GBTA Convention will address the recent issues in business travel with findings from travel professionals who attend the event.
Join us for state-of-the-art education at GBTA Convention 2021 held July 17-21 in Orlando, Florida. View and learn more about all session topics, including duty of care, risk management, sustainability, and more.
Join us, July 17-21 in Orlando, Florida - Orange County Convention Center. Find out how GBTA and OCC are keeping you safe during COVID-19.
GBTA Convention is the world’s largest gathering of business travel professionals. Exhibiting opportunities are available for GBTA Convention 2021. Learn more about exhibiting in Orlando today.
Showcase your brand to the largest gathering of business travel professionals with our sponsorship opportunities at GBTA Convention.
GBTA Convention 2021 - July 17-21, 2021, Orlando, FL
Our selected venue for GBTA Convention 2021 is leading the way to provide safe events in our new normal.
Recognized as the gold standard of safe venues, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) is one of the largest venues in the nation to receive the GBAC STAR™ accreditation, view OCCC's press release. Learn how GBTA and OCCC are keeping you safe at GBTA Convention 2021.
Venue Address:
Orange County Convention Center 9800 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819 (407) 685-9800
Get your questions answered by selecting a topic:
The Orange County Convention Center has wheelchair ramps, automatic doors, passenger elevators and accessible restrooms for those who need them. Scooter and wheelchair rental services are provided by Scootaround. Through the on-site rental location, guests can rent mobility scooters, wheelchairs and oxygen equipment for events held at the convention center. Please note:
FedEx Office® Print and Ship Center is the exclusive business center for the Orange County Convention Center located in the West concourse, near Hall C. FedEx Office® business center is available for all convention participants, offering full-service printing of office materials, production of vinyl banners/signs, Internet access and faxing.
FedEx Office® Print and Ship Center 9800 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819 (P) 407 363 2831 (F) 407 363–4731 usa3996@fedex.com
The FedEx Store will be open during the GBTA Convention Monday – Sunday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Mobility services and solutions are also available via FedEx Office. Other services include computer workstation rentals and exclusive attendee shipping services.
West Hall A1
Exhibiting companies will have the opportunity to book a business lounge appointment. Business Lounge Appointments are reserved, private meeting spaces for buyer and internal staff meetings that also have extended hours, outside the expo floor. Business Lounge Appointments are open the following hours:
Open Meeting Hours:
Sunday, July 18 1:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Monday, July 19 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday, July 20 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday, July 21 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Exhibitors will have access to their Business Lounge beginning at 7:30 am Monday – Wednesday to set up for their appointments each day. During Expo hours, access to the Business Lounges will only be available through the Expo floor (West Hall A1-B1). During hours the Expo is not open, the only available entrance to the Business Lounges will be through the doors at West Hall A1. Proper credentials are required for access.
Located at West A/B Lobby (near Registration Concourse). Laptops and other electronic items will not be accepted due to liability. The coat and bag check costs $3 per item checked. Cash only. The schedule is as follows:
Monday, July 19 7:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Tuesday, July 20 7:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Wednesday, July 21 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The Orange County Convention Center has Wellness Rooms in the West, North and South concourses. The Wellness Rooms provide a private space for nursing mothers to pump or breastfeed in addition to meditate, pray or attend to other personal medical needs.
GBTA will provide wireless internet access in all areas including the Expo.
The GBTA Awareness 5K Run/Walk will be held on Sunday, July 18 from 7:30am – 9:00am on the Orange County Convention Center grounds. Start/Finish Line will be at Hyatt Regency Convention Center, Regency Rotunda
What events are scheduled for 2021 or 2022?
Expo Selection is located on the Expo Floor
Saturday, July 17
9:30 AM – 5:45 PM
Sunday, July 18
8:30 AM – 5:45 PM
Monday, July 19
8:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Tuesday, July 20
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Wednesday, July 21
West Hall A1-B1
Exhibitors may enter the expo floor with proper exhibitor badge credentials during the following days and times:
Monday, July 19 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday, July 20 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday, July 21 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Monday, July 19 10:30 AM – 12:00PM 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday, July 20 10:00 AM – 12:00PM 2:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday, July 21 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
More details to come.
