EU Ticket News provides comprehensive B2B news coverage and market analysis for and about the European ticketing and events industries.

It features breaking news and opinion on the European ticketing and events markets - in addition to the latest ticketing industry-relevant concert, theatre and sports news.

EU Ticket News is an official Google News site and is syndicated to Lexis Nexis, Ebsco, Thomson and other closed intranets via their relationship with Newstex.com.

With more than 600 European industry leaders subscribing to the weekly email digest and rapidly rising unique visitors, EU Ticket News' readership includes ticket buyers and sellers, ticket brokers, venture capital analysts, venue management, affiliate marketing professionals, consumers, sports management professionals, concert/event promoters and software vendors from across the continent.

The site also contains a vast, highly-educational section with videos on Legal Issues around secondary ticketing, the European Ticketing Industry, Mobile Ticketing, the Social Media aspects of the Ticketing Industry, Paperless Ticketing, and the World Cup 2010 in South Africa

EU Ticket News is published by Canadian expatriate Richard Kastelein - a Netherlands-based Chief Strategy Officer with leading Dutch Secondary Ticketing Market player Worldticketshop. A C-level strategist with a number of start-ups, he also has strong skills in Social Media and Social TV Architecture and Analysis - Community/SNS building using Open Source technology as well as experience with New Media publishing and remodeled old school print media using on-demand technologies.

The managing editor of EU Ticket News, Adriana Hamacher is a highly-skilled, professional broadcast journalist and award winning writer who works with the BBC and has also written for NME and Mixmag magazines.

For BBC television and radio, she has worked in producing, editing and writing foreign news and human interest programmes, features and bulletins; studio producing and presenting music and youth programmes. She has also worked with high profile subjects such as legendary sci-fi writer Stanislaw Lem (Discovery Channel interview), British artist Mark Quinn (Mentorn TV feature) and techno wizards, the Prodigy (Mixmag Feature) and was awarded IPC Feature Writer of the Year 1990 - in competition with journalists and writers from 100+ publications.

"WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy got its best jobs report in three years Friday as employers added 162,000 nonfarm jobs in March." One newswire stated on the Jobs and Employment News updates.

Encouraging as the Labor Department might seem to sound, and it might, it wasn't strong enough to bring down the unemployment rate. Additionally, the jobless figure remained stuck at 9.7 percent for the third month in a row and during a rather painful 2nd quarter for small to medium businesses among other things amid a surge of people returning to the labor market.

As the overall economy struggles to recover from the worst economic crisis in more than 50 years. And with the Health Care Act on the table and dividing the country, President Obama is still yet to perform on his pledge to America to turn things around.

Economists, mindful of continuing problems and uncertainty, were generally cautious in assessing the employment gain.

Some of the news quotes around the country are stating:

"Having lost 8.2 million jobs over a period of two years, it's a drop in the bucket," said Bart van Ark, chief economist at The Conference Board, a business-membership and research organization in New York. "It's too early to say we have a sustainable recovery."

Part of the concern stems from the fact it's hard to pinpoint specific areas of the economy with the potential to send employment rocketing upward.

The housing industry, long a staple of economic growth, remains troubled, as does construction, architecture and small businesses. Overall, everyone is hurting in a phase of economic stress where some sectors are depressed, others recessed and overall the economy cannot seem to make up it's mind where to turn. And to make matters worse, this is working its way through tax time, a ‘slow time of the year' for a number of market sectors.

And, while manufacturing and exports have helped pull the economy out of its nosedive, as it appears in some sections of the country, they still face long-term problems of global competition and currency barriers. And the overall effects of this ‘turn around' remains to be see across the board in the U.S. Economy thus far.

One news source has stated:

"Analysts reckon the economy needs to create 125,000 or so new net jobs a month just to keep pace with the population growth, but depending on how fast people pour into the labor market, many more jobs than that will be needed to cut into the unemployment rate.

Still, van Ark said, March was "the first month of really solid growth" in a long time. ‘We can be a little bit more optimistic.'"

Adding to the evidence of a slowly stabilizing economy, government statisticians also revised jobs data for the previous two months, turning January's 26,000 jobs lost into a gain of 14,000 jobs that month, and February's 36,000 job losses were revised to only 14,000. Which seems a bit more hopeful.

President Obama treated Friday's government jobs report as good, if not great, news while speaking to factory workers in North Carolina. Which all seems a bit hopeful, word on the street counters otherwise in some States of the Union.

"I've often had to report bad news during the course of this year ... But today is an encouraging day," he said. "This month, more Americans woke up, got dressed and headed to work in an office, a factory, a storefront. More folks are feeling the sense of pride and satisfaction that comes with a hard-earned and deserved paycheck." As per one news source.

Obama spoke to employees of Celgard at a meeting recently. They are a Charlotte manufacturer of lithium ion batteries used in the hybrid vehicles that help form the basis of the president's clean-energy plans. The plant had received stimulus money and is hiring 300 more workers shortly. Which is a good sign of positive government intervention, however some sectors of the auto industry supply chain that were up for some time are now starting to feel the crunch.

