The Tourism Society has launched a discussion group on social networking site 'facebook' for Society members to join. The Society hopes that this innovation will encourage contact and discussion amongst members as an added benefit as well as encouraging new members to join.

Initially built for college and university students in 2004, Facebook has since grown into a popular social networking website that is open to all. With over 30 million members worldwide, Facebook sees over 15 billion pageviews every month according to www.doshdosh.com. Internet analysts Hitwise claim Facebook is the fifth most visited URL in the UK - and perhaps more interestingly, the fifth most popular source of traffic for other websites according to blog.btbroadbandoffice.com.

Alison Cryer, Chairman of the Tourism Society, stated that "This initiative is in line with the Society's objectives to use new technology to offer added benefits to our members and raise the Society's profile amongst internet-savvy tourism professionals and students. We invite our members to use this new way of creating discussion and debate on hot industry topics which could also extend to lobbying activity."

Flo Powell, Executive Director of the Tourism Society commented that "facebook is not just for individuals to keep in touch with friends, it is also an effective networking tool for nonprofits like the Society to create awareness, connect with members and provide a platform for discussion."

The new facebook group is not the only technological innovation for the Society this year; TravelMole TV has been invited to film the Society's annual conference on 19 and 20 June at St. Helens, Merseyside. The film clips will be available from the Society's website and travelmole.com after the event. The English Riviera Tourist Board has sponsored this broadcast.

This year's conference will look at 'Making Emerging Markets Pay' from an international, national and regional perspective. Programme speakers include Hilary Bradt, founder of Bradt Travel Guides, Geoffrey Lipman FTS, UNWTO Assistant Secretary General; James Berresford, Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) Director of Tourism; and Richard Lovell, Carlson Wagonlit Travel CEO.