The future of the travel agent is to come under the spotlight at the next Travel Industry Question Time, with the high-profile event attracting top speakers from organisations including Advantage, AITO, Cosmos, Sabre and Hotels.com.

Travelmole�s latest Travel Industry Question Time, sponsored by ABTA and organised by leading PR and marketing company Rooster, takes place on Tuesday 18 October 2005 at ABTA�s headquarters (3-5pm).

The panellists will include John McEwan, managing director, Advantage - The National Network of Travel Agents; Barry Moxley, chairman, AITO Specialist Travel Agents; David Roche, Vice President - EMEA, Hotels.com; Reet Wiseman, vice president - Northern Region and Global Accounts, Sabre, and Hugh Morgan, Director of Overseas Purchasing Operations & Specialist Products, Cosmos.

Providing a debating platform for the travel and tourism industry, Travel Industry Question Time is the latest forum for the exchange of ideas surrounding current travel issues and an opportunity for travel agents and tour operators to network with industry peers.

Graham McKenzie of TravelMole says: �October�s Travel Industry Question Time is being held against the backdrop of an explosion in online dynamic packaging and the growing power of online brands, coupled with a determination by many travel brands to increase direct sales through new distribution channels.

�Against this many bricks and mortar agents are seeking to develop online business, to specialise, and to diversify their offer, by breaking into everything from niche tour operating to homeworking.

�Many people are saying leisure and business travel agents need to change to find out. At this Travel Industry Question Time, we�re going to find out if that�s true or whether retailing still has a promising future.�

To book a place at �Shaping the travel agent of tomorrow: Future strategies for growth� call 020 7691 3292 or email tiqt@travelmole.com.

For details of future Travel Industry Question Time events visit: http://www.travelmole.com/travel_industry_question_time

MEDIA INVITATION: For media attendance, please contact Jo Hartley at Rooster, tel: 020 7559 6620 or email jo.hartley@rooster.co.uk.

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NOTES TO EDITORS: About Travel Industry Question Time: Previously known as TravelMole Fast Conferences, Travel Industry Question Time was rebranded in June 2005.

Past events have included �Maximising Your Internet Presence to Increase Sales�, �Niche is the Word: Specialise to Survive� and �Adopting Your Business Model to Keep Pace with the Changing Market�.

Previous speakers include Vic Darvey, general manager, holidayandmore.com; Martin Wellings, president, ABTA; Noel Josephides, managing director, Sunvil Holidays; Sue Hurdle, director, Travel Foundation; Geoffrey Lipman, special advisor to World Tourism Organization; and Michael Bedingfield, England marketing director, Visit Britain. See the latest news at: www.rooster.co.uk/news Search, subscribe by news category, download photos and more.

For further information please contact: Jo Hartley Rooster tel: +44 (0) 20 7559 6620 fax: +44 (0) 20 7559 6501 email: jo.hartley@rooster.co.uk web: www.rooster.co.uk