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How social media and the travel industry Smartphones


Social Media , Smartphones , Google ... these are key words to understand the changes in the travel industry ? The panel discussion on St. Gallen Travel Industry Day has been no easy task. For it not a day goes by not seeing a new development that could permanently affect the travel industry. Where does one start?

as I will partner with Travel Brain be in the round and, hopefully, with my experience in the social travel and when Italy-Charge of the hotel rating portal Zoover can contribute constructively. Also on board are Andrew Dietrich (ONLINE TRAVEL AG), Benno Iten (Kuoni), Roland Zeller (Travel.ch) and Martin Rechsteiner (Mueller-tourism). Click here for the full program (pdf ).

you can be there! follow the panel discussion on Twitter with Hashtag # SGTT11 . Send your Tweets with questions and objections . Adrian Matt (@ travel brain) will take over from the first series, the live coverage and we will respond either directly or while in any case after the panel discussion to your questions.

To have even a taste of the social get Media Session, here are the possible topics for discussion :

• If social media marketing tools or sales tool? If the only new social media Marketing measures possible or fundamentally new business models possible? What?
• The volcanic eruption in spring 2010, many tourism providers, eg LX, the first comprehensive and faster than anywhere else informed on FB, etc.. It makes sense for such emergencies? Egypt? Has this changed
• corporate communications as a whole, so that large corporate functions such as product management, customer service or even HR influenced them?
• What then are the relevant social media? Facebook is out of anything relevant?
• How important are blogs for tourist business?
• Blog Tours for Bloggers take study trips for RB staff (and / or press trips)?
• What is possible and meaningful to a retailer, for example in the Facebook? Can an SME retailers in general serve a FB page?
• Each trend created a counter-trend. Is it just a chance for SME retailers to offer only traditional and communicate?
• The travel consultant at the Social Web: How can it be used specifically at the front, the social Web?
• Are the social media a chance to feedback more (and better?) To receive from customers?
• Online Reputation Management: How does a company in the travel industry with the conversations, Reviews, Photos, Videos, etc. of Internet users around? If
• Smartphone applications sales tools? Or when will they?
• there now at all good, healthy Travel Apps?
• Do the Swiss provider of all technology opportunities against giants such as Expedia, Facebook, Opodo, etc.?
• apps or mobile site? Only iPhone or Android, but also other platforms? Develop in-house or external?
• How does marketing for mobile services?
• Location-based services: what works and where there's really possible applications?
• Prevents super expensive roaming surfing the use by tourists abroad?

Michele Aggiato for Travel Brain

Thanks to Geoprotecta and btouniversity for the pictures.

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Google - and then taken a stake in tourism!

Last week, Michele asked at this point " Google - where the journey ", focusing on the developments in the search engine giant about "Google Places" related. In an interview with Alexandra Karle of the journal "Schweizer Touristik " He has spoken on the same date on developments at Google and the pending acquisition of software developer ITA.

is hardly the published blog post and switched the WebTV interview ago, Google is already the next product to launch, "Google offers "! started

As competition with offerings such as Groupon or your deal , Google is using his incredible range with" Google today offers "a direct impact on the travel market. Thus, discount hotels us other tourism services in the form of vouchers directly displayed in Google Maps and sold. What this means everyone can imagine, has ever secured a super offer on any of those deal-makers.

Kevin May of Tnooz to subject of an interesting article published, in which he also has some recent examples from the USA shows. And the guys from Tourismuszukunft comment on the launch of "Google offers" as follows:

"Google no longer sees itself as a search engine - Google is an advertising company with a direct impact on the travel distribution Google is a competitor and not a neutral player in! Travel Distribution "

The service is currently only in the States. It is only a matter of time before Google makes with the latest product from the developer kitchen step over the pond. Then it will be interesting to see how will the hoteliers and other service providers involved with the tool. From restaurants and other industries, we know already that some companies have the "Coupon Mania" and the resulting price pressure get massive problems.

curse or blessing? At the moment, difficult to estimate. But once again, Google will change the industry.

What say you to that? 'm Looking forward your feedback.

Adrian Matt TravelMate brain

A Rubber Band Arond His Balls

Opodo comes under the hammer

has long been known that the online travel agency Amadeus "Opodo" will repel. Now seems the time has come. According to a report be in today's Financial Times Germany, the investment houses Permira and Axa Private Equity on Tuesday an offer of 500 million euros.

