A publication containing a series of articles on Italy by the leading US newspaper, The New York Times, has been presented in Rome. The publication entitled The New York Times. Italia , available in English and Italian, springs from a partnership between ENIT, the Italian State Tourist Board that proposed and promoted the project, the New York Times and Istituto Geografico De Agostini and represents an all-important tool for promoting, discovering and understanding the Bel Paese. The publication highlights the constant attention given to Italy by the New York Times. This is positive since it offers proof of the fact that Italy is at the centre of the US public opinion's interest and curiosity - stated ENIT Chairman, Amedeo Ottaviani, according to whom the most important feature of the book is that the large number of articles offer an image of our country which, as a whole, influences the image the Americans have of it. We can label it a genuine Italian dream which is equal to a large number of visitors able to make a major contribution to the country's tourist economy. According to Mitchel Levitas, Executive Associate New York Times Book Development - Italy is one of the best loved tourist destinations worldwide and this publication is a perfect souvenir for those who have travelled to and fallen in love with this country. But is also serves to arouse the curiosity of those about to make such a trip. Some of the leading American writers and journalists, including Olivier Bernier, Rachel Billington, Frank Bruni, Alastair McEwen, Muriel Spark and William Weaver, contributed to the book - essays soaked in history, philosophical observations, amusing anecdotes, cultural and travel information, basically the best of the New York Times' narrative talent.

The international hotel industry has shown signs of recovery in the first half of 2013 according to the bi-annual hotel survey conducted by Hogg Robinson Group (HRG), a corporate travel services company. Although the survey reveals a fragmented global picture, the hotel market in Europe and the US appears to be stabilising, as rates are either flat or only marginally down. In addition 12 of the 50 cities surveyed achieved a year on year rate increase when measured in pound sterling. In contrast though, the Middle East region recorded the highest rate decrease, with double digit falls in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman.

Amadeus IT Holding sold 100% of the capital of its subsidiary Opodo Limited to Axa Private Equity and Permira Funds. Subject to the approval of its Board of Directors and of the competition authorities, the agreement includes, as part of the transaction, a 10-year commercial agreement between Amadeus, as a provider of GDS services, and Opodo, eDreams and GoVoyages (controlled by the Permira Funds and funds managed by AXA Private Equity, respectively). It is estimated that the net sum to be received by Amadeus will be approximately 500 million Euros.

USA Business travel has become a $240 billion dollar industry due to the real value and measurable benefits derived from the collaboration and cooperation that can only occur when people are brought together face-to-face. Money spent on travel by businesses, while supporting the companies, workers and communities where these meetings and events take place, also helps their own bottom-line goals. For example, incentive programs are two to three times more effective than cash at motivating employee performance, making them a smart business choice. These programs typically benefit hardworking middle-class Americans who have earned these trips through their exceptional performance. Communities rely on the wages and taxes generated by meetings, events and other travel. Nationwide, business travel generates $39 billion in tax revenue, and nearly $16 billion is from meetings and events in cities and small towns everywhere. That tax revenue helps fund public schools, police and fire departments and other essential services in every community across the country. ++++++ Source www.tia.org ++++++++

I believe the rebound in some parts of the globe will take place especially in the Middle East after Ramadan and the USA in November - say Stephen J. Renard - The Middle East market will start to heat up and solicit much of the world’s hospitality talent to come there, as the delayed projects like Dubai’s Asia Asia (5000 rooms) will return to life……… that is what they all tell me. Inshallah! The USA market even now has taken a positive turn… a VP of IHG told me recently some of his hotels are even now running at 80% levels, albeit at low room rates; but the return to higher occupancies is a positive sign in itself. +++++ www.renardinternational.com ++++++

100 professionals with experience planning international meetings and incentive polled for this survey +++++ Europe will be the top destination for U.s. groups according to 52 percent of planners polled. General meetings were the most common type of event planned by organisers of corporate events, followed by incentive activities, trade shows and product launches. Canada / Mexico will outstrip Asia for the second place, and Asia will remain the third destination - like in the 2016 / 2017 survey - followed by Caribbean / Bermuda area.

