Community

 

Community

Connecting a global network of business travel professionals to foster meaningful collaboration, mentorship, and the exchange of many voices. By uniting our collective voices, we empower our member to shape the future of our industry as one purpose. This section is split into three sections, click below to learn more about each


Connect with Colleagues

There are multiple ways to connect with other GBTA members; this section will focus on using the Community's Member Directory, Events, and Discussions. The Member Directory is part of your benefits as a GBTA member, so be sure to establish pivotal professional relationships virtually. Remember to develop them in person during our upcoming events. 

Search for Members and Connect With Them

Connecting with fellow GBTA Members is a simple process, there are two main ways to search for your fellow business travelers; searching by name and searching by company

Searching by Name
To search for someone you may know, type their name out and then select the magnifying lens to search. From the search results, select Add Connection next to the individual you want to connect with. Watch the clip below!
Searching by Company
You can also search by company, type the name of the company and then select the magnifying lens to search. From the search results, select Add Connection next to the individual you want to connect with. Watch the clip below!

Note: In addition to this, you can also search by location (city, state, country) and job titles. Get creative, our system bases its search on a member's profile!
Share Your Voice!
Connecting with other members through the Directory is great but there is more to your member benefits. This section will highlight the Forums section; an open area for starting discussions and keeping the conversation going with others! 

Starting a Discussion
Starting a discussion is easy! Simply visit the Forums area in the GBTA Hub, click the "Add Topic" button, select the Category of your post. Once you do that, add a subject and write your post. Watch the clip below!

Note: You can also tag specific members, just use the "@" and start typing their name!

Replying to a Post
You can also search by company, type the name of the company and then select the magnifying lens to search. From the search results, select Add Connection next to the individual you want to connect with. Watch the clip below!

image of searching for member by company

Note: In addition to this, you can also search by location (city, state, country) and job titles. Get creative, our system bases its search on a member's profile!

Attend Upcoming Events

Virtually connecting with members is one way to network, as part of being a GBTA Member, you also have access to attending hundreds of events a year - locally, nationally, and even internationally. With your membership, some events offer member pricing which means you are entitled to a discount just by being a GBTA member. Keep in mind this does not apply to all events, just some!

Searching Events
Learning about Upcoming Events is easy. You can search category, to do so, check the category you are looking for. Try one or select multiple! 

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Mentorship Programs

Dedicated to building the next generation of global travel professionals, GBTA leverages collective talents to empower emerging industry leaders to connect and expand their careers via mentorship, education, and collaboration through two unique programs - GBTA Ladders and GBTA WINiT.

GBTA Ladders

The GBTA Ladders program provides the emerging business travel professional a unique and inspiring opportunity to learn from leading industry expert mentors in a competition-based team environment. Driving industry change through innovative thinking will inform future initiatives that align with the focus of "improving lives and advancing careers." under the GBTA Foundation's people-focused mission. 

The Ladders Mentor and Mentee teams, their Alumni Advisors and the support provided by the Ladders leaders, Advisory Board, and program sponsors. This ensures the next generation workforce is helping build a robust future for the business travel industry but most importantly; allowing those new in the business travel industry the opportunity to grow exponentially.

Opportunities to Grow
  • Driving Change: Each year, a new topic is presented with the intent to drive innovative thinking around a challenge to the business travel industry. The season topic is approached by individual teams who come together to create a new solution with a product, service, or approach. Topics are judged by industry experts and four finalists present at Ladders Summit with the winner presenting at the annual GBTA Convention.
  • Professional Development: Topical webinars are held on a monthly basis to help virtual attendees build skillsets, these webinars cover a wide range of relevant topics.
  • Networking: Designed to expand networks as well as in-person connection opportunities in key markets and at industry events, and monthly virtual networking events. 
  • Team-Based Mentoring: Participants will have the opportunity to join the best and brightest mentors in order to tackle challenges facing the business travel industry.
Overall, GBTA Ladders goes straight to the heart of what matters most to the business travel professionals of tomorrow and the industry. It looks for the best and the brightest in the travel industry to join the ever-growing community within Ladders.

GBTA WINiT

GBTA WINiT brings together inspiring communities of mission-focused women to enhance their careers via mentorship, professional development and access to leaders and peers, all who come together to advance women in their business travel careers. 

