Publications

"Value Creation in Travel Distribution" provides a comprehensive introduction to the world's most rapidly growing industry. It covers the history of the industry and provides an introduction to the management and operation of its three principal segments: transportation, distribution and technology. In the text, emphasis is placed on introducing concepts about travel as an industry and exposing readers to various industry practices.

This book presents an insightful discussion of the travel industry's significant strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. Topics include but are not limited to mobile booking, ancillary revenue, virtual meetings, social-media and location dependent services. It exposes the reader to how current trends in telecommunication, technology, digital media and ecology can influence the travel industry as a whole. The author shows some details of possible future developments, namely evolution and revolution, and draws a final conclusion.

Portrait

Michael Strauss is the CEO of Miami-based PASS Consulting Corporation. He has been the driver behind PASS's success and continued growth in the travel and telecommunications industries. He is also Head of the Business Unit Travel worldwide for PASS Consulting Group. Michael started his professional career in 1993 at Siemens Mobile Germany as a developer for cordless phone systems. He soon was in charge for product development and strategic relationships with leading customers. Later he was responsible for both strategic market and trend analysis for Siemens' cell phone network division and worked closely with the Siemens executive leadership team. In 2000, Michael Strauss joined PASS Germany, where he developed and managed the telecommunications division. In 2004 he was named CEO of PASS North America and at the same time Head of the Business Unit Travel. Since then Michael has been instrumental in scaling PASS's technology solutions while maintaining a culture of innovation within the company. Michael holds a Masters degree in Engineering and Information Technology from the Technical University of Munich.