FBTA

Founded in 1984, the Finnish Business Travel Association is an organization for business travel buyers and suppliers, with the mission to enhance the understanding, knowledge and skills required in corporate travel and meetings management as well as procurement.

BT4Europe

BT4Europe Webinar | Multimodal cross-border travel

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It is with great pleasure that we extend this exclusive invitation to FBTA Members for an insightful webinar on upcoming European legislation, with a special focus on Multimodal Digital Mobility Services (MDMS) and its impact on online booking engines for corporate cross-border business travel across Europe.

? Date: Tuesday 12 March 2024

? Time: 14:00 - 15:00 (CET- Brussels time)

? Virtual Venue:  Teams

Agenda Highlights:

  1. Multimodal Digital Mobility Services (MDMS): Explore how MDMS can bring more choices and diverse multimodal content into the online booking engines used by corporations for efficient cross-border business travel.
  2. Main Speaker: We are honored to have MEP Jakop G. Dalunde (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance - Member of the Committee of Transport and Tourism) as our main speaker, sharing valuable insights on business travel. Gain a deep understanding of the EU political agenda and expectations for the future agenda of the European Parliament and the European Commission post the 2024 elections.
  3. Open Discussion: Hear from our experts their views regarding the focus theme of the webinar and their expectations for the future of cross-border business travel in Europe.
  4. Interactive Q&A sessionEngage with our speakers as we allocate time for questions from the online live audience. Your participation is crucial to make this event more dynamic and tailored to your interests.

Register here

 

European Network of Business Travel Associations | BT4Europe

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BT4Europe, the European Network of Business Travel Associations, launched three years ago, was born out of the need to be close and present where decisions are made. In EU terms, that means Brussels. The birth of BT4Europe was conceived by four Nordic business travel associations, with FBTA Finland among them, and eight key EU-based business travel advocacy organisations from Central and Southern European countries.

Eero Havia's report on the BT4Europe Info on 7.2.2024 is available in full. here.

Nordic Webinar | BT4Europe - Objectives and Achievements

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In 2022, all Nordic Business Travel Associations made the decision to become founding members of the Network of European Business Travel Associations, or BT4Europe as we call it for short.

While still young as an association, BT4Europe already has managed to bring business travel's voice to Brussels and established a position where institutions, media and other trade associations turn to us for information and support.

In this webinar, Chair of BT4Europe's Board of Directors Patrick Diemer will talk about the background, objectives and achievements of the Network. Time will also be allocated for our members' questions.

Register here

The webinar is free of charge to all Nordic BTA members. A link for joining will be sent on the previous day.

Nordic Webinar | BT4Europe - Objectives and Achievements

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In 2022, all Nordic Business Travel Associations made the decision to become founding members of the Network of European Business Travel Associations, or BT4Europe as we call it for short.

While still young as an association, BT4Europe already has managed to bring business travel's voice to Brussels and established a position where institutions, media and other trade associations turn to us for information and support.

In this webinar, Chair of BT4Europe's Board of Directors Patrick Diemer will talk about the background, objectives and achievements of the Network. Time will also be allocated for our members' questions.

Register here

The webinar is free of charge to all Nordic BTA members. A link for joining will be sent on the previous day.

FCM joins BT4Europe to 'spearhead' sustainable business travel

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Business Travel News Europe: FCM joins BT4Europe to ‘spearhead’ sustainable business travel

Travel management company FCM is joining forces with business travel association network BT4Europe to help “spearhead” the development of sustainable corporate travel practices. Flight Centre-owned FCM has become an affiliate member of BT4Europe with the TMC’s global sustainability lead Glen Thorsen joining BT4Europe’s Sustainability Working Group.

This working group is currently looking at how to achieve a reduction in carbon emissions in line with the EU’s European Green Deal, including the development of a roadmap to improve access to streamlined, accurate and comparable data on the CO2 impact of flights, rail journeys and hotels.

