Archive for August 30th, 2013
Marc Charron Appointed President of TripAdvisor for Business
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SINGAPORE, Aug. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — TripAdvisor™, the world’s largest travel site, today announced the appointment of Marc Charron as President of TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division of TripAdvisor that provides the tourism industry access to millions of TripAdvisor’s monthly site visitors. Charron reports to CEO and co-founder, Stephen Kaufer.
Charron, who will be based in London, will be responsible for the continued growth and innovation of TripAdvisor for Business as it expands its services for the hospitality sector and travel industry. Since the division launched in 2010, it has seen rapid growth in the adoption rate of Business Listings and Partnerships services for hospitality businesses around the world. There are currently over 50,000 Business Listings subscribers and review collection services like Review Express have proved tremendously popular with business owners.
“Marc is taking on the role of President of TripAdvisor for Business with a wealth of global experience and fantastic leadership abilities,” said Kaufer. “TripAdvisor for Business is a critical part of our business model, and with Marc at the helm, I have no doubt it will continue to thrive and provide resources and tools to businesses wanting to leverage their presence on TripAdvisor.”
Charron joined TripAdvisor in 2006 as Managing Director for TripAdvisor Europe. As the company’s first international employee, he led the rollout and growth of TripAdvisor Europe including local language sites, operations and expanding the team to more than 100 employees in his first four years. In 2010, Charron moved to Singapore where he set up the regional TripAdvisor headquarters for Asia Pacific, consistently growing revenue and driving traffic, before heading to Beijing to accelerate TripAdvisor’s growth in China.
“I’m delighted to be joining the TripAdvisor for Business team, especially at such an exciting time for the industry,” said Charron. “TripAdvisor for Business has been instrumental in helping property owners transform inspiration into reservations. In my new role, I look forward to continuing to move TripAdvisor for Business forward and innovating to bring positive change to the industry with ideas such as our upcoming TripConnect platform, which connects independent hotels and B&Bs with the world’s largest online travel community.
Prior to joining TripAdvisor, Marc served as Vice President of product marketing at SquareTrade in San Francisco and before that, as Managing Director of QXL.com, Getz International Travel and Danube Travel, all based in London.
For more information about TripAdvisor for Business, visit http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg andwww.tripadvisor.com/tripadvisorinsights.
About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor™ is the world’s largest travel site*, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 260 million unique monthly visitors**, and over 100 million reviews and opinions covering more than 2.7 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.
TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 20 other travel media brands:www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com,www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com,www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com,www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com,www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, June 2013
**Source: Google Analytics, worldwide data, July 2013
©2013 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved.
Related stocks: NASDAQ-NMS:TRIP
20th Anniversary MIFF Draws Strong Exhibitor Response
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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — After another record setting 2013, the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) is drawing strong exhibitor response for its 20th anniversary from March 4 to 8 next year.
20th Anniversary MIFF (4-8 Mar 2014) draws strong exhibitor response
MIFF 2014 Exhibitor – FURNCREST
With still six months left to before the show, exhibitors have snapped up 80 per cent of the expanded 80,000 sq metres floor space at the downtown Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) and nearby Matrade Exhibition & Convention Centre (MECC).
“This is extremely positive for MIFF as we celebrate 20 successful years in the furniture tradeshow industry. The fact that MIFF has maintained its position as Southeast Asia’s No.1 furniture destination year after year speaks of the strength of our trade show and our track record,” said MIFF Chairman, Dato’ Tan Chin Huat.
Dato’ Tan said exhibitors and visitors can look forward to an international showcase of high quality and a wide variety of products at great value.
MIFF 2013 ended on a high note, generating a high of US$854 million in sales and a turnout of over 6,000 global buyers from 140 countries. It was 25 per cent bigger and enlarged to 80,000 sq metres to accommodate more exhibitors from Muar, the furniture capital of Malaysia.
Following the resounding debut of the MFA Hall, the Muar Furniture Association (MFA) has indicated the number of exhibitors will increase next year in its specially designated area.
Office and household furniture were again the strongest segments at MIFF 2013, buoyed by the attendance of more influential buyers and demand from emerging markets.
MIFF has consistently delivered quality buyers from neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, East Asia, North America, Europe and Australia. In recent years, visitorship from emerging economies in South Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America has risen.
The highlights of MIFF 2014 will include the highly popular Buyers’ Night, an evening of colourful entertainment and dining slated on March 5, as well as the MIFF Furniture Design Competition for young talent.
Also a big draw is the Prize Presentation Ceremony on March 6 when the winners of the MIFF Furniture Design Competition as well as furniture excellence and best booth display awards are honoured.
Buyers can take advantage of free admission by registering online (www.miff.com.my) by Jan 31, 2014, and special rates by MIFF hotel partners by booking on the website.
Quotes from registered attendees to MIFF 2014:
“I extend my heartiest congratulations to MIFF on its 20th anniversary. We are proud to have a business association with MIFF since 2000. MIFF has the best potential is Asia in terms of scale of visitors and exhibition. The organising and planning have been very professionally done and the services have been very excellent. Many Taiwanese companies have reaped success and will continue to participate in MIFF. I wish MIFF many more successful years of prosperity.”
— Mr Ruca Chien, President of Taiwan Furniture Manufacturers’ Association (TFMA)
Congratulations to MIFF in its 20th anniversary. I trust that this is the result of painstaking efforts of the organisers. I am always impressed to meet people from all over the world at MIFF. Based on the fair’s successful track record, I expect more wonderful work and development in the future.”
