All you need to know this week about loyalty & CX: British Airways • Southwest Airlines• Emirates • Qatar Air • United Airlines • Cathay Pacific • American Airlines • JetAir • Alaska Air • Hilton • IHG • Marriott Bonvoy • Mandarin Oriental • Accor • Wyndham • Norvegian Cruise • Netflix • Guiness • Mastercard • Hertz • McKinsey • Sabre • Merkle • Loyalty reports • Loyalty jobs listings.
GLOAirlines & Alliances:
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Southwest Airlines announces executive leadership changes Carrie Mills has been promoted from Vice President Technology, Cybersecurity to Vice President & Chief Information Security Officer—Cybersecurity. With Mill’s shift in responsibility. Jim Dayton’s role has changed from Vice President & CISO Technology—Platforms & Architecture to Vice President Technology—Platforms & Architecture.
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British Airways launches new TV advert as part of its unique “A British Original” campaign Since the launch of “A British Original,” the airline has continued to champion originality throughout its customer experience, showcasing everything that makes Britain unique.
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Cathay Pacific’s annual results show recovery The airline is set to introduce an entirely new business class experience, Aria Suite, and a premium economy product as part of the redesign of long-haul Boeing 777-300ER cabins in 2024.
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Pick-up rate on Lufthansa’s Green Fares Green Fares have gained popularity on routes like Hamburg-Munich, Zurich-London, and Frankfurt-Berlin, with demand steadily increasing across all booking classes, highlighting the success of this eco-friendly fare option.
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Qatar to introduce a new first-class cabin In a major development, the GCEO said a new First Class cabin will be introduced by Qatar Airways His strategy for Qatar’s national carrier includes pioneering innovation in digital technologies, products, fleet growth and employee engagement as Qatar Airways continues its global expansion
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Introducing Alaska Access: A new subscription service by Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines is launching a new subscription program for savvy, price-conscious guests that will save them time and money throughout the year.
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American Airlines introducing in-flight Wi-Fi AAdvantage® members will soon be able to use their miles in even more ways with a new option to redeem for Wi-Fi on board.
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Riyadh Air joins United Nations Global Compact… …as part of its aim to support the advancement of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) working alongside partners and stakeholders to drive progress towards these goals by 2030.
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JetBlue Airways is discontinuing several unprofitable routes within the United States and abroad, as part of its cost-cutting measures following the blockage of its $3.8 billion bid for Spirit Airlines earlier this year. The airline will cease operations entirely in Kansas City, Missouri, and Newburgh, New York and will also discontinue operations in Bogotá, Colombia; Quito, Ecuador; and Lima, Peru.
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Today, an Amsterdam court ruled that Dutch national airline KLM engaged in deceptive practices regarding its sustainability efforts in previous advertising campaigns, in response to a ‘greenwashing’ complaint filed by environmental organizations Fossielvrij and ClientEarth.
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The focus of investigation will cover the top 10 US airlines, including Delta, United, American, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, and Allegiant.
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United Makes it Easier to Share Award Miles with Family and Friends United becomes first major U.S. airline to allow members of its loyalty program, MileagePlus®, to pool their miles with family and friends into a joint account.
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Malaysia Airlines Berhad soars into KidZania Singapore as Official Airline Partner The partnership will see fresh and intriguing programmes, aimed at exposing children to air travel’s nuances and endless possibilities of career paths within the airline industry.
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Emirates wins ‘Best Inflight Entertainment Award’ globally at the 2024 Airline Excellence Awards Emirates scooped the top award for inflight entertainment from an extensive finalist list of global airlines, due to its whopping 6,500 channels of high quality and acclaimed content, the world’s largest entertainment library in the sky – making it a clear winner for the Best Inflight Entertainment award.
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Hotels & Hospitality:
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Mandarin Oriental appoints Alex Schellenberger as Senior VP, Brand With over two decades of experience in global luxury brand building, storytelling and brand experience roles, Alex brings invaluable insights and expertise to this newly created global role and will be joining the Group Leadership Team.
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Marriott Bonvoy and BetMGM Unlock a New World of “Play, Earn, Stay” with New Rewards Connection Unprecedented collaboration between sports betting and hospitality leaders to reach millions with real-world rewards. Features sweepstakes for the opportunity to win VIP Los Angeles vacation curated by Blake Griffin.
