Connecting with Industry Experts: Fox World Travel at SAP Concur Fusion

Following SAP Concur Fusion we reflected on the sentiment we felt on the tradeshow floor. From education sessions, private events, and mingling with industry connections, Fusion was an exciting leap toward the recovery of the travel industry. This year Fusion was offered in both an in-person and virtual setting for the first time, which in result, brought a different energy to the event. Here are some insights our Fox experts that attended noticed and expect will make a tremendous impact on the travel industry in future years. 

Ben Claxton – Online Technology Manager

Attending SAP Concur Fusion 2022 in person was invigorating because it is a great time for me to be able to connect with current Fox clients, those who will hopefully one day be Fox clients, but also the SAP Concur team members that I work closely with throughout the year.  After leaving the education session “What’s New and What’s Next: Managing Travel”, I was feeling very inspired. Becky Tatum, VP SAP Concur Travel, Brian Hace, VP Global Travel Strategy and Jen Moyse, Sr Dir, TripIt and TripLink Product, had great insights and gave us a peek into the future of Concur travel.  We can expect to see some new enhancements in car search and mobile slated for Q4 of this year, and additional enhancements in hotel or air search in 2023.  It is thrilling to see what is currently being worked on and what have to look forward to.   

Although the event was smaller this year than years past, the attendees were feeling excited and connected. I was hearing everyone’s appreciation of being back in person multiple times a day on the expo floor. As this is my 9th SAP Concur Fusion conference, I always feel a sense of community when it comes to SAP Concur Fusion.  

Gina Maylath – Global Client Solutions Manager

It was refreshing exploring the exhibitor booths and visiting with my industry peers who I have not been able to connect with in the past two years. My favorite education session was “Payment – It’s in the Cards” which focused on the impact virtual payment will have within travel.  Virtual payment is becoming more relevant in this industry, and it was interesting to see how others are utilizing and implementing it. While this year’s Fusion had a smaller footprint, I felt those that attended took in all the conference had to offer and were serious about improving their travel program as well as finding out more about the capabilities available to improve upon current processes.  Everyone was happy to be there and eager to learn more from the vendors that were present. The typical craze of industry events was less present, which allowed the attendees to approach convention at a slower pace. People had time to take in what was being offered and were able to listen and educate themselves on products and vendors that were presenting. People were eager to talk, share, learn, and have serious discussions around their corporate travel program and how they can make an impact within their role, organization, and industry.  There was a much more genuine feeling.  Those that attended were there for all the right reasons and they took advantage of it.  

Vivian Maxwell Smith – Global Sales Director

It was exhilarating to be back in person at SAP Concur Fusion.  Whether you were a partner or exhibitor the energy was high, and all were elated for the learning and networking opportunities.  Through the masks (still mandated in the conference) you could feel the smiles of all who attended.  Even competitive exhibitors/sponsors were sharing a hug, elbow bump, handshakes, and smiles. At Fusion, SAP approached social distancing in a unique way. Each attendee was given a wristband that was color coded based on their contact comfort level. The wristbands ranged from red, yellow, to green and indicated a level of contact you could approach that attendee with. Not only did this allow attendees to ensure their comfort and safety was not compromised, but it was eye opening seeing how many of the attendees had green wristbands! Being in Orlando surrounded by so many excited travel industry professionals, I could feel the light at the end of the tunnel on the road we all had to travel the last 2 years! 

Mary Jo Theimer – Global Sales Director

This was my first-time attending Fusion as an exhibitor.   The SAP Concur team does a phenomenal job ensuring that suppliers and buyers have ample time to connect on the tradeshow floor.  Travel is such a special industry and anytime we can bring buyers, TMCs, hotels, car companies and technology leaders together for a week, we are guaranteed to walk away having learned from each other and likely even with a few new friendships!  This certainly was the case with SAP Fusion 2022.  Buyers are hungry for solutions, and it was so rewarding being able to share Fox’s expertise and ‘Find a Way’ approach!  And if you attended Fusion and missed the donut wall…I am sorry for your loss! 

These are just a few of the takeaways our team gathered during Fusion that are sure to be present in the future of travel. If you missed the event this year and would like to hear more on what our team of experts experienced on the tradeshow floor connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!