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During a press conference today at the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention & Exposition, American Express Business Travel announced plans to launch a business-to-business online networking community for the corporate travel industry. A first-of-its-kind resource, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will bring together a consortium of industry decision makers, suppliers, and experts in the industry's most extensive online, community platform. Also announced was NBTA's commitment to become the online community's first industry content partner. American Express Publishing's Executive Travel magazine will also provide content to the site. Designed as a place for members to connect, share and learn, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will draw together the combined expertise and wide variety of perspectives of American Express Business Travel, NBTA, industry publications, suppliers and editorialists. In addition to these affiliations, users will be empowered and encouraged to participate in online discussion boards, editorial reviews, hot topic polls, product development councils and provide feedback on what they want to hear about from the industry. Other features will include a resource center with white papers, surveys and other
research, RSS feed, blogs and benchmarking ability. Membership to the site will be open to the entire business travel community. "The latest online innovation from American Express,
BusinessTravelConnexion.com will grant corporations and individual travel professionals access to the wealth of information and expertise of our organization and members of the broader business travel industry, while asking them to supplement the site's value by contributing from their own experiences," said Lyell Farquharson, Vice President and General Manager,Business Travel Canada, American Express. "With the advent of new technology we're witnessing the business travel industry moving toward online resources and automated services, and our objective with this new, interactive network,is to continue to evolutionize the business travel experience." Kevin Maguire, CCTE, President and CEO, NBTA commented, "As a leading source of business travel industry information, NBTA continually seeks new opportunities to deliver valuable resources to the business travel community. We are pleased to work with American Express Business Travel on BusinessTravelConnexion.com; it's a tremendous opportunity to deliver thought leadership through a new media vehicle to reach an even greater portion of the business travel community."

Farquharson continued, "NBTA's and Executive Travel's content partnerships add tremendous value to the industry intelligence we want showcased on the site. Through their contributions and others who are interested, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will allow companies to leverage the collective intelligence of the industry to become more informed and better equipped to make the most prudent travel management decisions."

"Executive Travel is thrilled to be a part of the BusinessTravelConnexion.com community. Executive Travel's content will provide a unique dimension to the site by offering the perspective of the traveller.

It is beneficial for business travel managers and procurement officers to have insight into the minds of travellers to help define the approach for corporate travel programs. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing environment, there is a need for a place where knowledge can be shared easily and quickly, and we feel BusinessTravelConnexion.com does exactly that," said Janet M. Libert, editor of Executive Travel magazine. As a first step toward a truly collaborative community, American Express Business Travel is accepting suggestions for content and features at www.BusinessTravelConnexion.com or at the Company's booth (No. 2239) on the NBTA Expo floor in Los Angeles. Through each of these venues, individuals may register to offer thoughts and receive updates on the site's progress until its launch, currently planned for this fall.

About American Express Business Travel

American Express Business Travel(www.americanexpress.com/businesstravel),
a division of the American Express Company, is dedicated to helping its clients realize the greatest possible value from their investment in travel through increased cost savings,
outstanding customer service and greater spend control. For small businesses, medium-sized enterprises and multinational corporations, American Express Business Travel provides a combination of industry-leading booking technology, travel management consulting expertise, strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation support, and customer service available online and offline, around the world.

American Express operates one of the world's largest travel agency networks with $26.4 billion in global travel sales in 2007.

American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a diversified worldwide travel, financial and network services company founded in 1850. It is a world leader in charge and credit cards, Travellers Cheques, travel, and business services.

Source-cnw.ca