Opodo will then be as soon as possible with the providers of e-Dreams in Spain and merged Go Voyages in France, and thus is the largest online provider formed with a turnover of approximately € 2.5 billion. Besides the two mentioned companies are also the owner of the English travel agencies Orizonia, the U.S. private equity firm Carlyle and the largest competitor on European soil, Expedia, be interested in a takeover. Comments were received from the parties do not.

entered the online business at Opodo Amadeus was in April 2003 with a takeover of 16.7% of the shares of the founding companies Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM and Lufthansa for the price of 49 million €. They had put Opodo 2003 in response to the ambitions of Expedia and Travelocity in Europe founded by foot.

blazes here on something that we will keep definitely in mind. to take with the current activities related to American Airlines Direct Connect and Orbitz / Expedia, the efforts of Google, the software company ITA and the joint project of BCD and Cheap Tickets is, increasing the dynamic theme.

Adrian Matt TravelMate brain

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Google: where are we heading?


Google : where are we heading? Or why the social Web could mean a possible end for H otelbewertungsportale , online travel portals and GDS.

On Monday I had my first (and hopefully not last) interview in Switzerland. Alexandra Karle of the magazine Schweizer Touristik, questioned me about Google's work in the travel market. The article went online this morning on TV ST.

The subject fascinates me. And I am also interested in your opinion would it! So I've worked up three more questions on the subject.

3 questions (and answers) about Google's efforts in the online travel market

1. See in Google enrich the online travel market, or rather a competition from vendors such as Trip Advisor, Holiday or Check Zoover? (Maybe even a threat?)

primarily an asset to the Internet users. The Travel makes even more fun now with Street View, Panoramio and Google Earth. In 9 of 10 users, the journey begins on the net, with an incredible variety of User Generated Content such as hotel reviews, tips, experiences, photo, video, etc.

The Web is evolving, not just Google . If the Web 2.0 technology played an important role in connect social Web the needs of the people and their activities in the social environment to the forefront. Internet is no longer the digital world in which I am the evening of my desktop log in, but is a part of my social life. This is with thanks Mobile Devices as iPhone, iPad, Android and the mobile applications of Local Based Social Networks as Foursquare , Gowalla , Foodspotting , Google Places that are (almost) all integrated other social tools like Twitter. And with Facebook, the social network that is my opinion as a metaphor of the social web .

The social web is a challenge for hotel review sites dar. But of course, for online travel portals and destination portals . They could be overtaken by local based social networks. Especially when the User-generated content not renewed because of these was published on the above applications, including Google Places and Facebook.

hotel review sites such as Zoover, Trivago and Holidaycheck already apply the community on the integration with Facebook and other social media. The development of the social Web could actually online Travel website like Expedia, Orbitz, Lastminute.com, etc to be Verhägnis. Even today, these big budgets for their Adwords campaign spend in order to bring traffic to its website. For in the organic search results (not sponsered left) will now appear more often the links to user-generated Medias.

second Google is expanding its offering information about travel destinations with Google-massively Places. Will overtake Google Places Trip Advisor and Holiday Check?

possible already. I see the next Google Places Local Based Social Networks as competitors and this not only by hotel review sites. The local based social networks have the advantage that it already started as a mobile applications are a new, more flexible generation belong and are already integrated with major social networks and social tools . All other player will rely on community , Mobile App and integration. Interestingly, ratings of TripAdvisor no longer available through Google Places. The beginning of the end?

third See Google in the future continue as an information platform, or do you believe that the company will also operate its own booking platform?

information platform and Lead Generator . What is today Adwords could develop a similar model as Bing Travel or meta-search services like Hotelscombined , Momondo , the leads so potential customers make the actual booking portal. Even more fascinating I find the possibilities that open with the acquisition of ITA by Google, especially for the airlines . Thanks ITA's QPX technology could Airlines activate over the Internet regardless of their GDSs Inventory. And if one also takes into account that numerous online travel portals Internet Booking Engines on their sides, directly from the GDS (Amadeus, for example for Opodo, Expedia, Last Minute) will be fed ... this could some big changes in the online travel market entail. If American Airlines may represent the first Business Case dar. this be successful, is likely that other airlines will follow the lead of American Airlines ?

Conclusion: fascinates me how the development of the social web is a great opportunity for individual travel consultant represents. And a possible end for Online travel portals. Google will still be so powerful and great, man seeks man . This is the essence of the social Web.

And what do you think? Where you see the impact on travel agencies and travel management companies

Michele Aggiato TravelMate brain

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Alexandra Karle (ST) and Michele Aggiato Interview