Looming Airfare Distribution Crisis to Be Reviewed and Debated by Travel Industry Leaders at the NBTA Masters Program, February 7th - 8th

"The Transformation of Travel Distribution Economics" discussion will include thought leaders in the industry - both driving the change in distribution strategy and affected by it - in a wide-ranging conversation on the current "direct connect" issue, to openly express opinions and possible outcomes. The Masters Program features numerous sessions providing an open forum to discuss and debate disruptive forces within the business travel industry and innovative ways for organizations to anticipate and respond to these changes. This year the Masters Program will feature such world-class speakers as Mr. Jack Welch, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the General Electric Company, and Dr. Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business School Professor and author of The Innovator's Dilemma along with other industry leaders as part of these sessions. 

"We are excited to add this discussion to an impressive slate of conversation topics and believe this is a critical exchange for our membership as this issue has the potential to have a widespread impact on everyone in business travel," said Michael McCormick, Executive Director and COO, National Business Travel Association. "The Masters Program is the perfect opportunity to bring together industry leaders to examine and dissect this and other critical strategic issues facing the travel industry. This discussion will be one of the many throughout the program that shouldn't be missed to get the most accurate and up to date information and understanding of "direct connects" and otherwise. "

The Masters Program will take place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. on February 7-8, 2011. To register to attend the Masters Program, visit www.nbta.org/masters. Attendance at the Masters program is limited.

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is the world's premier business travel and corporate meetings organization. NBTA and its regional affiliates - NBTA Australia / New Zealand, the Brazilian Business Travel Association (ABGEV), NBTA Canada, NBTA Europe, NBTA Mexico, and NBTA USA - serve a network of more than 17,000 business travel professionals around the globe with industry-leading events, networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. NBTA members, numbering more than 5,000 in 30 nations, are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers. They collectively manage and direct more than US$340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually on behalf of more than 13 million business travelers within their organizations. For more information, visit www.nbta.org