More Purple Podness - Mobile, tour ops, user experience

The Purple Pod returns after a small break for the summer. The episode features Alex Bainbridge (Travel UCD), Peter Deane (Handy Group) and David Flower (Gomez).

Home sweet home

The TWgroup team is home from the ITT event Cyprus.

We produced three special episodes of the Purple Pod, live blogged the event and took part in TW TV.

News here. Live blog here.

Podcasts and video below:

Online representative body needed, ABTA toothless

Interesting chat with Keith Betton (ex ABTA PR supremo) for the first episode of the ITT special Purple Pods last night.

A man known for not mincing his words, Betton said he felt ABTA - the UK's representative and consumer protection body - was not appealing to the requirements of pureplay online travel companies.

He hinted that unless ABTA changed its strategy, it will only represent a decreasing number of members.

A further intriguing part of the conversation came when he suggested that a separate organisation could be created to stand for the interests of just online companies.

These are indeed spikey comments and will not go down well in Newman Street, where CEO Mark Tanzer has spent the past few years overhauling the organisation to do exactly what Betton suggests.

We'll be on the look out for ABTA council members today for a counter argument.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Travo@ITT

Travolution is here in Cyprus for the ITT conference for most of this week.

We are live blogging on the dedicated ITT blog created by the TW Group, so check regularly for updates.

The first of three special Purple Pod podcasts went live last night.

As always you can subscribe to the Purple Pod by adding this feed to your RSS reader or via iTunes [NB: link opens your iTunes application].

It's here as well:

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Some ITT stuff

Travolution and the rest of the TW Group will be out in force at the ITT conference in Cyprus from 9 to 12 June.

As well as the usual live blogging from Travolution, Travel Weekly and Travolution are combining forces for a dedicated TW Group ITT Blog.

The group, as official media partner, will also heading be down the TV route with interviews and analysis during the event.

Keep an eye out for three special editions of the Travolution Purple Pod podcasts, produced at the conference but available as always by adding this feed to your RSS reader or via iTunes [NB: link opens your iTunes application].

If you are attending and want to feature on the podcast, email me ahead of the event.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Purple Pod #5 - Gapyear, Microsoft, Sky's The Limit, no Facebook!

The latest Purple Pod is now available.

Remember you can subscribe to the Purple Pod by adding this feed to your RSS reader or via iTunes [NB: link opens your iTunes application].

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Travo at EyeForTravel

The Travolution team will descend on Islington tomorrow for the annual EyeForTravel London conference.

We will be live blogging throughout and recording the next episode of the Purple Pod at the show.

Feel free to get in touch beforehand to arrange a meeting, otherwise we'll see you there.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

New Purple Pod - social, carbon, trips and bookables

Latest episode out now, featuring WAYN, Tamar, Bookable Holidays and TripSay on The Sky's The Limit.




Remember you can subscribe to the Purple Pod by adding this feed to your RSS reader or via iTunes [NB: link opens your iTunes application].

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Technorati tags: purple pod WAYN

Corporate blogs - puff or pander?

Xavier Allee of Avis spent a lot of time talking the company's blog - WeTryHarder.co.uk - in his interview on the latest Travolution Purple Pod.

So this post from Joe Buhler continues the theme.

Of course, the most famous corporate blog in the travel space is that of Bill Marriott.

Hospitality.net started the discussion.

NB: Buhler has a new blog, Marketing on the Smart Web. Worth adding to your RSS reader.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Purple Pod #3 OUT NOW

In the latest edition we talk to Xavier Allee (Avis), Trenton Moss (Webcredible) and Paul Furner of TravelRepublic, following the Travolution Awards last week.

Enjoy!


Click here to get your own player.



Remember you can subscribe to the Purple Pod by adding this feed to your RSS reader or via iTunes [NB: link opens your iTunes application].

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Housekeeping - and The Purple Pod #2

Busy week in Travolutionland.

We are carrying out the judging sessions for the Travolution Awards over the next few days so blogging will be light.

We have the April edition of the magazine out this week. Sign up (FOR FREE!) to our E-news subscription.

To keep you entertained, however, we have the latest Purple Pod now available.


Click here to get your own player.



Remember you can subscribe to the Purple Pod by adding this feed to your RSS reader or via iTunes [NB: opens your iTunes application].

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Technorati tags: purple pod ABTA FTO

The Purple Pod on your iPod

Following the launch of The Purple Pod podcast last week, we have now received clearance from iTunes to stream it into its podcast library.

iTunes users can subscribe here for free [B: this link opens your iTunes application]. iTunes will automatically update your library every time we issue a new edition.


Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Here comes The Purple Pod

Good news for all those who can't get enough of Travolution - our podcasts launch this week.

Our new regular 20 minutes or so of commentary and discussion about the online travel industry kicks off with Matt Cheevers of Teletext Holidays and Bruce Rosard from PhoCusWright as we consider the new media model for travel and the importance of bloggers to the industry.

So you can either listen to it here or at our Podomatic page [we're working on the artwork, okay!]. A catologue of previous shows will be held at the Podomatic page.

Better still, you should be able to subscribe to The Purple Pod from iTunes in the next few days. You'll be updated automatically every time we produce a new episode.


Click here to get your own player.

Enjoy. Feedback is always helpful. Commercial opportunities available, too. Contact me directly.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Technorati tags: purple pod podcast itunes teletext phocuswright