President of Expedia Asia Pacific joins a strong line-up of travel technology leaders, at Wired 2005: Asia Travel Matrix, the region's benchmark online travel marketing, distribution and technology conference.

Barney Harford, who is also a board member of eLong, the Chinese retail travel website, joins the likes of keynote speaker Kwek Leng Beng, Executive Chairman of Hong Leong Group, plus 40 other travel industry innovators.

Wired 2005 (www.wiredasia.biz) is a fast-paced, issues-based conference at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Singapore on October 20 and 21, providing a complete update and blueprint for the future on Asia's nascent online travel industry.

Topics run the gamut of an industry in the midst of change - retail, airlines, hotels, wholesale, distribution, meta-search, adapting western business models to eastern sensibilities…

It is being held in conjunction with HSMAI Asia Connect and tickets cost from $US488 for the full two days, plus admission to Wired Idol, which is being hosted by Singaporean ‘rock chick' - Wendi Koh.

Delegates can also purchase a package that features entry to HSMAI Asia Connect on October 19 for $US795, including free one-year HSMAI membership. For all information and bookings, please visit www.wiredasia.biz

SPEAKERS

• Ram Badrinathan, Analyst, Asia-Pacific, PhoCusWright
• Nicole Bernthaler, Chief Marketing Officer, WORLDHOTELS
• Scott Blume, Chief Executive, Zuji
• Oliver Bonke, Vice President - Marketing, Starwood Hotels and Resorts
• Pascal Bordat, Co-Founder and CEO, Fare.net
• Symon Bridle, Chief Operating Officer, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
• Maria Cary, GM Pricing and Distribution, Accor Asia-Pacific
• Alfred Chang, Director International Business Development, Ctrip
• Luke Clark, Write Now
• Rick Clements, Managing Director, Rick Clements and Associates
• Tony Davis, Chief Executive, Tiger Airways
• Bernadette Dennis, Vice President Asia-Pacific, Marriott International
• Olivier Dombey, VP, Sales and Acct Mgt, Asia Pacific, Pegasus Solutions
• Bob Gilbert, President HSMAI Global
• Sue Graham, Regional Manager - Hotel Business AP, Travelocity
• Peter Harbison, Managing Director, Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation

SPEAKERS (continued)

• Barney Harford, President, Expedia Asia Pacific
• Deep Kalra, Founder, Makemytrip.com
• Patrick Lai, Vice President, North Asia, Abacus International  
• Ken Low, Acting Assistant Chief Executive – Brand and Communications, STB
• Grant McCarthy, Head of Search, Yahoo! Southeast Asia
• Ken Mandel, Chief Executive/Regional Director, XM Asia Pacific
• Michael Menis, Director, Global Marketing Services, IHG  
• Joe Nakazawa, Senior VP, Finance and International Business, JTB Corp
• Gerry Oh, Senior Vice President – Global Sales and Marketing, Millennium and Copthorne Hotels plc
• Scott Ohman, Manager, e-Business, Commercial, Cathay Pacific Airways
• Timothy O'Neil-Dunne, Managing Partner, T2 Impact
• Jinou Park, Area Director of Revenue and Distribution, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Hilton International
• Chananya Phataraprasit, Chairman, East West Siam
• Mark Renshaw, Managing Director - Singapore, Arc
• Mark Rizzuto, Managing Director - Asia, Cendant TDS
• Christina Siaw, General Manager, Zuji Taiwan
• Karthik Siva, Founding Chairman of the Global Brand Forum; Group Strategy Director of Ogilvy & Mather, Singapore
• Peter Smith, Vice President - E-Commerce, Amadeus Asia-Pacific
• Stuart Spiteri, Director Asia-Pacific, Akamai Technologies
• Martin Symes, Executive Director - Commercial, Zuji
• Ian Thubron, CEO, TBWA Group, Hong Kong
• Jan Tissera, President - International, TravelCLICK
• Christine Toguchi, Managing Director, MacroVision Network
• James Vaile, Chairman, Bezurk
• Anthony Venus, Executive Director, MarketShare

Sponsors: Singapore Tourism Board, Amadeus, Millennium and Copthorne International, Akamai Technologies, Abacus International, Cendant, TravelCLICK, Pegasus Solutions and WORLDHOTELS.

Industry partners: Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association, TRAVELtech Asia Pacific, MarketShare.

Media: Yahoo! Southeast Asia is the online media partner, while e-Hotelier, www.4Hoteliers.com and Travel Trade Report are also supporting.

If you have any questions, please contact the organisers –

• Yeoh Siew Hoon – (65) 9680-1460 - yeoh.sh@pacific.net
• Martin Kelly – (612) 9882-1575 - mjk@iform.com.au
• Vera Lye – (65) 9746-7377 - vera@allrave.com