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Hilton Expands Caribbean Portfolio Expected to join the Curio Collection by Hilton portfolio this year, the early 19th century property, the Palacio Provincial Hotel in Old San Juan Historic District, will represent Hilton’s first hotel in Old San Juan.
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IHG celebrates surpassing 1000 hotels in Asia Pacific Sukumaran, IHG SVP & Managing Director, East Asia & Pacific, emphasised the strategic priority placed on nurturing their six luxury and lifestyle brands, constituting a formidable 22% of their global pipeline, a figure that has impressively doubled over the past five years.
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Wyndham continues to expand in Asia Pacific In 2023, the company introduced nine new brands, signed 222 hotels, opened 158 new hotels, and registered 7.4% year-on-year net room growth.
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“We are excited to work with Marriott International on this landmark project,” said Mr. Liu Wenjun, Chairman of Hainan Qianrui Industrial Development Co., Ltd. “W Hotels is one of the world’s iconic hospitality lifestyle brands. This collaboration is set to breathe new life into Sanya, redefining the innovative luxury experience catering to both visitors and local residents alike.”
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Wyndham’s Women Own the Room Initiative Drives Over One Dozen Hotel Openings From offering comprehensive financial solutions, personalized operational support and a community that promotes networking and education, Women Own the Room was specifically curated and continues to evolve to meet the needs of women in the industry.
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IHG Hotels & Resorts continues to celebrate partnership with German football club RB Leipzig IHG One Rewards invites its loyalty members to access exclusive club matches and experiences to remember.
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Urban haven welcomes global explorers to an immersive sojourn of discovery, authentic hospitality, and thoughtful design.
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Mandarin Oriental exclusive homes expands in France Operated in collaboration with luxury home rental platform StayOne, each home is hand-picked for its outstanding quality and sought-after location, while also providing personalised service and experiences in keeping with the legendary hospitality of the award-winning brand.
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Hilton Announces the Opening of Canopy by Hilton Seychelles Canopy by Hilton Seychelles is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty programme for Hilton’s 22 world-class hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits.
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ALL – Accor Live Limitless recognised as “best overall loyalty program” in Asia Pacific Accor, the largest hotel operator in Australia and New Zealand, proudly announces that its lifestyle loyalty programme, ALL – Accor Live Limitless, has been awarded top honours in two categories at the 2023/2024 Asia Pacific Loyalty Awards held in Melbourne.
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Ennismore and Dubai Holding to bring iconic Delano in Dubai Opening later this year at the waterfront destination Bluewaters Dubai, Delano Dubai will be a luxurious destination in its own right, appealing to discerning individuals who define luxury by attention to detail, craftsmanship and personalised experiences.
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Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy trials Generative AI Travelers can use natural language to describe their ideal vacation and Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy will recommend matching destinations and home rentals.
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IHG Partners with Hainan Airlines to Create Unique Ground-to-Air Travel Experiences This collaboration will see integrated offerings from both companies, including a branded aircraft, in-flight experiences, and membership benefits.
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Cruises:
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Norwegian Cruise Line launches ‘Month of Tomorrows’ sweepstakes Cruise Line to Award Three Lucky Winners with a Dream Cruise Vacation via Interactive Social Media Challenge
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Norwegian Cruise Line launches NCL Connect – a brand-new marketing solution for travel partners Company Launches NCL Connect Becoming First Contemporary Cruise Line to Support Travel Partner Business Growth with Co-Brandable Content Experiences
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HX redefines the expedition experience The expedition experts reaffirm their delivery of market-leading experiences as they enhance the guest experience and increase their product value proposition
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Retail, E-commerce, F&B, Healthcare:
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Inaugural Collaboration Between Powerhouse Brands Starts by Celebrating Return of Beloved “Bridgerton” Series
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New collection on Ancestry® of over 1.6M historical records can reveal if you have ties to Ireland’s most iconic brewery
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Redefining and Developing New Opportunities for Luxury Marketing XIAOHONGSHU and VOGUE Business Host China Digital Excellence Summit in Paris. The discussions centered on formulating effective digital strategies for luxury brands in the Chinese market.
