Internet, E-Tix Take Center Stage At STAG Conf.

<H1> Internet, E-Tix Take Center Stage At STAG Conf.</H1>By Barbara Cook

<I>Alexandria, Va. </I>- Electronic ticketing, the Internet and the rise of intranets sparked much of the hallway discussion at the annual education conference of the Society of Travel Agents in Government, as agents, corporate travel managers and government officials debated how these new technologies could boost the $20 billion travel sector.

In formal presentations, top-ranking federal officials stressed the need for travel providers to offer government business travelers the same level of professional support that the corporate market expects and demands.

While the federal government traditionally "moves slower" in adopting travel practices that have been implemented by the private sector, electronic or e-ticketing eventually will come to the public sector, commented Gary Sznajder, manager of military and government sales for Continental Airlines.

Indeed, sections of the federal government already have moved into the Internet generation by using the technology to publish requests for certain contract bids, industry officials noted. "The Internet now is the way the government does business," Sznajder said.

During the "Innovating Travel Management" session moderated by Mary Manske, government sales manager at Apollo Travel Services, agency officials questioned when the cost savings of e-ticketing realized by the airlines will trickle down to the traveler. The cost of producing a paper ticket is substantially higher than an electronic ticket.

While some government travel managers reported that their travelers now balk at the use of e-ticketing, they acknowledged that the added cost of providing pre-paid tickets will drive the growth of e-ticketing for federal travelers wherever practical.

Also at the session, Lynda Short of the Defense Logistics Agency and Air Force Lt. Commander David Pyant from Bolling Air Force Base provided delegates an update on their pilot tests for the Department of Defense's travel reengineering program. DOD has 30 sites in its test program.

Short reported that as of June 1, new software went online to link 1,000 Defense Logistics Agency travelers with the agency. While the test program is going well, according to Short, it has revealed a need for travelers to receive additional training on the software programs and for the test to be structured with "not too many layers" of travel authorization mandated.

Beyond the need to integrate new technology into the government travel business, it's also important to provide government travelers with service levels that are on a par with those provided for private-sector travelers, said Maj. Gen. Roger Thompson Jr., head of the Military Traffic Management Command.

"The Department of Defense is your biggest customer," Thompson reminded conference delegates. He cited figures showing that DOD accounted for 5.8 million travelers worldwide in fiscal year 1995 and pays more than $1 billion annually in travel expenditures.

Referring to DOD's sweeping travel reengineering program now in the pilot test phase, Thompson described the effort as "ambitious as you can get inside government."

DOD is looking not only for low-price options in this restructuring program, but also for service, Thompson said. "We know there is a balance between price and service," he said. "We are trying for the most service as a major function of how we do our business."

DOD requires a 24-hour 800 help number, accurate and convenient reservations and ticketing, ability to handle short-notice travel requirements, information about airlines' on-time performance and unrestricted seat selection that is not in blocks.