News

Business travel market puts more accommodation partners to bed Mar 27, 09 | 1:54 am Business Travel Market, the new event for the business travel industry taking place from 17-18 June 2009 at London's ExCeL Exhibition Centre, has announced more confirmed accommodation exhibitors. Founding partner, Accor Hospitality, will be promoting their business travel brand Pullman Hotels and will exhibiting alongside Premier Inn, Jury's Inn, Hand Picked Hotels, Grange Hotels, Malmaison Hotels, Britannia Hotels and von Essen Hotels. As well as the UK based hospitality exhibitors, Business Travel Market has also attracted a range of hotel groups from across the globe including Sol Melia Hotels, with over 330 properties in their portfolio; Morgans Hotel Group and Middle East based Rotana Hotels. Serviced apartment companies Fraser Hospitality and Bridge Street have also signed up to attract buyers with their business travel products. Business Travel Market is supported by official partner HBAA, the Hotel Booking Agents Association, which has a designated members exhibitor zone.  In addition HRS, the Hotel Reservations Service, is the exclusive sponsor of the meeting rooms at the event. Business Travel Market event director Paul Robin said: "˜I am thrilled with the support and enthusiasm shown so far by the accommodation sector. I am also pleasantly surprised that the hotel sector, which has been historically reluctant to participate in corporate travel events, seems to be identifying with the Business Travel Market format, which has proved successful in the meetings market in recent years. " Business Travel Market partner and sponsorship director Mark Harris said: "The VIP Hosted Buyer programme is proving a compelling draw for our hospitality exhibitors as it allows hotel and apartment operators to showcase their products and host prospective customers - a first for a business travel event in the UK." Robin also said:  "Business travel buyers know that, apart from air travel, accommodation is usually the biggest spend and with such a good hotel presence at our event we will be showcasing the complete accommodation offering.  Our exhibitors are also reflecting current business travel trends and we have seen a lot of support from the UK based groups as well as a strong presence from the Middle East. " Further details: www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk About Business Travel Market Business Travel Market will take place on 17-18 June 2009 at ExCeL, London. This new event has been designed for anyone who manages, buys, books or arranges travel on behalf of corporates and SME's from across the UK and Europe.  A fusion of high quality conference content and showcase of the industry's newest products and services, BTM's objective is provide visitors, exhibitors and sponsors with the maximum, quantifiable return on their time and financial investments. Amongst the 3,000+ visitors to the event will be over 300 VIP Hosted Buyers, who will spend an intensive two days meeting senior personnel from leading suppliers, and choosing from over 40 educational sessions tiered to delegates' differing levels of experience. Guiding the conference content is an advisory board comprising leading travel industry figures from both the supplier and buyer communities, including Emma Harris, Eurostar; Herman Mensink, Prism Group Inc; Tony Pilcher, Pilcher Associates and Richard Tams, British Airways. The management team is headed by Paul Robin and Mark Harris, both well-known business travel industry figures at home and internationally. As Director, Travel Portfolio at Centaur Media plc, Paul Robin was responsible for the Business Travel Shows in the UK, Germany and Dubai.  Most recently, Mark Harris ran the Institute of Travel Management's annual conference in his role as Head of Marketing.