Saturday, July 17 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Sunday, July 18 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
You must wear your GBTA Convention badge at all times to receive admittance to GBTA Convention, Education Sessions, Professional Development Sessions, Expo, Lunch, General Sessions and shuttle buses.
Badge sharing, splitting or reprints made outside of the official GBTA registration system are strictly prohibited. Any attendee found in violation of this policy will be removed from the Convention and all badges will be revoked.
GBTA registration will be open in the following locations:
Main Registration Area (Registration Concourse – West A/B Lobby)
Saturday, July 17 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday, July 18 7:30 AM – 7:15 PM
Monday, July 19 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday, July 20 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday, July 21 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM
In the event of a life-threatening emergency at the Orange County Convention Center, dial 9-1-1.
After calling 911, notify your contracted Event Security Provider of the emergency. Your contracted Event Security Provider will then contact the OCCC Security Command Center, which will involve any additional OCCC staff and/or agencies as needed.
For non-life-threatening situations, contact the GBTA Convention contracted event security provider or GBTA staff. The GBTA contracted event security provider or GBTA staff will then contact the OCCC Security Command Center to initiate communication protocols for involving additional OCCC staff and/or agencies as needed.
The Orange County Convention Center offers four First Aid stations located in the West Concourse. The First Aid stations will be staffed during all official Convention hours:
Med 1 - Located near W240
Med 2 - Located in front of Hall WD2 (W224)
Med 3 - Located in Central Lobby (Hall WC)
Med 4 - Located in Level 1 Lobby (below Hall WA)
Saturday, July 17 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Sunday, July 18 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Monday, July 19 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Tuesday, July 20 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Wednesday, July 21 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Nearest Hospital – 4.1 Mi
Dr. P. Phillips Hospital
9400 Turkey Lake Road
Orlando, Florida 32819
+1 407 351 8500
Nearest Pharmacy – 0.6 Mi
Walgreens
9858 International Drive
+1 407 385 1697
Lost and found is managed by the Security Division of the Orange County Convention Center, who patrol the convention center 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you lose an item while onsite at the convention center, please call the Security Command Center at +1 407 685 1119. The Security Command Center is located at Dock 7 in the West Building.
There are two information desks located in the West Concourse of the convention center, one is located on Level 1 at the A/B Lobby (near Main Registration), and the other is in the C Lobby near the FedEx Business Center. The information desks are staffed by Visit Orlando and available to assist attendees in purchasing discounted attraction tickets, making dining reservations, recommending nightlife and entertainment and more!
Press registrations are allowed at the GBTA Convention 2021 but must be approved by GBTA. For press inquiries please contact Nikki Stimson at nstimson@gbta.org. Press should submit their registration request online at convention.gbta.org/Registration.
Due to the changing COVID-19 guidelines and compliance and safety concerns, GBTA will not host a Welcome Reception in 2021. Instead, GBTA will offer a food and beverage gift card or amenity on Sunday evening for attendees to enjoy.
Can I join or renew onsite?
Access the Convention agenda, speaker details, expo floor plan, news, photos, attendee messaging and more! Download the app from iTunes, the Google Play store, or at gbta.org/mobile. Available Spring 2021.
Using advanced planning tools, attendees can plan and customize their Convention experience. More information to come.
GBTA Convention participants may not organize or sponsor any activities that conflict with the official GBTA program or sponsored events during official convention hours. The scheduling of product presentations or hospitality activities during any GBTA official Convention events such as the Expo, Education Sessions, Annual Business Meeting, General Sessions, Lunch, the GBTA Awareness 5K Run/Walk or any Kick-Start events is strictly prohibited. Under no circumstances should sales or any other type of individual gatherings, take place during official GBTA Convention events that involve multiple buyers (Direct members/travel managers) from multiple companies. Our partners have made significant investments in specific parts of the GBTA Convention and we want all delegates to be able to enjoy this annual, one-of-a-kind experience without distraction. GBTA will have final approval on the allocation of any requested convention center space, hospitality suites or hotel space within the designated GBTA hotel blocks. Suites must be operated in good taste and may only be operated outside of official Convention and Expo activities. Loss of priority points, ejection from the expo floor, and a minimum financial penalty of $2,500 can occur if any exhibitor, sponsor, member company or supplier company is found in violation of any rules.
