Mobile Travel Commerce - a Bigger Deal than Online Travel?
[ March 17th 2000] Mobile Travel Commerce - a bigger deal than Online Travel is the title
of a workshop on mobile commerce for travel and transport organised by the GMCF (Global Mobile Commerce Forum) at Hotel Sofitel in Cannes, France on
30th March.
With online travel the number one category in Internet consumer spending in 1999, as much as one third of all travel expenditure is likely to be
transacted via the Web by 2003 (Source: Gartner), effectively dis-intermediating many travel agents but creating opportunities for new
distribution intermediaries. By then there will be an estimated 115 million mobile Internet users across the US and Europe. Already, for the
first time, mobile phones have overtaken the laptop computer as the most popular technological tool taken on business trips by frequent flyers
(source: OAG).
But which companies will succeed in mobile travel services and with what service propositions? Attendees at the GMCF Travel Event will gain
insights, counterpoints, fresh ideas and new business opportunities. Representatives from SAS, IBM, Ericsson and Ebookers will share their
state-of-the-art developments in mobile travel commerce. Participants will collaborate in business case sessions to develop mobile travel
service propositions for both business and leisure travellers. These will be highly relevant to all companies interested in mobile travel
commerce.
"The GMCF believes that the mobile Internet will be of real benefit to travellers as travel services become available anytime, anyplace. In
addition to booking and amending travel plans on the move, travellers will be able to obtain personalised alerts and information about travel delays,
relevant local attractions, events, special promotions and even preferred restaurants," according to Toby N. Cross, managing director of new mobile
startup Zishi Limited and Chairman of the GMCF Travel & Transport visions group which is hosting the event.
"This new mobility dimension will result in a surge of traveller-related mobile transactions of all descriptions. Transactions made using mobile
phones are forecast to generate as much as $14 billion per annum in four years time, or 7% of all consumer e-commerce, marking a fundamental change
in consumer behaviour," he pointed out.
