The latest marketing news, launches and more from around the travel, tourism and hospitality industry in September 2013.
Friday 13 September 2013:
- National Geographic Traveler has re-organized their media brands. Lynn Cutler will head up the new media group, which includes National Geographic Traveler magazine, National Geographic Expeditions, photo workshops and seminars, travel books, maps, apps, digital travel content and travel community.
Thursday 12 September 2013:- Zanadu [TLabs here], China's member-only luxury travel website, partnered with Mesarati China to create authentic and artistic content. As part of this partnership, China's famous musician Cui Jian and British music producer Howie B took a road trip through some of Italy’s most stunning locations. Along the route, they stayed at Zanadu's hotels and they also met Italian actress and musician Violante Placido to record an inspiring song and a 11 minute artistic short film - "on the bridge to nothing".
Tuesday 10 September 2013:
- American Express has agreed to sell off its stable of travel magazines to Time, Inc. With a collection that includes the venerable Travel + Leisure and luxury travel mag Departures, American Express is handing off a significant chunk of their publishing portfolio.
Monday 9 September 2013:- In the recently concluded Australian PM election, Tony Abbott defeated Kevin Rudd. Lastminute Australia has picked this timely act and launched a new campaign by name "Where should Kevin go". The company asks people to tweet a destination (by using the hashtag #whereshouldkevgo) that Rudd should goto. The company has also announced that it will offer the former leader a free trip to the top voted destination. Ultimately, Lastminute Australia is promoting their deal products through this campaign.
Wednesday 4 September 2013:- Expedia and Air France join forces for on-site hotel search. The carrier will place 160,000 hotels from the Expedia Affiliate Network on its domestic website, with its global sites going live in the near future.
Tuesday 3 September 2013:- Tourism Radio, location-based travel content provider has now called for franchisees in Asia to expand its portfolio, especially in popular travel destinations like China and Thailand. Tourism Radio's franchisees will be able to licence the company’s technology and travel content, and package them for their own clients in the form of white label apps. The company has offices in South Africa, New Zealand and Spain.
Monday 2 September 2013:- Sabre Pacific has launched a new campaign/competition that is aimed at boosting hotel and car bookings through the Sabre GDS. Travel agents in Australian and New Zealand who haven't made any hotel or car reservation via Sabre from 1 May 2013 to 31 August 2013 qualify to participate in this competition. The company is giving away two iPad minis every month to agents with the most car and the most hotel bookings from 1 September until the end of the year. The agent who makes the highest number of combined car and hotel bookings between 1 September 2013 and 31 December 2013 will win a Fiat 500 POP car that is valued at AUD$14,000.
- Amadeus recently held its inaugural "VIP Innovation Series" in Bangkok for over 20 participants representing APAC's top travel agencies. This series is the first of many planned for the region over the next 18 months. These workshops are aimed at providing Amadeus travel agency customers an in-depth look at the trends and new technologies that will shape the APAC travel industry over the next 18-36 months. Attendees are also given an exclusive "first look" at the company's new solutions that will be introduced to travel agencies over the coming year.
Previous roundups:NB: Marketing image via Shutterstock.