ABTA is delighted to announce some of the key speakers confirmed for the ABTA Travel Convention in Marbella, which is being held between 27-29 November 2006.

Sarah Montague, a main presenter on BBC Radio 4�s flagship Today Programme, will moderate the Convention�s business sessions and will be the first female moderator to host the event since Angela Rippon in the mid 1970�s.

Stelios Haji-Iannou, founder of the Easy Group will be interviewed by Independent Travel Editor, Simon Calder in �Stelios: The Story So Far.� Agents will be particularly interested in the easy products such as easycruise, which can be sold with commission.

Doug Richard will talk on the way business is changing and what people have to do to remain successful in an increasingly competitive marketplace in the session: �How to Win in the Dragon�s Den�. Doug is best known as being the American in the BBC�s Dragon�s Den, but his business credentials come from setting up and selling his first software venture in the 80s and being the founder and Chairman of information services company Library House. Doug has also been instrumental in setting up a number of other entrepreneurial companies.

Dermot Blastland, Managing Director of Mainstream Holidays at First Choice, will be a key speaker in a session on climate change and the environment entitled: �Are We Really Spoiling the World?� This session will look at the figures that have been circulated, and the allegations fired at the travel industry as a polluter. The session aims to establish what the industry can and should do, at a time when climate change and the environment are at the top of the news agenda.

�We already have a great line up of top class speakers, who promise to deliver essential advice and business tips for ABTA Members,� said Keith Betton, ABTA Head of Corporate Affairs. �More business sessions will be announced in due course.�

Ends

Notes to Editors:

Pictures of speakers will follow this email, except for images of Stelios Haji-Iannou, which can be downloaded from www.easy.com/stelios/gallery.html

Contacts: Keith Betton, Frances Tuke, ABTA Corporate Affairs, 020 7 307 1900.