Event report GTMC CONFERENCE
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
The Guild of Travel Management Companies’ annual conference took place in June at the Four Seasons Hotel, Marrakech. Andy Hoskins reports on the two-day event
A record number of delegates at this year’s GTMC conference heard from a range of speakers, including a Baroness, a former NBA basketball star, research analysts, representatives of both Heathrow and Gatwick airports, and easyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall (pictured). But it was Baroness Susan Greenfield who
stole the show if the standing ovation was anything to go by. Her presentation on how our brains will work in the future was insightful, witty and fast-paced, and included a few warnings too, especially when it comes to computer use and social media. Heavy internet users have a similar ECG
brain scan to autistic people, she explained, while the proliferation of social media, computer gaming and other 21st century technology means “the ability to read and write eloquently is suffering”. Greenfield said the traveller of the future
would have a high IQ and be able to process information efficiently, but would have a short attention span and low empathy, take risks, have a need for constant feedback and have a weak sense of identity. “We are changing rather than evolving,
but let’s make it a good thing rather than turning into a bunch of zombies who’ve played Grand Theft Auto for 50 years,” said Greenfield. “Mind change is the new climate change,”
she added. “They’re both global, unprece- dented, controversial and multi-faceted. In both cases it’s in our hands to do something.” Generational diversity expert Simon Walker pointed out that 43 per cent of all social media ‘shares’ are travel related and that, on average, we look at our mobile phone 150 times a day. He claimed that Generation Y doesn’t understand why you would use a travel agent, and raised concerns over a
‘swipe before you can write’ generation. Walker also said that we are in danger of
becoming ‘Hippos’ (Highest paid person’s opinions) where employees are guilty of believing that “the guy with the grey hair has more weight to his opinion”. Former professional basketball player turned psychologist John Amaechi completed a trio of people-themed sessions, telling delegates that “nice is nonsense. There is no link between being nice and good performance,” he said.
“Mind change is the new climate change. They’re both global, unprecedented, controversial and multi-faceted. In both cases it’s in our hands to do something”
Meanwhile, Liz Carter, Hillgate Travel’s
director of operations and HR, championed a government apprenticeship scheme to attract fresh blood to the industry. In her role as chair of the GTMC’s People
Strategy Group, Carter told delegates that only seven per cent of business travel consultants are under the age of 24 and that there is a lack of awareness of it as a career option. “TMCs are not recruiting young people
into the industry,” she said. “Young people have not heard of business travel.” The likes of Thomas Cook and other leisure travel companies use Facebook and
social media to recruit fresh, young talent, she noted, adding that the business travel industry needs to do the same. The group will launch a range of promotional material about apprenticeship opportunities and place banner ads on the likes of getsmart. com and
notgoingtouni.com David Lewis of Audiencenet discussed
the findings of the GTMC’s latest research project which looked at the habits of regional business travellers. 84 per cent of respondents called for increased long-haul options out of regional UK airports, but the need was felt most acutely in Northern Ireland where 97 per cent were in favour of increased aviation capacity. Scotland was second, with 85 per cent. Just under half of regional business
travellers support HS2 – with the greatest support from 18-34 year-olds – and 72 per cent said it should link to Heathrow Airport. Interestingly, 15 per cent of respondents
regularly take non-direct flights via European hubs to avoid APD charges and 28 per cent have done so occasionally. Heathrow Airport’s Nigel Milton and
Gatwick’s Guy Stephenson both took their opportunity to deliver convincing arguments for additional runways at their respective airports, while easyJet CEO Carolyn McCall brought the conference to a close, telling delegates the low-cost carrier could save them 30 per cent of their air travel budgets. See our feature about low-cost carriers
(p.30-34) for more from Carolyn McCall and easyJet's plans for the corporate market.
48 THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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