CONNECTED TRAVELLER

All Nippon Airways will soon be offering its in-flight connectivity service to French business travellers. The airline will be connecting to Wi-Fi on its international flights from summer 2013.

On 18 June, Microsoft unveiled its first touchscreen tablet, Surface, designed to compete with the iPad, particularly among mobile professionals.

In a few days' time, the Paris metro should be equipped with WiFi access: La Tribune reveals that Spain's Gowex will be inaugurating wireless connections in stations from 26 June.

Egencia is launching a new hotel booking interface, unveiled on 19 June, with the aim of simplifying the booking process, but also gaining even greater visibility and therefore savings on business travel.

GDS Sabre has just signed an agreement with its Chinese counterpart TravelSky, which should enable it to facilitate business travel in one of the world's major markets.

Business travellers can now take advantage of a new mobile check-in service launched by airBaltic on 13 June.

Europcar is launching a new mobile application for iPhone and Android, designed to make it easier for mobile professionals to hire vehicles.

Choice Hotels International has announced the launch of its new application for iPad users.

Business travel agency ATPI is launching a new mobile application, "On the Go", for business travellers.

Mobile technologies are continuing to make inroads into the world of business travel, as demonstrated by the new milestone reached by Concur's mobile application, which recently passed the million user mark.

easyJet has teamed up with eNett International to offer a virtual payment card for TMCs and travel buyers.

Business travel on the TAP Portugal network is getting easier for French business travellers: the airline is extending its mobile check-in service from six airports in France.

Air France recently launched a new corporate website. Its special feature is that it is available in Chinese, in order to win the favour of travellers from the Middle Kingdom.

Encouraged by the success of its iPhone application last November, Best Western is moving on to the second stage of its mobile development with the launch of its tablet version, for making reservations via the iPad.

The Pullman chain has turned to the MeetingMatrix tool to provide an optimised offering for the organisation of professional events in the MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention Event) segment.

The TourCom travel agency network is gaining ground with business customers, as demonstrated by the significant increase in business volume (+10%) recorded during 2011. This augurs well for TourCom, which hopes to make further progress thanks to an upgraded technological offering.

Google is confirming its growing interest in business travel: the web giant will be one of the main guests at the next conference organised by the Guild of Travel Management Companies in Doha in May, on the theme of "drivers of change".

The Starwood group is launching a new version of its website dedicated to the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events) sector, to improve the offering for business customers.

Worldhotels and StarCite have recently entered into a new partnership, which will enable the group of independent hotels to promote its MICE meetings and events offering.