The Travel Commerce Conference & Expo (TravelCom), the travel industry`s defining event for marketing and distribution strategies, announces that…
The Travel Commerce Conference & Expo (TravelCom), the travel industry`s defining event for marketing and distribution strategies, announces that the 2005 conference will be held April 27-29 at the Marriott Marquis, New York City. As the only travel conference and expo created exclusively for the travel industry, by industry executives, TravelCom stands out as the most comprehensive source of information and upcoming trends that affect online and offline companies. This year`s focus centers on the value of differentiation.
TravelCom`s 2005 keynote speakers include Henry H. Harteveldt, Vice President – Travel Research, Forrester Research, providing Forrester`s latest findings, and a New Perspectives keynote panel featuring Steven J. Heyer, CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Steven McArthur, president, Expedia North America, and Steven Rudnitsky, chairman & CEO, Cendant Hotel Group.
As the travel industry has evolved over the past year, consumers are viewing travel products and services more and more as a commodity in a heavily price driven market, said Harteveldt, chairperson of TravelCom 2005. Travel companies must find ways to differentiate themselves among competitors by providing valuable services or features, or by developing new distribution strategies, in order to develop, retain and grow a loyal customer base. This conference will provide a forum for attendees to receive actionable information designed to help their companies attain and sustain profitability.
New Perspectives will feature some of the travel industry`s newest CEOs, providing unique perspective as recent transfers from senior positions at AOL, Kraft, and Coca Cola to the dynamic and rapidly evolving, thin-margined travel industry. In this first-of-its-kind panel, TravelCom attendees will learn why these three executives chose to enter the travel industry, what they have learned that has surprised them, and where they see travel as being similar to their previous industries.
Other speakers will include influential executives and decision makers from Amadeus North America, America Online, Inc., Carlson Hotels, Carnival Cruise Lines, Cendant Corporation, Emirates, G2 SwitchWorks, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), ITA Software, Liberty Travel/GOGO World Wide Vacations, Overture, Relais & Chateaux and Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Sabre Holdings, Seabourn Cruises, SideStep, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines Company, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Travelocity Business and Travelzoo among others.
The speakers will engage in lively, highly focused and interactive sessions focusing on timely issues including:
- Trends in dynamic packaging
- Marketing and revenue management: speaking the same language
- From the front lines: Hotel owners, operators and managers speak out
- The next big thing in travel search
- The net value of the customer
- GDSs: On fire, or about to flame out?
- What Does Luxury travel mean in a Wal-Mart world?
TravelCom`s agenda will once again include two high-powered, one-half-day events: The Search Forum for Travel Marketers and the one-of-a-kind Executive Women`s Forum. These events will provide an opportunity for attendees to gather industry expertise and participate in a roundtable learning environment.
Travel Commerce Conference & Expo 2005 is sponsored by Forbes Magazine, ForbesFYI, American Heritage, and Forrester Research, and is produced by JD Events. The 4th annual event builds upon TravelCom`s record-breaking 2004 show, which attracted more than 1,300 attendees.
TravelCom continues to grow year-over-year and is proving to be one of the travel industry`s defining events, said Joel Davis, president and CEO of JD Events. We believe that by having a conference developed by the seasoned travel industry executives on TravelCom`s board of advisors, we can fully address the topics that can keep industry executives up at night.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
