Specialists in Destination Marketing and New Technologies from National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) all over Europe are meeting in Amsterdam on 27th and 28th October at the e-Business Academy, organised by the European Travel Commission (ETC) in association with the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions.

The theme this year is “Inspiring e-Business”. The rise of New Technologies such as mobile and geo-location services present exciting opportunities for Destination Marketing Organisations and NTOs. This week in Amsterdam, marketing experts from across the industry will meet to exchange their own experiences and learn about the most exciting digital opportunities, shaping the future of destination marketing.

Jos Vranken, managing director of NBTC says: "The importance of e-business for the tourism industry is increasing. The latest developments enable us to understand customers who communicate with us through digital channels much more than in the past. All these possibilities also change the way organisations are evaluated. It is important to optimise the use of new media to reach tourists. This is why sharing knowledge and experience between NTOs is essential."

The conference is the only event of its kind to be organised specifically for NTOs. It has become an important date in ETC's calendar, giving delegates a valuable forum in which they can share practical experience and professional insights.

Nicholas Hall, Acting Executive Director, says: “The Academy is a truly unique event in the tourism calendar that offers an entirely destination focused perspective on e-marketing trends and prospects. Delegates attending the Academy will learn from the shared experience of their European counterparts and have the opportunity to discuss the latest digital developments from technology leaders and innovators”.

This year’s Academy boasts an impressive line-up of speakers, with 6 NTOs presenting their latest campaigns and developments alongside CityFilm, Google, InMobi, KLM, Layar, Liber Media, Mobypicture, Think! Social Media, TripAdvisor and Yahoo!. For the first time there will also be a blogger panel session during which leading bloggers will discuss the findings of the two day event and look to the future opportunities for destination marketing.

The sponsors of this year’s Academy, CityFilm, InMobi, Think! Social Media, TripAdvisor, Twoppy, Wilken and YourTour, go a long way to supporting the running of this important event, now in its eleventh year. Thanks to this year’s sponsors, the Academy has a mobile app and all presentations will be filmed, making them available to participants after the event is over.