Marie de Ducla, travel industry manager MENA, Google, will be one of the top executives at ATM 2013

Internet giant Google has confirmed it will sponsor the Arabian Travel Market Technology Theatre as part of the newly launched Digital Technology Day on May 8th.

Google will be using the Technology Theatre to share insights of the travel industry and technology under the umbrella theme of “Think Travel”.

“This is a first for ATM and the regional travel and tourism community.

“Our partnership with Google will not only deliver up-to-the-minute industry data, but will showcase how technology plays a role in the travel industry - whether it’s searching for ideas or booking vacations or sharing their experience through social platforms,” said Mark Walsh, portfolio director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

Google’s Gulf regional manager, Mohamad Mourad and Marie de Ducla, travel industry manager for Google in MENA will share the findings of a Google-commissioned research study conducted by IPSOS.

The study will reveal the results of how travellers in MENA make decisions when it comes to travel and purchase behavior.

Google commissioned a similar survey for the US travel market in 2012, with 7,500 respondents completing a 21-minute attitude and usage survey into travel habits and attitudes of leisure, business and affluent travellers.

In addition to the study, The ‘Google Think Travel’ day will feature a series of seminars for industry professionals.

Several Googlers will be flying in including Nigel Huddleston, Google’s industry head for travel in the UK; Bernd
Fauser, global travel accounts director; Maciek Nowakowski, Google Travel product specialist, and Edouard Mailfait, mobile travel expert.

These executives will talk about everything from using the web for travel decisions to how travel brands can drive engagement and increase their brand awareness online.

The dedicated Travel Technology Theatre was introduced in 2012 in response to the huge demand for technology related content and the success of previous sessions within the main Seminar Theatre.

Targeting all Arabian Travel Market attendees, the programme covers online travel trends, new developments in social media and advances in travel technology.