e-Travel launches first Chinese-language Internet booking engine for EVA Air

e-Travel has announced that EVA Air has launched Chinese and English-language versions of e-Travel® Planitgo to power their internet booking websites in Taiwan and the United States.

Local language websites and booking engines are expected to be key growth drivers of the Asia Pacific online travel market, a market predicted to grow more than threefold in five years, from US$4.8 billion in 2002 to US$16 billion (with more than 500 million internet users (source: World Bank, Pyramid Research)) in 2006 (source: PhoCusWright, Data & Marketshare, Growth and Forecast Data).

In line with these projections, in 2003 Asia Pacific produced the highest number of Planitgo bookings by region (over 4.5 million); success mirrored in the strong growth of online bookings for airlines Qantas, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways (who recorded growth of between 25% and 300% when compared with 2002). The tremendous growth achieved by existing customers and increasing numbers of new clients show that Planitgo, now implemented in four languages (including English, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese) in the region is enabling airlines to benefit from economies-of-scale and a rapid return on investment.

Mr. Peter Smith, Director, e-Travel Asia Pacific, said, "e-Travel's commitment to the strategic success of airlines, corporations and travel agencies in the region is reflected by the strong take-up of our industry-leading solution Planitgo. With e-Travel Planitgo, Asia-Pacific's airlines are harnessing the huge online booking growth potential of this channel, coupled with the strength of the region's largest and fastest-growing IT solutions provider for the travel industry, Amadeus."