By Rocky Mobaraki, Ph.D.
Chairman, Passenger Travel Services Committee

Passenger travel trends are considered by many economists to be a key barometer of our economic health; not just at home in the USA, but around the globe. A December blog by the Wall Street Journal, for example, highlights the breadth and interconnectedness of the travel industry.

The interplay between fuel prices, currency fluctuations, and consumer spending – among other factors – is highly important for professionals in the travel industry and government travelers themselves. Understanding current trends and their impact on prices and the availability of resources and services is the key to making successful forecasts and smart travel decisions at any level of government or the private sector.

For decades, NDTA has recognized the passenger travel industry’s importance to our government, military, and collective national security. We have a standing Passenger Travel Services Committee (which I chair) that works with all stakeholders; creating a forum for open communication between government and travel industry decision makers.

Like NDTA’s other functional committees, the PTSC includes senior members of both the government and private industry. On the private sector side, we include industry representatives from airline, bus, passenger rail, lodging, and extended stay companies, relocation companies, car rental agencies, electronic travel technology firms, travel agencies, and passenger travel related publications.

We also have government liaisons from the program management offices of the Defense Travel System within the Department of Defense, and the E-Gov Travel Service within the General Services Administration.

Together, this committee has three principal purposes:

• First, we act as a trusted facilitator between government and travel industry decision makers on issues of mutual interest
• Second, we bridge any communication and information gaps between the government and the private sector
• Finally, we encourage and promote education to improve programs, trends, policies and other industry challenges facing the government traveler and the travel industry

NDTA is firmly committed to serving the needs of these interdependent organizations, and we recognize that changes in one segment of the industry impacts all others. With that in mind, I’m very pleased to invite any and all travel professionals to join me at NDTA’s new GovTravels symposium, hosted March 29th – 31st in Alexandria, VA.

We designed this exciting new event with input from the private sector and government travel stakeholders, including GSA and the Defense Travel Management Office, to ensure that we engage participants in a meaningful dialogue on travel and passenger services. This is a must attend event – go to the GovTravels website for more information and to register.