Through the Looking Glass - What does 2024 and 2025 have in store for the business travel community through a political lens. 
With the upcoming U.S. election far from decided, the European elections completed and the unknown of Canadian election, we explore and speculate how changes in government may affect how we operate in the business travel space. 

Speaker – Shane Downey – Vice President Government Relations, GBTA

Objectives of the session: 

• Outline how political change could affect the business travel community
• Provide suggestion and insight around what the business travel community may expect from changed government in the US and Europe
• Suggest steps and measures business travel professionals can make to ensure their programs and businesses are ready for any political change.

Shane Downey is Vice President of Government and Community Relations at The Global Business Travel Association, the voice of the $1.45 trillion business travel industry. GBTA is the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy, and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. 

In addition to serving as the association’s lead lobbyist in Europe, Canada and the U.S. Shane oversees GBTA’s volunteer engagement on grassroots political activity. Shane has worked at GBTA since 2006, achieving many legislative successes and expanded the profile of GBTA in governments across the globe. 

Prior to joining GBTA, Shane was a Senior Associate at a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., and before that Shane worked on Capitol Hill and several Congressional Campaigns. Shane received his B.A in History from The Ohio State University. Shane also served in the United States Marine Corp and is a Desert Storm veteran. 

The meeting link will be sent out the morning of the meeting.