The world’s cruise industry heads in record numbers to Barcelona, Spain

LONDON, Aug. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — In just a few weeks, cruise industry professionals from around the world will be heading to Barcelona, Spain’s leading cruise port, for the tenth edition of the Seatrade Med Cruise Convention. This year’s event has already achieved a record number of ports, destinations and suppliers showcasing their products and services on the exhibition floor, mirroring the market growth of the cruise industry in the Mediterranean.

A highlight of the convention will be the conference programme – where leading figures will discuss and debate the issues confronting the Mediterranean’s flourishing cruise market. As well an overview of the Mediterranean cruise market, over 40 industry peers will discuss topics such as the increasing popularity of upscale cruising, logistics and ship supply, maximising overnights stays in ports, marketing and sales, the relationship between cruise lines, ports and terminals, green innovations and also the development of cruise itineraries in the region.

In addition to Pierfrancesco Vago Chairman, CLIA Europe, and Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises, Kyriakos (Kerry) Anastassiadis CEO, Louis Cruises, David Dingle CEO, Carnival UK, Adam Goldstein President & COO at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and Michael Thamm CEO, Costa Crociere SpA, we are pleased to announce that Jorges Vilches, President & CEO for Pullmantur Cruises, is also confirmed to join the line up of high-profile cruise line executives for the opening ‘State of the Cruise Industry in the Mediterranean’ plenary session.

A two-day travel agent training programme, provided by CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) will also take place giving local travel agents the opportunity to broaden their knowledge on this lucrative market.

With record pre-registration numbers, the tenth edition, promises to to be one of the most successful events yet. Seatrade Med provides a proven business platform for participants to engage and generate business opportunities, through a high-level conference programme, showcase exhibition, travel agent training sessions and social networking events.

Additional news and information about Seatrade Med are available at cruiseshippingevents.com/med. Find Seatrade Med on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

The 2014 Seatrade Med Cruise Convention is owned and organised by UBM in partnership with Seatrade and in association with the Port of Barcelona.

Editor – Nina Marston at Seatrade, Tel +44 1206 545121 or email nmarston@seatrade-global.com

Complimentary press registration is available to editors, writers and print/broadcast reporters intending to report on the event. Visit cruiseshippingevents.com/med/press to book your place.

About Seatrade Med The Seatrade Med Cruise Convention, the major biennial cruise event focused on the world’s second largest cruise destination – the Mediterranean, will gather in Barcelona, Spain from September 16-18, 2014 at Fira de Barcelona Gran Via Conference Centre. Owned and organized by UBM Live in partnership with Seatrade Communications Ltd, Seatrade Med is Europe’s most prestigious cruise event, welcoming over 4,000 attendees and 300 exhibiting suppliers and service providers to the Mediterranean cruise market. Part of UBM Live’s growing Cruise Shipping Portfolio, Seatrade Med features a comprehensive conference featuring high-profile speakers, an exhibition, a travel agent training component, and valuable networking events.

About UBM Live UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premier brands such as Routes, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors.

About Seatrade Established 40 years ago, Seatrade is a leader in cruise and maritime publications, conferences and exhibitions, training, awards and other special projects. Regular events include international trade exhibitions and conferences across all maritime sectors, management training courses for shipping professionals, training seminars for travel agents and award schemes, including the Seatrade Insider Cruise Awards. Seatrade publications include magazines, supplements and yearbooks, whilst Seatrade Insider provides daily cruise news online at seatrade-insider.com

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Air China Starts Codeshare with China Express

BEIJING, Aug. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Air China and China Express signed a codeshare cooperation agreement in the city of Guiyang, Guizhou province on August 29, 2014, and the two carriers will start to share codes on each other’s selected flights from September 1, 2014.

Air China Starts Codeshare with China Express

Air China Starts Codeshare with China Express

 

Air China Starts Codeshare with China Express

Air China Starts Codeshare with China Express

 

According to the agreement, the two carriers will connect the cities of Chongqing, Guiyang and Dalian to their respective networks. With the cooperation, Air China will be put its code CA on 32 routes operated by China Express, which will extend its route network to the second-tier and third-tier cities around Chongqing as well as in provinces of Guizhou and Liaoning Province. At the same time, China Express will put is G5 code on 30 routes operated by Air China, which will extend its network to most of China’s big and medium-sized cities. Currently, Air China operates over 50 routes to Chongqing, Guizhou and Liaoning, giving passengers easy access to most of the Chinese provincial capitals via Chongqing, Guiyang and Dalian.

Lou Yongfeng, Managing Director, International Cooperation Department, Commercial Committee, said, “Air China has always attached great importance to establishing partnerships with other carriers. It is our hope that our codeshare cooperation with China Express will further expand the networks of both sides and make it easier for passengers around the country to travel to and from the regions around Chongqing, Guizhou and Liaoning.”

