What's Next for GBTA?

GBTA's Dave Hilfman talks…

• GBTA's campaign launch: Ready. Safe. Travel.
• The results of GBTA's organizational assessment by MCI USA
• The most important thing he has achieved in his interim role
• Why now is the time for members to get involved

The Global Business Travel Association has completed an organizational diagnostic with association consultancy MCI USA. The three-month process delivered recommendations to the association that included increasing its value proposition with supplier members, providing greater transparency to all members and stimulating greater diversity at the board level. Interim executive director David Hilfman, leading the organization since former CEO Scott Solombrino departed amid controversy in July, spoke with BTN editorial director Elizabeth West about progress GBTA has made toward goals and about launching a new advocacy and education campaign called Ready. Safe. Travel. The following comments have been edited for length and clarity. 

BTN: What is the Ready. Safe. Travel. campaign aiming to accomplish and what are its components?

Dave Hilfman: It's a lot about education and advocacy. First, about the economic impact of travel worldwide. Many people don’t fully appreciate what that is, including people in government positions, policy positions. When you talk about the $1.4 or $1.5 trillion economic impact of travel worldwide, and the millions of jobs that are tied to it, people might start to look at the need to travel in a different light. Second, we want to get businesses themselves back on the road, obviously in a safe manner. We want to marshal the information we have from government authorities, our own polling data and all these resources about how to get back to travel safely. Everyone understands we have to be safe and we are highlighting new safety protocols from our great travel suppliers and all the enhancements and improvements they've made. That part is about giving people significantly more comfort and confidence to start to drive, and then fly and then stay at hotels. We've got to get that started. We are encouraged by what we've seen so far, but we have more to do.  

BTN: How will you measure results of the campaign?

Hilfman: We'll look to a number of data and metrics. Not the least will be GBTA polling data, as to members' sentiment toward travel. Then, the actual results. We'll be looking to [travel] buyers and suppliers regarding increases in travel. Of course, we'll leverage social media and measure what kind of response we are getting and the number of views.

BTN: Beyond the campaign itself, what is GBTA focusing on as the best path to business travel recovery in the short term?

Hilfman: [Our biggest concerns are] some the policies in place about quarantine and border closures. We have to find ways to solve those problems, beyond the most restrictive things that we've seen in place. And do them safely and responsibly. We've seen testing become so much more accurate and fast. With the reduction in cost, we think that kind of initiative, which has been talked about regularly now, would help open up the planet. In many countries today, [policies] have been so restrictive and [sometimes] inconsistent [that you] can't get to the level of confidence that travelers need. This is particularly true if you're looking at international, but also from a domestic perspective. The inconsistency by state [has been challenging]. We believe if there was enough public and private investment in testing, we could stimulate a very significant increase in travel here in the U.S. and around the world.

BTN: GBTA came off a very challenging summer with controversy at the executive level. After that time, GBTA brought in a consultant to assess the strengths and weaknesses. Is that engagement now complete?

Hilfman: Yes. MCI USA specializes in consulting for non-profit associations, like a Deloitte, PWC, Accenture or some of those other great consultancies that you find on the corporate side. The board felt, based on what had transpired this past year, it was time to get a fresh look at the organization, [with perspective] on our operations and best practices. From there we could move forward in a positive way. We finished that diagnostic in mid-October.

BTN: You wrote a letter to the GBTA membership about the MCI recommendations. It noted a number of areas where GBTA needed improvement: Obviously, there were concerns around Covid-19, but the report also noted a need for greater transparency and better communication about board decisions, and more diverse representation on the board. The letter itself was quite transparent, which seemed like the start of a response to at least one recommendation.

Hilfman: Transparency is key to success in any organization, and particularly so in a membership association. While [the report showed] we were great at marketing and the commercial side of the business, transparency was an area of communication where we didn't score as well, relative to the committees or board. We want to be better about communicating with our members, and that is now the focus of the GBTA staff, the board of directors and the GBTA leadership team.

BTN: Tell me how GBTA is addressing the issue of diversity on the board.

Hilfman: The association was aware and respectful of the unique strengths of our members in Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, even if the [member] numbers [in those regions] aren't as large as they are in the U.S. It's been a recommendation over the years that we have better structure to represent these critical members. Knowing that, and seeing it validated in the MCI report, the chairs from GBTA Latin America, GBTA Canada and GBTA Europe will join the global board [editor's note: as of December 7, 2020] and now have a seat at the table. We're thrilled about that and, more importantly, so are our members.

Also regarding the board, over the next nine months leading up to our convention in Orlando in July, 11 of 13 of the current board member seats have the potential to change out, either through elections or appointments. If people want to get in, get involved, whether on the board or committees, we need them to step up, show their interest and run.

BTN: The cancelled convention this summer clearly plays into member concern about Covid-19 and how it has cut into the networking value GBTA is able to deliver. How have supplier members responded to that?

Hilfman: Obviously, the pandemic has caused an enormous challenge to us all. And then, relative to networking and those in-person events that have been key to GBTA's value, we've been sorely disappointed we haven't been able to get back together yet. I've talked to hundreds and maybe bordering on thousands of people, and thankfully, there is a  significant number who are very proud of the work GBTA has done during the pandemic. Despite our well-documented challenges, they believe in that work and felt they were getting good value from the organization.

BTN: Your interim directorship will wind down at the end of the year. Have you achieved your goals for GBTA?

Hilfman: I'm just one person, fervently working with an enormous number of great people. The members have been so supportive. The staff has been great, the board, all the chapters, advisory boards and committees… they have all jumped in to make this a tremendous team effort. I do believe that we've stabilized the organization and made significant progress in restoring relationships around the industry for GBTA. We understand we don't exist unless we're doing a good job for our members. If I'm most proud of anything, it's that we've gotten focus back on them.

BTN: You are chairing the executive search committee for a permanent executive director. What are you looking for in an individual to fill that role?

Hilfman: The association business is very complex. I didn't fully appreciate that, coming from a pure corporate background. GBTA needs an individual with the ability to lead in a high-profile role and the ability to manage many constituencies—an individual who listens well and can deliver.