From M/Cyclopedia of New Media
Bethaney Lawler
I am a 2nd year Creative Industries student majoring in Media and Communications at the Kevin Grove campus of QUT. My career goal is to work in the motorsport industry and I am currently taking minors in the following to hopefully improve my qualifications for that industry:
Originally from country Victoria, I now live on the outskirts of Brisbane, Qld. I work part-time as a sales assisstant at Kmart, the department store and have recently become a Tupperware demonstrator as it fits in with the odd hours of university.
I hope to begin a career in the motorsport industry once I have completed my degree. I would like to work in the promotional/PR department of a racing team, eventually working up to a managerial position. However, at this point in time I am still making contacts with those who work in the industry.
Assignment 1 topic: Online Travel/Tourism
Looking at both Australian and overseas travel. Possibly narrowing it down to Australian companies only.
Different services, including:
- flights
- vehicle hire
- accommodation
- cruises
- tours & attractions
Sites that offer these services:
Bethaney Lawler 15:47, 1 Aug 2005 (EST)
Annotated Bibliography
Research Topic: e-Travel
Marketing Week (2005) “Tourism: Breaking into the big time,�? Marketing Week, 19 May, p.30.
- This article discusses the change of ownership and international mergers among several online travel agencies, providing a view for the future of holiday arrangements and e-business. Some of the major companies mentioned include Travelocity, Sabre, Amadeus, and Opodo. Consumer perceptions of e-travel and broadband's growing market are seen as two of the driving forces behind the success of these companies and others like them. The article also relates the importance of international market penetration, brand awareness, and customer loyalty to long term success in the online travel industry and states that joining with traditional tour operators will only further this success.
Leaf, B. (2001) “Corporate travel plans moving to web,�? Crain’s Chicago Business vol.24, no.18, pp.9
- This article examines the implications ‘dot.com mania’ had on smaller, traditional agencies and the push toward corporate travel management. Leaf discusses the opportunities for traditional agencies in consultancy roles for corporate travel, reducing the cost of travel and planning hassles for companies. Leaf points out the future of e-travel, stating that online corporate bookings will constitute almost one-third of all business travel arrangements, compared with only 10% today. The integration of technology with traditional travel operations will benefit large operators but may negatively effect small agencies.
Jones, D. (2003) “Line Management,�? Business Travel World, Nov., p.20.
- This article discusses the move from consumer travel sites to corporate travel management by two major online travel agencies. The article looks at the different aspects of corporate travel business required by these companies to be successful and sophisticated players. Some of the aspects mentioned include management reporting, preferred supplier preferences and customer service. Some of the general consumer agencies moving into the corporate travel sector mentioned by Jones include Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. Jones discusses the push by companies to reduce travel costs as well as their concerns with rising fees from traditional agencies since the war in Iraq.
Stellin, S. (2003) “Online Booking Cuts Cost and Simplifies Corporate Trips,�? The New York Times, 2 Sept., p.7.
- This article examines three major travel agencies based online that recently created online booking tools aimed at the corporate market. Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity have created specialized websites for corporate clients; Orbitz for Business, Expedia Corporate Travel and Travelocity Business. Stellin discusses the change from the ‘digital dark ages’, where corporate customers used call centres and mailing systems to arrange business travel, into the revolution of internet booking systems where a customized trip can be arranged within a few minutes. Stellin also looks at some the sophisticated tools being used by these companies.
Stone, B. (2003) “Expedia.com Seeks the Suits,�? Newsweek vol.142, no.22, pp.18-19.
- This article is an interview with Erik Blachford; chief executive officer of Expedia.com, one the internet’s most visited travel websites. Stone discusses the background of the company with Blachford and asks about his reasons for entering the corporate travel service. Stone looks at BLachford’s view on changing technology and how it is affecting the corporate travel business. Blachford’s opinions on industry competition and economic recovery in the travel business are also covered.
Business Travel World (2003) “Major hotels join online sales venture,�? Business Travel World, Apr., p.8.
- This article discusses three major hotel companies; Accor, Hilton International and Six Continents; and their decision to invest in a joint venture to market and sell rooms online. The article looks at the goals of the companies and their reasons for going online. In particular, Six Continents separate merchant agreement with leading travel website Expedia.
Jardine, A. (2000) “Lastminute wonders,�? Marketing, 16 Mar., p.18.
- This article examines the background of the two most successful multimillionaires of the dot.com generation as well as the joint venture that started their success. Martha Lane Fox and Brent Hoberman, the co-founders of Lastminute.com, are profiled throughout the article, including a timeline of the events leading up to their success. The article also gives a brief description of the company and how it floated on the stock exchange for over L500 million in its first year of operation.
