Welcome
 Last month's PATA CEO Challenge in Bangkok brought together key players from across the Asia Pacific region to agree on practical solutions to confronting climate change. For those of you who weren't able to attend this landmark event, we've included video links to the main presentations in our conference highlights section.
In this issue, I'm also delighted to introduce a contribution from futurologist, Dr Ian Yeoman, who offers some suggestions for what tomorrow's tourist might be like. Also, you'll find links to all the latest research and reports, e-business updates, news from around the globe and, of course, dates of key upcoming conferences and events.
Roger Carter
Managing Editor
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Tomorrow's Tourist: We can either stumble into the future and hope it turns out alright or we can work out what it might look like then try to shape it. Futurologist, Dr Ian Yeoman, shows us how scenario planning (and crystal ball gazing) can help. |
Research and Reports - What's New?
Some new publications from PhoCusWright: As the online channel matures, its growth has also slowed. While more travel continues to be booked online, there remains a significant portion of travel that is purchased offline. In 2007, PhoCusWright undertook a comprehensive study of the travel agency marketplace in the US. The results have been published in the PhoCusWright's Travel Agency Distribution Landscape: 2006-2009. The report is available online at a cost of USD 1,295. An in-depth post-study package is also available. The 10th Edition PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Trends Survey, which will be published on the 6th June, highlights a series of key online buying and shopping metrics that have been tracked since the study's inception, as well as new issues, behaviours and motivations from which trends and critical market forces are identified. The report examines the growing influence of rich content and social media - including podcasts or live online video and traveller-generated reviews - in determining where leisure travel will be purchased online. Findings indicate that the vast majority of US online travellers are influenced by anonymous feedback and recommendations from fellow travellers. The most popular are reviews from people they do not know (87%), travel blogs / online diaries and travel review websites (both at 86%). Reviews from people travellers know ranked fifth, though still highly popular at 72%. The report costs USD 1,295 and is available online. PhoCusWright is seeking companies to invest in and help shape research for a special report on the explosive growth of interest in the green lifestyle and how it is impacting travel. PhoCusWright's Going Green: The Business Impact of Environmental Awareness on Travel will be published in early 2009.
* * * A selection of new publications on mobile marketing: A white paper on the Fundamentals of Mobile and Mobile Marketing has been published by Brand Channel. The white paper provides an overview of the mobile marketing options available to marketers today and is designed for the person who wants an entry level perspective on the platform.  A new e-book - Developing a Mobile Strategy for Travel Companies - is available for free download (registration required) from the Mantic Point website. The e-book looks at packaging and promotion, business models, and choice of technology. A new report from Forrester Research predicts that 38 percent of mobile phone users in Western Europe will be using 3.5G mobile internet by 2013. The report - European Mobile Forecast: 2008 To 2013 - is available online at a cost of USD 775. * * * New research from independent market analyst, Datamonitor, reveals that the number of people taking part in online social networking (OSN) is booming. The UK has the highest membership in Europe and it is forecast to almost triple by 2012 to 27 million.
Social media provide consumers with the opportunities to enhance existing relationships and create new ones. Interaction is a key factor in a network's success, as shown by the success of sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, which encourage user-generated content. While the trend is driven by the younger age groups, older generations are also being drawn to social media.
Online Social Networking examines the shift from mass media to social media. It explores the reasons behind the rising membership of online social networks and assesses the opportunities and challenges for marketers seeking to capitalise on the trend. * * * A new publication - Paid Search Marketing: A Beginner's Guide - has been produced by e-Consultancy. The guide explains how paid search works, offers advice on how to manage it and highlights possible pitfalls. It is available for free download. * * * Growing competition between countries and cities over attracting infrastructure, investment, tourists, capital and national and international status mean that today, a negative image is more harmful than ever. Media Strategies for Marketing Places in Crisis (Improving the Image of Cities, Countries and Tourist Destinations) is based on the analysis of dozens of case studies and presents different strategies to overcome it, both in practice and theory. The book is available from publishers, Elsevier. * * * Web video presentations are increasing in popularity as a means of delivering marketing messages over the internet. A new white paper from Brand Channel - Brand Positioning Using Web-Video - offers advice on how to use the medium beyond its technical implementation, focusing instead on the psychological elements that communicate beyond the surface meaning. * * * The 2007 Sustainable Tourism Report is now available from Totem Tourism Marketing. The publication lists predictions and opportunities, the ten sustainable destinations that are succeeding sustainably and why, reports on global warming, carbon offsetting, tourism eco-certification and much more. It can be bought online at a cost of USD 99. * * * With the world's attention firmly on China (PRC) in the run-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Pacific Asia Travel Association ( PATA) has produced a report on how the country's tourism potential can be maximised. Realising China's Tourism Potential can be bought online at a cost of USD 1,200. * * *
A Special Report on the Hispanic Travel Industry has been published by Hispanic Market Weekly and is available online.
