Our Hosts...
2011 Highlights
Programme at a Glance...
Monday 3 October 2011
Morning
Sporting Events and Excursions
Afternoon
Convention Opening and New Connections Event
Evening
Private Functions, Convention Supper Club and Late Night Bar
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Morning
Plenary Sessions
Afternoon
Delegate Lunch followed by Specialist Sessions
Evening
Private Receptions, Host Party and Late Night Bar
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Morning
Plenary Sessions
Afternoon
Convention sessions close and private functions
Evening
Delegate Departures
2010 Highlights
Latest News
5 October
2011
Turkey to Host 2012 Travel Convention
ABTA today
announces that Turkey is to host its Travel Convention in the luxury resort of
Belek, Antalya, from 10-12 October 2012.
With a flying time of less than
four hours from London to Antalya, it will be the first time that the Convention
is hosted in an all-inclusive resort. The Convention was last hosted in Turkey
in 1996, in Istanbul.
Speaking at the closing session of the 2011 Travel
Convention in Palma Mallorca, Tolga Tuyluoglu, Director of the Turkish Culture
and Tourism Office in London, said: “I am absolutely delighted that ABTA will be
coming to Turkey next year. We are very excited to be hosting such a prestigious
event in Belek in Antalya, one of our premier resorts.
“We last hosted
the ABTA Travel Convention in Istanbul in 1996. Then we had just over 750,000
arrivals – now it is closer to three million! The UK is such an important
market for us and this is a great opportunity for us to show the UK travel trade
the new face of Turkish tourism.”
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive
said: “We are very excited to be able to announce Turkey as the hosts of the
2012 Travel Convention. Turkey has had a meteoric rise in the last few years as
a tourist destination of choice for British holidaymakers. The resort of Belek
offers outstanding, five-star facilities that will provide first rate support
for The Convention’s programme of business, social and sporting activities. It
is the first time that we will host The Convention in an all-inclusive resort,
enabling delegates to enjoy The Convention and plan budgets
effectively.”
5 October 2011
More than half of consumers book foreign holidays
through Travel Agent or Tour Operator - survey shows
“High street travel agents prove most popular
amongst women and internet generation”
Over half of
consumers, 53%, who have taken a foreign holiday in the last 12 months booked
through a travel agent or tour operator, as revealed today by the 2011 ABTA
Consumer Trends survey at The Travel Convention in Palma Mallorca. High street
travel agents rule for the young with a third of 16-24 year olds, 32%, using
them with 45-54 year olds ,15%, being the least likely to do so.
The
survey also shows that women are significantly more likely to book with a high
street travel agent than men with nearly a third, 31%, booking through this
route in the last 12 months compared to 19% of men. Similarly, 32% of 16-24 year
olds booked through this route, more than any other age group.
53%
booked through either a high street travel agent, 25%, or a tour operator, 28%.
There is a gender difference with over half of women, 57%, preferring this route
compared with men, 49%, who are less keen. Women are particularly keen on high
street travel agents with 31% using them as opposed to 19% of men.
One
in four had also booked through a holiday booking website. 43% had booked direct
with airlines and accommodation providers with 25-34 year olds being the least
likely to do so at 28% and the over 65s the keenest at 50%. Foreign package
holidays remain a popular option at 42%, most popular with women and 15-24 year
olds, level pegging with travel and accommodation booked separately also at
42%.
Over one in five customers, 23%, had also booked a domestic holiday
using a travel agent or tour operator .
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive
said: “There is a wealth of booking options available to holidaymakers and I am
pleased to see that over half are looking for the reassurance and
professionalism offered by travel agents and tour operators when going overseas.
It is also encouraging that so many of the internet generation choose to book
through high street travel agents and that so many people use their services
when holidaying in the UK. Many ABTA Members also provide bespoke booking
options on the internet which is an important booking option with one in four
customers doing so.”
4 October
2011
IAG Chief Willie Walsh calls for government
assessment of full economic damage caused by the “Flying Poll Tax”
Willie Walsh,
Chief Executive of the International Airline Group IAG, called today for the
Government to look at the full negative effect that Air Passenger Duty is having
on the economy and look past its fixation with deficit reduction as he spoke to
leading travel industry figures at The Travel Convention in Palma
Mallorca.
He said that the Government “must get weaned off the
revenue raised by the Flying Poll Tax", and that "the tax should be withdrawn",
stating that "APD is having a hugely negative impact on the
economy.”
Mr Walsh urged the Government to follow the example of
the Dutch who scrapped their version of APD as they saw less than expected
revenue streams as people chose to fly from other countries and overall, the tax
cost the Dutch economy four times the revenue raised. In the UK, APD´s negative
impact can clearly be seen with a reduction in passenger numbers in the UK of
7.4 million in 2010 against a 4% growth in the rest of Europe. Mr Walsh said
that the Government cannot say that the loss of 7.4m passengers “was
ok”.
