The last three years witnessed an unprecedented and fundamental shift in the supply side dynamics of the travel industry in India, according to preliminary findings from PhoCusWright's (www.phocuswright.com) soon to be published India Online Travel Overview Second Edition report. PhoCusWright projects the online portion of the marketplace alone will surpass US$5.7 billion by 2010.

Continuing PhoCusWright's 15-year tradition of complementing its research with live events in North America and Europe, the travel industry market research firm announced its first conference in India. The PhoCusWright India Travel Summit premieres on Tuesday, 17 March 2009, at the JW Marriott Hotel in Mumbai. PhoCusWright events are distinguished by the senior level of attendees and speakers, the strategic presentation and analysis of trends, the high production value of the proceedings, the savvy audience armed with questions, and the probing perseverance of PhoCusWright analysts who skillfully moderate all the sessions. "This event is ground breaking for the Indian travel market, which is undergoing 18% annual growth," states Ram Badrinathan, PhoCusWright's senior research director and conference chair. "We explore how local and global firms seize opportunities before they are too expensive, too competitive and too late." Mumbai-based Badrinathan has been studying and scrutinizing the India and Asia Pacific travel markets over the past decade. His unparalleled experience will create the travel industry event of the year in India.

An all-CEO roster of numerous local travel companies takes the stage along with venture capitalists, industry pioneers and thought leaders. "India's travel marketplace is at a tipping point; there is confidence in the air," commented PhoCusWright president and CEO Philip Wolf. "Since its founding in 1994, PhoCusWright has tracked, analyzed and opined on the myriad ways travelers, suppliers and intermediaries connect around the world, so we are excited to bring these ideas to the forefront in India through this important new conference."

Registration and sponsorship information is available at www.phocuswright.com/events/india-09-pr or by contacting the PhoCusWright events team via email (summit09@phocuswright.com) or +1 860 350-4084 x500.

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PhoCusWright is the travel industry research authority on how travelers, suppliers and intermediaries connect. Independent, rigorous and unbiased, PhoCusWright fosters smart strategic planning and tactical decision-making.

PhoCusWright delivers qualitative and quantitative research on the evolving dynamics that influence travel, tourism and hospitality distribution. Our marketplace intelligence is the industry standard for segmentation, sizing, forecasting, trends, analysis and consumer travel planning behavior. Every day around the world, senior executives, marketers, strategists and research professionals from all segments of the industry value chain use PhoCusWright research for competitive advantage.

To complement its primary research in North America, Europe and Asia, PhoCusWright produces several high-profile conferences in the U.S., Germany and India, and partners with conferences in the U.K., China and Singapore where industry leaders gather to debate issues, share ideas and define the ever-evolving reality of travel commerce.

The company is headquartered in the United States, with offices in Germany and India.