ACTE FAQ’s

1. What is the Mission/Purpose of ACTE?
2. Why was ACTE formed?
3. What Makes ACTE Unique?
4. Who are ACTE’s members?
5. How is ACTE Funded?
6. What is the ACTE Model of Education?
7. How is ACTE’s Education Developed and Delivered?
8. How does ACTE select advocacy issues?
9. How are ACTE Initiatives?
10. How does ACTE select Conference sites?
11. Why should I join? What is the value to me? My company?
12. What value does ACTE deliver beyond my local travel association?
13. How can members get involved in ACTE leadership?
14. Whom can I contact if I have further questions?

What is the Mission/Purpose of ACTE?

ACTE serves as both a global education and advocacy platform for industry dialog and debate and a practical source of executive travel expertise.

• Best Practices: ACTE assists in promoting the development of innovative, sustainable and universally recognized travel practices, with the aim of contributing to individual members cost-savings development, understanding of national & international practices and policies impacting the industry, and developing high-level travel management techniques.  

• Advocacy: ACTE provides advocacy on a variety of policy and business related issues including:

• Corporate Productivity (telepresencing, collaborative technologies, human capital management and dashboards)
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (sustainability and related taxation issues)
• Business Resiliency (contagion and emergency preparedness)
• Traveler Security and Privacy Initiatives  (Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP), Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), and proprietary business information seizure on Laptops)
• European Regulatory Policies (Belgium Limosa Rules and UK Corporate Manslaughter Act),
• Aviation Industry Changes (Open Airport, Open Skies Agreements, and Airspace Flow Program). 

• Global Education: ACTE brings together leading experts and educators to provide topical and innovative educational programming through Global and Regional Conferences, Executive Forums, PowerTalks, and webcasts. ACTE event attendees and presenters represent leading executives, government officials, educational institutions, and industry associations from all six ACTE regions (Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and the United States).

• International Networking: ACTE’s membership is comprised of travel industry executives from 80 countries, representing both corporate buyers and suppliers. ACTE provides a venue for the industry to meet anywhere in the world.

Why was ACTE formed?

ACTE was formed in 1988 as a global education organization with the express purpose to treat corporate travel managers and suppliers equally and concurrently to provide a neutral and global platform for industry debate. Supplier and corporate members have equal voting representation.

Today, ACTE has members in 80 countries and reaches over 6,000 business travel executives annually through its education and networking programmes.

ACTE is a not for profit 501(c)(6) membership organization. ACTE is not a lobbying organization, does not have a lobbying agenda, and does not have a political action committee. Rather, ACTE advocates on behalf of its members by providing a neutral platform for education, open discussion, solution and consensus building on key issues facing the industry.

To read the full ACTE history, click here. 

What Makes ACTE Unique?

ACTE the only truly global business travel association.

• Global Leadership -ACTE is led by an international Board of Directors with representatives from each of the six ACTE regions: Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and the United States.
• Global Infrastructure- ACTE is the first and only educational business travel association with international offices and in-country representation. ACTE has regional offices in six (6) world regions (Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and the United States) offering localized expertise and regionally-tailored educational events.
• Global Education - ACTE provides yearly education events across all 6 regions and in over 30 countries.
• Global Advocacy - ACTE provides advocacy (without partisanship) on issues that have an international business impact rather than focusing solely on in-country national issues. Plus, ACTE provides a global perspective coupled with local influence.

• ACTE has local volunteer leadership in each region focused on localized impact of issues confronting the industry and the development of education and training to address these issues.
• ACTE proactively collaborates with local or country travel association to assure that the local perspective on global issues is represented.

Who are ACTE’s members?

• ACTE’s membership includes senior executives involved in the purchase and supply of travel. They include representatives from Fortune 500 companies (e.g. leading private sector corporations, airlines, travel management companies, hotels, technology companies, and car rental agencies among many others).
• ACTE members in 2008 span 80 countries with specialization in all aspects of Corporate Travel and Procurement.
• ACTE event attendees and presenters represent leading global executives, government and ministry officials, educational institutions, law firms, and industry associations from all six ACTE regions (Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and the United States).

• Supplier and corporate members have equal voting representation.

• Membership is on an individual basis.

For more information on becoming a member, please click here. 

How is ACTE Funded?

ACTE is funded through the support of its membership, revenue from education, and the generosity of sponsors.  ACTE is a not for profit 501(c)(6) membership organization.

For more information on becoming a sponsor, please click here or email Jennifer Bialek jbialek@acte.org. 

