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news conference preview
ttglive.com
The Travel Convention 2009
Trade Media Partner
October 6-8 ■ Barcelona
Regulation expert to field questions about impact
of reform of European Package Travel Directive
New Captains panel
Jane Atkins has been head
Bowers faces law quiz
of Freedom Travel Group
since 2007. She was promoted
this year to also be managing
director of homeworking
Chris Gray.
PTD. We have been campaigning division Future Travel. Atkins
ONE OF travel’s “new captains for some time to have it reviewed has spent her entire career in travel, having
of industry” is bracing himself for because it doesn’t reflect today’s previously been commercial director at Airtours
a grilling about what changes to industry. and sales director of Going Places.
European consumer protection “Legislation has not kept pace
law could mean for agents, when with changes and this is a chance Alex Cruz led Spanish no-
he speaks in Barcelona. to redress that. We would like to frills airline Clickair, which has
Mike Bowers (pictured), group see the directive extended, so since merged with Vueling,
counsel for Tui Travel, is the protection covers all linked sales when it started in 2006. He
regulation expert in a panel of future industry including dynamic packaging and click-throughs.” has been in the aviation sector
leaders that also covers the high street, online The session will be chaired by conference mod- for 20 years, during which
and homeworking retail sectors, as well as erator Jeremy Vine and TTG editor Lucy Huxley. time he has held senior positions at Sabre and
aviation and tourist boards. The other panellists are: head of Freedom the commercial aviation practice of Accenture.
They will field questions on the Thursday of Travel Group Jane Atkins; Vueling chief executive
the convention, just after delegates hear from Alex Cruz; Greek National Tourism Organisation Sofia Panayiotaki began her
Tui Travel chief executive Peter Long. UK director Sofia Panayiotaki; Travel Republic career as a journalist on na-
Bowers said he was expecting to be quizzed managing director Kane Pirie; and tional newspapers in Greece.
about what impact the reform of the European lastminute.com sales director Andy Washington. She then hosted current
Package Travel Directive (PTD), announced last affairs programmes on Greek
month, would have on the trade. Thursday, October 8 and Japanese television. She
“The focus will be on the PTD being changed, Questioning the New Captains, 3pm led the Greek National Tourism Organisation in
so I guess there will be questions about what Chaired by Jeremy Vine and TTG’s Lucy Huxley. Japan, before moving to the UK earlier this year.
that means for the industry,” he said. Delegates can text questions for the session to
“We welcome the prospect of changes to the Lucy on 07801 253254 until noon on October 8. Kane Pirie’s company, Travel
Republic, topped a Sunday
Times list of fastest-growing
privately-owned companies in
2007, after sales rose 300% in
its first three years. Pirie will
not be able to talk about Travel Republic’s legal
battle with the CAA over Atol regulations but will
speak on the future of the online travel sector.
Andy Washington became
well known in the travel
industry after spending three
years as sales director for
Cosmos Holidays. He joined
lastminute.com as sales
director last year and is in charge of business-
LOVELY BUBBLY: Delegates at the Travel Convention Luxury Forum will be invited to to-consumer sales, including flights, hotels,
visit the Hotel Arts Barcelona’s new Champagne Bar, officially opened last week, which packages and dynamic packages.
serves 40 types of bubbly. They will also get a first look at the new W Barcelona
14 18.09.2009
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