More than 1,100 government travel professionals, including over 800 travel managers, or buyers, filled the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta this week, attending the 2008 National Travel Forum. The conference, hosted for the first time by the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) and its Government Travel Group (GTG), opened Tuesday evening with a reception and continues through Friday.

Recognized as the largest and most important event for the government travel community, the National Travel Forum features experts from the General Services Administration (GSA), the Defense Travel Management Office and the Department of Defense, and brings together representatives from many branches of the federal government, as well as states across the country.

Wednesday’s agenda featured a dynamic array of presentations and discussion sessions, during which participants shared their experiences on issues confronting government travel managers and planners. Attendees also collaborated to address challenges shared across many of the agencies represented.

Top issues addressed in the first day of educational sessions included: changes required to meet the growing needs of government travelers and their agencies; difficulties of managing fluctuating fees and surcharges for government travelers; changes affecting the airline industry; managing individual and emotional aspects of travel and relocation; and ensuring world-class travel management through ongoing education and training for government travel managers.

Session leaders recognized the complex issues confronting government travel managers and noted trends toward simplification of communication and procedures surrounding Federal Travel Regulation. Participants were also reminded of the importance of hearing the voice of the customer, engaging all stakeholders in regular communication, and embracing and managing change.

Several presenters recognized NBTA for its role in helping bridge divides between the corporate and government sectors, while addressing issues specific to government travel through the formation of the NBTA’s Government Travel Group. Director of the Office of Travel and Transportation Services, Federal Acquisition Service, U.S. General Services Administration, Tim Burke, noted the importance of professionalism within the government travel industry, pointing to the National Travel Forum as playing a pivotal role in the continuing accomplishments of government travel managers. Quoting IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, Burke noted that, “great accomplishment usually comes as a result of a high exchange of ideas among enthusiastic people.”