"Suitcasing"/soliciting is prohibited. Suitcasing is the act of soliciting business in the aisles of the expo, public spaces in, around, and outside the convention center, in another company's booth, within indoor or outdoor public spaces in any convention hotel including the hotel lobbies, foyers, or walkways to the convention center (excluding the use of approved hospitality suites and business lounges). GBTA recognizes that suitcasing may also take the form of commercial activity conducted from a hotel guest room or hospitality suite, a restaurant, club, or any other public place of assembly. For the purposes of this policy, suitcasing violations may occur at venues other than the exhibitor's booth and at other events. Violations of this provision by an exhibitor, sponsor, non- exhibitor, or attendee will constitute a breach of contract and the violating attendee, exhibitor, sponsor, non-exhibitor or group will immediately cease and desist unauthorized activities. Attendee will remove any equipment or materials contained in the expo or elsewhere and forfeit all payments to GBTA pursuant to this contract. Additional fees will be charged to the attendee for each violation, and a loss of priority points will occur. Additionally, attendee will be responsible for any damages to GBTA. You can find out more about GBTA’s suitcasing policy in the GBTA Convention 2021 Terms and Conditions.
Find out what GBTA is doing about unauthorized company solicitations.
GBTA Convention 2021 will feature over 80 education sessions on all the latest trends and technologies expected in the coming decade. Specific education session information will be made available by March 2021.
To view more information regarding Professional Development at GBTA Convention 2021 please visit convention.gbta.org/Program/Professional-Development.
Session Schedule
Date
Session Type
Time
Professional Development - Global Leadership Professional® Program - Finance
8:00 AM – 4:00/5:00 PM
Vertical Peer-to-Peer (Buyers Only)
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Education Sessions
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Committee Roundtable Discussions
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM; 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Global Leadership Professional® Program - Finance: GBTA’s Global Leadership Professional® (GLP) Program is the only masters-level course for travel professionals. The strategic curriculum uses an interdisciplinary approach that addresses both the opportunities and challenges of conducting business in today’s evolving environment.
Committee Roundtable Sessions: Designed by the GBTA committees to create an opportunity for members of our industry to engage in learning and teaching amongst their own industry peers on hot and relevant topics.
Vertical Peer-to-Peer: Buyer-only sessions designed to create an opportunity for members of our industry to engage in learning and teaching amongst their own niche industry peers.
GBTA shuttle bus pick-up/drop-off is located at West Concourse West A/B Lobby entrance. Please see the shuttle schedule provided onsite, at each hotel, and in the mobile app for the shuttle schedule.
The majority of the GBTA Convention 2021 room blocks are located within walking distance of the Orange County Convention Center. Limited seating, social distancing, and cleaning will be managed by the shuttle bus provider.
Orange County Convention Center event-specific parking areas will be listed on overhead electronic signage on International Drive and the surrounding area.
The OCCC accepts cash, traveler's checks, American Express, MasterCard and Visa.
Short-term parking spaces are available in front of the West and North/South buildings. Guests will be able to park in a designated space for up to three hours at a rate of $5 per hour.
Map #
Hotel Name
Shuttle
1
Hyatt Regency Orlando (HQ)
Walk
2
Hilton Orlando (Co-HQ)
3
Rosen Center
4
Days Inn Convention Center
Yes
5
Castle Hotel – Autograph Collection
6
Embassy Suites International Drive Convention Center
7
Tru by Hilton Convention Center
8
Double Tree SeaWorld®
9
Renaissance SeaWorld®
The following taxicab companies are approved to pick up at the Orange County Convention Center:
Checker Cab: +1 407 422 2222
City Cab: +1 407 422 2222
Diamond Cab Company: +1 407 523 3333
Star Taxi: +1 407 857 9999
Yellow Cab: +1 407 422 2222
Rideshare drop-off and pick-up locations are at the entrances of West Hall A and West Halls E&F.