12 April 2011, Shanghai – Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and TTG Asia Media’s effort to bring the internationally recognised Corporate Travel ExpertSM (CTE) Certification Course to China has paid off with an encouraging 23 participants from across China.
Designed as a 1.5 days starter programme on the basics of business travel management, this programme is ideal for professionals with decision making roles in travel planning and purchasing. The full-day learning session starts today, with the certification exam taking place tomorrow. Successful graduates will earn the CTE designation. Till date, more than 900 professionals worldwide have been certified through GBTA’s CTE programme.
Today’s participants include professionals from McKinsey & Company, Accenture Beijing and Shanghai, Bosch (China) Investment, IKEA IMS Wholesale (Shanghai) and China International Travel Service Shenzhen. The cohort also features Travel Managers, Travel Counselors, Account Managers, Executive Assistants, Buyers, Purchasers, General Managers and CEOs.
Said CTE-certified facilitator Dean Fowles, “China’s growing travel demands has made the industry more savvy on the benefits of being smart about Corporate Travel spending. This makes the CTE programme extremely relevant today.” Dean Fowles who is also Principal, Global Sourcing – Services, Travel & Expense Management of Rio Tinto, Singapore, will co-facilitate today’s session with Frances Wang, Travel Management Specialist of Harman International, China.
“Through the CTE programme, I hope to be able to gain a comprehensive understanding of the key criteria needed to become proficient in managing corporate travel accounts. This will help enormously because it covers the critical steps in the decision making process.” explained CTE participant Shalom Paul, CEO of For a CURE Foundation, Australia.
This first-ever CTE programme in Shanghai is organised in conjunction with IT&CM China 2011 and as a partner event of the inaugural Shanghai Business Events Week launched by Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration (SMTA).
Today’s CTE session takes place from 9am to 5pm. Tomorrow’s exam is scheduled from 9 to 10.30am. Both sessions are held at the Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel. More information is available here.
GBTA also offers the CTE programme with sister event, Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) and Corporate Travel World (CTW) in Bangkok. This 2011 will be the 4th consecutive year that the programme will be held during IT&CMA and CTW.
Meanwhile, IT&CM China 2011 has also commenced with the pre-show city tours of Shanghai for registered buyers and media. More than 2,000 IT&CM China exhibitors, buyers, media and trade visitors from 43 countries are expected to arrive over the next 3 days.
