With so much scrutiny around public sector efficiencies and a challenging new year ahead we wanted to write to you with details of what the people at Visa Europe are doing to help you extend the success of your GPC Visa programme via your Visa card issuer.

As you are probably aware, the GPC Visa scheme has been bringing proven efficiencies to the public sector for the past 12 years.  In 2008 alone, it delivered savings of some £165 million.  Now, with so much emphasis on public sector spending, together with the transition from GPC 2 to GPC 3, we know that many users are considering how best to transform their programmes.

Visa Europe wants to help you make the right decisions with the biggest impact for both the short and long terms.  They are therefore partnering with Buying Solutions and Visa issuers to host a series of GPC Visa users groups, investigating subjects such as:

• New GPC Visa solutions and innovations
• Ways to extract more value from existing GPC Visa programmes
• How to increase the transparency and accountability of GPC Visa programmes
  

As well as discussing best practice, and offering practical well-informed guidance, this will give you an opportunity to preview some new innovations from Visa Europe.

 The user groups are planned for the first quarter of 2010 with the first one scheduled to coincide with this year’s Business Travel Show on Tuesday 9th February 2010, 2 – 4.30pm at Earl’s Court Conference Centre.

To RSVP your attendance at this user group session please complete the short online registration form for the 2010 Business Travel Show via the following link and email gpc@visa.com along with any additional burning topics you would like us to cover in our open debate section.   Please note that pre-registering is free but there is a charge on the day!

www.businesstravelshow.com/en/registration.aspx

With 12 years of GPC experience, Visa’s dedicated government services team has developed a deep understanding of UK circumstances and requirements.  We hope that the series of users groups will be an important step forward.

We hope that you will find time to send your views and join this user group.