Destination Brand Watch
New Zealand's exotic South Island has commanded top global honours in the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Destination Awards, with Lake Tahoe, Califoria topping the US destinations list and Rhodes, Greece, beating other destinations for the top European spot. The winners were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor's travellers' favourite places and overall popularity.
 'Whether it's for their unique beauty, or abundance of attractions, the awards honour the most beloved destinations from around the world,' said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor. 'Determined by millions of travellers, the Travellers' Choice Destinations Awards are unique because they single out not just popular places but truly exceptional places that enthral travellers and keep them coming back.'
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The Canadian Tourism Commission ( CTC) has entered into a new partnership with Aboriginal Tourism Canada with the aim of identifying the best export-ready Aboriginal cultural experiences and integrating them into international marketing channels.
Aboriginal cultural tourism is one of the six strategic issues identified in the CTC 2008 - 2012 plans but, rather than engage in distinct niche marketing for Aboriginal tourism product, these experiences will be integrated into existing programming alongside other Canadian tourism experiences. From a CTC perspective, this is a sustainable and strategically aligned way to advance Aboriginal cultural tourism in Canada, while at the same time advancing Canada's tourism brand.
Dates for Your Diary
Some key events for tourism destination professionals taking place over the next few weeks:
Some upcoming UNWTO events: An International Conference on Metropolitan Tourism, in Japan on the 9th June; the 47th Meeting of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific Technical Seminar in Japan on the 10th June; the 4th International Conference - An Enterprise Odyssey: Tourism - Governance and Entrepreneurship - in Croatia from the 11th to 14th June; the MITM Euromed meetings and incentive trade market in Germany from the 10th to 12th June; and the 22nd International Travel Expo Hong Kong which takes place from the 12th to 15th June.
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The sixth National Conference on Tourism Futures will take place in Queensland, Australia, from 2nd to 4th June. This year's conference theme - Global Market, Competitive Edge - will focus on the ways and means destinations can maintain or achieve a competitive edge despite operating in an increasingly globalised and homogenised world.
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With a theme of Tourism and Infrastructure Development, the eighth Leon Sullivan Summit is scheduled to be held in Tanzania to promote African tourist products and the development of infrastructure in the African continent. The summit will take place from the 2nd to 6th June.
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The Cultour Global Cultural Travel Fair takes place in Germany from the 12th to 15th June and is specifically targeted to the cultural travel niche market.
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 An ETC / UNWTO Joint International Seminar - E-Marketing for Tourism Destinations - will be held from the 16th to 17th June in Budapest, Hungary. This seminar is designed for NTOs, NTAs, DMOs and service providers - and anyone with an interest in tourism e-marketing. It will provide participants with a unique preview of the new ETC and UNWTO Handbook on E-Marketing for Tourism Destinations, which has been written specifically for hands-on destination e-marketers, at national, regional, city and local levels.
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EyeforTravel is launching a new conference - Travel Distribution Middle East - designed as a meeting place for travel companies looking to benefit from the travel boom in this region. The event will be held in Dubai from the 17th to 18th June.
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Another EyeforTravel event coming up in June is Online Marketing in Travel 2008. This forum will be held in Chicago, USA, from the 25th to 26th and will address key issues such as search engine marketing, e-mail marketing, web optimisation, mobile marketing, social media and CRM.
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City Break 2008 is an opportunity for buyers to meet suppliers in a commercially driven environment with pre-scheduled appointments and networking opportunities. The show will take place in Serbia from the 9th to 10th June.
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The theme of this year's European Cities Marketing ( ECM) annual conference is Key performance indicators and tourism - Do they really measure and improve the performance of Destination Marketing Organisations. The conference will take place in Belgrade from the 11th to 14th June.
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The Australian Tourism Exchange ( ATE) 2008 will be held at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre from the 14th to 20th June 2008. This is the largest tourism trade show of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
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 A special one-day Heritage and Cultural Tourism Business Forum will be held in London, UK, on the 8th July. Organisers, VisitBritain, aim to present practical ideas for developing imaginative packages and services for these growing markets.
Conference Highlights
Leaders Applaud PATA CEO Challenge
Travel and tourism industry leaders offered glowing reviews for the first PATA CEO Challenge, held in Bangkok last month, describing it as 'inspirational' and an 'ambitious, brave and visionary event'.