Mr Walsh also stated that not having a coherent
Government tourism policy until 2013 is unacceptable and the Government´s
decision to refuse permission for a third runway at Heathrow makes no
environmental sense in the light of China and other developing nations´ decision
to build new airports. Instead the rest of the world would continue to benefit
economically from aviation as the UK lost out.
Mr Walsh also praised ABTA and others in the industry
for the work they had done in raising public awareness of APD through their work
as part of the Fair Tax on Flying Alliance.
He went on to criticise the European Union´s decision to
impose the ETS scheme on all flights in and out of Europe as already other
countries were considering ways to retaliate. Instead the EU should recognise
the trillions being invested in new technology to lower emissions not damage
businesses and their ability to continue that investment.
The Government
intends to raise APD by twice the level of inflation in April 2012 having
postponed an increase in April 2011. In addition the European Union intends to
introduce an Emission Trading Scheme for aviation in 2012, revenue from which
will go directly to the Treasury. ABTA wants the Government to cancel its plans
for an increase in APD and offset revenue raised from ETS against APD revenue
which currently raises 2.2 billion pounds a year. The Government has previously
stated that it intends to increase APD revenue by 1.4 billion pounds by
2015.
Holidaymakers or business travellers flying from the UK pay by far
the highest levels of flight tax in Europe. Five European countries currently
levy versions of an aviation tax but all at significantly lower rates than the
UK. For example a family of four flying from the UK pays 240 pounds while if
they fly to Australia they can expect to pay 340 pounds. That compares with just
11 pounds for an Irish family or fifteen for a French family. Since 2007 when
APD was last increased passenger numbers departing the UK have fallen by
22%.
07 Sept
ABTA LifeLine is ABTA’s own welfare charity providing assistance to those in need, who are working or have worked, for an ABTA Member and their dependants. ABTA LifeLine is there to help people in the travel industry who need it most and it relies on travel industry donations to keep it going. The charity award grants to help with everything from serious medical problems to sudden financial hardship.
During the Convention ABTA Lifeline will be auctioning and raffling off some fantastic prizes - click here for more information.
24 Aug
Malcolm Preston, Global Leader of PwC’s Sustainability & Climate Change team will talk about key developments in corporate sustainability, from the world’s first Environmental P&L Statement to the development of real, tangible analysis of the socioeconomic impact of a company’s operations on the communities it affects. [More]
23 Aug
Once again, SMS Convention Updates will keep delegates informed throughout the Convention with text message announcements. Whether there is a change to the programme or breaking industry news…each message will be brought to delegates courtesy of Comtec.
To receive SMS alerts please provide your mobile number when you register or log back into your record to update it now.
3 Aug
The Convention’s main stage speakers are highlighted in the latest digital brochure. Click here to view. Details of the specialist forums, master classes and discussion groups will be announced in part two of the business sessions brochure later this month.
26 July
Willie Walsh returns to the Convention stage. One year on from Willie’s presentation at the 2010 Travel Convention, we’ll be talking to him about the proposed increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD); the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS); airport capacity and more.
20 July
Miguel Fluxa, Executive Chairman of Grupo Iberostar, will be
interviewed by long-standing friend and business colleague Peter
Long, CEO of TUI Travel plc. More
There are only a few remaining options to raise your company's profile at this
year's Travel Convention in Palma, which are highlighted in the latest digital
brochure – Commercial
Opportunitites.
12 July 2011
One of The Travel Convention’s most popular speakers – Douglas
McWilliams, Chief Executive of the Centre for Economics and
Business Research – will return to the Convention stage to explain the
‘new post crisis paradigm’, which he believes few businesses and indeed the UK
Government do not yet understand. More
29 June 2011
Chris Loughlin, CEO of Travelzoo Inc., will take the stage on the opening morning of this year's event in Palma de Mallorca. More
22 June 2011
The first Travel Convention digital brochure is now available. Issue one – Convention Information – provides full details of the programme of events, how to register, Convention accommodation and more.
1 June 2011
ITV News anchor, Alastair Stewart OBE, will be returning to the Convention stage after a break of ten years. More
23 May 2011
David Rowan, Editor of WIRED UK, the
technology and trends magazine covering online brands, gadgets and the culture
that surrounds them, will address delegates on the opening day of this year’s
Travel Convention. More
10 May 2011
Registration is NOW open – book before 4 July to secure
the Early Bird rate!
To
raise awareness of your brand at this year’s Convention, check out the NEW
promotional packages which includes the opportunity to advertise on the
Convention website and within the digital publications…from as little as
£100.
05 May 2011
Where Travel’s Top Conversations take place - The Travel Convention is the UK’s largest and most significant event for senior travel industry professionals, organised by ABTA – the UK’s leading travel association.
Registration and accommodation bookings will open week commencing 9 May. Book before 4 July to benefit from the early-bird registration fees...More
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