Opatija, Croatia ─ The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is pleased to announce the awarding of its prestigious 2025 “GBTA Navigator Award” to Member of the European Parliament Nikolina Brnjac (EPP, Croatia) for her advocacy contributions to the business travel industry.

Speaking on the periphery of the Tourism 365 conference in Zagreb, Croatia, Suzanne Neufang, CEO at GBTA, said:

We are happy to present this truly well-deserved Navigator Award to MEP Brnjac, who has proven to be a key ally and reliable supporter of resilient business travel. As the European Parliament starts the second year of its current mandate, policymakers like MEP Brnjac are essential in providing a voice to business travellers and enabling long-term, viable travel options for all, in Europe and beyond. Ms Brnjac is a great example of elected officials who have proven to be trendsetters and strong champions of our industry.

As she received the award, MEP Brnjac stated: I am honoured to receive the GBTA Navigator Award and to see the importance of sustainable business travel recognised at the European level. Business travel connects people, ideas, and opportunities, and by making it more sustainable we strengthen both Europe’s economy and its commitment to sustainable goals. I will continue working with GBTA and my colleagues in the European Parliament to ensure travel and tourism remain innovative, competitive, and aligned with our shared vision for a sustainable future.

Before joining the European Parliament, Ms Brnjac was the Minister of Tourism and Sport for her home country of Croatia from 2020 to 2024, where her policies laid the foundations for sustainable tourism in the Adriatic country. Ms Brnjac is also a Full Professor at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences at the University of Zagreb and a regular member of the Scientific Council for Transport of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts since 2010. Since being elected in 2024, MEP Brnjac acts as the EPP Group’s representative in the Tourism Task Force (TTF) and a prominent member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN).

She is especially recognised for her support of the business travel industry, notably through her active involvement in organising a pivotal discussion at the European Parliament on a “sustainable future of travel and tourism in Europe” on 20 March 2025 along with GBTA. The event underscored the importance of ensuring the sector remains competitive while aligning with the EU’s decarbonisation agenda.

As the release of the EU’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy nears, GBTA will continue to work with EU policymakers, reflecting our 2024-29 Policy Priorities, to ensure business travel continues to play a key role in boosting Europe’s sustainability and competitiveness objectives. In line with this, the GBTA Foundation recently unveiled its Sustainable Business Travel Transition Pathway aimed at supporting efforts by organisations of all sizes and in all geographies, to start, advance and accelerate their sustainable travel practices.

About GBTA

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premiere business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area and serving stakeholders across six continents. GBTA and its 8,000+ members represent and advocate for the $1.48 trillion global travel business and meetings industry. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. For more information visit gbta.org.

About the GBTA Foundation

The mission of the GBTA Foundation, the US 501c3 charitable arm of the Global Business Travel Association, is to help the global business travel industry create a positive impact and better future for people and the planet. The GBTA Foundation focuses on the strategy and execution of GBTA’s global sustainability programs, supporting initiatives related to climate action; diversity, equity and inclusion; and other talent-related topics via education, research and advocacy. For more information visit gbtafoundation.org.

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