Travel Bulletin
Travel Bulletin 
With the Office for National Statistics (ONS) having recently announced that the value of the pound has jumped again, hitting a two-year high which at its peak saw it fetching up to $1.65 against the dollar, Myles Stephenson, CEO of my Travel Cash, shares his views on what?s in-store for travel in 2014...
A decade ago outsourcing was a new concept; now it is in many industries the norm. Indeed it is a significant part of the global economy: in August 2013 Gartner predicted that the global outsourcing market will grow by 5.4% a year for the next four years, reaching a total value of $288billion.
Squeezed incomes, cuts in corporate travel budgets and flat economic growth have all created a perfect storm for the travel industry since 2008. However, the industry has worked hard to adapt, cut costs, re-shape services and build online offerings. Positive results from industry leaders such as TUI and Thomas Cook point to a resurgent industry and one that is leaner and better able to profit from the improved economic headwinds.
?We are seeing the unstoppable rise and growing importance of mobile marketing, the increasing impact of video advertising and critically the power of RTB/programmatic buying,? said Stephen Taylor, VP & MD, International at Sojern. ?All three are very important. But the coming big topic is not one of these in isolation, but rather how they come together: developing and using better cross-platform/cross-device targeting and performance measurement is the next big step on the journey.?
It is well-known that growing competition in the travel market leads to a greater need for additional revenue streams. Ancillary services now being offered to consumers throughout the purchase process and beyond. In this article, Nigel Bramwell, CEO of Voiamo, explores the need for add-on services that are not one-offs, but that build long term relationships with customers.
People have been visiting holiday parks for many years, as there are so many things that can be enjoyed ? and many people return year after year. A holiday park can be anything from a traditional mobile home and static caravan site, sites for touring caravans or to a more modern glamping site where you may stay in a yurt, teepees or Pods.
Fred Olsen is just one of the many cruise lines to have been struck down by an outbreak of gastric illness recently. High profile health and safety disasters, such as food poisoning and the infamous sinking of the Costa Concordia, have caused established brands such as Carnival Cruises to experience plummeting share prices.
