Eyefortravel - Travel Distribution Technology 2008

The travel industry’s annual technology brief: benchmark, learn, network, profit re Book befo 7 and 0 0 2 r e b 12th Octo

Travel Distribution Technology 2008

0 0 2 £ e v a s on your e pass! conferenc

16-17th January 2008, Regent’s Park Marriott, London

Get maximum control in the most profitable distribution channels - sell more, for less Expert speakers provide in-depth analysis and interrogate the key issues of distribution technology ATTEND THIS EVENT TO: • Discover technologies to DRIVE DOWN COSTS of distribution and OPEN UP MORE PROFITABLE CHANNELS • Connect to higher profits and greater sales with the latest TECHNOLOGY TO INTEGRATE essential partners • Harness Social Media to MAXIMISE SALES and INCREASE LOYALTY • Get the TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES on your site to maximise CONVERSION RATES and boost SALES

Distribution Technology Experts Assemble

Nick Johnston, Programme Manger - Sales and Marketing, Hertz

Rob Westerman, Director of Distribution Strategy, KLM

Chris Carmichael, Innovation and Planning, British Airways

Peter Gardiner, Sales Director, Premier Inn

Brian Clifton, Head of Web Analytics, Google

Jamel Chandoul, Head of Distribution and Commercial Systems, Eurostar

Philippe Garnier, Senior Director - Distribution Sales, Hilton Hotels

Elliott Prichard, E-Business Manager, Kuoni

John Lambe, CTO, OpenJaw Technologies and Board Member, OpenTravel Alliance

Graham Nichols, Vice President and General Manager EMEAA Travel Distribution, Worldspan

Russell Gould, Head of Digital Marketing, MyTravel

Dean Gregory, Director Hotel Systems Connectivity & Global Connectivity Team, Expedia

• Cut through the buzz of WEB 2.0 and examine the technologies that can REVOLUTIONISE YOUR online DISTRIBUTION • Debate the GDSs future role and investigate VIABLE ALTERNATIVES that can offer a better ROI • Understand the IMPORTANCE OF SEARCH in turning LOOKERS INTO BOOKERS

Seize this vital opportunity to grow your business and maximize your profits

Open now to see the full agenda

Call Tom now to register on +44 (0)207 375 7236

Book now to learn how to use the latest technology to boost sales and slash distribution costs Technology is your company’s greatest opportunity, but it also represents your biggest challenge. Over the next five years experts predict £50 billion will be lost by companies who select the wrong technology solutions – don’t let your company contribute to this statistic. To maximise sales you need an objective analysis of the technologies on offer - delivered from the leading innovators of the industry. You could spend weeks trawling through the wealth of information out there or leave yourself at the mercy of vendors at technology exhibitions. Alternatively, seize the chance to join an elite group of experts and come away with a firm grasp of the facts which will make your profits soar. For two days, the conference will bring together the top tech savvy travel suppliers and intermediaries to discuss the latest tech topics and actually do business.

“An invaluable way to get up to speed on all things travel, distribution & technology in a short space of time.” Simon Lloyd, WEXAS Ltd

“As always, fascinating and valuable to get a snap shot of what the market movers think the future looks like.” Matthew Witt, Active Hotels

Integrate, Connect and Control The dynamic channels you sell through are constantly fluctuating to maximise profits and this presents a real threat. Being expensive or difficult to deal with will see your most profitable channels and competitive edge lost. The sobering fact is: your company could be overlooked as a potential partner due to not having the technology onboard to make you ‘attractive’. Integrating the right technology will see your distribution costs plummet and your profits soar - opening up new distribution channels and maximising profits from existing ones.

Sell more, for less You will go away ready to use technology to integrate with your distribution partners cheaply and effectively - maximising sales and profits across multiple distribution channels. With such a wealth of information and opportunity TDT08 will drive the industry’s distribution technology forward. Ensure you’re not left behind - be there to to discuss these key issues:

Multi-channel distribution examined by KLM and Premier Inn. BA on innovative new touch points to sell. Increase conversions with Google and Kuoni. OpenTravel, Hilton and Expedia on seamless integration strategy. Web 2.0 masterclass with WAYN.

Online travel is seeing growth of over 20% year on year, but your company will not reap the rewards without a site that will make customers buy. The way consumers buy travel online is changing, today’s fastest growing websites are packed full of Web 2.0 content. But all your flash new content is useless unless your site is usable – customers cited usability as their key conversion factor. Hear from Google, Kuoni and Directski. com on how having an updated and usable site that allows your customers to book direct will cut your costs by 25% and send sales soaring.

Searching for a better ROI... Search technology has become increasing complex. A great site will not sell a thing if it cannot be found, and the top ranked site will flounder if it cannot match the inventory to what the customer wants. We have assembled the experts from Google, Kuoni and Thinkingfish to examine all the issues surrounding being found - presenting you with all the information and options that will make your customers buy.

