August 2008: Bank Holiday Getaway by Jon Armitage
A look ahead to the late summer opportunities

As the tail-end of summer approaches, we look ahead to the final opportunities to drive the last minute bookings and examine the value of implementing a short-term, bank holiday focused strategy. For full details, download the whitepaper here: Bank Holiday Getaway.

Understanding the Bank Holiday opportunity

Search volumes continue to be strong throughout August with levels on a like-for-like basis down only 2% on July. In the 2 weeks preceding the bank holiday weekend, queries enjoy a gradual rise whilst CPCs decline presenting an opportunity for claiming cost-effective additional late summer bookings. The hotels sector enjoys the biggest and earliest rise, whilst CPCs in the packages sector drop off most dramatically in August.

Bank holiday traffic

Bank holiday related keywords offer a potential source of cheaper, incremental traffic in August as their volumes surge in the 2 weeks ahead of the holiday weekend. Ad depth on these keywords is considerably below the travel average, providing the opportunity for advertisers to secure a top position in the auction at a lower cost. We attach a keyword pack targeting the bank holiday period for you to consider for this period.

Destination performance

Despite concerns regarding the economy, long-haul destination query volumes have continued to grow strongly. Query volumes relating to Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and the Caribbean continue to perform well fuelled by the development and promotion of these destinations. However, one trend relating to the economic slowdown we have witnessed has been a slowing of city destination related queries. Growth of these have underperformed expectations suggesting that whilst consumers continue to book their main holidays, they are potentially cutting back on weekend trips away

Searching For Sun White paper June 2008

June 2008:

Searching for Sun

Search strategies for the summer lates

Approaching the summer lates market, we are experiencing a very different travel market online than in previous years. With reductions in industry capacity, soaring oil costs and travel business bankruptcies, there will be opportunities to claim online share through paid search for those advertisers willing to shift budgets to the digital space. We look back to 2007 to identify potential query patterns and examine the year to date to gauge the likely impact of the industry's new challenges. For full details, download the whitepaper here:Searching For Sun.

Learning from 2007

• July represents the peak traffic month of the year, 6.4% higher than January in 2007

• Weekly queries peak in early summer, at the start of July yet remain above January levels throughout July and August

• Opportunity within packages with 9% sector query outperformance and capacity cuts creating available auction inventory

• Opportunity in late summer as CPCs fall

Recommendations

• Ensure budgets are in place for peak annual traffic

• Ensure bidding is most aggressive at the start of the period

• Allocate budget for late summer bookings opportunity when efficiency is greater

• Assign budget for late August Bank Holiday weekendEnsure budgets are in place for peak annual traffic

Understanding the new challenges of 2008

• Queries in 2008 are increasingly aligned with holiday periods; post- Easter surge in searches coincided with school holidays, peaking in the 7 days up to 12th April at 39% y-o-y growth

• Missed opportunity post-Easter as queries grew yet investment remained flat

• Search efficiency greater in the shoulder periods in 2008

Recommendations

• Anticipate query growth of over 30% over the summer when setting budgets

• Claim excess search inventory arising from industry capacity reductions

• Optimise positioning by varying CPCs in cost-effective shoulder periods

• Anticipate aggressive CPC bidding at peak times with less industry capacity and consequently higher lates prices

Growth

• City break destinations such as Paris and Barcelona have retained their popularity YTD

• Long-haul destinations consistently resilient amidst economic concerns

• North America and Middle East destinations (both up 20%) have witnessed the strongest growth

Recommendations

• Expand keyword lists for local attractions and city areas and test creative messaging forcompetitive city destinations

• Ensure budgets, keyword lists and ad creatives are suitable and tailored to the high growth regions

May 2008 Whitepaper: Banking On May

May 2008: Targeting the seasonal travel opportunities in Spring by Jon Armitage

The Spring season offers an important time for travel advertisers to target customers ahead of the summer market, and with key shorter-term breaks during the two bank holiday weekends and the school half-term holiday period. By examining the trends and lessons from 2007, we see that May and June offers a key uplift in online customer behaviour with important consequences for search marketing programmes. Download the full whitepaper here: Banking on May.

