Career options open to students in the business travel sector will be highlighted through a tie-in between the Gtmc and Bournemouth University.
The collaboration will see the university’s department of travel and hospitality raise awareness of corporate travel and travel management companies in its tourism degrees.
The partners will join forces to offer students a range of opportunities as they study, and through placements and graduate jobs.
The Gtmc will work with the university to develop specific corporate travel content for courses and be a conduit to provide industry experts as guest speakers at appropriate lectures.
Members and industry partners will be able to take part in the university’s careers fairs to recruit graduates and students looking for work placements, offer consultancy to final-year students and assist students doing PhD research.
Gtmc chief executive Adrian Parkes said: “The corporate travel sector is one that is very often overlooked by travel and tourism courses, so teaming up with Bournemouth University is an excellent way to raise the profile of our industry and explain the possibilities it offers young people.
“Bournemouth University is recognised as one of the world’s top travel and hospitality departments so this is a superb opportunity to attract the brightest and best students into corporate travel.
“I am sure our TMC members, affiliates and partner companies will be keen to participate in the initiatives we have planned.”
The university’s head of tourism and hospitality, Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, added: “This strategic partnership enables us to work closely with the Gtmc to enhance the intellectual capital in the business travel sector.
“According to the Allied Market Research the business travel market size is expected to reach $1,657 billion by 2023, registering a compound annual growth rate of 4.1% during the forecast period.
“This is a very demanding market that requires global agility and technological tools to satisfy strict customer requirements in a turbulent environment.
“Bournemouth University will be working closely with Gtmc members and partners to create the talent that will lead this sector in the future and also to co-create advanced knowledge to support the competitiveness of the industry.”