The theme "Create your own journey" took the hot seat at ACTE Global Summit 2018, held in Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore from July 17-18. It was a sell-out event that attracted 600 registrations and 27 exhibitors.
Partnering with HRS this year, the summit was held in conjunction with Corporate Lodging Forum to present comprehensive sessions that provided corporate travel managers with a 360-degree perspective of the travel journey.
Giving the opening speech was Melissa Ow, acting chief executive, Singapore Tourism Board who made reference to the fast-changing landscape of the corporate travel and business events sector. "This forum takes place against a fast-changing backdrop of many consolidations in the corporate travel and business events sector. The acquisition of Hogg Robinson Group by AMEX Global Business Travel creates one of the largest - if not the largest - global travel management company. We are witnessing intense competition among suppliers in the corporate travel ecosystem, driven by changes in consumer demographics, behaviour and strategic investments in emerging technology…"
Ow also shared that Singapore was upbeat about the prospects of inbound business travel, having received 2.5 million business travellers in 2017, who spent an estimated S$4.3 billion, which reinforced the importance of corporate travel and business events contribution to the tourism industry.
Exhorting the need for travel managers to embrace a new mindset that takes them beyond traditional concerns, ACTE's Dr Benson Tang, regional director, Asia said: "We are the leading association on corporate travel and we provide an open platform that is unbiased and impartial. I aim to engage everybody and to facilitate the deep dive into topics that will help our participants. ACTE's view is that corporate travel management must have a 360-degree perspective in order to facilitate a seamless travel experience. And managers must be at the forefront of travel trends and technology."
With this agenda in mind, the summit's tech studios introduced new products and services by companies such as Troovo, Trooptravel and Tripeur; while education sessions addressed the relevance and impact of technology as well as the challenges it poses to travel managers. Other sessions included new distribution capability, hidden travel costs, the hotel RFP process, travel policies, virtual payment, ground transportation trends and consolidating travel and meetings.