5th Economic Forum of Young Leaders 2010

The 5th Economic Forum of Young Leaders will take place between 7th and 11th of September 2010 in Nowy Sącz (close to Cracow), Poland. The Economic Forum of Young Leaders in Nowy Sącz is a meeting of young people from Europe and a venue for discussion about important processes in our continent and world as well as challenges for young generations of politicians, economists and leaders of NGOs. FORUM gives room for debate about the future of the European Union and its relation with neighbouring countries.

Each year, FORUM engages over 300 young leaders of political, economic, social, and non-governmental organisations from the European Union countries, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, from altogether over 42 European countries, to come to Poland to Nowy Sącz.

The venue of the conference is determined by a partner programme – the Economic Forum in Krynica. Subsequently, outstanding politicians, economists, businessmen and heads of the countries, governments and corporations can participate not only in the “central - European Davos” but also have an opportunity to meet Young Leaders in Nowy Sącz and to share experience, knowledge and to answer questions bothering young people. Guests of the Economic Forum of Young Leaders 2010 will be outstanding politicians, economists, and leaders.

The Economic Forum of Young Leaders is organized by the European Meeting Centre – Nowy Staw Foundation, the Economic Forum in Krynica and the Foundation for the Development of the Education System - Polish National Agency of the Youth in Action Programme.

Application process. Anyone interested in participating in the Forum should send an application form. Recruitment of participants begins on the 30th of April, 2010 and ends on the 16th of July, 2010. The results of the recruitment process will be announced by the 31st of July, 2010. 

Registration fee. Qualified participants have to make a payment of:

• 50 Euro (registration fee) for participants from the EU countries, Norway and Island
• 200 Polish Zloty (registration fee) for participants from Poland
• 30 Euro (registration fee) for participants form Balkan countries, Turkey, East Europe and the South Caucasus countries

Donations from participants are accepted until the 21st of August, 2010.

The registration fee includes:

• participation in the 5th Economic Forum of Young Leaders 2010
  
• access to all sessions, plenaries, meeting discussions and workshops
  
• coffee breaks during sessions
  
• gala dinner
  
• breakfasts, lunches and dinners throughout the Forum
  
• accommodation in the student's dormitories during the Forum

More information at: http://www.forum-leaders.eu

eYouwins 2010: Act Now - Change the Future

The fifth European Youth Week in Novi Sad (Green Week in Novi Sad: Act Now - Change the Future) will be held between 17th and 24th August 2010 in Novi Sad, Serbia.

In 2010 eYouwins celebrates 5th birthday and invites 200 participants to come to Novi Sad, between 17th and 24th August; to focus on green ways of life and sustainable development of our society. Therefore, this year eYouwins is Green Week in Novi Sad (greenWins). The motto and the title Green Week in Novi Sad: Act Now - Change the Future is motivated by the prime importance that young people understand and value the significance of concept of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. The youth of today have to be aware of the challenges of sustainable development and climate change as they will lead and live the changes required responding to them. Therefore we are creating platform which will enable participants to explore the human, social and educational aspects of this important issue through discussions, workshops and conferences.

The mission of greenWins is to promote green way of life and potential that lies in the harmonic relationship between humans and the environment. The project targets young people at the first place, for the simple reason that environmental sustainability affects their lives today and their futures more than anyone else. They have the potential, ability and influence needed to create change. It is clear that young people’s involvement in the present trends of development will ensure a sustainable future for themselves and for future generations.

The task of greenWins is to cultivate a sense of environmental ownership and responsibility in youth and overall community, ensuring that local and global sustainability efforts will continue into the future. Participants will work together in both theoretical and practical workshops and learn about recycling, applied ecology, water protection and clean energy. Additionally, numerous concrete actions will be organized during the week targeting and involving local population in Novi Sad.

Since participants will come from many different countries, it is a good occasion to learn from each other’s cultural and social background in order to find a common field of cooperation. This learning experience will be additionally amplified by multinational and multireligious surrounding of Novi Sad and Vojvodina. In order to address different needs of participants and to fulfill project goals in an innovative way, program of the eYouwins is structured as a combination of three elements: education, action and fun. Synergy of these festival elements will lead to fulfilling project objectives.

