Bangkok--3 Sep--TTA
The Tourism Technology Association (TTA) is holding the Asia Pacific Digital Travel Forum with invited experts from around the world to discuss the use of technology in the travel industry. In cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the ASEAN Tourism Association, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the International Institute for Trade and Development and the Thai tourism industry, the forum will welcome the imminent launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 which will result in expansion in the travel and tourism industry.
“The Asia Pacific Digital Travel Forum is being held in Thailand for the first time with a focus on promoting the tourism industry to enhance digital capabilities. It is because in the future the AEC will become the tourism epicentre of the entire Asia Pacific Region, with 10 of the most popular tourism destinations in the world as core members,” said Apichai Sakulsureeyadej, President of the Tourism Technology Association.
“The forum is an unprecedented platform to drive the digitalisation of the tourism industry because it brings together tomorrow’s leaders and will set a course for future tourism prosperity and share experience and vision in the use of technology in the travel industry.”
Highlighted topics include “Online tourism”, “Why Are Airlines Relying More on Technology Every Year?” and “How Technology Helps Save Costs and the Environment”.
“Entrepreneurs need to be alert to changing conditions, particularly in the technology sector. They know it is necessary to increase potential and improve operational performance while making the most out of IT technology. There has never been a more compelling opportunity for the tourism industry to bolster its digital capabilities than with the advent of the AEC in 2015,” he said.
The tourism industry has always been an early adopter of new technologies, and the Asia Pacific Digital Travel Forum is the ideal venue for forward-thinking executives from airlines, hotels, travel web sites, national tourism offices, booking and electronic payment platforms and other key areas of the industry to converge to share their knowledge and define the future of online tourism.
“Nowadays, people search the internet to find more information about the places they want to go. They can easily find out about the rates, pictures of the hotel rooms or the atmosphere of the venue via online social networks or social media. They can even learn from the comments posted on the forum by travellers or visitors. This helps save time and effort. Therefore, if we take online marketing more seriously we can instantly access millions of potential customers and tourists. Importantly, we must focus on IT technology to push the travel industry forward and continue to grow,” Apichai added.
The event also features other activities where participants can meet with gurus from the travel and tourism industry and share experience and knowledge about the industry in order to prepare for the opportunities that will open up in the future. These include representatives from WeGo, Agoda, Expedia, Affiliate, TripAdisor and AirAsia.
More details can be found at http://www.digitaltravelforum.com