ITM boosts ‘energise’ conference with focus on distribution challenges, sustainability and wellbeing

The Institute of Travel Management (ITM) is aiming to help buyers address current air content and distribution challenges by including a key session on the topic at its forthcoming annual ‘energise’ conference. Entitled ‘Whose Content is it Anyway?’ the session will share steps to help buyers map workable solutions, as well as recommendations from a new ITM White Paper.

The agenda for this year’s event, which returns to Brighton’s Hilton Metropole Hotel on April 26-27, also features five Buyer Knowledge Exchange sessions. Led by an ITM board member, each session will give buyer attendees valuable opportunities to gather in closed groups, benchmark and share insights into relevant issues and opportunities.

Other programme highlights include:

• Sustainability – You’re About To Be Regulated, focussing on how suppliers’ sustainable solutions will need to pass the scrutiny of corporates’ auditors, in order to become a meaningful component of sustainable travel programmes.
• Keynote speaker sessions from Patrick Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, CWT; Calum Laming, Chief Customer Officer, British Airways; and Ben Fogle, broadcaster, adventurer and conservationist

ITM is also stepping up its commitment to member wellbeing and inclusivity at this year’s event. One of several new initiatives is a Wellbeing Hub & Quiet Room, hosted by wellbeing partner United Airlines, and managed by social enterprise charity EventWell®. In this space delegates can recharge, read, put on noise cancelling headphones, or simply sit back and enjoy the peace and quiet. In addition, ITM is enhancing its buddy programme to support first-time or solo-attendees with meeting points at networking and social elements where they can head to connect with fellow delegates.

Other plans include physical and mental wellbeing activities such as a run or walk along the seafront, a mindfulness session ‘The World of You’, plus yoga classes in the pod at the top of Brighton’s iconic i360.

Sustainability is another important theme this year with several social strategies to ensure the event has minimum impact on the environment. ITM has partnered with EventCycle, whose mission is to reduce waste post event by repurposing and redistributing materials to encourage a circular economy. For example, table centrepieces will be created using locally grown organic flowers provided by ethical florist Hearts & Flowers and donated to a local nursing home at the end of the conference.

Other steps to reduce or mitigate the impact on the environment include:

• Delegates will have the opportunity to take part in a beach clean on Brighton seafront on both days, prior to opening sessions.
• ATPI’s sustainability division, ATPI Halo will provide accredited carbon-offsetting from its partner Respira for travel to and from the conference for all attending delegates.
• Any leftover water bottles will be given to Tentshare, a peer-to-peer tent lending platform which is aiming to tackle the problem of single-use tents and disposal at UK festival. Tentshare will use the bottles as prizes for those listing or renting their tents on the site. 

Scott Davies, CEO, ITM commented: “The ITM conference is renowned for its high-calibre educational and thought-provoking programme of sessions tackling current industry topics, and this year is no exception. The two-day event also provides unrivalled networking opportunities for the whole business travel community. Can anyone afford to miss it? Places are limited so anyone who is still looking to attend, would be well-advised to register as soon as possible.

“We also recognise that not everyone feels comfortable in a conference or networking environment. Our event team has therefore introduced ways to improve the delegate experience so that everyone feels included and within their comfort zone. Sustainability is also a topic that is high on everyone’s agenda and this year we have ramped up our focus on ensuring the conference is as low impact as possible, as well as finding ways to get our attendees involved by incorporating social impact initiatives during the event,” said Davies.