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e-Travel
has announced that EVA Air has launched Chinese and English-language versions of e-Travel® Planitgo to power their internet booking websites in Taiwan
and the United States.
Local language websites and booking engines are expected to be key growth
drivers of the Asia Pacific online travel market, a market predicted to grow more
than threefold in five years, from US$4.8 billion in 2002 to US$16 billion (with more
than 500 million internet users (source: World Bank, Pyramid Research)) in
2006 (source: PhoCusWright, Data & Marketshare, Growth and Forecast Data).
In line with these projections, in 2003 Asia Pacific produced the highest number of
Planitgo bookings by region (over 4.5 million); success mirrored in the strong
growth of online bookings for airlines Qantas, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways
(who recorded growth of between 25% and 300% when compared with 2002). The
tremendous growth achieved by existing customers and increasing numbers of
new clients show that Planitgo, now implemented in four languages (including
English, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese) in the region is enabling
airlines to benefit from economies-of-scale and a rapid return on investment.
Mr. Peter Smith, Director, e-Travel Asia Pacific, said, "e-Travel's commitment to the strategic success of airlines, corporations and travel agencies in the region is reflected by the strong take-up of our industry-leading solution Planitgo. With e-Travel Planitgo, Asia-Pacific's airlines are harnessing the huge online booking growth potential of this channel, coupled with the strength of the region's largest and fastest-growing IT solutions provider for the travel industry, Amadeus." |
