The United Kingdom and Ireland's Institute of Travel Management has changed its name to the Institute of Travel & Meetings. The 50-year-old organization voted for the change at its annual conference late last month after 85 percent voted in favor.
The ITM represents £34 billion of travel buying power and also has supplier members. It has renamed itself in part to reflect an increase in meetings management by buyer members. However, an additional reason is that the ITM wants to shift strategic emphasis from travel to the facilitation of meetings, which may involve either travel or electronic alternatives, such as videoconferencing.
"It is important for us to focus on the reasons why we travel, and 'the meeting' is an important part of our forward thinking," chairman Caroline Strachan told the meeting. "To have reference to this in our name demonstrates just how seriously we are taking this."
Strachan added that she foresees a time when the ITM will drop the word "Travel" from its name.
As part of its commitment to promoting alternative forms of meeting, the ITM is partnering with the wildlife protection charity WWF to lobby for tax breaks for companies that invest in videoconferencing, head of the industry affairs committee Chris Reynolds told the conference. Reynolds added that the ITM has joined the campaign against Lufthansa's controversial Preferred Fares Program in Germany and Switzerland
(BTNonline, April 3).
"British Airways' global distribution system negotiations start later this year," said Reynolds. "If Lufthansa gets away with this, then it could set the norm for the industry."