"Next time somebody asks you at the grocery store, 'What did the Recovery Act do?' you can tell them one of the things it helped do is expand ... an entire industry," Obama said.

Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist for forecaster IHS Global Insight, said the economy had crossed an important barrier, though challenges remained. The story continued.

"Until this month, the most that we could say was that it looked like job growth was about to turn the corner. Now it seems to have done so. But it will be a long slog to bring down the unemployment rate," he said in a research note.

Nationally, the census will be a steady job creator for several months. The Commerce Department expects to hire at least 600,000 temporary workers this year to staff the decennial survey. However this is only a temporary job, government based and has no major effect on the economy that touches home in the U.S.

Another indicator of future hiring, the temporary-help sector, added 40,000 workers last month, boosting its increase since September to 313,000. As is the news regarding employers hiring more contractors. Full time employment still stagnates.

Financial services and the information industry lost jobs in March, which is no small wonder at all, but health-care, education, retail and the leisure-industry employers all added to their payrolls. With the addition of retail and leisure, we can see some light in the tunnel of the dim economy news that has been plaguing the newswires to date.

Additionally, even the hard-hit construction sector ended its long string of severe job losses last month, adding 15,000 jobs. Showing reasonable signs of positive adjustment, however, this does not come as news to myself, after having done a lot of research and working on setting up the online resources for such trend adjustments in the Job and Employment market. Further, we just don't know how long standing or stable this adjustment will be.

Stay tuned. The economy is working, things are changing, it is quite important to stay in touch with the news, blogs, websites and online feedback about the economy and job market. This way you'll have a better idea of where you fit in and what you can do about your personal career situation.

Ford officials expressed their undeniable euphoria because 21 different Ford vehicles made it to the Consumer Reports' list of recommended buys. Among the vehicles are Ford Fusion, Ford Five Hundred, and Mercury Milan. In addition, Fusion was made Consumer Reports cover.

Analysts in the auto industry expect that Fusion will follow the footsteps of Taurus without becoming what it eventually became. It can be recalled that Taurus was considered one of the bread and butter vehicles of Ford. In between 1986 and 1995, you cannot imagine the automaker will hit the market without the presence of Taurus. From 1992 to 1996, the vehicle was the best selling car in the United States.

Taurus came into the market and became an instant success. The vehicle was a milestone design for Ford. Ford Taurus car parts are meticulously planned and tested to come up with a very influential vehicle.

Taurus was redesigned in 1996. Unfortunately, said redesign ranked as one of the worst redesigns in the auto history. According to enthusiasts, the makeover was goofy, flaccid and ovoid while the original Taurus was sober, taut and straightforward. Eventually, Ford decided to end the production of Taurus in October this year.

Finally, Ford has come up with a vehicle that has potentials to be the next big thing in the industry. Fusion is the vehicle that can serve as a mighty rival for Camry, Altima, Accord, and other state-of-the-art vehicles in similar segment.

Fusion is built on Ford's CD3 architecture. It measures 190.2 inches long, about 3.4 inches longer than Mazda6. Its 107.4-inch wheelbase is also longer by 2.1 inches. With regards to width, Fusion measures 72.2-inch-wide while Mazda is 2.1 inches broader.

In regard to the vehicle's rivals, they are almost exactly Fusion's size. Accord, for instance, measures 189.5 inches long, 71.5 inches wide, and rides on a 107.9-inch wheelbase. Compared to Taurus, Fusion is smaller.

Fusion is shipped out with 2 different 'Duratec' engines that are shared with the Mazda - base four and the V-6. the former is an all-aluminum 2.3-liter, DOHC four that produces 160 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 150 pound-feet of peak torque at 4000 rpm. The latter has DOHC heads, 24-valves, and generates 221 horsepower at 6250 rpm and 205 lb-ft of peak torque at 4800 rpm.

Many small businesses today have seen their target audience's behavior shift toward using the web for communicating (email), getting news (web), and performing pre-shopping research (Google). You may be tempted to think that if potential customers want information about your products and services, they will call your company and ask to speak with a sales rep. But that's not the case anymore - instead, they will probably go to the web and either do a Google search, or go directly to your web site to find the information they need before making a purchase.

Today's consumers rely on the web like never before, which means your business must adjust to that reality and meet your customers where they are already looking for you - on the web and in the search engines.

Here are five tips you can use to make sure your marketing strategies line up more closely with your customers' current expectations and behavior:

- Get your web site right.

You've probably already heard that it takes a visitor all of 4 seconds to decide if your web site is worth their time or not. This means that the first impression of your web site instantly conveys information about the quality of your business and its value to visitors - all in 4 seconds. Make sure your site is an accurate representation of your business and has an attractive, updated design, lots of quality content, a clear, consistent navigation system, and at least some interactive features (like blogs, event calendars, video, etc.) to show that your business is relevant and understands what today's users need and expect from a web site. If your web site is old, outdated, or amateurish, then guess what visitors will remember about your business - make sure you invest in a web site that gives visitors the right message about your business and meets today's user expectations.

