Alive goes multimedia with travel, tourism platform

A new regional multimedia platform has been established to cater specifically to disseminating travel and tourism content. Called Alive Networks, the platform combines cable television channels, Internet sites, mobile products and printed guides to deliver travel and holiday programming and information in entertaining and educational ways to audiences across Asia-Pacific. Television content, which will be transmitted to cable channels via satellite, is divided into two main subject areas: travel and leisure, and learning and self-improvement. Internet sites will give people more detailed information should they need it, while mobile devices can be used for a variety of recommendations. Print guides are also available for those still Internet shy. Alive is headed and co-founded by chairman and chief executive Ian Henry, who was previously Chinadotcom's president international. Its chief operating officer is Mr Douglas Gautier, formerly the deputy executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association. Mr Henry claimed that there was nothing like Alive in the travel and tourism industry today. "There are multiple sources of travel information in the marketplace, but our research shows none of these are fulfilling the breadth of needs of consumers in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. "Alive Networks is providing something very different," Mr Henry said. "We don't just deliver basic travel information, but we provide content and guidance that can be individualised for the specific travel and learning needs of each consumer. "Our integrated media platform means that Alive will become an ever-present companion for travellers throughout the whole process of planning, experience and sharing of their travel and learning activities." The multimedia network is expected to drive significant advertising and sponsorship revenue, with subscriptions, Internet and print transactions, and the sale of premium content also contributing to the bottom line. "Advertisers have not been offered such an in-depth range of channels to get connected to consumers," Mr Gautier said. He added that Alive was significant because "the consumer profile has changed to the extent that people don't just book a holiday and then fly off". "They research first; they want to know the culture, history and cuisine to get as much out of the travel experience as possible. "Travel is the world's largest business. In Asia alone, personal travel and tourism generates USdollars 500 billion of economic activity that is directly related to the service we provide, and it is growing at 6.5 per cent a year. "Alive will capitalise on this significant market opportunity to become the travel and learning resource, providing consumers with comprehensive and trusted information, ideas and services." While not yet available, Alive will soon offer travel booking services via the Internet through links to travel agents. However, Mr Henry believed that even with an online transactional facility, 95 per cent of bookings would still be conducted offline because "although the Internet has changed the way we live our lives, traditional methods are what people are comfortable with".

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