TOWARD Europe unveils new website www.towardeurope.org creates industry meeting place

22 September 2003 � TOWARD Europe, the pioneering organisation created to maximise the commercial success and profitability of travel industry companies, today unveils its new website (www.towardeurope.org).

The website is made up of three main areas � Departure Point, Destination and Return � which are designed to take users through the TOWARD Europe journey and provide an informative first port of call for potential new members.

Additional site information includes live TOWARD Europe news updates; members details; dates of forthcoming management committee and working group meetings and will contain advice on the organisation�s forthcoming surveys and reports.

Alister Beveridge, TOWARD Europe�s acting-chairman and Group IT director of Cosmos, said: �The new website provides a meeting place for the European travel industry, and an information hub to encourage companies to join TOWARD Europe on its journey to maximise sector profitability.�

TOWARD Europe�s 30 members from across Europe include Accor, Amadeus, Cosmos, Hertz Europe, Eurostar, RWA and Travel2.

The organisation is targeting European tour operators, suppliers, technology providers and other companies across the travel industry for recruitment, and has established a dedicated hotline to deal with membership enquiries (+44 (0) 20 7691 3938). TOWARD Europe will also recruit a president from one of Europe�s major tour operating groups.

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Notes to editors

About TOWARD Europe: TOWARD Europe is a pioneering organisation created to maximise the commercial success and profitability of travel industry companies. The organisation is seeking to optimise the distribution of tour operator product, through industry-wide agreement on best use of technology, and aims to improve electronic distribution and fulfilment of tour operator product to agents and consumers.

The organisation officially launched to the travel sector in April 2003 with the formation of a management committee and two working groups. Toward Europe�s 22 founder members from across Europe include Amadeus, Eurostar and Hertz Europe. Organisation membership now stands at 30.

TOWARD Europe has established two working groups, �Supplier to Tour Operator� and �Tour Operator to Distribution Channel�, whose combined goal is to recognise the issues faced by tour operators and to optimise the travel industry�s entire distribution chain - from suppliers to agents and the end consumer.

A six-strong management will drive TOWARD Europe in the market and comprises acting-chairman, Alister Beveridge, Group IT director of Cosmos;; Bill Barnes, business development manager, Amadeus; Mike Eivers, sales and marketing director, Boscolo Tours; William Hennessy, director, automation marketing at Hertz Europe; Mark Bradbury, director business development, RWA and Paul Mahoney, IT director, Travel 2.

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For further information please contact: Katrina Walker/Laura Bradley Rooster tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 3939 fax: +44 (0) 20 7691 3929 email: firstname.surname@rooster.co.uk web: www.rooster.co.uk