TRAVEL TRENDS - INCORPORATING TRAVELTECH AND NOVACANCY
20 August, 2008, 11:55:40 PM
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Events
GET a fix on the future at TRAVELtech, Australia's online travel marketing, distribution and tech event, which is being held in Sydney on August 26. The 2008 event is shaping up well with strong bookings, an excellent speaker roster and compelling theme: the open-ended Year of Living Dangerously? It can be taken a couple of ways ... the obvious: oil, inflation, interest rates and marketing costs up - challenges ahead. But it's also a question, and the good news is there's increasing evidence the online channel may be the place consumers turn at times like these. Confirmed speakers are listed below, while the latest program has just been posted - it's packed with industry leaders and topical content.
TRAVELtech, founded in 1999, focusses on the latest online travel marketing and web-based innovations. It has a well-established reputation for delivering relevant, high-quality content and excellent networking - see who is coming to TRAVELtech 2008 so far. If you have any questions, please call Martin Kelly on 61 2 9882-1575. Please visit the TRAVELtech photo gallery to see some photographs from the 2007 event. Sponsors include:
Bookings are now open for Australia’s original search marketing and optimisation event, Search Engine Room. Event highlights include:
Confirmed speakers include:
Search Engine Room an Australian-owned event that strives to reflect the market in which it operates while embracing international trends. It’s outward rather than inward looking, taking great care to incorporate consumer and marketing priorities into innovative and provocative programs. The program focus is on respected, well-connected speakers delivering topical, relevant information. Search engine optimisation and marketing is well-covered, while broader industry issues are also addressed through interviews with leading search industry figures. There are case studies, debates and panels. Audience interaction is encouraged and Search Engine Room always makes an effort to be forward-looking, tracking the latest search and digital trends. Consumers are also given the once-over, enabling delegates to gain a better understanding of their customers.
A RECORD crowd attended the second No Vacancy acommodation industry conference in Sydney recently. It was a great day featuring industry leaders, panels, case studies, presentations and debate. There was a touch of controversy with hard questions asked - and answered. Program topics included online distribution, consumer trends, channel and yield management, carbon offsetting, star ratings, modern marketing tactics, pricing, social media strategies and plenty more. No Vacancy will return in 2009 - please sign up for the TravelTrends.biz newsletter if you'd like further details. |
No Vacancy 2008 WrapNo Vacancy, Australia's leading accommodation industry conference, will be returning to Sydney in April, 2009. Meanwhile, scroll down for images from the 2008 event, which featured:
Topics included online distribution, consumer trends, channel and yield management, carbon offsetting, star ratings, modern marketing tactics, pricing, social media strategies and plenty more.
Paul Fisher, Bradley Cocks and Jeff Floyd on star ratings...
Ian Simmonds from Levart stirs the pot...
Emma Walter and Kim Marsden from Travstar.com
Nick McCaw, Hotel SO, makes a point...
Face in the crowd...
Chloe Lim, HotelClub
David Bayes from Choice Hotels
Terry Schwamberg and Laurel Papworth discuss marketing
TravelTrends.biz Director Martin Kelly moderating...
MC Olivier Dombey...
Mike Ford and SiteMinder team...
NO VACANCY PROGRAM 2008 Held in Sydney on April 15 TAKING IT TO THE STREETS: The burning question is: what do consumers want? No Vacancy takes to the streets with a camera and microphone to find out. This exclusive video insight will feature a series of interviews to gain real time insights into what consumers want from their accommodation experience - from booking a room to the bed they sleep in, right through to checking out... WHAT NEXT? LEADERSHIP PANEL: Always the hardest question to answer, but the following industry leaders are well-placed to make the call. Each person will give their perspective on ‘what’s next’ in all key aspects of the accommodation industry – with a particular emphasis on distribution, innovation and technology - followed by a panel discussion and audience questions. - Rachel Argaman, CEO Toga Hospitality THE EYES HAVE IT: This session examines web trends, analysing which sites are gaining traction – eg aggregator sites v. branded portals - while providing an insights into those which are falling behind and why. It also looks at Search Engines such as Google, exploring their increasing power and rapidly evolving approach to accommodation. ACCOMMODATION SEARCH: Brand new research of 1000 Australian consumers reveals what accommodation search results they click on and why. This succinct overview also shows which SEO/SEM placements work best. GROWING PAINS: The rapid growth of the internet as a primary distribution channel may be great news but it also throws up a slew of new issues, which this session will explore. For suppliers it's things like allocating and managing inventory, determining partnership strategies, working on commission levels, selling direct and so on. Of course, the retail sites have their own concerns…Features an introductory presentation by Mike Ford followed by a panel discussion. REVENUE MANAGEMENT IN A BULL MARKET: Getting your room rates right is one of the key issues for all properties, and right now it’s more important than ever, especially in the major Aussie markets, all of which are experiencing the best conditions in 20 years. How far can you push the envelope? This session will open with a presentation by Grahame Tate, which looks at what’s happening in other boom markets such as New York, London and Singapore, before moving onto a panel discussion. TRENDSPOTTING: The more things change the more they stay the same. That may be true of some industries but it’s definitely not the case with accommodation, now in the midst of enormous change thanks to factors such as the Internet, Low Cost Carriers and shifting consumer priorities. Confused? Get some clarity here. CASE STUDY – HOTEL SO: Small rooms, big ideas… There’s been a lot of hype about ‘no frills chic’ and ‘pod hotels’ but not a lot of action in this part of the world … until now. Hotel So is the first so-called ‘pod’ hotel to open in Australasia. Rooms are cheap (from NZ$69) but the features are not. The trade off is room size, hence the ‘pod’ tag. How have consumers reacted and what are the companies’ plans? CARBON OFFSET/CLIMATE CHANGE: Do you have a carbon offset strategy? No, well maybe it’s time you did. That said, it seems the accommodation industry, while embracing the concept at the construction phase, is lax when it comes to giving consumers the option of making their stay carbon neutral. Interestingly, doing so may very well create marketing benefits in addition to simply doing the right thing. BEYOND THE BLACK STUMP: Our next speaker has just returned from a six week road trip through regional NSW and Queensland, way beyond the cities and so-called distribution hot spots. What did he learn? STAR RATINGS – HOW DO THEY RATE? It used to be that five-stars was the epitome of luxury but now we have properties such as the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai marketing as seven-stars. Meanwhile, the public have their own ratings systems through the likes of Trip Advisor, while every second property seems to be self-rated. A presentation from the boss of Australia's official star-rating agency followed by a panel discussion. JOIN THE CONVERSATION – HOTEL MARKETING IN THE NOUGHTIES: Marketing is anything but an exact science, and our next speakers offer three quite distinct perspectives on how to connect customers with your business. Terry Schwamberg discusses her uncompromising approach to product development and marketing, Michael Meade covers 50+ years of hotel S&M to discover what’s still relevant in today’s high-tech world, while Laurel Papworth shows how to harness the very noughties phenomenon of social media, a scourge to some, a boon to others. THE ALLOTZ GREAT DEBATE: This is a great way to finish the day - a light-heared debate on a semi-serious topic followed by drinks. Two teams of three debating along fomal lines with the audience vote determing the ultimate winner. Sponsored by Allotz - Seriously Smart Travel Technology.
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