In response to the ever-increasing challenges and needs of the tourist and travel community, Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, recently hosted its e-volve event in Krakow, Poland, attended by over 120 travel professionals from 12 Central and Eastern European countries. Topics covered a wide range of issues: from deep analysis of industry trends and strategies, through to presentations of new merchandising tools, Travelport’s hospitality strategy and its cutting-edge technology such as the Travelport Universal API™ as well as new solutions dedicated to travel management companies operating in the region.

The event was also the platform for the first public presentation of new PhoCusWright research focused on the online travel sector in the region. The research titled ‘Russia and Eastern Europe: Navigating the Emerging Online Travel Marketplace’ included the following key findings:

* Total travel sales in Eastern Europe grew by 11% in 2011 to US$81.5B, while online sales grew by 33% to US$13.1B
* Russian total travel sales grew 14% in 2011 reaching US$48.6B. 10% was purchased online having grown 69% over the previous year. 
  - Overall sales are projected to reach US$57.9B in 2013 with 18% coming from online.
* Polish total travel sales grew by 12% in 2011 reaching US$4B. 29% was purchased online having grown 34% over the previous year.
  - Overall sales are projected to reach US$4.6B in 2013 with 36% coming from online
* Ukrainian total travel sales grew by 3.5% in 2011 reaching US$3B. 29% was purchased online having grown 15% on the previous year.
  - Overall sales are projected to reach US$3.4B in 2013 with 32% coming from online
* Romanian total travel sales grew by 9% in 2011 reaching US$3.4B. 17% was purchased online having grown by 34% over the previous year.
  - Overall sales are projected to reach US$3.6B in 2013 with 25% coming from online

OTAs responding to the PCW research also indicated that they considered Travelport to be the leading provider to online travel agencies (OTA) in Poland.
“The event was a great opportunity to gain a clear insight into our industry now and for the future, as well as the perfect chance to explore some of the innovative solutions available to us right now,” said Vadim Zelensky, CEO Zelensky Corporate Travel Solutions. “We were grateful to be involved with such an important industry event and would like to thank Travelport for making it happen”.

Marcin Pilarski, Managing Director of Eastern Europe, Travelport, summed up the event: “I am delighted with the progress we are making as we focus on Central and Eastern Europe. The e-volve event has given us the perfect opportunity to showcase our latest products and at the same time get together many of the travel professionals who are shaping the travel landscape of the future”