Adventures in Travel Expo Expands Brand to Showcase Full Spectrum of Travel Offerings as Show Series Growth Continues. Adventures in Travel Expo, the longest running series of consumer travel events in the United States, and co-producers of the USA’s largest Travel Show, The LA Times Travel & Adventure Show, announced today its plans to expand its events, now to be called the Travel & Adventure Shows with a supporting tagline branded The Show for REAL Travelers. While the name is changing, the focus on marketing and selling is the same. The show will continue to deliver qualified travelers and be a great source for short and long term leads and bookings—all in a professionally run environment. The Travel & Adventure Shows, formerly the Adventures in Travel Expos (ATE), are the leading consumer travel shows in the United States.

GBTA has announced the new acquisition of Project ICARUS from the United Kingdom's Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM). This acquisition will allow for the creation of the travel industry's first ever global sustainability program. Project Icarus was established eight years ago by ITM with a goal to encourage the travel buyer and supplier community to take action to address sustainability issues within their own companies. In the European Union, Project Icarus is now the definitive source of information, education and support for sustainability issues in business travel and meetings. Its four key components include: encouraging reductions in carbon emissions; developing an understanding of the wider sustainability issues; providing educational programs and events specialising in sustainability; and recognising companies who have adopted these best practices.

"The shift will require a change in the way meeting managers operate. Planners traditionally have been evaluated on whether they come in under budget for a meeting rather than whether the meeting provided a return on investment and return on objective", said Christine Duffy, president and CEO, Martiz Travel during last Pharma Planners Forum. As engaged employees and satisfied customers are strictly connected, we have to be able to engage participants actively in program design, delivery, and impact - she said - and we have to be able not only to measure ROI.

The Business Travel Club, brought to you by the Business Travel Show, is a regular social and networking event open to anyone involved in the business travel industry. The club, which meets 6 times in the UK, the Netherlands and across the Nordic Region, is there for you to keep up to date, share the latest industry developments, meet with like-minded professionals and create and maintain your own national and international networks - all within an informal setting whilst enjoying a couple of complimentary drinks. The Club, is completely free of charge to attend and everyone who comes can be assured of a warm and friendly welcome. Founder David Chapple said, - The rapid growth of the BT Club shows how important online networking is and the high-value placed on it by the business travel community. With membership growing daily of our LinkedIn Group the BT Club has fast become the largest social networking group for the UK travel industry and we are thrilled that it has been embraced by the industry - ++++++ http://www.thebusinesstravelclub.com/ ++++++

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) announced the acquisition of Business Travel Market (BTM), the annual corporate travel conference and exhibition held at London’s ExCeL, for an undisclosed sum. Launched in 2009 by Paul Robin, BTM was the first event serving the corporate travel sector to successfully accommodate fully hosted key buyers from all over Europe. The event has doubled in size since the first show, and has enjoyed consistent support through key players in the business travel industry. GTMC Chief Executive, Anne Godfrey, immediate past President of ACTE, Chris Crowley (BCD Travel), Qatar Airways' Country Manager UK & Ireland Richard Oliver, Eurostar's Head of Global Sales Darren Williams and Julia Surry from Airplus International all join the BTM Advisory Board. Crowley states "In only three years BTM has established itself as a growing and important annual industry event. Both BCD Travel and ACTE have strong partnerships with BTM, so I am delighted to be part of BTM's Advisory Board involved in the event's further development."

Mounir Fakhry Abdel-Nour, actual minister ot tourism of Egypt, said that the sale of alcohol is going to be forbidden during the Islamic holidays. Egyptians are no longer going to be able to buy alcoholic beverages in the time of Ramadan and the 4 other major Islamic holidays. The decision notes an enlargement of the long standing ban on the sale of intoxicating liquor in the time of the holy month of Ramadan.

Conducted by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and The Conference Board of Canada, the survey was developed for travel management professionals and the travel suppliers that serve them. 54 Canadian organizations organizations - all with an annual travel budget of more than $1 million - participated in the survey. Survey results imply that travel expenses are expected to grow 1.4 per cent in 2018, and an anticipated increase in travel prices was the most common reason given for the increase. When asked about the relationship between corporate travel and meetings management within their organization, corporate travel managers reported increasing influence over meeting and event-related activities, compared with a year earlier. This trend suggests the line between corporate travel management and meetings/event management continues to blur, and more organizations are embracing the concept of strategic meetings management. +++++ view complete report ++++++ http://www.conferenceboard.ca

