Sydney (26 February) - On 4 March 2004, business travel managers from across Australia -- and the Pacific -- will converge on this city to discuss the future of low-cost carrier service, the impact of GDS deregulation, and the challenges of switching to self-booking tools. In a high-level Executive Forum hosted by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, corporate Australia will dissect these three hot trends in an an effort to determine their impact on service levels, the price of travel, and travel booking options.

In the first session: "Do Low-Cost Carriers See The Difference Between You and The Leisure Traveler?", industry experts will discuss new strategies among low-cost carriers to lure the business traveler from the majors. More than just lower fares, the low-cost entrants challenge conventional wisdom in the aviation industry, and contest old relationship/service-based agreements with carriers. This is because the price gap between established carriers and low-cost entrants is so great, while the service gap grows noticeably smaller.

The echoing impact of the recently deregulated GDS industry in the US has yet to be felt in Australia. The average traveler may not even be aware of the acronym's meaning (Global Distribution System). Yet recent deregulatory action may evenutally mean cutting fares for some travelers, while adding incremental increases to others shut out of preferred GDS vendors. This session -- The Other Shoe Drops -- explores how deregulation of any industry can be a double-edged sword.

The final presentation deals with defining the objective for acquiring a self-booking tool, and securing upper management's support for the same. Travel executives will get the inside track on evaluating need, the best case to make to upper management, and the most successful approach to guaranteed compliance.

Each of these issues governs some critical aspect of business travel: ranging from cost, to service, to traveler convenience. Yet the unspoken message at this forum will be how acceptance of these trends by Australian businesses will effect a global industry.

Registration opens as 1200, at the Swissotel Sydney, 68 Market Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Register electronically at www.acte.org/events/sydney_030404/teaser.shtml

Members of the press are invited to submit their questins in advance. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives conducts periodic membership surveys, and will gladly conduct industry polls on behalf of the media.

For more information on this event or ACTE polling programs, please contact:

Kenneth Phua
Director Asia-Pacific
tel: 65-6728 3820
fax: 65-6728 3863
email: [email protected]