Press Release

For Immediate Release
5 May 2008

REGISTRATION FOR ACTE WASHINGTON, D.C. CONFERENCE FAR AHEAD OF PROJECTIONS
Corporate buyer attendance substantially higher than previous years

Alexandria, Va. -- Business travel managers looking to save the most for their companies while providing the highest levels of support for their travellers are registering for the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ (ACTE) Global Education Conference in Washington, D.C. (18-20 May), in partnership with Corporate Travel World, in record numbers. According to the association’s President, Richard Crum, advance registration for the event has surpassed projections, and the percentage of corporate participation is also substantially higher than usual. It is expected that the conference will break the “1200” mark a week prior to the event.

“Attendance at ACTE global conferences has traditionally grown by 3 to 8 percent from year to year,” said Crum, “but we are seeing a much stronger figure –10 to 12 percent higher than last year’s conference in Miami. This makes a powerful statement for ACTE’s educational program, especially considering the uncertain status of the economy.”

As early as last October, ACTE predicted tougher times and planned the conference accordingly. The association billed this year’s conference program as “recession insurance,” and developed a number of education sessions specifically designed to maintain the momentum of corporate growth – despite a general economic slowdown. It is a strategy that has paid off in higher preregistrations and greater corporate
participation.

How much greater? Thirty-five percent of the individuals currently registered at the ACTE Washington, D.C. conference are corporate buyers. This is one of the highest ratios achieved by a major travel industry conference.

Several factors have contributed to the interest in this conference. The association confronted the real economic issues when most of the industry reacted otherwise. In the past two weeks, there have been multiple surveys that showed travel spending holding, then declining. As a response, ACTE has been offering a number of strategic solutions to slow the decline or minimize its impact in its regional forums, culminating in the Washington conference.

Also on the agenda is a special education track, designed by Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. The sessions, which explore advanced procurement and supply chain issues, are proving to be some of the conference’s most popular programs, with many sessions already filled.

In addition, by combining two major industry events, Business Travel News’ Corporate Travel World and an ACTE conference, the association was able to offer an extended program, while reducing registration fees and time out of the office. The ACTE conference is international in scope with 50 percent of the keynote speakers, presenters, and moderators hailing from Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

The ACTE Global Education Conference in Washington, D.C. is the right color too: “green.” Once again, the association is working with British Airways to reduce and offset the event’s carbon footprint. The most stringent effort has been made to reduce litter and eventual landfill waste by providing electronic handouts of all sessions. The association’s Munich conference, held in October 2007, resulted in a 674.6 tonne reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2).

“There was some concern that the ACTE conference would lose some of its boardroom-type intimacy as it grew,” said Crum. “This is not the case. Each of the education sessions has been carefully sized, and there is enough diversity to guarantee all issues will be covered. People spend enough time standing in lines at the airport. You won’t have to stand in line to get the information you need, the answers you’re looking for, or the kind of personal attention you deserve at an ACTE conference.”

For a complete agenda for the ACTE Global Education Conference in Washington, D.C., please go to http://www.acte.org/content/washington_08/Conference_Home.


ABOUT ACTE:
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) represents the global business travel industry through its international advocacy efforts, executive level educational programs, and independent industry research. ACTE's membership consists of senior travel industry executives from 82 countries representing the €200 billion business travel industry. With the support of sponsors from every major segment of the business travel industry, ACTE develops and delivers educational programs in key business centers throughout the world. ACTE has offices in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and the United States. For more information on ACTE, please go to www.acte.org.

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