State of the Industry Conversations

After starting the Travel 2.0 group on LinkedIn (741 members, thank you very much), several peers asked how we could further the conversion and discussion beyond the networking opportunities of LinkedIn.

We gave it some thought, and decided the best way to approach this was to start a simple Q&A or conversations series that would live on the Travel 2.0 blog and on LinkedIn Answers.

We choose the Q&A format since it is quick and easy (for the travel executive on the go!), but also provides a wide variety of opinions and perspectives.

So, for all of those in the LinkedIn group, you will be receiving an email inviting you to participate in the series. And for all of those readers of Travel 2.0, you can simply comment below.

State of the Industry Conversations
Bringing the Travel Industry together…one question at a time

Question:

Considering current privacy laws and regulations, as well as the New York State Assembly's recent proposed legislation on limiting internet data collection (specifically in response to contextual and behavioral targeting), from a travel industry perspective, how do you see online advertising evolving over the next 1 – 3 years?

Are you looking to create a larger conversation with your audience via non-traditional advertising solutions such as content integration or blogs? How do search and mobile advertising factor into those plans?

Answers:

Post your answer in the comments field below or via the Answers section of LinkedIn.

Note: You do not have to be a member of Blogger to post a comment to the Travel 2.0 blog. Anonymous comments are allowed, however we would appreciate if you signed the comment with your name.

Hopefully this new feature will be beneficial to everyone involved.

If you have a topic suggestion, please send it along.

Ah, Social Networking

Mo and I wanted to pass along a quick thank you to everyone who has joined the Travel 2.0 group over at LinkedIn. Since starting the group on February 4th, a little over a month ago, we have 526 group members and we are adding about 25 a day.

The response has been overwhelming and at the same time, very encouraging. Clearly the need for a peer group within the travel industry on this ever changing subject is there, and we are very happy to help facilitate it.

Over the next few weeks we will be setting up some additional resources for the group, so those who want to discuss and learn more about these subjects can rely on the collective intelligence and experience of the group.

Speaking of which, take a look at a fraction of the experience within the group:

• Product Manager at Delta Air Lines
• New Media Manager at Peter Greenberg Worldwide
• Travel Industry Consultant and Senior Marketing/eCommerce Executive
• Alliance Manager at Air France
• Travel Editor at NBC Universal
• Founder & CEO, RealTravel Inc
• COO at Travel Ad Network
• Manager Digital Advertising at Qatar Airways
• VP Business Develpment / Group RCI - Wyndham Worldwide
• CEO & Managing Partner, TourismROI LLC
• Former President, Travelocity Business
• VP Marketing, TripHub Inc.
• Corporate Strategy, Northwest Airlines
• Online Marketing Manager at Washington County Visitors Association
• Director: Travel Category Yahoo Inc.
• Webmaster/eCommerce Manager at Alitalia
• Managing Editor, MSN Travel
• Sr. Manager, Online Marketing at RC
• Manager, Direct Sales & Marketing at Singapore Airlines

Again, thanks to all who have joined. If you have any suggestions on the group, subject matter or ways to communicate and collaborate, please let us know via the comments section.

For those of you not involved, visit LinkedIn to join the Travel 2.0 group.

Join the Travel 2.0 Group on LinkedIn

One the benefits of writing this blog is the connections we (Mo and I) get to make with our peers throughout the country. Unfortunately, for most of you, the rest of the readers on the Travel 2.0 blog are invisible. So, we decided to change that...and join this Web 2.0 craze that is social networking.

We are proud to introduce the 'Travel 2.0: Interactive Travel Industry Professionals' group on LinkedIn. (Sorry about the long name, but we are an important group, so you need a long name)

The LinkedIn group will allow the readers of this blog to connect with other readers via a social networking site (LinkedIn) that many of us belong to already. Using LinkedIn you can maintain contacts, email one-another and stay in-touch with other members of the group. Plus, you get a cool looking 'Travel 2.0 Network' logo on your profile. Check it out on the right...oh yeah, that is sweet.

Joining the group is simple, join LinkedIn and then follow this link to the groups page.

Both Mo and I feel this LinkedIn Group will help grow the conversation and cooperation on the Travel 2.0 blog as well as with our peers around the world.

As always thanks for reading.