TIA bids to build business links with debut of Pow Wow On-line

Website launch

TIA bids to build business links with debut of Pow Wow On-line

Report by ALANMOORE

THE Travel Industry Association of America is putting its new Pow Wow On-line business-to-business website to the testduring this year’s marketplace in Orlando.

Designed for use by regular buyers and sellers of US tourism product at the annual event, it will also provide a year-round base to do business, 24 hours a day.

Betsy O’Rourke, TIA senior vice-president marketing and communications programmes and general manager, said: “Delegates will experience Pow Wow On-line at the message centres throughout the Marketplace Hall.

“The site allows participants to communicate with each other, search for services and potential clients, promote new products, and create personalised lists of contacts to refer to 365 days a year.”

She added that this development follows last autumn’s launch of TIA’s SeeAmerica website, providing international buyers with 24-hour access to all travel and tourism organisations in the US.

However, O’Rourke said: “As organisers of Pow Wow, we have continued our tradition of pre-scheduling a huge number of appointments between international buyers and US suppliers, so they can conduct serious business while in Orlando.

“We now offer three ways to search for potential ‘matches’ for appointment request lists – the print version of the Appointment Guide, the on-line Appointment Guide and Pow Wow On-line.”

The UK is sending its largest-ever buyer delegation to the event with 158 representatives from UK tour operators. This is an 11% rise on last year’s attendance in Dallas.

For more information see: www.powwowonline.com, www.seeamerica.org or www.tia.org.

Best ever: 158 UK delegates will attend the trade event in Orlando