This session will seriously affect your distribution spend... The GDS have long gone unchallenged as the travel distribution hub, but now the industry is changing…The alternatives have catalysed the GDSs into action, forcing them to innovate to retain their power in the industry. The emergence of alternative - more cost effective distribution systems using increasingly complex technology now offer you a viable strategy to turn your back on the GDS, as companies like Premier Inn have done. Hearing the strategies from both sides as well as input from KLM will dramatically affect your distribution spend for the next five years.

Tomorrow’s sales channels... today! Investing in new distribution platforms, such as desktop applications, mobile and UGC, will revolutionise the way you sell and allow you to capture customers that your traditional strategies would miss. Seizing these opportunities early will give you the essential foothold required to dominate these channels in the future. However, investing too early, without expert advice, will see you placing your chips on the lame duck of the distribution world. The leading innovators from British Airways, Laterooms and WAYN are here to give a unique insight that will place you one step ahead of your competitors. EyeforTravel prides itself in its ability to examine the most critical issues facing the industry today through extensive in-depth industry research. This year’s Travel Distribution Technology 2008 will go beyond the issues and get to the heart of the technology that drives the industry. Our track record as Europe’s leading distribution technology event, built up over the last six years, means that we attract a calibre of speaker that other events just cannot match. The combination of expert speakers interrogating a first-rate agenda will ensure you leave with the information and expertise to drive you business forward. I look forward to meeting you in London on 16-17th January 2008. “It is essential for anyone in travel today to send a representative of their company along to this event. I found out what I am not up to date with and learnt more about the ever increasing technological advances.” Jan Guile, Med Playa Management

Register NOW at www.eyefortravel.com/tdt

Integration. Connection. Control. Technology to sell in the right place and the right time Day One: Wednesday 16th January Introduction by Chairman Paul Richer, Genesys Session 1 – Presentations and Panel

Create and maintain profitable distribution partnerships with the latest technology • How do you ensure you select the essential long term solutions and avoid the short term fads?

Session 3 – Presentations and Panel

Session 2 – Presentations and Panel

What technologies are essential to attract and integrate supplier inventory into your central reservation system? • Make your company an attractive opportunity for new supplier partnerships whilst maximising profits from existing ones

• Essential technologies to give you seamless and cost effective integration while expanding your distribution network

• Buy versus build. The most complete information available on the technology options you have to connect, integrate and manage your content

• OpenTravel has had an amazing period of growth in the US; how can the use of OpenTravel schemas provide value to distributors and suppliers in Europe?

• Powerful tools to handle multiple inventories – from multiple companies – whilst maintaining control and maximising your margins

• Discover how to take control of price and inventory in today’s fluid and dynamic multi-channel distribution landscape

• Seamless integration offers you and your suppliers the efficiency to really take control of inventory – evaluate the systems to do this

• Which technologies can help you maximise your revenues and control costs across multiple channels?

• Maximise your margins - explore the channels that will be most profitable and learn how to improve the less cost effective ones

• What is the best way to connect to third party distribution systems to maximise profit from your inventory? Nick Johnston, Programme Manager – Sales and Marketing, Hertz Philippe Garnier, Senior Director – Distribution Sales, Hilton Hotels Jamel Chandoul, Head of Distribution and Commercial Systems, Eurostar

Dean Gregory, Director of Hotel Systems Connectivity & Member of Global Connectivity Team, Expedia Frosti Sigurjonsson, General Manager, Dohop Mike Putman, CEO, Elleipsis Lunch “These two days were very informative and I advise my colleagues to attend this in order to stay ahead!”

Networking Coffee Break

Martin Lindelaul, Amsterdam American Hotel

The technical steps it takes to implement and offer a service, such as car rental, across all major touch points on a airline website

c st ase ud y

John Lambe, CTO, OpenJaw Technologies and Board Member, OpenTravel Alliance

• What were the major hurdles in implementing a high performance, realtime, distribution system for car rental companies? How SITA, along with their airline partners, used technology to increase car rental conversion on airline websites from less than 2% to over 5% within 12 months Michael Cunningham, Director Internet & Integration Solutions, SITA Bobby Healy, CTO, CarTrawler LOT and MyAir (tbc)

Debate: GDS vs. alternatives – who is best placed to be the distributor of the future? • Who is the future? With both sides adapting strategies and technologies to be the future travel switch, join the debate and hear what they are doing and why • Do the alternatives really offer a cheaper, viable alternative to the GDS? • What concessions will the GDSs have to make to compete with low cost channels - are the new technologies and strategies they are implementing enough? • Are low cost carriers moving away from direct sales to use other distribution channels? Do the GDS feature at all in their plans? • What impact will the full content deals being offered by the GDS have on the market penetration alternatives can achieve? Rob Westerman, Director of Distribution Strategy, KLM Graham Nichols, Vice President and General Manager EMEAA Travel Distribution, Worldspan Peter Gardiner, Sales Director, Premier Inn Martin Cowley, SVP Sabre Travel Network EMEA, Sabre David Cerino, Chief Marketing & Product Officer, Farelogix Networking Coffee Break

