Business Travel Show *

The Business Travel Show returned last week at its fine new home, a very busy ExCeL London exhibition centre.  Other enterprises were taking place at the same time, including The Meetings Show and the Virgin London Marathon check-in which made the whole place feel vibrant.

Full marks to the show owners New York based Northstar for their investment and confidence in the travel industry.

The 2022 event next June is timed to coincide with the introduction of the Elizabeth Line and fast trains to Canary Wharf, London’s West End and Heathrow.  What a difference that will make!

Compared with the last show in February 2020, just before the pandemic was about to impose itself upon us, and with the cancellation of the planned February 2021 happening, it was clearly low key.  Hospitality was limited with budgets restrained, and the airlines’ participation, whilst there, very modest.  Over the two days 52 well-attended conference sessions took place on the five stages.

Strangely jetBlue, the show complementing its Gatwick start-up, chose not to take part, a mistake.  The airline has yet to get its London act together.  

www.businesstravelshoweurope.com

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Susan Outlander, Hornsey - London

ExCel was busy when I visited the show too. I liked the Islington venue best, but with the new Crossrail link ExCel might just work.