“FCM and BT4Europe are joining forces to expand the scope of CO2 emissions data availability, beginning with the development of a standard CO2 emissions calculation methodology for business travel services,” said BT4Europe in a statement.

Patrick Diemer, chair of BT4Europe, added: “FCM’s commitment to sustainability perfectly aligns with our goals. Together, we aim to lead the way in promoting eco-friendly business travel practices and making carbon emissions data more accessible and transparent within the industry.”

BT4Europe, which was formed in early 2022 and represents 12 business travel associations across Europe, has been calling for the EU to create a standardised method of reporting emissions from transport and travel services.

FCM’s Glenn Thorsen added: “By joining forces, we can pioneer meaningful changes in how business travel impacts our environment, all while enhancing the traveller’s experience.”

Onko EU:n MDMS-aloite vesittymässä?

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Ikkunapaikka 15.6.2023:

Euroopan komissiolta on odotettu MDMS-lainsäädäntöehdotusta syksyn aikana. Sen tavoitteena olisi luoda lainsäädäntö koskien MDMS-palveluita ja niitä tarjoavia toimijoita. MDMS-palveluita ovat esim. Mobility as a service/MaaS, lipunmyyntialustat, lippujen välittäjät ja reittisuunnittelijat.

Lainsäädäntöehdotuksen taustalla on se, että MDMS-operaattorit voisivat neutraalissa kauppapaikassa tuoda matkustajien vertailtavaksi eri matkustusvaihtoehtoja ja -hintoja, ja että matkustajat voisivat tehdä myös varauksia neutraalissa kauppapaikassa.

Euroopan komissiosta on kuitenkin kantautunut tietoa, että valmisteilla ollut lakiehdotus on vesittymässä, eikä uudessa esityksessä olisi merkittäviä muutoksia nykyiseen käytäntöön. Pelkkä linkitys kuljetusyhtiöiden verkkosivuille sen sijaan, että järjestelmä mahdollistaisi yhdistetyn varaus- ja lipunmyyntijärjestelmän merkitsisi koko MDMS-aloitteen vesittymistä. Mikäli integroitujen varausten tekeminen riippumattomien jakelukanavien kautta estyisi, määräävässä markkina-asemassa olevien kuljetusyhtiöiden kilpailunvastaiset käytännöt saattaisivat lisääntyä.

Nyt merkittävä joukko matkailualan toimijoita ja järjestöjä, kuten ECTAA (European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association), BT4Europe (European Network of Business Travel Associations), GBTA (Global Business Travel Association) ja BEUC (The European Consumer Organisation) on allekirjoittanut Euroopan komission varapresidentille Frans Timmermansille lähetetyn avoimen kirjeen, jossa vaaditaan pysyttävän alkuperäisessä suunnitelmassa.

”Allekirjoittajat kannustavat EU:ta takaamaan eri kuljetusmuodoille yhdenvertaiset toimintaedellytykset hinnoittelun ja liputuksen suhteen – maiden rajat ylittävä (juna-)liikenne mukaan lukien – luomalla komission multimodaalisen digitaalisen liikkumispalvelun MDMS-aloitteen myötä yhtenäislippujärjestelmä esim. lentojen ja junamatkojen saumattomaksi yhdistämiseksi. Nyt komissio on kuitenkin alentamassa tavoitteitaan niin, ettei lopputulos juurikaan eroa vallitsevasta nykytilanteesta. Jos tavoitteena alun perin oli, että esim. maakunnasta junalla Helsinki-Vantaalle saapuva matkustaja saisi yhdistettyä liityntäjuna- ja lentovarauksensa samalle varaukselle ja dokumentille ja matkaketjusta saumattoman kokonaisuuden, tämä ei enää toteutuisikaan, jos MDMS-hankkeen kunnianhimoisista tavoitteista tingitään”, selventää tilannetta FBTAn toimitusjohtaja Sari Viljamaa.