One to One Mentorship Program
GBTA WINiT has established a global mentoring program aimed at advancing female leaders at all levels through virtual one-to-one mentoring relationships. The program leverages a technology platform to facilitate a supportive and development-focused mentoring experience.  Four six-month long cohorts are launched each year

Bringing Women Together for Career Advancement and Growth
What do Education and Development events and workshops; regular community engagement and networking gatherings; and an annual Awards and Gala have in common? Bringing women together through GBTA WINiT for the purpose of career advancement and growth. 
  1. Each year WINiT recognizes industry changemakers and leaders through The WINiT Top 50 and The WINiT Pinnacle Awards, recognized at the annual WINiT Awards and Gala.
  2. The WINiT Summit is a dedicated event to bring together professionals of all levels for the sole purpose of positively changing the careers and lives of women in travel-related industries.   
  3. GBTA WINiT has an inspiring community of mission-focused of women and their allies who come together to share their stories, best practices and to connect on relevant issues.
Additionally, GBTA WINiT has Regional Communities and getting involved is easy, simply fill out one of the interest forms below:

Global Community EMEA Chapter
Canada Chapter Mexico Chapter

Volunteering

The life of any association, ours included, is due to our volunteers. Without volunteers our events would not be successful and members would not benefit from the relationships they establish with others in the business travel industry. As a member who volunteers, you will have the ability to gain recognition and showcase your value while building upon your personal and professional development. 

Committees

GBTA’s committees are truly the heart and soul of our association. Engaging in committee service isn’t just a duty; it's a wonderful chance for members to connect deeply within their chosen vertical, broaden their networks, and enrich their understanding of business travel. Just like GBTA itself, our committees reach across the globe, bringing together diverse perspectives to tackle global travel challenges. We also cherish our regional committees, which ensure that local voices are heard and local needs are met. Together, these committees embody the essence of what makes GBTA such a special, dynamic, and globally significant community. Consider joining a committee to contribute, learn, and network with a purpose. Learn about the types of visit GBTA Committees, or email your questions to committees@gbta.org. Below is a summary of GBTA Committees and their regional/global presence. 

Accommodations​

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 U.S. ​

Europe​

Canada​

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Aviation​

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 U.S. ​

Europe​

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Inclusion & Culture​

Global​

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Meetings & Events ​

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 U.S. ​

Europe​

Canada​

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Payment Solutions​

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U.S.​

Europe​

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Risk​

Global

U.S.​

Europe​

Canada​

APAC​

Sustainability ​

Global​

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APAC​

Technology​

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 U.S. ​

Europe​

Canada​

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Transportation​

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Canada​

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Peer Review Council (PRC)
One way to maximize your membership and give back to the business travel community is by joining the PRC. The PRC or Peer Review Council is a group of volunteers that participate in the scoring and selection process for the GBTA Convention Education Session program.

Review Process:
Each year, all proposals are submitted to a double-blinded review process that is completed by a group of volunteers in the PRC. As a note, GBTA Staff do not review or score proposals, this is all done by volunteers. The proposals are then twice scored by the Council in two separate rounds of review. This is followed by a;n in-person meeting to discuss all the proposals at length and make the final selections for the education program.

Becoming a Reviewer
GBTA invites all types of industry roles to participate on the PRC to ensure a wide variety of perspectives, experiences, and professional backgrounds are incorporated into the decision making process and education session program. Reviewers are still welcome to submit proposal(s). To avoid a conflict of interest, reviewers will not review their own submissions. All proposal and scoring information must remain confidential throughout the entire review process.

Timeline and Commitment
Each member of the Peer Review Council is expected to review one (1) track/topic during a 1-month span. Typically the average number of proposals can range from 15 to 70, all depending on the topic. Reviewing each proposal can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes in order to provide thoughtful scoring and feedback. To learn more, visit GBTA's Call for Proposals page.
Recognition
GBTA volunteers are fundamental to the sense of community that defines GBTA and its members. Their unwavering commitment, dedication, and generosity are the driving forces behind our ability to foster strong connections within the business travel industry. Through their efforts, we are able to provide daily opportunities for networking, peer-to-peer interactions, education, and much more.

Nominate Someone 
Throughout the years, numerous dedicated individuals have been honored for their significant contributions across a variety of categories. We warmly invite you to learn more about these categories and join us in celebrating the remarkable achievements of our award winners but also welcome you to nominate those embody these traits. Below are some of the awards available, for a full list, visit our Recognition page.
 

The next section will focus on our second pillar; Learning. Another way you can make the most of your GBTA membership - research and resources. 

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