eyefortravel - Travel Distribution India '06

Get virtual!

That's the buzzword in today's travel industry. And to make this even more relevant is Travel Distribution India '06 - a first of its kind event in the country. Organised by Eyefortravel, a leading online publisher and event company, the two-day conference is being held in New Delhi. As media partners for the event, Express TravelWorld presents this special issue focusing on what companies can expect from the conference and what it augurs for the online travel trade in India

Hyatt Regency, New Delhi - The venue for Travel Distribution India ‘06

For companies that are serious about selling travel in India, Travel Distribution India '06 guarantees a short cut to creating the partnerships and strategies needed to succeed. Between October 25 to 26, 2006, over 200 senior executives from leading Indian and global travel companies will convene in Delhi to discuss the future of the world's fastest growing online travel market.

The objective of the event is to provide a business forum for travel executives interested in the opportunities presented by India's fast growing online travel market. The event aims to bring together Indian and international travel companies eager to claim their share of this lucrative market. The target audience for the event is senior level distribution, marketing, e-commerce and IT executives from Indian and global airlines, hotel chains, travel agencies and online travel providers. This inaugural event looks set to be a great success and Eyefortravel's goal is to grow it to become the premier travel technology and distribution event in the Indian subcontinent.

Put your company on the fast track to success on the Web

This is the first event of its kind in India, and it will feature up-to-the-minute business intelligence. Through a series of exclusive conference sessions, delegates will be able to:

• Hear from the CEOs and founders of MakeMyTrip, TravelGuru, Yatra and ClearTrip on how they see the online travel market in India developing; how many more new ventures can the market support and which company has the best business model for long term success and profitability.
• Understand the massive impact the growth in low-cost air travel is having on travel e-commerce in India. Can this growth continue or is the market already becoming saturated?
• Find out what plans search engine giant Google has for India and how you can use it to maximise the visibility of travel products on the Web.
• Discover how hotels and resorts are beginning to jump on the e-commerce bandwagon and how they plan to sell and distribute more of their inventory on the Web.
• Assess the new distribution technologies which are poised to transform the current travel distribution landscape in India.

The world's fastest growing online travel market

The Indian travel industry is booming. Improving infrastructure, rocketing consumer spending power, and advances in technology are fuelling economic growth and opening up a huge new market. Travel and tourism in India is expected to generate US$28 billion by 2008, rising to a massive US$90.4 billion in 2014. So it's hardly surprising that doing business in India has become a key priority for travel companies around the world.

What's more, travel is proving to be the jewel in India's e-commerce crown with travel related sales on the Web accounting for over 70 per cent of all e-commerce transactions. With internet usage growing at 50 per cent per year, and e-commerce projected to double by 2007, the opportunities are huge.

Already, the innovators and trail-blazers are making it pay. But will they be able to maintain their early-entry leadership positions? Or will the next wave of competition be able to profit even more handsomely by learning from the experiences - and mistakes - of those who went first?

Either way, if you are serious about selling travel in India , this event is a guaranteed short cut to creating the partnerships and strategies you need to establish your company as one of the winners.

Market intelligence

Quite simply, Travel distribution India is your road map to capitalising on the abundance of opportunities that are available for the taking. The conference will deliver a wealth of practical knowledge and expert know-how, ready to be incorporated into your own strategies to make them more powerful.

The keynote presentation will be on CREATE, SUSTAIN, SURVIVE & THRIVE... Understanding the Evolution of Online Travel Distribution by Jay Rein, VP e-Commerce, Worldspan

Here is a synopsis of the business sessions which will be held over the two days of the conference.

Session 1

The future of Travel Distribution in India

Travel has become one of the most powerful and dynamic parts of the booming Indian economy. Rapid growth, technological advancement and increasing affluence are changing the way people buy travel and is opening up a dynamic marketplace to the rest of the world. The internet is redefining travel distribution, with customers buying their travel through an ever-increasing number of sources and channels. How should you position your company to take maximum advantage of these developments?

Session 2

Rapid growth & development in airline distribution - how has the low-cost phenomenon transformed air travel in India?

With the arrival of a plethora of new lost cost carriers, the Indian airline industry is experiencing rapid change and expansion. What challenges does this present? Who will be ruling the Indian skies in 2007 and beyond?

Session 3

Web 2.0 - Discover how two of the world's leading Internet companies can help your sell your travel product online

Search - How do you ensure your customers find you before your competitors online? Search engines play a key role in the distribution of your travel product on the Web. This session will explore the benefits of search as an online marketing and distribution channel and show you how to target your customers more effectively by understanding how they use search engines to research and buy travel.

Session 4

The meta-search revolution - assessing the impact of comparison shopping on the Indian online travel marketplace

The need to balance direct and indirect channels, demand for lower cost distribution and the growth in popularity of comparison shopping are all factors driving the business model for travel specific search engines globally. Is the technology that is challenging the online travel distribution model in the US and Europe about to make an impact in India?

Session 5

Intermediaries - Online or offline? Which intermediaries have the most robust business models for future success in India's rapidly changing travel marketplace?

In the US and Europe, the leading online travel intermediaries have taken market share from their offline counterparts. At the same time, an increase in direct sales through travel supplier's own websites has also affected the traditional agency business. This session will look at what impact the internet is having on the traditional intermediary distribution model in India and discuss which companies will be the winners and losers in the race for sales online.

Session 6

Which technologies are right for marketing and distributing travel online in India?

Find out how to match investment in technology to your distribution needs. Understand how direct connectivity with your distribution partners can drive your costs down - and make your business processes more efficient. Mobile technology is set to become a significant means of travel distribution in India - find out how you can best exploit this channel for maximum ROI.

Session 7

Identify the key distribution trends and developments in India's rapidly changing hospitality market

As India's major hotel chains develop more robust online marketing and distribution strategies and online intermediaries race to become one-stop shops for hotel deals, this session will examine what the future holds for the Indian hospitality marketplace.

Session 8

Understand how an effective online payment infrastructure will reduce costs and increase profits for Indian travel companies.

This session will examine how well set up is the current financial infrastructure in India for dealing with the rapid growth in e-commerce transactions and what changes are needed.