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7 For All Mankind extends partnership with Tulip to elevate customer engagement Since partnering with Tulip in 2020, 7 For All Mankind has utilized Tulip’s best-in-class Clienteling tool to enhance customer connections and personalized communication via SMS and email. This collaborative effort has been instrumental in driving cross-channel sales and in-store visits.
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Reintroducing Global Blue to retailers and shoppers worldwide Global Blue teams create engaging experiences that foster connections between consumers and brands while simplifying processes, to ensure every customer journey is seamless and intuitive.
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La Colonia enhances loyalty program with Sagarmatha’s Intelligent Personalization Solutions Initial results from this collaboration demonstrate significantly higher engagement and sales lift amongst La-Colonia’s loyalty program members.
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McKinsey report: An update on US consumer sentiment: Consumers see a brighter future ahead According to McKinsey’s ConsumerWise team US consumer optimism moved the needle on reported spending habits reaching a two-year peak.
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Entertainment, Sport, Telecom & Social Media:
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In its third season as a Founding Partner of ACFC, Klarna will dedicate seats at each home game to Los Angeles-based youth soccer organizations in an effort to bring an enhanced fan experience to young female and nonbinary athletes and inspire them to pursue their dreams in sport.
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Transport, Fuel Retail & Mobility:
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Transportation veteran to focus on operationally-driven revenue and EBITDA growth
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Payments, Finance, Property & Insurance:
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Mastercard has launched the brand-new UEFA Champions League card in Bahrain The Mastercard UEFA Champions League credit card issued by IMTIAZ allows cardholders to earn cashback on purchases, travel insurance coverage, access to airport lounges worldwide through the Mastercard Travel Pass, loyalty program points for purchases, and exclusive discounts and special offers with Mastercard Priceless™.
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BMO Receives Celent Award for Integration Excellence in Welcoming Nearly Two Million New Customers The Celent Model Bank Award for Integration Excellence celebrates BMO’s 2023 integration, which was powered by BMO’s Digital First strategy that harnesses emerging technologies for real-time information and processing to deliver best-in class customer experiences.
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Marketplaces prioritise loyalty programs in the media and telecom industries. According to research from PYMNTS Intelligence, a significant 92% of marketplaces are concentrating on developing innovations in loyalty and rewards programs, as well as advancing digital wallet technologies.
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Sleap.io partners with Avata to launch the world’s first tokenized travel insurance This launch is a critical step toward embedding Web3 technologies into everyday travel, making journeys more secure, effortless, and enriching for travelers worldwide.
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Loyalty Technology, Solutions & Consulting:
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Way Releases All-in-One Platform to Streamline Experiences for Brands The addition of these products empowers operators to take advantage of the full scope of experiential programming and eliminates the need for third-party technologies that drive customers offsite and disrupt the brand experience.
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Ansira’s Fourth-Annual Client Summit Brings Together Top Marketing Leaders Across Industries Highlights of The Channel Effect included a keynote address by Technology Strategist and Futurist Crystal Washington on harnessing generative AI for enhanced business performance. Attendees also took in panel sessions covering topics ranging from loyalty programs to channel partner marketing, and niche and hyper-local marketing best practices.
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ClassWallet Recognized by J.D. Power for Providing an “Outstanding Customer Service Experience” The certification, presented to ClassWallet in January 2024, is based on a comprehensive evaluation of ClassWallet customers nationwide.
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Sabre announces strategic leadership appointments in EMEA to propel regional expansion Leading the Middle East region, Al-Qassab will focus on delivering Sabre’s commitment to empowering travel buyers by leveraging next-generation technology applications such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and real-time data analytics.
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unitQ Adds Product Analytics To Its User Feedback Platform Capturing user actions in combination with user feedback data empowers businesses to understand how their customers use their products and where there are points of friction across the user journey
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Merkle Launches Global Messaging Solution With Intelligent Messaging, Merkle can create turnkey chat experiences, including across social and messaging platforms, delivering always-on conversational interactions throughout the entire customer journey.
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TravClan launches OnTrip – Empowering Agents to Elevate Customer Travel Experiences Aimed at alleviating the challenges faced by travelers worldwide, OnTrip serves as a personal on-trip concierge, ensuring a stress-free journey from start to finish.
