Planning on leveraging its unique role to provide additional services to the fast-growing travel e-commerce segment through its 2,000 members…
Planning on leveraging its unique role to provide additional services to the fast-growing travel e-commerce segment through its 2,000 members, the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) has acquired the Travel Commerce Conference and Expo (TravelCom) from JD Events.
The four-year-old TravelCom last year attracted some 1,300 participants by providing timely and unbiased information on marketing and commerce strategies targeted to a broad range of industry sectors. With TIA’s involvement, the show will be produced for the industry, by the industry, according to Roger Dow, TIA’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
TIA is uniquely-positioned to be the umbrella association for e-commerce leaders to network, co-op research, mobilize on government affairs issues and learn from each other by sharing best practices, said Dow. Online commerce is playing an increasingly important role in our industry, and we’re excited by the possibilities this conference can bring to our members, as well as by what more we can bring to the previous conference participants.
Mike Pusateri, TIA’s Chief Operating Officer, added: As evidence of our commitment to this segment of the industry, for the first time ever TIA has established an e-commerce committee, which will be overseen by Jay Gray, TIA’s Vice President of Technology, and chaired by Joan Lowell, Vice President of Distribution for Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. TIA is the perfect home for TravelCom because we have the resources and broad membership base to add real value to participants.
Joel Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the Trumbull, Conn.-based JD Events, said: I’m extremely proud of what we’ve been able to do in growing this show during the past four years to the point that the ‘gold standard’ in the industry decided to acquire it. Anyone who has attended TIA’s annual International Pow Wow will instantly understand the value TIA will bring to this event, which should reach a whole new level of importance under their guidance.
TIA will produce next year’s TravelCom, which will be held from April 17-19 in New York City.
TravelCom under TIA’s direction will become a ‘must-attend’ event with an agenda featuring top e-commerce leaders discussing the whole range of technical, marketing and information issues related to the travel industry, Pusateri said. We’re looking forward to providing this segment of the industry what it wants in the most compelling way.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
