ACTE Strengthens Relations With Leading European Procurement Organisations
London (PRWEB) January 28, 2005
The Berlin Executive Forum entitled “Travel Management in a Procurement Environment: Opportunity and Threat to your Business Role,” will address the ongoing integration between travel management and procurement departments. In an attempt to tame travel expenses, companies are increasingly relying on procurement disciplines to direct travel purchasing.
Alexander Stendal, a Board Member from the German Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft Einkauf und Logistik (BME) will contribute to a panel session, while the Austrian Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft, Einkauf und Logistik Ãsterreich (BMÃ) is promoting the event to its own members. Panel representatives from both the procurement and travel management sides will lead a discussion on best practices for sourcing and managing corporate travel procurement.
“Both procurement and travel specialists will gain from this ACTE Â BME collaboration for the ACTE Berlin Forum,” said Stendal. “We in the Procurement Department realise that we must acquire specific skills when purchasing business travel services. Similarly, Travel Procurement specialists are increasingly turning to procurement methods to optimise their processes.”
The Berlin Executive Forum will present ACTE members with the opportunity to discuss the impact of EU enlargement to many Central and Eastern states. Participants from Germany and neighbouring countries, as well as attendees from the new EU member states will share their experiences and discuss how procurement practices can be successfully applied to business travel purchasing. Security experts, both Eastern and Western European, will be on hand to discuss concerns in the region. Forum delegates also will take part in a multi-perspective discussion on hotel distribution. Finally, industry pundits will examine the increasing complexity of air fares, including challenges surrounding yield management and IATA regulations.
“Many corporations have outsourced services to Eastern and Central European states just like they did in the past to countries such as Ireland. In Berlin I will tell ACTE delegates how this will contribute to the future shape of the travel industry in the CEE region,” said Christoph Klenner, a public affairs consultant at Prisma. “The EC’s expansion impacts the travel industry in a dramatic way. Legislation, security, extension of the open market, financial viability of low-cost airlines are all matters that everyone involved in travel procurement in Europe should be familiarised with.”
Berlin’s Forum participants will also learn how the low cost carrier Air Berlin is targeting Business Travel. Mr. Carsten Kröger the airline’s sales director will reveal how he sees the company future expansion as an increasing number of business travellers are seen on flying on no thrilled airlines.
ACTE President and Executive Level Sponsors are providing ACTE with high level visibility at the upcoming London Business Travel Show. Representative sponsors will be on hand to answer corporations questions about the associationÂs initiatives and on-going programs, and provide interested professionals with information packs. The collaborative approach to drive membership demonstrates a renewed commitment by the industry to highlight ACTE as the leading global business travel association.
ACTE will offer corporates joining the association with a free registration to a forum in EMEA. ACTE also will announce its 2005 educational program, which culminate next October with its Global Conference in London.
ACTE Executive Forum
Brussels February 17
Berlin February 21-22
Paris March 10
Stockholm April 5
London May 26
Amsterdam June 2
Madrid October 4
ACTE Global Conferences
Vancouver ACTE Global Conference May 1-3
London ACTE Global Conference Oct 23-25
About ACTE
Founded in 1988, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) is a member-driven organization dedicated to advancing the business travel industry through is educational programs, local initiatives and government relations. ACTE membership totals more than 2,500 in over 37 countries, including business travel executives in Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the United States. The organization is headquartered in Alexandria, Va., with regional offices located in Canada, Brussels, France, and Singapore.
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