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Reports, Research, Insights & Opinions:
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The loyalty market in Poland is expected to grow by 11.9% on an annual basis to reach US$1.36 billion in 2024.
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The Indonesian loyalty market is expected to reach US$1.84 billion in 2024. In value terms, the loyalty market in Indonesia recorded a CAGR of 12.5% during 2019-2023.
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New iSeatz Report Explores Loyalty Challenges and Strategies for Membership-Based Organizations While value and cost savings remain significant considerations for this customer group, members’ shared interests and emotional connection with membership organizations emerge as primary motivators.
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Retailers focus on high spenders amid decreasing spending power In navigating these shifting dynamics, brands and retailers are recalibrating their strategies to court affluent consumers, placing greater emphasis on luxury offerings and cultivating loyalty among high-spending clientele.
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Rising cost of living drives popularity of open banking loyalty apps The concern over the rising cost of living drives demand for financial management tools aimed at stretching budgets and optimising expenditure. To address this need, companies are leveraging innovation, as exemplified by the relaunch of Cheddar, a bank-powered rewards app designed to offer instant retail savings.
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The loyalty market in Canada is expected to reach US$5.09 billion in 2024. In value terms, the Canadian loyalty market has recorded a CAGR of 11.6% during 2019-2023.
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Travel’s unique SEO requirements: A case study The blog covers the challenges airlines face in foreign markets and stresses the importance of localized SEO. An Attached audit showed disadvantages for an airline compared to local competitors, emphasizing the need for tailored keyword research. 4 key steps are outlined: perform thorough market research, draw insights from native content, build a keyword map, and monitor performance. Success in localized SEO will drive direct website traffic, reducing reliance on OTAs and increasing revenue.
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The loyalty market in Germany is expected to grow by 10.5% on an annual basis to reach US$6.36 billion in 2024. In value terms, the loyalty market in Germany has recorded a CAGR of 11.7% during 2019-2023 and will continue to grow, recording a CAGR of 9% during 2024-2028.
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Language Services Market Report 2024-2032 The global language services market size reached US$ 72.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$ 108.9 billion by 2032, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% during 2023-2032.
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Beyond price tags: What really drives consumer choices in fashion and footwear? Market Force study looks at top retail brands to uncover where consumers are spending and why.
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PA Consulting’s Brand Impact Index: Dawn ranked top for US brand perception New PA Consulting index ranks US brands that are a force for good, creating value and delighting customers.
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New products and experiences: an opportunity for mountain tourism The 12th World Congress on Snow, Mountain and Wellness Tourism focused on medical and wellness tourism and sustainability.
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China Loyalty Programs Market Report 2024 – 50+ KPIs on Loyalty Programs Trends The loyalty market in China is expected to grow by 11.4% on an annual basis to reach US$18.83 billion in 2024. In value terms, the loyalty market in the country has recorded a CAGR of 12.9% during 2019-2023.
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Ireland Loyalty Programs Market Databook 2024 The loyalty market in Ireland is expected to grow by 10.9% on an annual basis to reach US$714.4 million in 2024. In value terms, the loyalty market in the country has recorded a CAGR of 12.3% during 2019-2023.
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Jobs & Careers:
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Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is hiring: Senior Membership Manager Location: London Area, England, United Kingdom. Click inside to apply.
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Travelodge Hotels is hiring: Head of Customer Insight Location: Thame, England, United Kingdom. Click inside to apply.
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Lego is hiring: Promotions Manager – Membership and Personalisation Location: London, England, United Kingdom. Click inside to apply.
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Expedia is hiring: Loyalty Program Economics Manager Location: Seattle, Washington, United States.Click inside to apply.
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Cathay Pacific is hiring: Customer Experience Manager – Lounge Product Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR . Click inside to apply.
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Expedia is hiring: Loyalty Program Economics Manager Location: London, England, United Kingdom Click inside to apply.
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Comcast is hiring: Senior Manager – Loyalty Strategy & Insights Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA. Click inside to apply.
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Chalhoub Group is hiring: Senior Data Analyst – Customer Analytics – MUSE Loyalty Program Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Click inside to apply.
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HCLTech is hiring: Customer Relationship Management Executive Location: London Area, England, United Kingdom. Click inside to apply.
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