Press Release

For Immediate Release
24 May 2007

ACTE and CPSA Launch Educational Collaboration

Ottawa -- A new level of collaboration between the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE Canada) and the Canadian Professional Sales Association (CPSA) has just made ACTE’s Canadian educational program highly attractive to thousands of corporate strategists across the country. According to a statement made today by Annemarie Reininger, Regional Chair, ACTE Canada, CPSA members attending ACTE forums, powertalks, and conferences will receive credit toward maintaining their Certified Sales Professional designation.

“This is a strong vote of confidence in the content of ACTE’s educational program in Canada,” said Reininger. “It also places a great deal of significance on the impact sales professionals can have on a broad range of corporate objectives, including cost containment and globalisation.” She added that future forums and educational programs would be likely to include specialized areas in which travel management objectives and key sales issues overlapped.

CPSA members can begin earning credit by attending ACTE events starting with two PowerTalks; the first scheduled in Vancouver on 31 May, and the second to be held on 12 June in Ottawa. The Vancouver event will be the first in a series of discussions on the impact of the 2010 Olympics on business in that city. Every hotel, airline, and surface transportation supplier will be affected. The agenda for Ottawa will focus on current hotel industry trends, The Hotel Association of Canada’s green rating, and hot issues facing the business travel industry.

In addition, ACTE members now have online access via http://www.acte.org/resources/Industry_Surveys.php to the CPSA Business Travel Survey Report, released in November 2006.  The Report is a bi-annual survey of members about their business travel habits, and provides in-depth insights for understanding trends in the Canadian small business travel marketplace.

“This new level of collaboration between CPSA and ACTE not only provides more options and opportunities for Certified Sales Professionals to maintain their designation, it increases our awareness of issues that affect both professions.” said Anne Babej, Vice President, Professional Development. “It makes us stronger and better able to respond to developments that can either advance or impede our respective corporate objectives.”

CPSA is the newest collaborative partnership engaged in by ACTE to enhance our education and programs.  Other collaborative partnerships include, American Purchasing Society (APS), German Business Travel Association (VDR), Meeting Professional International (MPI), and Cornell Nanyang University.


For more information, contact:
Debbie Flynn
CEO
Brighter Group
The Pod, London's Vertical Gateway
Bridges Wharf, Battersea
London SW11 3BE England
T: 020 7326 9880
F: 020 7326 9890
E: [email protected]
W: www.brightergroup.com