ITB Asia and Web In Travel to talk about the trend in online travel
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Singapore (September 4, 2009). The year 2009 is being tipped as the ‘Year of the Deal’ when online travel in Asia will come into its own. Online travel agencies operating in the region are still reporting growth in transaction volumes albeit yields are down. Low cost carriers are expanding and aggressively promoting cheap fares on their websites. Hotel groups are also introducing online sales, group-wide discounts and value offers on their websites. It is against this background that Web In Travel (WIT) 2009 will be held in partnership with ITB Asia, October 20-23 at the Suntec Singapore Exhibition & Convention Centre.
The depressed market conditions are forcing suppliers to become more creative and adventurous in their distribution and marketing, and all are seeking to increase their presence in the electronic channels while maintaining traditional ones. “It will be the highest profile and most diverse gathering of experts in this field,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, Producer of WIT. “To date, we have gathered an impressive list of speakers from Japan’s Rakuten Travel and Australia’s Webjet to regional names such as Wotif, Agoda and Asiarooms and global brands like Expedia and Travelocity. We also have CEOs of global companies such as Banyan Tree, Accor Asia Pacific, Travelport, Abacus and Sabre represented. If you’ve got an interest in what’s new in the online travel space, WIT’s the event to be at this year.”
Held in conjunction with ITB Asia, WIT will cover issues such as management and leadership in difficult times and branding and marketing in the digital age and hot-button topics such as social media, search, rate parity, content, branding and mobile. Following its tradition of being innovative and interactive, WIT will embrace new technology and tools to ensure the dialogue is not one-way but multi-way.
A ticket to WIT, the main event, also represents real value – it includes free admission to the WIT Ideas Lab at ITB Asia; ITB Asia itself; “Asia Connect” workshops by HSMAI Asia Pacific and a Business Events Forum. For further information about WIT and to book, visit www.webintravel.com.
ITB Asia is organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. The event will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market, but also corporate and MICE travel. ITB Asia 2009 will include exhibition pavilions and tabletop presence for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) providing travel services. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities and travel technology companies are all expected to attend.
hospitalityInside.com is media partner of ITB Asia and will report about the fair. / red
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