The ENTER 2003 conference was held from 29-31 January in Helsinki. Finland was the best choice location for ENTER 2003 as the…
The ENTER 2003 conference was held from 29-31 January in Helsinki. Finland was the best choice location for ENTER 2003 as the centre of the global mobile technology industry. This year`s programme was the most comprehensive ever for the conference`s 10th Birthday, with more than 150 presentations over 3 days and about 450 participants from 40 countries. The event was organised by the International Federation for Information Technology in Travel and Tourism and chaired by Dr Dimitrios Buhalis of the University of Surrey and Inkeri Starry of Finnish Tourist Board.
The focus of this year`s ENTER conference- `Travel on the Move` on IT in travel and tourism has been on the future of mobile technology in the travel industry. Major players in the global tourism and mobile industries debated how travel providers and tourism bodies can profit from expected travel revolution emerging as a result of the coming generations of mobile technologies. A number of industry applications and innovative new distribution channels were discussed in depth.
The City of Helsinki welcomed the ENTER delegates to the Helsinki City Hall, where apart from the historical settings delegates enjoyed the award presentation for the ENTER Research Best Paper. The award went to Ulrike Gretzel and Daniel R. Fesenmaier for their paper entitled Experience Based Internet Marketing: an exploratory Study of Sensory Experiences Associated with Pleasure Travel to the Midwest United States.
Cool Helsinki (-20C) provided warm hospitality and there has been a very active social programme in successfully selected places, which enabled people to `work` together until the early hours of every day.
Overall, the conference has been a success and sincere appreciation was express by the delegates to the ENTER 2003 conference Chairs and Committee.
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