More than 80 participants took part in the first edition of the GVA Workshop organized by Geneva Airport (Marketing / Business Development) at the Chef restaurant.
With the aim of bringing together travel professionals, the GVA Workshop featured the presence of 17 airlines offering direct flights from Geneva, as well as visitors such as travel agents, tour operators, and travel managers from the French-speaking part of Switzerland and neighboring France.
In the first part of the event, a "speed-dating" format was adopted, where participants rotated every 10 minutes in small groups of 5 to 6 visitors. This provided an opportunity for participants to exchange information on the latest news, services, and offerings provided by the exhibiting airlines. The participating airlines included: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air China, Air France / KLM, Delta Air Lines, Air Malta, British Airways / Iberia, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Icelandair, ITA Airways, Qatar Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Saudia Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Tunisair, and United Airlines.
The interactive workshop session was followed by a presentation and debate on the topic of different sustainable fuels intended for the gradual replacement of traditional kerosene in the short or long term.
The presentation, conducted by aviation consultant Mr. Philippe Meyer, was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Dominique Sudan from Travel Inside, the media partner. The panel consisted of Mr. André Schneider, CEO of Geneva Airport, Romain Vetter, Head of Western Switzerland at Swiss International Air Lines, and Claude Luterbacher, Director of Transcontinental Group and representative of the Geneva Travel Agencies Association (GAVG), as well as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Guarantee Fund.
The success of this first edition has already paved the way for the organization of a new edition in 2024. The exact period, date, and concept of the next edition are yet to be determined, pending feedback from the participating partners through an ongoing satisfaction survey.