The 1st PATA CEO Challenge focused on Confronting Climate Change and was the first opportunity for the travel and tourism industry in Asia Pacific, across both private and public sectors, from NTOs to airlines, hotels to tour operators, to come together and agree on practical solutions to confront climate change.
President and CEO of PATA, Peter de Jong, commented: 'We took a leap of faith… and it's fantastic to see how the industry has responded with such energy and commitment.'
If you weren't able to attend the event, you'll find video links below to of some of the key presentations from industry leaders and a copy of the full programme of the event.
Opening Session
Including remarks from Peter de Jong and a keynote message from Dr RK Pachauri, chair of the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC). (1 hour 50 mins)
Session Two
Regulation: Preparing for the Inevitable
How do we need to prepare and what can we learn from other industries who have already adapted their business models for a carbon-constrained economy? (45 mins)
Session Three
Sharing the Airline Burden
The global airline industry has borne the brunt of consumer and government concern about the impact of travel and tourism on our climate. This session considers the need for a more balanced cross-sectoral engagement of climate change. (43 mins)
Session Four
Boardroom Challenges
Anna Pollock, CEO of DestiCorp and Rohit Talwar, CEO of Fast Future, summarise the outcomes of the previous day's discussions of the Boardroom Challenges. (55 mins)
Session Five
Redefining Growth
A panel discussion on how the travel and tourism industry can grow in a sustainable fashion while addressing its environmental responsibilities. (16 mins)
Session Six
Closing Remarks by Peter de Jong (14 mins)
Other Highlights
Visit the 1st PATA CEO Challenge website for links to other presentations and video clips of some of the highlights of the event.
Research Opportunity
Help Develop New Tools for Sustainable Tourism
Destination World is supporting some cutting-edge research into the uses and applications of ICT in sustainable tourism development and is inviting readers to take part in a survey relating to this work.
Alisha Ali, a PhD candidate at the UK's Queen Margaret University, is leading the research project, the results of which will enable the development of a wide-ranging collection of ICT-based tools and applications. It will also create new assessment procedures to help destination managers select the most appropriate tools for their business and help resolve many of the challenges encountered in managing the impacts of tourism.
A large part of Alisha's research involves obtaining opinions and perspectives of destination managers and your help in completing the following questionnaire would be very much appreciated. Click here to access the survey.
 On completion of this research, survey participants will receive a summary report of the results. Further information can be found on the QMU website or by contacting Alisha via e-mail.
David Phillips, national co-ordinator, Destination Performance UK said: 'In a consumer-driven society with a burgeoning appetite for travel it is essential that destinations focus on sustainable tourism development. ICT applications will play an increasingly important part in managing the impacts of tourism and Alisha Ali's study will make a valuable contribution to the evolution of effective ICT-based solutions in the field of sustainability. Destination Performance UK is pleased to endorse her work.'
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International News
Awards:
Tourism for Tomorrow
The World Travel and Tourism Council ( WTTC) has announced the winners of the 2008 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards which recognise and promote best practices in sustainable tourism development across the globe. The winners are Ecotourism Australia (in the conservation category), Blackstone Valley, USA (destination award), RARE / La Ruta Moskitia, Honduras (investor in people award) and the Six Senses Resorts and Spas (global tourism business award).
Jeff Clarke, president and CEO of co-organisers, Travelport, applauded the winners saying: 'With growing climate concerns, delivering sustainable travel has emerged as an important responsibility for our industry. As travellers' awareness of their impact on the environment increases, we face a formidable challenge in providing environmentally conscious services.'
Visitor Safety:
Australian campaign
Two new tools have been launched by Tourism Australia to help visitors learn more about travel safety.
For the consumer, a brochure called Travel Safely in Australia summarises the four major safety considerations when travelling in Australia: road safety, outback travel, water safety and enjoying nature. The brochure contains messages in seven languages and is available from all state tourism organisations and most visitor information centres.
To ensure that safety messages are consistent, accessible and complete, a handbook for the travel trade - The National Visitor Safety Handbook - has been produced containing all travel safety messages relevant to Australia.
Asia Tourism:
Robust growth forecast
PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association is forecasting robust growth for travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region, with tourism revenues to top USD 4.6 trillion and visitor arrivals to reach close to 500 million by the end of 2010. Despite regional stock market volatility and uncertainty over local impacts of a possible US recession, PATA predicts strong average annual growth rates of between 7 and 8 percent.
PATA Director, Strategic Intelligence Centre, John Koldowski, explains that as much as two-thirds of all international arrivals into Asia Pacific are generated from within the region: 'Due to the global nature of business, Asian markets will inevitably be impacted by a slowdown in the US economy triggered by the credit crunch. However, the medium-term outlook for most Asian economies is very strong with growth rates well above world averages.'
