Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural Business Travel Show America (BTS America) at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NYC, alongside several members of the Atlas Travel team, including VP Dan McAuliffe, fellow Business Development Directors JoAnn Zebniak and Kevin Czepiel and EVP of Business Development Paul Swartz (from left to right).
Organized by The BTN Group, the event brought together professionals from across the country for two full days of discovery, networking and innovation in business travel — and it did not disappoint! The BTN Group, known for its trusted industry publications like Business Travel News and The Beat, has held BTS in Europe since 1994. This was the first time they brought the conference stateside and the energy throughout the event reflected that excitement.
With more than 1,000 travel professionals in attendance and roughly 70% of them not a part of GBTA 2025 in Denver, this made BTS America a fresh and dynamic space for new connections. Additionally, unlike typical trade shows, this conference featured a strategically hosted buyer program, which ensured a productive environment for meaningful and collaborative conversations between buyers and travel suppliers.
The hosted buyers included a diverse mix of corporate travel managers, meeting planners, procurement professionals, sourcing specialists, facilities managers and administrative professionals. Meanwhile, there was an equally broad range of travel suppliers, from TMCs and airlines to hotel groups, technology providers, ground transportation companies and more.
Atlas Travel had a strong presence at BTS America, with the full team supporting our booth. Over the course of two days, we held more than 75 meetings with prospects from the corporate, humanitarian/NGO and life sciences sectors. It was eye-opening to learn what these organizations are prioritizing in their travel programs today — especially as topics like sustainability, traveler experience and duty of care continue to define business travel.
One of the standout moments of the event was its "Business Travel Innovation Faceoff," which featured 12 innovator presentations showcasing groundbreaking products, technologies and services designed to address industry/traveler challenges and support business travel and meetings. This segment was a great reminder of how quickly technology is transforming the way we plan, book and manage travel experiences.
Outside of the conference, our Atlas Travel team had the pleasure of hosting a dinner for customers and new prospects at the beloved NYC institution, Carmine’s Italian Restaurant, in the theater district of Times Square. The evening was full of good food, lively conversation and genuine connection — a wonderful way to close out the first day of the conference.
Overall, the first-ever BTS America was an incredible experience and a promising addition to the U.S. business travel networking landscape. Events like this remind me why I love what I do, from the relationships, the innovation and the shared commitment to moving our industry forward. The organizers have already confirmed the event’s return on October 14-15, 2026, once again at the Javits Center in NYC — and I have no doubt it will continue to grow!
