OpenTravel Alliance to Participate in World Tourism Day
Mr. John Turato, Chairman of the OTA and AvisBudget Group, will join international travel and tourism leaders in Lisbon, Portugal, to celebrate World Tourism Day.
The OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) will participate in the global celebration of World Tourism Day on September 27, 2006 in partnership with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a specialized agency of the United Nations.
Countries and travel organizations worldwide will mark the day to increase awareness of the importance of travel to the world’s economic and cultural health. “Tourism Enriches” is the central theme of the day, and it highlights the impact of travel and tourism on all aspects of culture.
The OTA and UNWTO joined forces earlier this year to strengthen the common language for electronic travel interactions around the world. Together they will seek to involve an increasing number of stakeholders and to extend the scope of the existing XML standards.
According to the UNWTO, international travel and tourism is the worlds largest export earner, and employs millions of people around the world. Monies generated help fund new infrastructure and technologies, and provides governments with hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues every year.
For more information, visit http://www.world-tourism.org/wtd/eng/menu.html and www.opentravel.org.
More Rental Operations
Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027
Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.
Read More →
Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations
Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.
Read More →
Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day
A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.
Read More →
This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See
This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.
Read More →