Luo Tong, Vice President of China Express, said, “The cooperation not only connects the networks of the two carriers, but also make a trunk route carrier and a feeder carrier complement each other. The feeder market will enter a fast track by benefiting from the well-established trunk routes. So the point-to-point operations of the feeder market will be supported by trunk route operations. China Express is quite committed to making medium- and small-sized cities more accessible, and the most effective way of doing that at the lowest social costs is to fully take advantage of the network of trunk routes to grow the feeder market.”

Air China is China’s only national flag carrier and also the largest carrier between China and Europe and between China and America. Its route network serves over 162 destinations in 32 countries and regions worldwide. China Express is a carrier operating feeder routes for passenger and cargo transportation. The codeshare cooperation between Air China and China Express blazes the trail for partnership between trunk route carrier and domestic feeder carrier, make more products available to the domestic market, giving passengers in more travel options, promote the cultural exchanges of second-tier and third-tier cities with other parts the country, facilitate regional economic development, and further promote the development of China’s feeder route market.

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Avis Announces New Partnership with SriLankan Airlines

SriLankan Airlines’ Frequent Flyers, FlySmiLes members, are valued more with chances to earn points and enjoy discounts on rental cars from Avis

SINGAPORE, Aug. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Avis, today announced a new partnership agreement with SriLankan Airlines the national carrier of Sri Lanka and the newest member of the oneworld alliance. Through the new partnership, the Airline’s frequent flyers, FlySmiLes members will have the opportunity to earn and redeem miles from Avis car rentals. In addition, Avis’ products and services will be marketed to FlySmiles members on the FlySmiLes website: http://www.flysmiles.com/.

“We are more than excited to align our brand loyalty efforts with SriLankan Airlines,” said Patric Siniscalchi, President, Latin America/Asia Pacific, Avis Budget Group. “This partnership will enhance the value proposition for FlySmiLes’ customer loyalty program and bring us incremental business at the same time, giving us the opportunity to accelerate our growth in the Southeast Asia.”

SriLankan Airlines, Head of Commercial Operations, Mohammed Fazeel said, “SriLankan Airlines is delighted to have Avis on-board, which will provide our frequent flyers more opportunities to earn and redeem miles whilst on business or holiday. We have been expanding our strategic partnerships with service-providers of high calibre to provide our FlySmiLes members the best possible experience.  With SriLankan’s entry to oneworld in May this year, FlySmiLes members now have the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of benefits in addition to earning and redeeming miles when flying with the oneworld carriers.”

To celebrate the new partnership, Avis offers the FlySmiLes members Double and Triple bonus FlySmiLes miles on qualifying rentals.

For More Information: Call Reservations Hotline 1800 737 1668 (toll-free)

About Avis in Asia

In Asia, Avis is a leading provider of vehicle rental; vehicle leasing and limousine/chauffeur drive services operating in more than 300 locations through a network of wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and licensee agreements in 18 markets. Avis opened its first operations in Asia in 1970 in Hong Kong. Throughout the 1970’s Avis grew steadily in the region, with operations launched in Singapore, the Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia. More recently, developments have included openings in India, Mainland China, Vietnam and Taiwan.

About Avis

Avis Car Rental operates one of the world’s best-known car rental brands with approximately 5,450 locations in more than 165 countries. Avis has a long history of innovation in the car rental industry and is one of the world’s top brands for customer loyalty. Avis is owned by Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR), which operates and licenses the brand throughout the world. For more information, visit www.avis.com.

About SriLankan AirLines and FlySmiLes

SriLankan Airlines being the  National carrier of Sri Lanka, is an award winning carrier with a firm reputation as a global leader in service, comfort, safety, reliability, and punctuality . The airline has cemented a firm reputation worldwide for its service, comfort, safety and reliability, notching many enviable industry awards along the way. These awards include the, World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff by Skytrax; Best Airline in South Asia from Travel Trade Gazette; World’s Most Reliable Operator of Airbus A330s and A340s by Airbus Industries and the Etihad Global Excellence Award for Best Regional Caterer.

The airline’s hub is located at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, providing convenient connections to its global route network of 60 destinations in 33 countries in Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Far East, North America and Australia. SriLankan has mutual code-share services with BMI (British Midland), Etihad and Malaysia Airlines. Indian Airlines , Saudi Arabian Airlines, Air Canada and Mihin also code-share on some of SriLankan’s routes. SriLankan has consistently achieved very high marks for excellence, especially in polls of global travellers and has won many international accolades consistently.