Prices in most areas of travel spend are expected to grow modestly around the globe next year, with the most significant inflation expected throughout the Asia Pacific and Latin America regions. Price increases will begin to level off in most regions throughout the world compared to what travel buyers experienced this year, as booming economies like Asia Pacific's begin to normalize, and as uncertainty remains in Europe. +++++ APAC (ASIA Pacific) has experienced strong economic growth over the past several years, which quickly drove prices upward. Growth in 2014 is expected to stabilize, which will likely lead to modest price increases, although specific results vary widely by country. +++ Airline prices should increase about 2.5 percent in the APAC region during 2014, largely due to the number of low-cost carriers (LCCs) entering the market and holding pricing down. +++ Hotel rates in APAC will likely increase about 3.5 percent in 2014 with Singapore leading the way (8% increase) and followers are Japan (7%) Australia (6%) and Hong Kong (4%). +++ Car rental rates will likely experience the highest inflation of anywhere in the world. CWT forecasts a 5.9 percent increase in 2014. Two pricing scenarios exist in LATAM's air segment. Countries with healthy economies like Brazil and Chile will experience solid price inflation, while countries with weaker economies like Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru expect moderate decreases to only slight growth, and CWT expects 2014 airline pricing in the region to increase 1.3 percent overall. Average daily hotel rates in LATAM will likely rise about 6.3 percent during 2014. Brazil will see the largest increase in hotel rates, due to strong demand and limited supply; however, that will soon change, as inventory is rapidly being added in Brazil to accommodate the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. CWT is a global leader specialized in managing business travel and meetings and events and CWT's forecast combines a statistical model that uses CWT global client data with the market and industry knowledge of CWT experts around the world

The Incentive Club - more than 240,000 partners worldwide for meetings, Incentive travel and Incentive Marketing - said that big and medium organizations are actually trying to mitigate rising supplier prices by holding a larger number of smaller meetings with fewer attendees and shorter durations. Next year EMEA region (Europe - Middle East - Africa) is expected to rise prices per attendee per day from a low 0.50 percent to 1 percent, while Canada and the United States are waiting for a slow improvement and cost per attendee per day is expected to rise by 3.50 to 4.50 percent. Meetings & events group sizes will decrease around 5 to 10 percent in LATAM (Latin America) countries mainly in Brasil and Chile due to heavy price inflation, and APAC (Asia Pacific region) preview a price inflation increasing from 5 to 7 percent. ++++ www.theincentiveclub.com ++++

Radius and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) announced the release of a joint whitepaper, Travel Management of Tomorrow: Is Major Change Coming? ++++++ First announced at the ACTE Executive Forum in Sao Paulo, this whitepaper surveyed ACTE members and event attendees consisting of travel buyers from 33 countries, representing all global regions as well as large, medium and small sized companies. ++++++++ Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said there would be more travel, and 71% said they believe travel spend will be higher, at their companies in 2017 vs. 2012 ++++++++ Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they will have the same in-house travel management resources available as today, while 14% believe they will have even less; only 27% said they will have more +++++++ Forty-three percent of travel buyers surveyed said the IT function will be more important to travel management in 2017 than today (#1 ranking among company functions) ++++++++ Fifty-one percent said travel technology companies will be more important to travel management (#1 vendor group) ++++++++ Sixty-five percent said they believe end-to-end solutions will increase in importance to travel programs in 2017, followed by 60% each for data consolidation and Social/Local/Mobile (SoLoMo) accessibility (the top three elements ranked among nine travel management priorities) ++++++ RADIUS is committed to understanding the evolving needs of travel managers in order to be a more effective partner,” said Chris McAndrews, Senior Vice President Marketing and Business Development for RADIUS. +++++ more info ?? Diana Doody ++ ddoody@radiustravel.com

Maritz Travel, a global leader in providing full-service meeting, event and incentive travel programs to corporate clients, acquired Experient, another top provider of meeting and event services to associations, tradeshows, corporations and the US government. As two of the largest and most respected companies in the meetings and events industry, Maritz and Experient now will expand their collective ability to deliver a full range of exceptional event experiences. Maritz' end-to-end service delivery model will be enhanced by Experient’s ability to provide additional full and select services and, as a result, the combined companies will be able to tailor services that better align with clients' specific needs. Clients also will benefit from 12 regional locations, deepened industry influence and the ability to serve clients across corporate, association, tradeshow and government markets. As a result of the acquisition, Price will be stepping down, and Experient will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Maritz Travel.