Skift Take
This is a vicious blow for an occasion that was developed to impart confidence in business travel, after the Global Service Travel Association’s effective U.S. edition in Orlando.
Matthew Parsons
The development of the Omicron Covid variation is triggering the postponement of a major in-person travel industry occasion from next week till later on in February.
The Global Organization Travel Association was due to hold its European conference, in partnership with VDR, in Berlin, Germany from Dec. 6-8.
This is the first significant international event to act based on Omicron.
“Due to the new and vibrant developments around the omicron variation, and recently instated travel and conference limitations, GBTA will now be rescheduling the Berlin in-person conference for late February 2022,” said CEO and executive Suzanne Neufang on Tuesday.
Host nation Germany is reportedly thinking about tighter limitations, alongside surrounding Switzerland. Austria, which likewise shares a border, went into lockdown recently.
“We are reminded this week that absolutely nothing is simple or predictable with concerns to getting to the opposite of this pandemic,” stated Neufang. “In a matter of days, the world has seen the rise of the omicron variant as a brand-new aspect on the pandemic landscape, which is why public health, durability and dexterity need to be our brand-new norm in business travel market.”
Earlier this month, the Global Organization Travel Association successfully hosted another convention in Orlando, Florida, in the U.S.
On the other hand in France, Accor cancelled a Dec. 1 occasion that was to be hosted by CEO Sebastien Bazin to celebrate the hotel company’s collaboration with the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games at a central city venue.
The business stated the decision to delay the event was made following the most recent announcements and recommendations from the French government, and for the security of all a couple of weeks before the end-of-the year vacations.