Session 4 – Presentations and Panel

Social Media – tomorrow’s distribution channel • User generated content is set to be the next stage in the evolution of the web, but only 31% of your customers trust this medium - understand the challenges and opportunities UGC presents • Evaluate the potential of UGC and social networking sites as a viable distribution channel • Sell to the 72% of consumers who use UGC before they travel – most of whom are high income young professionals • Hear from companies who have ventured into the realm of UGC and social networking, what have they done and how did it work? • Are the technologies out there to truly control your company and product reputation in Web 2.0? Ray Nolan, CEO, Boo.com and Hostelworld.com Adam Healey, CEO, VibeAgent Jerome Touze, Director and Co-founder, WAYN Close of Day One Networking Drinks Reception

Call +44 (0)207 375 7236 to secure your place

What forms of technology will help you best target and satisfy the needs of your increasingly demanding customers?

After the website… the next online channels

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Day Two: Thursday 17th January

Web, mobile and technology are developing - what new channels will bring you closer to your customer than ever before? For the last seven years companies have been directing customers to their website and overlooking innovative channels – such as mobile that now offers 100% penetration in developed markets.

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What can travel learn from retail?

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Chris Carmichael, Planning and Innovation, British Airways

In the race to acquire as much traffic as possible, the customer experience is often forgotten about. Yet this, sometimes brief experience, has a dramatic effect on your conversion rates. Customers arriving from irrelevant search results, confronted with an unusable web site, not only pushes them away but also damages your brand - and there are some large brands unwittingly doing this. These issues affect all web sites, but travel fairs badly when compared to retail. Brian Clifton, Head of Web Analytics, Google Session 5 – Presentations and Panel

Direct distribution: the tools and technologies you must have to satisfy the online consumer • A user friendly website is your key conversion factor - learn what tools can make your site useful, but not unusable • Discover how to save 25% on each booking and use ancillary products to increase your revenue • Benchmark your site against the industry leaders – what tools to up-sell and switch-sell are the leading travel companies using on their websites to stay ahead? • Web 2.0 features can engage your customers in ways which were never before possible. It’s clear Web 2.0 sells travel, so which technologies will give you the best ROI?

“An excellent event with all attending speakers offering valuable information in their field” Benjamin Lau, Sunterra Europe

Session 6 – Presentations and Panel

Search – How to get seen in the world of canny sophisticated searchers and offer the flexibility and choice demanded by your customer… • Increase conversion rates with new facets of search which use more complex parameters to tailor your inventory to give the customer exactly what they want • Meta-search sites are encountering obstacles to scraping content, what does that mean for their future? • Can natural search strategies offer a better ROI than the competitive, mature market of commercial search? • Is all traffic good traffic? Question the strategies of search marketers and examine methods of driving quality traffic to your site • Certain sophisticated web content is not search friendly – with the increasingly dynamic content of your website how do you ensure your site does not become lost in cyberspace? • Hear from the search operators about the steps they are taking to manage your innovative new content and produce the most relevant results Jonathan Kirsten, Projects Manager, thinkingfish

• Expert tips to grab more of the online travel market which is growing by over 20% year on year

Simon Lloyd, Head of New Business, Wexas Ltd

Elliott Pritchard, E-Business Manager, Kuoni

Paul Stoddart, Search Product Manager, Microsoft (tbc)

Anthony Collins, CEO, Directski.com Ed Spiers, Director, Anite Group plc – Travel Chris Roe, E-Commerce Manager, Virgin Holidays (tbc) Russell Gould, Head of Digital Marketing, MyTravel (panel) Brian Clifton, Head of Web Analytics Europe, Google (panel)

Session 7 – Presentations and Panel

Distribution platforms of the future • Is the time right for mobile? With mobile penetration reaching 100% in developed markets, understand why mobile cannot be ignored as a distribution channel. • Judge whether a truly effective mobile distribution system exists that can make your product available anywhere, and at anytime. • Listen to companies getting effective penetration through these new platforms • What are the challenges that new platforms of distribution face and what incentives are there for consumer uptake? • What obstacles are there to lure customers away from conventional online booking to book through these new channels? Tony Walsh, Development Director, LateRooms.com Jeremy Acklam, Business Development Director, Thetrainline Chris Carmichael, Planning and Innovation, British Airways (panel)

Interactive Participation The conference has been specifically structured to encourage active participation. Not only will you hear stimulating, thought provoking presentations, you will have the opportunity to discuss topics and get your questions answered.

