A Travel Buyer's guide to attending events
With the growing influence and impact of business travel on a company's bottom line, there is an increasing number of industry events for buyers and travel managers alike.
As one of the world's leading travel management companies, it's imperative for FCM to showcase new solutions and technologies at as many industry events as possible. But why should you attend as a buyer? Here are our top five reasons why you shouldn't miss the latest business travel industry events such as The Business Travel Conference and Business Travel Show:
- It's a great place to vendor-source - Attending large industry events gives you an opportunity to seek out the best solutions for your travel management needs (or problems) all in one place. You’ll be able to find advice around all the challenges in your programme and get feedback from multiple sources and industry experts. Whether you're new to your role or a travel management veteran, the scope of the industry is continually evolving. Attending events allows you to stay current with best practices whilst creating a platform for benchmarking your own travel programme.
- Get an unrivalled learning experience - Large-scale events offer a huge platform for learning and education. From industry best practices to hot off-the-press news, such events give a chance to connect with senior leadership and subject matter experts in our industry. The UK's top business travel experts from FCM attend key events like The Business Travel Conference and Business Travel Show, so we're available to offer counsel and guidance on your travel programme. Additionally, these events feature dedicated educational sessions giving you advice on how to tackle current challenges in risk management, payment and traveller friction.
- Network with industry peers and thought-leaders - How often do you get the opportunity to sit in the same room as your clients, peers, prospects, competitors and industry experts? These conferences are unique in that they bring together the whole spectrum of the business travel industry in one place - giving you exceptional opportunities to network during coffee and tea breaks, benchmark your business and keep your finger on the pulse. A varied programme means that there is plenty of opportunity to interact with speakers and other delegates, stimulating debate and enlightening conversations that will give you useful insights to take back to your own business.
- Stay ahead of the technology curve - When it comes to technology, the pace of evolution in our industry is relentless – how can you keep up? Industry events often have keynotes on new or upcoming technological advancements that help you to be in the know and anticipate what it means to your business. At a recent event, we had the opportunity to flesh out the challenges and opportunities of New Distribution Capability (NDC) with our valued partners – a key topic that engaged and greatly benefited both panellists and participants.
- Get involved and have fun! - Last but not least, what better way to have fun than giving back to a community in need? At a recent event, we gave attendees an opportunity to make a difference by building a SolarBuddy light to join in the fight against energy poverty in Africa. The activity took only 10 minutes but it made a lasting impact to a community in need. It was also an excellent opportunity to build relationships in a more informal setting.
Visit the FCM stand at our next event to find out what we have in store - see all upcoming events to find our next event. We look forward to meeting you!
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