Grayson, I. (2003) “Travel: Networks put bums on seats,�? The Australian, 5 Aug., p.13.
- This article discusses how travel agents have been using global networks to reserve airfares for several years. The first network established in 1959 between American Airlines and IBM, known as the Semi-Automatic Business Research Environment and toady referred to as Sabre, is outlined in the article. Other booking networks are mentioned, including Amadeus, and Worldspan. The opinion of the author is that, although online booking is increasingly used by consumers directly, the future of traditional travel agencies is secure.
Campbell, J. (2003) “Online agencies making inroads,�? Business Travel News vol.20, no.14, pp.4.
- This article covers a case study of an online consultancy firm, Akibia, that chose Expedia Business over American Express One. It discusses the porblems they company had with AMex One and their reasons for switching to Expedia. The article discusses the benefits of working with Expedia. These included global capabilities, data reporting, access to low-cost airlines online and offline, and pre-trip notification. Some of the other benefits mentioned included the reduced need for agent assistance, no booking or consultancy fees and these resulting in higher revenue for the companies involved.
Baker, C. (2005) “Online plays,�? Airline Business vol.21, no.3, pp.54-56.
- This article discusses the leading global distribution systems (GDS), including Galileo, Amadeus, Cendant, Sabre, and Worldspan, as well as the way they operate with airlines and travel agencies. Baker looks at the threat of new GDS-bypass, G2 Switchworks, faced by these companies and how they have successfully secured their positions in the ever changing online travel industry. Baker has used several informative graphs, timelines and date tables to present this information so it may help others in this situation.
Mazhatul, R. and Suraya, Y. (2005) “Internet Diffusion and E-Business Opportunities Amongst Malaysian Travel Agencies,�? Journal of America Academy of Business vol.6, no.1, pp.78-84.
- This article examines the online travel and tourism industry as it is regarded as being the first industry to successfully do business electronically and become a strong online business sector. In particular, Mazhatul and Suraya discuss the Malaysian market’s acceptance of internet travel agencies, albeit a slow one. The article reveals the positive attitude of Malaysian travel agencies towards e-business and predicts that this will be a potential growth area in the future. Mazhatul and Suraya believe that, although the Malaysian travel market is still in the initial stages of internet use, the slow adoption of e-business will prove to be a success.
New Media Age (2005) “Ebookers creates personalized sites to entice customers online,�? New Media Age, 17 Mar., p.4.
- This article from New Media Age looks at English travel company Ebookers and its attempts to move their offline customers online, creating an entirely web-based business that is able to reach prospective clients from all over the world. The article examines the personalized URLs that will be used to entice offline customers to visit the website, allowing them to receive special offers tailored to their interests and holiday destinations. The article also discusses Ebookers’ plans to introduce a loyalty card scheme that will reward clients and encourage them to continue using their online service, improving customer loyalty.
Nelson, P. (2005) “Net is now the public’s choice,�? Travel Weekly, 27 Mar., p.28.
- This article discusses the increasing popularity of online holiday and travel packaging opposed to using a traditional agency. Nelson suggests that the reason for the declining use of traditional agencies is due to the abundance of information available to the public online. The article compares the popularity of online travel agencies with shop-fronts and call centres, concluding that customers are more comfortable building their own trips online, dealing directly with the supplier.
Tedeschi, B. (2005) “Internet Travel Sites, Still Popular, Are Having to Work Harder These Days,�? The New York Times, 30 May, p.6.
- Tedeschi’s article looks at the growing success of online travel companies and the declining market share of their traditional counterparts. As the internet’s most successful business category, Tedeschi examines the maturing marketing as advertising and effective customer loyalty become an integral part of the industry sector. The article also discusses the implications that terrorist attacks, such as September 11 and the Bali bombings, had on traditional travel suppliers. Tedeschi looks at how online travel companies, such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz, assisted their offline counterparts by promoting discounted flights and accommodation.
Mullaney, T.J. (2005) “IAC: The Unraveling of An Empire,�? Business Week, 1 Aug., p.82.
- This article examines the successful rise of Hollywood media mogul and CEO of InterActiveCorp, Barry Diller, in the online travel sector. In particular, InterActiveCorp’s buyout of travel powerhouse, Expedia Inc. Mullaney also discusses the early days of Expedia and its rise to success during the Dot.com boom. The timetable at the end of the article outlines Diller’s accomplishments since 2002, taking a close look at his attempts to buyout Expedia before accomplishing this in 2003.
Bethaney Lawler 19:41, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