For further information please contact:

Grace Banto
Avis Asia
+65-6737-1668
grace.banto@avis.com.sg

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Altair Picks Malaysia As Hub In Southeast Asia

— Regional Office in Kuala Lumpur to Focus on Innovative Product Design

TROY, Mich., Aug. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Altair Engineering Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of leading US-based simulation technology and engineering services company Altair, has chosen Kuala Lumpur as its new regional headquarters to spearhead its expansion plan in Southeast Asia. The new office in Plaza Sentral will also serve as Altair’s training and technical support center for the region.

Altair’s Managing Director for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, Australia and New Zealand, Srirangam Srirangarajan, explained, “The new office in Kuala Lumpur is significant to Altair’s future growth in Southeast Asia. We are confident that this expansion will enhance our local presence and help us penetrate new market segments such as electronics and aerospace. Malaysia’s robust infrastructure, open policy to foreign business, strong talent pool and connectivity with other ASEAN markets makes it the ideal location for Altair’s regional operation. In addition, Malaysia has the potential to produce innovatively designed products that can compete at an international level, and Altair is happy to lend its experience and expertise towards achieving this goal,” he said.

Altair Engineering Sdn Bhd is a MSC-status company and number one in computer-aided engineering (CAE) in Southeast Asia, providing both software and engineering services. Altair has served the Malaysian market since 2012, providing a rich portfolio of advanced engineering software and on-demand computing technologies to both private and public sector clients.

Commenting about the company’s expansion plans, Srirangam continued, “According to our market research, the CAE market is growing rapidly in Malaysia and throughout Southeast Asia. We are seeing CAE technologies moving aggressively into non-traditional domains like consumer products, architecture, civil engineering, and construction, to name a few.”

Local businesses are feeling increasing global competitive pressure to deliver reliable products quickly while keeping costs low. CAE solutions bridge the gap by reducing product design and development cycle time as well as testing and analysis time.

“As Malaysia moves towards establishing itself as a high-technology manufacturing hub, companies in the aerospace, biotechnology, electronics, and information and communications technology industries are turning to CAE software to improve the quality of innovation and maintain cost-efficiency. CAE software enables companies to analyze and test a product for reliability, durability and quality, which helps increase their competitive edge,” he added.

Commenting on local growth areas, Srirangam said, “In Malaysia, we see very good prospects in the automotive, manufacturing, and oil and gas sectors. Malaysia also has the capacity to become a major player in aerospace and electronics. Altair is committed to bringing innovation to our clients. We believe that sharing our expertise and technical know-how to help clients develop a design-based innovation culture within their organizations delivers increased return on investment and performance,” he concluded.

Altair Engineering Sdn Bhd’s new ASEAN regional headquarters is located at 3B-10-7, Tower 3B, Level 10, Plaza Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, KL Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.

About Altair Engineering Sdn Bhd

Founded in 2012, Altair Engineering Sdn Bhd is a MSC-status company providing enhanced engineering solutions, on-demand computing technologies and enterprise analytic solutions for companies across a range of industry sectors such as automotive, defense, oil and gas and consumer goods, all of which play a dominant role in Malaysia’s economy. Altair Engineering Sdn Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of US-based Altair.

About Altair

Altair is focused on the development and broad application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions for improved business performance. Privately held with more than 2,300 employees, Altair is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, USA and operates more than 40 offices throughout 22 countries. Today, Altair serves more than 5,000 corporate clients across broad industry segments. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com.

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Frost & Sullivan: Lean Strategies and Decentralized Value Chains Fuel RFID Uptake in Manufacturing

— Automotive and aerospace industries represent key growth areas

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — The business model and structure of the manufacturing industry has grown well beyond the scope of a single enterprise and location, making radio frequency identification (RFID) solutions indispensable to its functioning. With increasing adoption of lean manufacturing strategies prompting most industry players to focus on and outsource niche operations within global supply chains, RFID solutions will help sustain high levels of performance.

Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Analysis of the Global RFID in Manufacturing Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $1.29 billion in 2013 and estimates this to nearly quadruple to $4.99 billion in 2020. The study covers passive, active and battery-assisted passive RFID. Over the forecast period, demand for active RFID will increase to fulfill business needs more efficiently.

For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit: http://bit.ly/XPtW5v.

Use of RFID technologies enhances supply chain visibility and total control of inventory, operations and logistics across diverse manufacturing points. As RFID solutions facilitate real-time tracking of assets in different locations, it increases productivity enabling cost-effective allocation of resources. These benefits, along with reduced labor requirements, information accuracy, improved sales and customer service boost RFID adoption among manufacturing participants looking to realize higher return on investment.

“Opportunities for RFID solution providers exist across all application segments within the manufacturing industry,” said Frost & Sullivan Measurement & Instrumentation Senior Research Analyst Nandini Bhattacharya. “Growth prospects in the automotive and aerospace manufacturing sectors are especially promising owing to supportive industry regulations.”