Participation fee for greenWins is 60 Euro for international participants and 3000 Dinars for the participants from Serbia. The participation fee covers accommodation, and meals during the Festival (light brekfast, lunch and dinner per day), organised excursions, sightseeing, entrance fees, and free participation in trips, conference programme, cultural and sport events of the Festival. The fee does not include travel costs and personal expenses. Accepted participants will pay the participants fee on arrival, at the registration. 

Eligibility. Youth from Serbia and all over Europe, aged between 18 and 28 years; all European students as well as those from other continents currently studying in Europe can apply for eYouwins2010. Young people from all backgrounds are welcome. There are no special requirements. The official language of eYouwins is English. It is expected that 30% of all participants will be from Serbia.

More info and application form: http://www.eyouwins.com

International Master in Tourism & Leisure

MIB School of Management (Trieste), one of the top international business schools for managerial education in Italy and in the world, invites applications for the 12-month International Master Program in Tourism & Leisure (IMTL).

Tourism is one of the most dynamic fields in the international economic landscape; development of the global tourist economy has created a growing need for entrepreneurship and good management as well as a new level of professionalism and skills. Tourism is a real business, which deserves passion and talent, and calls for far-sighted and challenge-oriented managers.

The International Master in Tourism & Leisure (IMTL) will forge talent, cultivate passion, widen horizons and challenge the real international tourism professionals of the coming years through tourism training and tourism education at international levels.

The International Master in Tourism & Leisure is the only master in tourism accredited by ASFOR and UN WTO. The program helps participants develop skills for working in tourism and launching into a managerial or entrepreneurial career.

Important international company partners collaborate with the program through in-class talks, testimonials, interviews for internships and jobs, and company visits and presentations.

The IMTL offers:
* a solid, technical tourism education
* a solid business-oriented tourism training
* mastery of management processes
* specialized working tools for success in the tourism sector
* reinforcement of personal capabilities
* opportunities to network with companies offering career opportunities.

The School and companies network fund scholarships awarded as a partial exemption from Master tuition fee. Scholarships are awarded based on merit and on specific requirements indicated by the company funding the scholarship.

To apply for scholarships, candidates must:
* Complete and send the application on-line to the International Master in Tourism & Leisure
* Meet the requirements stated in the scholarship description
* Send all relevant documentation indicated in the scholarship description

Admission to the International Master in Tourism & Leisure program is independent from the scholarship process. When outcomes for admissions are announced, candidates will be informed if they receive a scholarship and the amount.

The number of scholarships may increase. Periodic changes are listed on the program website.

Admissions deadline: 21st September 2010 (not EU citizens), 05th October 2010 (EU citizens).

More details on application process and online application form can be found here:  http://www.mib.edu/c/d/p/master_tourism_training_education.aspx.

Contact email: sepic@mib.edu.

PhD Researcher in European Integration

The Institute for European Integration Research (EIF) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences now invites: applications for the position of full-time researcher at the post-doctoral level. Beginning of the employment period: summer/autumn 2010. Duration of appointment: 1-2 years, extension possible. Remuneration: based upon seniority.

The Institute for European Integration Research (EIF) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (www.eif.oeaw.ac.at) focuses on the policies of the European Union and their direct and indirect effects on both the national and global levels. Political science is our disciplinary basis for theoretically-oriented empirical research that frequently compares EU policy areas. EIF researchers regularly publish in SSCI journals such as JCMS, JEPP and WEP. Recent books and chapters from our team have been published by Oxford University Press, Ashgate and Routledge.

EIF contributes to the academic community with high-quality open source publications, research databases and state-of-the-art analyses. Through cooperation with national and international partners, EIF is responsible for the editorial management of two peer-reviewed journals published in the English language, European Integration online Papers (EIoP) and Living Reviews in European Governance (LREG).

Preferred applicant profile: PhD in political science with specialisation in European integration with a focus on one or several EU policy areas (preferably those not yet studied at EIF).

Application procedure. Please explain your research interests and send a CV with a list of publications (published, accepted and submitted works as well as texts in advanced stages of preparation) to Ms. Barbara Pavlik (eif@oeaw.ac. at) by 24 May 2010.  

More information at: www.eif.oeaw.ac.at.