Brian Clifton, Head of Web Analytics Europe, Google (panel) Sidestep (tbc) Networking Lunch

Networking Coffee Break

Register NOW at www.eyefortravel.com/tdt to SAVE £200!

Fax this completed registration page to +44 (0)207 375 7576 re Book befo 7 and 0 0 2 r e b 12th Octo

Travel Distribution Technology 2008

0 0 2 £ e v a s on your e pass! conferenc

16-17th January 2008, Regent’s Park Marriott, London

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Sign up as a Gold Delegate and as well as gaining unique insight and fantastic networking opportunities, you will receive EyeforTravel’s Travel Technology Report – Saving A Strategic Analysis

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Please contact Paul Lane on +44 (0)207 375 7597 or email him at [email protected] for more details of group discounts.

All conference places are fully transferable without charge at any time. There will be no penalty for cancellations received before 7th December 2007 (Credit card registrations are subject to a 10% cancellation fee). If written confirmation of a cancellation is not received before 7th December 2007 we will be obliged to charge you the full conference fee. Please note, you must inform the conference desk in writing of any cancellations: please email [email protected]

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2 days of executive briefings, case-studies and networking re Book befo 7 and 0 0 2 r e b 12th Octo

Travel Distribution Technology 2008

0 0 2 £ e v a s on your

16-17th January 2008, Regent’s Park Marriott, London

e pass! conferenc

Fantastic networking opportunities with innovative industry leaders The Travel Distribution Technology conference is the essential meeting place for senior travel technology professionals who want to maximise profits and minimise costs. Our speakers have been hand-picked for their expertise and our agenda benefits from months of in-depth industry research. A first rate agenda being interrogated by the highest calibre of speakers attracts top level executives from across the travel industry who will take your business to the next level. As you can see from last years attendees the conference brings together senior technology players with real distribution power and technical knowledge. Make sure you don’t miss your opportunity to join them. Previous Attendees by Seniority Directors, Chief Officers, EVP, SVP, Head VP, Manager MD, CEO, President Other

Previous Attendees by Responsibility

Suppliers (Airlines, Hotels, Car Hire, Cruises) Intermediateries (Agencies, Tour Operators, GDSs) Technology Solution Providers

Distribution

Management

Marketing

E-commerce

Other

“A n e a xtr br em oa e a d a ly w ve nd e r y i ll al hig nter pre l e h es se x c t n Da pe ali ing ted Su vid rtly bre ra co nt Eth ch of ng nf er e e e ra rin air sp of re Eu gt ed ea to nc .” ke pi e w ro on pe , r, cs i , th

Previous Attendees by Company Type

Technology

Marketing and Press Other

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8 Online: www.eyefortravel.com/tdt * Mail:  Registrations, EyeforTravel, 7-9 Fashion St, London E1 6PX, UK

Speakers include: Nick Johnston, Programme Manger - Sales and Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hertz Rob Westerman, Director of Distribution Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .KLM Chris Carmichael, Planning and Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .British Airways Peter Gardiner, Sales Director . . . . . . . . Premier Inn Brian Clifton, Head of Web Analytics . . . . . . . Google Jamel Chandoul, Head of Distribution and Commercial Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eurostar Philippe Garnier, Senior Director - Distribution Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hilton Hotels Elliott Pritchard, E-Business Manager . . . . . . . Kuoni John Lambe, CTO, OpenJaw Technologies and Board Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . OpenTravel Alliance Graham Nichols, Vice President and General Manager EMEAA Travel Distribution . . . . .Worldspan Russell Gould, Head of Digital Marketing . . MyTravel Dean Gregory, Director Hotel Systems Connectivity & Global Connectivity Team . . . . . . . . . . . . .Expedia Jerome Touze, Director and Co-founder . . . . . WAYN Simon Lloyd, Head of New Business . . . . Wexas Ltd Michael Cunningham, Director Internet & Integration Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SITA Anthony Collins, CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . Directski.com Jeremy Acklam, Business Development Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thetrainline Frosti Sigurjonsson, General Manager . . . . . . Dohop Ray Nolan, CEO . . . .Boo.com and Hostelworld.com Tony Walsh, Development Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LateRooms.com Adam Healey, CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .VibeAgent Bobby Healy, CTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CarTrawler Mike Putman, CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Elleipsis David Cerino, Chief Marketing & Product Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Farelogix Ed Spiers, Director . . . . . . . Anite Group plc - Travel Paul Richer, Managing Director . . . . . . . . . . Genesys Martin Cowley, SVP Sabre Travel Network EMEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sabre Jonathan Kirsten, Projects Manager . . . .thinkingfish Paul Stoddart, Search Product Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft (tbc) Chris Roe, E-Commerce Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virgin Holidays (tbc)

Secure your place today at www.eyefortravel.com/tdt and SAVE £200!