Advanced Principles of Business Travel Management™

(additional registration required for this add-on, 2-day professional development course, $450 CAD + HST)

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Global Leaders Reception (by Invitation ONLY)

Location: Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Advanced Principles of Business Travel Management™

(additional registration required for this add-on, 2-day professional development course, $450 CAD + HST)

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre

8:00am - 5:00pm

Registration Opens 

1:30pm - 2:00pm

Kick-Start Professional Development Sessions

Choice of 2 Professional Development Sessions

• Improve Your Memory as a Travel Professional
• Do Birds of a Feather Flock Together? Learn the 4 Communication Preferences

2:00pm - 2:30pm

Kick-Start Professional Development Sessions

Choice of 2 Professional Development Sessions

• The missing Link between Customer Service and Customer Experience
• Stop Letting That Difficult Person Ruin Your Day

2:30PM – 3:30PM

SUPPLIERS ONLY – Session

Supplier based Professional Development Session

2:30PM – 3:30PM

BUYERS ONLY – Direct Talk – Part 1

Calling ALL Buyers!  This is your chance to be behind closed doors in a room of your peers for a Direct Talk session.  Guided by Buyers from GBTA Canada’s Advisory Board, with topics that are of current importance to YOU, this Direct Talk session will prove to be a valuable opportunity to share best-practices, discuss current issues and trends and come together.  As a travel buyer, you will have valuable feedback from your peers and make lasting connections on relevant business fronts.

3:30PM – 4:30PM

Connect First Open House

Welcome to all NEW attendees and those NOT SO NEW…

New to attending the GBTA Canada Conference… OR simply want to connect with your conference peers in advance of all the activities?  Connect First with the GBTA Canada Advisory Board and GBTA Canada Conference Taskforce Volunteers for this informational, networking gathering.  Veteran GBTA members will share their insights on how to make the most out of your conference experience.  You will hear first-hand from industry peers, buyers and suppliers alike, about how GBTA Canada has benefited them within their career paths, and tips on how to optimize your conference experience ahead.  You will have a chance to get to know others attending the conference with ice breaking activities, to Evolve your conference experience.

5:00PM – 6:30PM

Opening Reception 
Join your fellow conference go’ers for an opportunity to meet, mix and mingle before the conference kicks into full-swing.  NEW this year, the reception will take place on the conference Expo Floor so you can informally preview the exhibitors!

Location: Expo Hall

Networking Breakfast & Registration

Light continental breakfast

8:30AM - 10:00AM

Day 1 – Opening Centre Stage

GBTA Canada Opens our 15^th annual, Conference.  Join us to hear from industry insiders and leaders of business discuss the Canadian Business Travel Industry trends, and perspectives.

10:15AM – 12:00PM

Tech Talks
Technology innovators are changing the travel landscape as we know it.  This series of 15-minute power Tech Talks will enlighten you on the latest and greatest travel tech offerings

10:15AM – 10:45AM

Education Sessions (30 mins)
Choice of 3 concurrent education sessions:

• Travel Procurement - Understanding the Landscape of Airline Negotiations
• Strategic Meetings Management - Treating Travellers and Attendees as One
• Business Messaging for Travel - Meet Consumers Where They Are

11:00AM – 11:30AM

Education Sessions (30 mins)
Choice of 3 concurrent education sessions:

• NDC – What You Need to Know
• Preventive Solutions for Pre-Travel Preparation
• You Build It - Creating the Perfect Hotel Program

11:45AM – 12:15PM

Education Sessions (30 mins)
Choice of 3 concurrent education sessions:

• 30 in 30: 30 Procurement Strategies and Tips that Apply to Travel
• Navigating the Future of Travel and Meeting Risk Management
• The Travelling Butterfly Effect: How an Al Enabled Digital Platform Transforms an Industry

12:30PM - 2:30PM

Day 1 – Centre Stage & Lunch

Sit down formal Lunch and Keynote speaker(s)

Keynote: Stay tuned for another awe-inspiring GBTA Canada Lunch Keynote presentation.

2:30PM - 5:00PM

Expo Hall

Engage with our largest and most diverse offering of exhibitors ever. 

Optimize your expo experience by:

• Reaching out to exhibitors to arrange booth-time meetings
• Connecting with your conference peers in the Network Lounge

6:30PM – 10:30PM

Big Night Out!

Toronto’s fun hot spot, The Rec Room – Back by Popular Demand!

Located at Roundhouse Park in downtown Toronto, just steps away from the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Air Canada Centre and Billy Bishop Airport. The Rec Room redefines the meaning of fun with over 40,000 sq. feet of great games, mouth-watering eats and amazing entertainment, all packed under 1 roof!

The Rec Room is the place to let go, be playful and experience something new and exciting.  

7:45AM – 8:45AM

BUYERS ONLY – Direct Talk – Part 2

Breakfast included

Calling ALL Buyers! Continue the conversation…  This is your chance to be behind closed doors in a room of your peers for a Direct Talk session.  Guided by Buyers from GBTA Canada’s Advisory Board, with topics identified that are of current importance to YOU, this Direct Talk session will prove to be a valuable opportunity to share best-practices, discuss current issues and trends and come together.  As a travel buyer, you will have valuable feedback from your peers and make lasting connections on relevant business fronts.

9:00AM – 10:00AM

Centre Stage

Thought provoking industry experts and leaders of business come together to share their knowledge and expertise on business today and the future of business travel.

10:00AM – 11:30AM

Expo Hall

Engage with our largest and most diverse offering of exhibitors ever. 

Optimize your expo experience by:

• Reaching out to exhibitors to arrange booth-time meetings
• Connecting with your conference peers in the Network Lounge

11:45AM – 12:45PM

Tech Talks
Technology innovators are changing the travel landscape as we know it.  This series of 15 minute power Tech Talks will enlighten you on the latest and greatest travel tech offerings

11:30AM – 12:00PM

Education Sessions (30 mins)
Choice of 3 concurrent education sessions:

• 5 Ways Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics Can Improve Your Travel Program Today
• Business Aviation - Your Very Own Time Machine!
• Getting Caught in the Cracks - What You Don't Know About Immigration Compliance Can Hurt!

12:15PM – 12:45PM

Education Sessions (30 mins)
Choice of 3 concurrent education sessions

• Using Share Shift to Drive Hotel Program Improvements
• How Blockchain Technology Will Change Managed Travel
• Simplifying Corporate Travel - Exploring the Benefits of Virtual Payments

1:00PM – 2:30PM

Closing Centre Stage & Sit Down Lunch
Keynote speaker

Be prepared to be amazed with another iconic Canadian keynote speaker to wrap up GBTA’s 15^th annual Canadian Conference.