Bringing IFITT to Canada

This year has been a real revelation of sorts for me. I’ve seen a real turnaround in how technology in travel and tourism is recognized both locally and Internationally. For many years Europe has been at the forefront of embracing new technologies that promote travel and tourism and recognizing and supporting the travel technology industry. This year, for example, is the first Canada-e-connect conference which will be focusing on online marketing and use of new technologies to promote tourism from a strategic point of view. As a technologist, I have worked with many traditional travel agencies helping them move online or at least use online techniques to improve their revenues. It has taken some time, but now we are clearly seeing the benefits of online campaigns, embracing new technologies, and increasing distribution through online channels. The new challenge is to find ways to compete in a saturated online market space with OTAs like Expedia and Travelocity.

In my ongoing attempts to bring the travel and tourism technology industry together, I am in the process of setting up a Canadian Chapter of the International Federation of IT and Travel & Tourism (IFITT). IFITT is a non-profit organization, based in Austria, whose aim is to promote international discussion about communication and information technologies in the field of Tourism. My goal is to set up a Canadian Chapter that will further the aims of IFITT but also draw more national and regional attention to travel & tourism technologies.

If you are a travel & tourism technologist and you are interested in becoming a member of the IFITT Canada chapter, please join IFITT today and let Paul Baron know that you are interested in becoming part of the Canadian Chapter. We are hoping to announce the launch of the Chapter at the upcoming Canada-e-connect conference. For more information please visit http://www.ifitt.org.

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