— Mr Tonegawa Hiroe, President of Tokyo Interior Corporation
“MIFF’s strongest asset is that it understands what real business is and delivers it to exhibitors and buyers. That’s why we keep coming back every year. We really appreciate the professionalism of its staff in giving the best show every time. Happy anniversary!”
— Mr Lew Fatt Sin, Group Managing Director of Euro Chairs Manufacturer (M) Sdn Bhd
For MIFF 2013 official show report and more information, visit www.miff.com.my.
Notes to Editors
1. About MIFF (www.miff.com.my)
Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) is an export-oriented furniture trade
show held annually in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is also a global leading trade show approved by UFI, The Global Association for Exhibition Industry. Since 1995, MIFF has nurtured invaluable partnerships between thousands of buyers and furniture makers across the globe.
2. About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)
Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is Asia’s leading exhibition organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in mainland China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has a strong global presence in 25 major cities with 30 offices and over 1,400 staff.
With a track record spanning over 30 years, UBM Asia operates in 21 market sectors with 160 dynamic face-to-face exhibitions, 75 high-level professional conferences, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 round-the-clock vertical portals and virtual event services for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world. We provide a one-stop diversified global service for high-value business matching, quality market news and online trading networks.
UBM Asia has extensive office networks in China, Southeast Asia and India, three of the world’s fastest growing B2B events markets. UBM China has 11 offices in the major cities in mainland China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen, where we organise more than 60 exhibitions and conferences. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines with over 50 events in this region. UBM India teams in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad organise 20 exhibitions and 60 conferences every year across the country.
Nominations Open for The Yahoo! Internet for Good Gold Standard Award
HONG KONG, Aug. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –Nominations are now open for The Yahoo! Internet for Good Gold Standard Award, which recognises excellence in the use of the Internet in promoting charitable causes and community engagement.
Now in its second year, the award is conducted in partnership between Yahoo! and PublicAffairsAsia, the network for senior professionals involved in public affairs, corporate communications, policy-making and regulation.
Entries should be lodged by September 27 (or by October 5 subject to prior notification) and entry packs can be downloaded from http://www.publicaffairsasia.net/goldstandard/internetforgood.html
Last year the award was secured by Sonokids Australia which was honoured in recognition of the All Abilities ePlayground project which is directed at increasing internet access to young children with disabilities.
Among the other organisations shortlisted were OurSay.org, which seeks to use the power of social media to revitalise critical participation in Australian democracy. Also nominated were the People of Fukushima for their use of social media to extend access to the Fukushima conference.
The Yahoo! Gold Standard “Internet For Good” Award is open to community groups, employees, charities, consultancies, trade groups, embassies, government and non-government organizations as well as the general public who have illustrated excellence in the innovative use of the Internet for good causes. There is no entry fee to nominate your organisation in this category.
Commenting, Nick O’Donnell, Yahoo’s Regional Manager of Public Policy for Asia Pacific, said: “We are delighted to once again support The Gold Standard Award. Our Yahoo! For Good initiative encourages all of our employees around the world to ‘Make Good a Daily Habit’. We are excited to see so many of this year’s entrants harnessing the power of the Internet to achieve this same goal.”
Mark O’Brien, PublicAffairsAsia’s Vice President, added: “This exciting category demonstrates that the internet is more than just a business tool or a source of personal entertainment. It can play a key role in advancing good causes and community engagement and we look forward again to receiving entries from across the Asia Pacific region.”
Over the past years, Yahoo! has embraced a number of social causes globally including Earth Day, Breast Cancer Day and World Aids Day. During the two weeks following Japan’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan Yahoo! helped raise more than US$7 million through donate buttons placed across its network.
The Yahoo! Employee Foundation collects donations from employees (often matched by the company) and awards grants to causes championed by individual Yahoo! Employees. An average of US$2M per year has been donated to non-profit organizations over the past four years.
As a trusted Internet destination that attracts more than half a billion users across the world every month, Yahoo! believes that the Internet is more than just a medium that brings down communication barriers; it can also foster positive change.
The 2013 Gold Standard Awards will be judged by a panel of senior government affairs practitioners, corporate communications professionals, business leaders and government figures led by Elizabeth Hernandez, Vice President of Government Affairs for HP.
Award Criteria:
This award is designed to recognise excellence in the use of the internet as an interactive engagement tool by the public, employees, community groups, charities or NGOs in promoting charitable, community or volunteer initiatives. It is open to the nomination of non-corporate bodies in Asia Pacific who can illustrate excellence in the innovative use of the internet for good causes. There is no entry fee for this category.
- Entries should NOT EXCEED 1000 words and should address planning, execution and outcomes [where appropriate] on an equal 33%, 33%, 33% basis.
- Nominated programmes must have been launched, or have shown significant activity or progress, in the 18 month period prior to the opening of nominations.
- Please note that supporting materials are NOT PERMITTED. Any reference to supporting evidence should be included as hyperlinks in the external links section of the entry form. Entrants can include photos or links to videos in the main body of the entry form.
About the PublicAffairsAsia Gold Standard Awards
The Gold Standard Awards are operated by PublicAffairsAsia magazine and network and are the industry-leading programme for corporate communications, public affairs and government relations professionals operating Asia Pacific. Founded in 2008, the awards have attracted over 600 entries from a wide range of corporations, NGOs, industry group, specialist consultancies and governmental agencies. For more visit www.publicaffairsasia.net/goldstandard
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! is focused on making the world’s daily habits inspiring and entertaining. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has offices located throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the company’s blog (yahoo.tumblr.com).
Contact: For further information contact:
Mark O’Brien
+66-801-458697
email: markobrien@publicaffairsasia.com
Asia Fresh News 