- Show up in the search engines.

Nearly 80% of consumers use search engines to find information before they make a purchase (online or off-line). Showing up in the search results can give your business a steady supply of new prospects and potential customers who are often pre-qualified and ready to buy. Good search engine rankings also contribute to higher visibility for your business, since showing up at the top gives your business added exposure every time someone searches for your keywords. Top search engine rankings can also help your business build credibility and brand recognition, so if your site is not showing up at the top, you could be missing out on additional benefits that could help you reach more customers and gain additional exposure online.

- Use email campaigns and e-newsletters to communicate regularly with customers.

In order to stay fresh in your customers' minds, you need to regularly remind them about your business. By using email campaigns and e-newsletters, you can communicate with your customers regularly with any number of marketing messages, special offers, or new information that helps build loyalty and improve customer retention rates. In the case of e-newsletters, you can also re-purpose the articles and add them to your web site as new content, which gives both visitors and search engines a reason to keep coming back to your site.

- Provide customers with ways to interact with you online (blogs, surveys, video, etc.).

No longer is it enough to have a "brochure-ware" web site where the information is all one-way, like reading a brochure. If you want your message to resonate with your customers, you need to offer them ways to interact with your business online. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a company blog, since it gives users a way to become part of the ongoing conversation about your business and gives them more power over their experience. Other interactive features like surveys, online videos, and podcasts can help position your business as a trusted resource for customers, helping to build trust and customer loyalty for your business and your brand.

- Keep it going - add new content, build inbound links, and monitor progress.

Of course, after investing so much time, energy, and marketing budget into matching your customers' expectations and behavior, you will need to put a plan in place to keep everything going. Make sure you have set aside staff (or your own time) to keep your blog updated, and add new, useful content to your web site as often as you can. Set up an e-newsletter schedule that customers can depend on, and take advantage of low-cost email marketing campaigns to send out special discounts or coupons directly to your customers' inboxes. Track and monitor your positions in the search engines every month, and make any necessary adjustments if you see your results slip.

It may take some new thinking to make your marketing plan match your customers' changing behavior, but the results can be well worth the effort. Once you understand how your customers are using the web and what they expect today, you can implement the marketing strategies that will help you reach them more effectively and communicate better with them. Matching your marketing efforts with customer behavior can ultimately help you improve your marketing results, deliver your message more effectively, and spend marketing dollars on the initiatives that work the best.

The name ‘Bordeaux’ weaves a spell of magic and mystery. To gourmets it signifies rich, high-quality wine. And yet, did you know that Bordeaux is a world heritage city today because of its bountiful architectural tradition? For over two centuries there have been no stylistic alterations to the architectural chic with 350 buildings listed as Historic Monuments and three as World Heritage buildings.

This port city of France is also the wine capital of the world and hosts the most famous wine event of the world, Vinexpo.

Traveling to Bordeaux? Well, don’t forget to book your accommodation in advance as Bordeaux is a well sought after tourist spot. With luxury oozing out of each pore of the city you wouldn’t be blamed for wanting to seek out luxury accommodation. And if you are looking for relatively inexpensive accommodation with all the trappings of a five star hotels we recommend Sainte Catherine which is close to the main shopping centre. The luxury hotel is well known for its great services and cleanliness.

The food is good but we do suggest that you check into a nearby café if you want a good hearty breakfast. The bill will end up easier on your pocket and you will not have to shell out five star hotel rates.

The Parliament Street right next door is a great place to eat, lined as it happens to be with some eateries and cafes. This luxury hotel (which is not really a luxury hotel) is also next to some wonderful bars, making the place a little noisy in the evenings. But the good news is that you won’t have to pay luxury hotel rates for your drinks and eats inside the hotel premises.

There are certain buildings and premises in Bordeaux that leave you absolutely awe-struck. St. Andre’s Cathedral, for instance, is jaw-dropping, to say the least. Parts of it seem to have been constructed over different periods in time, over different centuries, in fact. A few of its walls, though, remind you of the splendor associated with the 9th and 10th centuries. Right next to it is the flamboyantly gothic 15th century tower called the Tour Pey-Berland. A soaring edifice it contains the statue of Notre Dame-d'Aquitaine along with several imposing clocks.

If you wish to mingle with the crowds and make your visit slightly less ‘touristy’ we recommend you hop on to a tram bound for Porte de Bourgogne across the river Garonne. Here you will get to feast your eyes on this rather impressive early 19th century bridge known as Pont de Pierre dedicated to Napoléon the First. Difficult to construct initially because stalwart currents would bring it down, engineers succeeded only after 12 years. At night, the Pont de Pierre is a sheer visual treat.

Yet another architectural marvel is the Palais Rohan part of which houses the Museum of Fine Arts. Dating back to the middle Ages, it was the resident of the archbishop. The palace was re-hauled completely in 1771 and has never undergone any stylistic change since.

Other ‘must visits’ are the Grand Theatre, St. Marie De La Bastide, and St. Bruno, to name a few.