What is the ACTE Model of Education?

Each organization is presented with unique travel issues, ranging from internal policies and regulations to external constraints and judgments, which need to be addressed. As such, ACTE offers a best-in-class flexible learning model providing members the ability to control their individualized educational program. This elastic model allows members ease when applying lessons to individual corporate nuances presented in every travel program.

ACTE provides detailed, up-to-date education and networking resources which would not fit into the traditional static certification program which other organization may offer. Additionally, this flexible program reduces cost to the user. The ACTE program allows the member to choose which session and events to attend – whether it is at an annual conference or home web based session – that are of the greatest importance and impact to your organizational requirements.

How is ACTE’s Education Developed and Delivered?

As an international organization, ACTE does not believe that education should be imported from one country to another. 

ACTE’s education is developed in collaboration between ACTE’s education department, the regional offices, and most importantly with the assistance of our global members.

The regional offices, which are in constant contact with their membership, are critical to the development of the education curriculum. Conference steering committees are comprised of international experts who work with the ACTE education department and regional offices.

ACTE delivers its education curriculum through a variety of formats including:

• Weekly WebCasting,
• Executive Forums,
• PowerTalks,
• 2 yearly Global Education Conferences,
• 2 yearly Regional Education Conferences, and
• White papers, best practices, and other education materials located on the ACTE Members Resource page.  

Each educational event focuses on different aspects of the executive travel industry, including presentation of critical legislative issues on six continents, plus topics such as contagion, privacy, security concerns, taxation, service, corporate social responsibility, corporate productivity, and the electronic evolution of the business travel industry.
ACTE’s global faculty include leading CEO’s, government and ministry officials, academics, industry experts, lawyers, and members of related industry associations from all six ACTE regions (Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and the United States).
For a current calendar of ACTE Education events, please click here. 

How does ACTE select its global advocacy issues?

ACTE serves as a global advocacy platform on a myriad of issues that affect a majority of its membership. As ACTE is a global organization, and not a national industry organization, the issues that ACTE focuses on have international policy, regulatory, and legal ramifications.  ACTE’s global advocacy has brought increased awareness of ministry and government decision makers and members of our industry regarding such as business resiliency practices, contagion and passenger seating manifest information, data privacy issues regarding lap top seizures, CRS and CSR regulations, and Belgian employment regulations to name a few.

ACTE relies on its membership, global Board of Directors, and its own in-house expertise to identify issues that may impact the corporate business travel industry. 

For more information on current ACTE Public Advocacy Initiativesas as well as the results of the efforts please visit the Public Policy & Advocacy Homepage or contact Jack Riepe, riepeacte@aol.com

How are ACTE Initiatives selected and implemented?

ACTE encourages members to propose new topics for research and education not currently being addressed by an existing advisory committee. For more information on submitting an Initiative Proposal form please click here.

ACTE Advisory Committees/Think Tanks
In 2007 ACTE hosted five (5) Advisory Committees and one (1) Global Think Tank –
Business Resiliency;
Corporate Productivity;
EMEA Traveller Security & Data Privacy;
North American Traveler Security & Data Privacy;
Corporate Social Responsibility;
The ACTE Global Hotel Think Tank. 

Each advisory committee/think tank is composed of ACTE members with specialization and expertise in the appropriate field of concern. Committees research, analyze and advise on political and economic developments outside the business travel industry which may exert a significant impact on the cost of travel through legislative issues, predatory pricing, taxation, and technological developments.   Through identification of market trends, short- and long-term forecasting, research of niche markets, each advisory committee advises and develops appropriate targeted educational programs and further initiatives. 

Visit all Advisory Committee Sites through the ACTE Committee Portal or the Global Hotel Think Tank Homepage. 

How does ACTE select Conference sites?

ACTE selects its conference destinations and locations based on the strategic and operational needs of the organization. These include:

• Membership growth potential (regional, country, city)
• Partnership opportunities with other education organizations
• Cost effectiveness (support from hotel/conference center) to ensure that we spend membership funds wisely
• Accessibility (airport that has international access with regularly scheduled service)
• Environmental / CSR considerations
• Meeting space/sleeping rooms meet the logistical needs of the conference program
• Hotel outlets and amenities (networking space, lobby bar, LAN or WiFi access, spa)
• Meet handicap accessibility standards

ACTE endeavors to select sites that are conducive to our attendees and that can accommodate the size of our conference, during appropriate time periods.  As an international organization we have to be mindful of holidays of various cultures.

