Topping the $1 trillion mark on global revenue scales,
telecommunications - the world's third-largest industry - is no lightweight. But
it is still less than half the size of travel and tourism, the world's largest
industry, weighing in at $2.5 trillion for direct personal and business travel
alone in 1999, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. If one adds
the indirect effects of travel demand, the travel and tourism economy will
generate $3.5 trillion and account for 11.7 percent of world gross domestic
product this year, as well as 200 million jobs. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
Airlines have emerged as leading-edge technology adapters
who rely heavily on interconnectivity and integrated systems. As a result,
Internet-related services are changing the way tickets are sold, clients handled
and flights arranged. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
How was your stay? Was the bed comfortable? Mini-bar
well-stocked? Internet connection fast enough? For today's road warriors,
staying connected is as important as getting a good night's sleep. A few years
ago, business travelers faced frustrations when they checked in and tried to log
on. Questions about modems and analog phone lines drew puzzled looks from desk
staff. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
The Opel Omega V8.com displayed by General Motors in
September at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt was an indication of how
the car of the future will become a high-speed, computerized office and living
room. What was once a steel box with a few electronic components is being turned
into a powerful computer on wheels. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
Global System for Mobile (GSM) is the world's most popular
mobile technology, with more than 200 million subscribers in 133 countries on
347 networks. The number of subscribers could well surpass 250 million by the
end of this year, industry experts predict. Michael Stocks, chairman of the GSM
Association, has an explanation for much of its success. ''If you own a GSM
phone,'' he says, ''you can use it anywhere that has a GSM network, so long as
your home operator is informed of the fact, and the operator in the country you
are visiting has a so-called roaming agreement in place with the home
operator.'' In Europe, one can make and receive GSM phone calls on one's own
phone and number anywhere from the West of Ireland to Vladivostok. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
For many people in the world, especially the young, e-mail
has become a prime means of getting to know new people or staying in touch with
family and friends. This is especially true for those who travel regularly. Two
decades of surging growth in computer sales notwithstanding, most of the world's
population still doesn't own a PC, let alone a laptop. Many of those who do have
a computer at home or work often don't know how to surf the Web, the other great
attraction associated with computer ownership. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
Making travel arrangements - with all the complications of
connecting planes, trains, buses and hotel and rental car reservations, etc. -
has never been simple, but today, the Internet has complicated the process by
offering the potential traveler an infinity of sites offering not only
information about destinations, but also the ability to book and pay for their
reservations on-line. Many travelers are tempted to do the work themselves by
Internet-only discounts, two-for-one deals and free frequent-flier miles. They
are hoping to find better deals than their travel agent might offer them. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
The laptop frontier is no more. It used to separate Europe
into two very unequal parts. One was composed of the Continent's settled
reaches, where one could lug a laptop, be reachable by e-mail and remain fully
able to work. The other was the mountain ranges and other inaccessible areas
without telephone jacks - or even electricity. This was where one could safely
go on vacation. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
Mobile operators, together with vendors, banks and
merchants, have joined forces to launch a slew of services that will transform
the mobile phone into a kind of combination electronic wallet and personal
organizer. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story
Phoning home is no longer an expensive, tiresome business
with the choice of using a public phone or paying extortionate hotel rates. Now,
there myriad ways of staying in touch, and they are getting cheaper all the
time. Oct. 15, 1999 The Full Story