However, as long as the economic situation remains uncertain, customers — particularly small and medium enterprises — will be reluctant to invest in RFID solutions unless they see a direct correlation between implementation of these technologies and cost-saving advantages. Cost is, therefore, a discerning factor for consumers’ RFID purchasing decisions. Scalability of solutions and technology support will be important criteria influencing uptake.

“Partnerships and acquisitions are rampant and necessary for this market to continue to expand,” noted Bhattacharya. “Without such collaborations, the breadth of knowledge and expertise needed for success is typically too wide even for the largest of companies.”

Analysis of the Global RFID in Manufacturing Market is part of the Automatic Identification (http://www.autoid.frost.com) Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan’s related studies include: Analysis of the Global 2D-Barcode Scanners Market, Analysis of the Global RFID Tags Market, Analysis of the Global RFID and Bar Code Printers Market, and Emerging Opportunities in Global Biometrics Market. All studies included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants.

Our “Growth Partnership” supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

  • The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
  • The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact Us:     Start the discussion

Join Us:           Join our community

Subscribe:       Newsletter on “the next big thing”

Register:         Gain access to visionary innovation

Analysis of the Global RFID in Manufacturing Market
ND1A-11

Contact:
Ariel Brown
Corporate Communications – North America
P: +1.210.247.2481
E: ariel.brown@frost.com

http://www.frost.com

Twitter: @Frost_Sullivan
Facebook: Frost & Sullivan
Linkedin: Future of Measurement & Instrumentation

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Frost & Sullivan: Regional Vendors Thrive as eRetailing of Automotive Parts and Service Picks Up in Europe

— Sale of tires and accessories will push online retailing revenues to more than EUR18 billion by 2020

LONDON, Aug. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — The rapid growth in personal, in-vehicle and service shop connectivity is lending momentum to the creation of new customer touch points and driving the online sales of automotive parts and services in Europe. The emergence of independent eRetailers is further propelling the expansion of aftermarket eRetail, which has also been buoyed by aggressive participants such as Amazon.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Opportunity Analysis for the Automotive Parts and Service eRetailing Market in Europe, finds that the market was valued at EUR5.29 billion in 2013 and estimates this to reach EUR18.33 billion by 2020. While France, Germany, and the UK contribute the highest to online sales due to higher Internet penetration, Russia is expected to witness maximum growth in revenues with a compound annual growth rate of 30 percent till 2020. Over the next five to seven years, Spain and Italy too will catch up as smartphone adoption increases.

“Sales through smartphone apps are an immediate opportunity for aftermarket participants in Europe to explore,” said Frost & Sullivan Automotive and Transportation Research Analyst Anuj Monga. “Although the computer is currently the preferred mode for online shopping, and the use of mobiles is limited to accessing product information, shopping through tablets and smartphones will pick up significantly as more 4G long-term evolution options become available.”

Tires will remain the leading product category in online sales, followed by brakes, batteries and vehicle accessories. Tire eRetailers, traditional parts retailers and pure play parts eRetailers are expected to gain market share owing to their regional presence, as radically dissimilar legislations across countries in Europe pose a challenge to cross border selling. Keeping compliance costs under check has also proved difficult for online sellers due to tax regulation variations and the complexity arising from deploying different models in each country.

Over the next few years, the key differentiator in the aftermarket retail space will be the fulfilment models employed by companies. Complementing various revenue opportunities such as smartphone apps, these innovative fulfilment models tailored to diverse target customers will enhance scope for growth.

“Original equipment manufacturers are likely to take the lead in directly driving parts sales by exploring new revenue-sharing arrangements with dealer groups as well as promoting the ‘click & fit’ model, which will ensure a steady stream of repair business,” noted Monga. “Hence, remote assisted repair, remote diagnostics and predictive analysis will evolve into robust avenues for eRetailing revenue generation in the medium to long term in Europe.”

If you are interested in more information on this study, please send an e-mail to Julian Borchert, Corporate Communications, at julian.borchert@frost.com.

Opportunity Analysis for the Automotive Parts and Service eRetailing Market in Europe is part of the Automotive & Transportation (http://www.automotive.frost.com) Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan’s related studies include: Western European Heavy-Duty Used Truck Market, Global Automotive Aftermarket, North American Class 1 to 8 Filters Aftermarket, and In-vehicle Advertising in the North American Automotive Infotainment Market. All studies included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants.

Our “Growth Partnership” supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

  • The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
  • The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organisation prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact Us:     Start the discussion

Join Us:           Join our community

Subscribe:       Newsletter on “the next big thing”

Register:         Gain access to visionary innovation

Opportunity Analysis for the Automotive Parts and Service eRetailing Market in Europe
M9FD-18

Contact:
Julian Borchert
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: +49 (0) 69 770 33 43
E: julian.borchert@frost.com 
Twitter: @FS_Automotive

http://www.frost.com 

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