of market research agency Audiencenet, who will talk on the subject ‘The Voice of the Business Traveller’.
A panel titled ‘What do you owe to UK PLC?’ features JP Morgan’s Richard Kaye; Justin Slagel from drug firm SLA Pharma; Colin Stanbridge, the chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and BA’s Tams.
GTMC chief executive Paul Wait said: “It must be a first to have a travel conference with virtually no speakers from the travel industry! The content though can all relate back to the business of travel with sessions that include politics, economics, business risk, culture and brand.”