PhoCusWright@ITB Berlin: Preeminent Travel Technology Conference to Host Key European Travel Leaders

7 March 2012 event includes interviews with the CEOs of Booking.com and ODIGEO

Berlin, 1^st February 2012 - Travel industry research authority PhoCusWright has unveiled a pioneering program for PhoCusWright@ITB, taking place Wednesday, 7 March 2012 in conjunction with ITB Berlin, The World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. Now in its seventh year, this conference-in-a-conference is meticulously designed by PhoCusWright’s expert analysts to help executives capitalize on key trends impacting the travel, tourism and hospitality marketplace.

This year’s event features interviews with the CEOs of two of Europe’s leading online travel agencies, Booking.com (Darren Huston) and the recently formed ODIGEO (Javier Perez-Tenessa). In addition, PhoCusWright analysts will share insights on key European consumer trends and deliver findings from a recent landmark study of the European vacation rental landscape. Dynamic roundtable sessions will focus on the emerging Russia travel market, mobile strategy and other hot topics.

PhoCusWright@ITB empowers an audience of travel professionals, innovators and thought leaders to interact in a unique community setting. A flexible format enables attendees to immerse themselves in the entire daylong event or focus on select sessions. The compact program is included at no additional charge with ITB Berlin tickets valid for entry on 7 March 2012, however advance registration is required.

This year’s theme, Travel Unleashed: Any, Every, Always heralds the exceptional forces liberating the travel marketplace. Amidst rapid advances in technology, constant change is the norm, and empowered, hyper-connected consumers are engaging with information and organizations in entirely new ways. PhoCusWright@ITB challenges travel companies to leverage these powerful new catalysts to attract and retain customers like never before.

PhoCusWright@ITB is followed on 8 March 2012 by The PhoCusWright New Media Summit, where travel bloggers, tweeters and social media enthusiasts from around the world will convene to share insights and strategies on new media in the travel industry.

About PhoCusWright

PhoCusWright, the travel industry research authority, fosters smart strategic planning and tactical decision-making by delivering primary research on the evolving dynamics that influence travel, tourism and hospitality distribution. To complement its research in North America, Europe and Asia, PhoCusWright partners with and produces several high-profile conferences around the world.

About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2012 will be taking place from Wednesday, 7 to Sunday, 11 March, and from Wednesday to Friday will be open to trade visitors only. Parallel with the trade show, the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest travel industry event of its kind in the world, will be held from Wednesday, 7 to Friday, 9 March 2012. Studiosus and TV5MONDE are sponsors of the ITB Berlin Convention 2012. Additional information is available at www.itb-convention.com. ITB Berlin is the global travel industry’s leading trade show. In 2011 a total of 11,163 companies from 188 countries displayed their products and services to 170,000 visitors, who included 110,791 trade visitors.

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