Buying Business Travel is the official media partner for the ACTE Global Education Conference at Barcelona’s W Hotel on October 20-22. We find out what’s in store from ACTE’s senior director of global education, Amber Kelleher
What sort of ROI can travel managers expect from the ACTE conference?
Delegates will gain the tools to advance their careers and develop new business opportunities. It is repeatedly proven that business gets done at ACTE. The industry’s best and the brightest come to ACTE conferences to benchmark and connect with other leaders.
The calibre of our audience and networking opportunities are of the highest level. ACTE has worked hard for 25 years to earn a well-deserved reputation for the quality of our events. The reason is simply that we engage senior industry movers and shakers in our community to define education content, so that it remains progressive and relevant.
Which sessions stand out this year?
I’m going to highlight three sessions: There’s a two-part session on data called The Knowledge Market. Part I focuses on data access, availability and quality, and Part II focuses on data analytics and reporting. Our expert data commentators have been tasked with tackling the ‘elephants in the room,’ and we’re expecting pivotal conversations that will jumpstart new ideas and collaboration in the industry.
Our World Café is a benchmarking session exclusively for corporate buyers and travel managers. This session facilitates peers who have successfully navigated the challenges we may currently be facing. Past attendees have said invaluable time together benchmarking as their primary motivation for attending the entire conference, so we are dedicating even more time on this year’s programme.
Finally, we added two Co-creation Sessions where corporate travel managers will be invited to share their priorities and challenges for 2014, as they comment, react, and respond to crucial industry issues. These sessions are designed to encourage travel buyers and suppliers to work together to map out solutions for the industry.
What will be different about the ACTE conference this year?
We are testing a lot of new ideas in Barcelona to encourage even more 1:1 connections between attendees, before, during, and after the conference, so learning and interaction isn’t confined to the three days in Barcelona.
There are more expo opportunities: InterACTE will be open more often in shorter time blocks, and a pre-conference workshop on How to Navigate the World of Global Travel Management to fast-track those who may be new to the travel category.
People learn differently – so there will be several different learning formats: from traditional case studies and presentations, to open ideas exchanges for attendees to learn from each other.
Two-hour workshops on innovation and managing change will enable groups to dive more deeply into subject matter.
What is the cost to attend?
Registration rates depend on an individual’s industry category and when they register. Those who book early (by September 6) will qualify for the lowest rates. We also have a limited number of hosted places, courtesy of our sponsor partners.
If a travel manager would like to apply for a hosted place, they should email ACTE with a list of preferred suppliers that match our conference sponsors, and we will do our best to make a match.
Top Tip: The ACTE member discount to attend the conference is greater than the cost of an annual membership, so it definitely pays to become an ACTE member.
acte.org