We recognize that not every conference facility, country, and/or city is of equal interest to each of our members. 

Why should I join ACTE? What is the value to me? My company?

ACTE membership may be one of the most important affiliations available to you and your company.
Whether your responsibilities include travel purchasing, meeting management, or other aspects of business travel, ACTE membership offers educational and networking resources that you cannot get elsewhere. By becoming a member you will:

• Be part of a senior-level executive global network. The intercultural awareness, personal and corporate friendships fostered through ACTE events is a powerful force for improving your organizations programs both locally and internationally.
• Learn from and network with leading business travel and technology experts and strengthen your network of global expertise.
• Enhance your understanding of complex industry issues and trends to improve your company’s preparedness and ability to manage through these.
• Influence the industry through your leadership by participating in the member-driven agenda
• Improve your business decisions and in turn, your impact on your company’s success.
• Have 24/7 access to educational programs and networking opportunities including:
• Valuable benchmarking information on travel management, procurement, purchasing, sourcing surveys, white papers, and educational presentations.

For more information on joining ACTE, visit the Membership Information Page.

What value does ACTE membership deliver beyond my local travel association?

ACTE delivers education, networking and advocacy from a global perspective while local or national travel associations are primarily focused on the impact of trends and issues on their locality. Many ACTE members are also members of their local associations particularly if their scope of responsibility is not just global or international. Their ACTE membership is the perfect global compliment to involvement in their local organization. 

In addition, ACTE’s commitment to provide innovative resources and tools for all member interests necessitates strategic partnerships and alliances.  Past and current partnerships have included combining efforts on educational programs with local market organizations, including VDR, BATM, ITM, AEGVE, Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality, Gerencia de Viajes, BTS and PMAC.

ACTE further offers members access to alliance organizations various benchmarking tools, research results, white papers, and corporate social responsibility resources.  

For additional information on ACTE partnerships please click here.

How can members get involved in ACTE leadership?

ACTE is a member driven organization and as such, depends on the member volunteers to lead the association toward the achievement of it mission. There are numerous opportunities for ACTE members to participate in the leadership of the association ranging from serving on a committee to being a member of the ACTE Board of Directors.

Through the ACTE Volunteer Program, interested members are able to serve as Regional Champions, Regional Chairs, and on Conference (Regional & Global) Program Development Committees.  These individuals act as local contact points, represent ACTE at regional and international industry events, and assist in the development of program content.

To learn more about the Volunteer Program, click here. 

Member volunteer leadership opportunities include:

• Program Development Committees - These Committees are ACTE members, comprising corporate travel mangers, travel management companies and suppliers, which guide ACTE conference education curriculum. Each conference committee advises on program content and is selected from the ACTE Volunteer Program List. 

For more information on Volunteer Opportunities with ACTE, please click here. 

• ACTE Advisory Committees/Think Tanks – Each ACTE Initiative is led by an Advisory Committees or a Global Think Tank. Each advisory committee/think tank is composed of ACTE members with specialization and expertise in the appropriate field of concern. Committees research, analyze and advise on political and economic developments outside the business travel industry which exert a significant impact on the cost of travel through legislative issues, predatory pricing, taxation, and technological developments.   Each committee/tank then advises and develops appropriate targeted educational programs and further initiatives. 

Visit all Advisory Committee Sites through the ACTE Committee Portal or the Global Hotel Think Tank Homepage. 

• Country and City Champions - ACTE Country and City Champions are member volunteers who provide guidance and support to both the ACTE Regional Director within a specific country or city. ACTE Country Champions currently represent Argentina and Mexico. ACTE’s City Champion currently represents New Delhi, India.

To view a list of ACTE Country and City Champions, please click here.

• Regional Chairs - ACTE Regional Chairs are member volunteers who provide guidance and support to both the ACTE Regional Board Representative and ACTE Regional Director. Chairs currently represent ACTE Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and the United States.

To view a list of ACTE Regional Chairs, please click here.

• Board of Directors - The ACTE Board of Directors is composed of business travel industry executives from across the globe.  Directors represent all six ACTE Regions (Asia- Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and the United States). As the sole governing body of ACTE, the Board of Directors has the overall responsibility for the supervision, control, and direction of ACTE.  

Current ACTE Board Member Biographies and Contact information can be located by clicking here.

Whom can I contact if I have further questions?

• For general questions, please send an email to info@acte.org or call 1-703-683 5322.

• Or visit our International Contact List for a Staff Roster and Regional Office Contacts.