The research suggests that localised issues and conflicts, including political and civil disruption in some markets, may pose a threat to tourism growth. The forty Asia Pacific destinations covered by the PATA research account for close to 98 percent of all international arrivals measured and tracked across the Asia Pacific region in a given year.
Greece Tourism:
Partners CNN International
The Greek National Tourism Organisation ( GNTO) has, for the second year, sponsored CNN International's feature programme, The Screening Room, which takes viewers behind the scenes of the movie business.
Last year, The Screening Room helped to associate Greece with the most interesting and dynamic aspects of the film world. On air billboards, supporting spots, co-branded banners and print ads rounded out a cross-platform campaign and drove awareness of GNTO's association, highlighting the country as a key tourism destination and film location.
e-Business News
TripAdvisor:
15 million online reviews
TripAdvisor, the travel review website, now features 15 million reviews and opinions, up from 10 million in June 2007, with TripAdvisor-branded sites reached more than 25 million unique monthly visitors in the past year.
Steve Kaufer, founder and CEO of TripAdvisor, said: 'When we started out in 2000, I never imagined we would achieve this level of growth. We began with hotel reviews and we now also feature candid photos, videos, favourite lists, travel wikis, forums and more, to help travellers around the world plan the perfect trip.'
VirtualTourist.com:
One Million Members
Membership of the online travel community and networking site, VirtualTourist.com, has reached one million. The site provides user-generated travel information and advice.
In addition to its online content, the site is also famous for its 'real world' get-togethers. While these events are a big hit with members, VirtualTourist general manager, Giampiero Ambrosi, is quick to point out that they are only part of what makes the site so successful: 'There's no doubt that the meetings are a blast, but the real crux of VirtualTourist is the unbiased advice users have come to rely on. Members know they can ask for advice and in no time have a wealth of detailed, personalised information from fellow travellers.'
.Travel:
New 2.0 website launched
The Tralliance Corporation and .travel have launched a new 2.0 website. Formerly an informational website, travel.travel now incorporates Web 2.0 features including a .travel blog and interactive media with the aim of sparking collaboration from the .travel community.
President and CEO of Tralliance Corporation, Edward Cespedes, said: 'We look forward to the comments and user-generated media; they will take the .travel site to a new level.'
Cape Town:
Digital media platform
Cape Town Tourism is rolling out a new digital media platform, including touch screen technology, as part of its enhanced package of visitor services delivery tools in preparation for the 2010 FIFA soccer world cup and beyond.
Visitors can search by map or category and general information includes money matters, safety tips and getting around. All products listed are accredited and quality assured members of Cape Town Tourism.
'The future of travel has visitors arriving at their destination and using their hand held devices to navigate the destination - information and tourism services must be decentralised, taking accurate and user-friendly destination knowledge to the visitor,' Mariette Du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, commented.
Travelocity:
Wins Innovation Award
Travelocity has been awarded the prestigious Innovator of the Year Award at the Travel Industry Association's ( TIA) annual TravelCom conference for its travel planning tool, ExperienceFinder. The award recognises companies whose outstanding innovations have transformed and had a broad impact across the travel industry.
'ExperienceFinder is changing the way in which people dream, plan, shop and book their travel,' said Troy Whitsett, vice president of design and innovation. 'We are thrilled to win this award, and look forward to continue getting the word out to more people about how this tool will open up their imaginations to entirely new travel wishes.'
Thailand:
Digital Video Competition
The Tourism Authority of Thailand ( TAT) has launched two digital activities as part of the Amazing Thailand campaign to encourage more visitors.
By uploading video clips of their favourite experiences, tourists will be entered into a cash prize draw. Clips submitted to the Amazing Experience Video Contest will also be uploaded to social networking sites such as YouTube.com.
The Thailand Portfolio Project features uploaded photographs and stories from journalists which are then ranked by website visitors.
Suraphon Svetasreni, Tourism Authority of Thailand, said: 'It is now very popular for tourists to share their holiday experiences by uploading their travel videos on the internet. TAT has realised the massive potential that this channel provides for e-marketing.'
Online Bookings:
Travelocity powers Boston
Travelocity is to power the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau ( GVCVB) online booking engine. Initially this will allow hotel bookings only but plans are in place for the system to cover air tickets, dynamic packaging and attractions later this summer. This move will coincide with a major rebuild of the website.
'The launch of this dynamic new booking engine is helping us reach our customers and showcase all the great things our city has to offer,' said Pat Moscaritolo, president and CEO for the Greater Boston CVB.
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