m-Travel.com and Travel Distribution News

Archive Category: Tourism

New Internet-based tour operator launched for the Dutch market

In a new offering for the Dutch market, Thomas Mes has introduced an
Internet-based tour operator www.OpenWorldJourneys.nl
<http://www.openworldjourneys.nl/> .

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Tiscover markets tourism on mobile platform

Tiscover, a global destination system provider, has launched Tiscover05, the company's latest generation system of its online marketing platform, featuring the one of the world's first tourism content solutions for PDAs and mobile phones. For the first time on this scale, the power of mobile technology can be harnessed by tourism providers, according to Karsten Kýrcher, executive director of sales, marketing and finance at Tiscover.

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Older traveler market to show largest growth in 2004

LONDON -- The older traveler segment of the European travel market will have the largest growth this year with an expected increase of 33%, according to the latest Travel Index from Opodo.com, the Pan-European online travel company. The survey also found that online travel agencies expect to grow by 23% this year, with specific increases for tour operators, online hotel bookings and dynamic packaging. More than a third of respondents (35%) also believe that corporate business travel will return to the levels last seen in 2000.

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French Riviera tourism goes high tech

By Ken Smith | Editor, SmartTravelNews.com

CANNES -- The French Riviera has a long and well deserved history as a favorite tourist destination. Less well known is that this area of southern France is also a high tech center. From a modest start 30 years ago, technology companies on the Riviera have grown to an annual turnover of four billion euros, equal to the revenue from tourism.

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Wi-Fi installed at tourist lake in Kashmir

Just two months ago, portable phones were restricted in the state of Jammu & Kashmir in a government effort to control separatists. Now, to attract tourists once again and to restore the economy, the state of Jammu & Kashmir is working with an Indian networking company that has turned the scenic Dal Lake into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

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Peggy Lee named to direct US travel Wi-Fi for BT

ARDEN HILLS, Minnesota -- Peggy Lee, the former CEO and founder of b-there.com, has been named by Syntegra as business development director for its North American travel and leisure sector. Syntegra, a provider of Wi-Fi and other mobile solutions, is a US$1 billion subsidiary of British Telecommunications.

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Show tickets sold on mobile phone in Singapore

TEL AVIV -- Worldwide, there are 300 million people use the Internet, but some 500 million pack a mobile phone. With these numbers in mind, the Israeli company RegiSoft has been developing ticket sales on mobile devices, and now the first such wireless transaction system is up and running in Singapore. RegiSoft announces the successful completion of the first show offering ticket sales using mobile devices at Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Singapore’s national performing arts center, selling all the tickets allocated to using this revolutionary method.

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Wireless helps parents track kids at Danish zoo

By Ken Smith | Editor, SmartTravelNews.com

AALBORG, Denmark -- BlueTags, a Danish manufacturer of wireless airport security devices, is launching a new product that will help parents keep track of children at large public venues. Beginning this July, visitors to the Aalborg Zoo will be able to use one of the most novel applications for a Bluetooth tracking system.

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Wireless Internet to be installed at RV parks

AUSTIN, Texas -- On any day of the year, there are tens of thousands of Americans on the road in their recreational vehicles or spending a few days in an RV park. This demographic group tends to be a bit older with considerable disposable income, and contrary to popular belief, many of these older people are technically savvy and keep in contact with family by e-mail.

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U.S. consultant looks at European mobile travel

By Norman L. Rose | President, Travel Tech Consulting, Inc.

HELSINKI -- Despite many years in the field of travel technology, my recent attendance at IFITT’s Enter 2003 conference was an eye-opening experience. I learned that the vision of the frequent business or leisure traveler accessing location-based mobile services to enhance their trip is not just theory, but is being tested through a number of trials in Europe.

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Datalex drives newly relaunched LasVegas.com

LAS VEGAS -- The Datalex next-generation Internet booking engine technology has been deployed at the re-launched LasVegas.com portal, where it enables destination-based travel enterprises to market their services more profitably. Using Datalex's latest technologies visitors, can book hotel accommodations, air and car transportation.

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Harden's London Restaurant Guide goes mobile

LONDON -- The best-selling Harden's London Restaurant Guide is going mobile. Finding a great restaurant in a specific price range is often a challenge, particularly for travelers. Now visitors and residents alike can take advantage of an insider's knowledge to find London's best places to eat with their Palm or Pocket PC handheld devices, and internet-enabled mobile phones including BREW handsets.

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Despite security issues, Americans plan to travel

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Despite continuing economic uncertainty and ongoing national security issues, a new independent phone poll of Americans commissioned by Travelocity indicates that an overwhelming majority of consumers are planning to travel in 2003 for business and leisure. Many of them will venture further from home than they did in 2002. Of those who have made some decision about their travel plans in 2003, 85 percent plan to travel and nearly half would still travel regardless of heightened homeland security levels.

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City of Long Beach offers free wireless internet

LONG BEACH, California -- As part of a marketing campaign to attract tourists and new businesses, the city of Long Beach is offering free wireless internet access in a four-block area of its downtown business district. The city's next project is to deploy a wireless hot spot at Long Beach airport.

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100 top speakers at travel technology conference

HELSINKI -- More than 100 of the world's leading travel, tourism and information technology experts are scheduled to speak at next January's ENTER 2003 conference in Helsinki. At the tenth annual ENTER conference, to be held 29-31 January, the sessions will be divided into three tracks focusing on research, industry issues and destinations.

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English bar patrons get free wireless Net access

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, England -- 3Com Corporation and Wialess.com have formed a partnership to provide customers in several bars in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, with wireless Internet access for free. Restaurants and bars offering this service so far include Harry Smiths and Barneys, with Radio Days scheduled to offer wireless service soon.

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Michelin Guide now available in UK on T-Mobile

LONDON -- Continuing its development of partnerships with large European mobile phone operators, ViaMichelin has launched the UK version of its Michelin Red Guide application on T-Mobile online, the mobile data arm of T-Mobile International. This means that subscribers to the T-Mobile online service in the UK can access the full range of Michelin recommended hotels and restaurants in the UK and around Europe.

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Global travel study examines consumer behavior

BALTIMORE -- A team of anthropologists has studied global consumer experiences during business and leisure travel, and concluded that basic needs are not being met by the travel industry. This is one of the findings in a report issued this week by Carton Donofrio Partners, a marketing communications and brand experience design firm, and its ethnographic business unit, Context-Based Research Group.

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Tourism@ conference delegates double

By Darryll Adler

NICE, France -- The second Tourism@ Conference was on target for doubling the number of delegates to 500 from 250 last year. This was in sharp contrast to other recent travel related conferences following the terrorist attacks of September 11. This was in part due to the sponsors, but the success of the Telecom Valley technology park located nearby acted as the key catalyst.

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Slow recovery forecast for traveler confidence

WASHINGTON -- More than a month of steep price-cutting by the travel industry and the efforts of public officials to encourage travel and tourism have begun making inroads with the public, but a core group of travelers still remains reluctant and does not see their business or leisure travel patterns resuming to previous levels for six months or more, according to a new nationwide survey by the Travel Business Roundtable (TBR).

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Oracle expands wireless for travel publisher Fodors

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. -- Oracle Corp.is developing and hosting expanded wireless travel information services for Fodors.com, one of the largest online travel information providers.

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