Amadeus gears up for mobile launch
Amadeus is preparing to launch its white-label mobile solution to travel agents after signing a five-year collaboration deal with Dutch-based Sound of Data. Amadeus’ m-Power solution will provide a mobile application designed specifically for the travel agent or TMC where customers can book and pay for flights and check flight times, weather and activities nearby. Later in the year it is to include the ability to book hotels, car rental, airport parking and transfers, or in-location reservations and bookings.
“The travel agent almost accompanies travellers on their trips,” said Jeroen van Velzen, CEO of Sound of Data on the app. “The incredibly quick penetration of the smartphone has led customers to expect matching service: direct, relevant, local and at a time when it’s convenient to them and with m-Power this is possible”.
Skyscanner adds holiday search tool
Search website Skyscanner has added a new holiday search tool to its site. The new live deal function was added last week with suppliers including Thomas Cook and On the Beach. Users can either search by specific dates and destinations or ‘inspirationally’ with wider options. “Millions of people use our site every month to search for flights, hotels and car hire but we understand that many are looking for great value holidays too. Searching for holidays can also be really time consuming, so we added this new tool to make it much easier for travellers find and book their perfect holiday,” said Frank Skivington, sales and marketing director at Skyscanner.
New app pushes Crystal’s story theme
Crystal Cruises has created an iPhone application allowing its passengers to create custom-made postcards. The tool, available for free on iPhones, can add colour filters, captions and frames to an image, which they can then share through social media platforms, email or create a paper version which can be signed and mailed. “It’s a lovely nod to classically vintage travel correspondence and photos past, while celebrating the modern era of holiday storytelling…not to mention the added benefit of expanding communication channels,” said Philip Ordever, VP of international sales and marketing at Crystal.
The cruise line will also compile photos from each cruise into an online journal on Facebook and will provide ‘app brochures’ and videos online with holiday tickets so guests share pre-trip.
Crystal has launched the app as an extension to its ‘Begin a New Story’ campaign.
Social media assault continues for Ushuaïa
Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel has continued its assault on social media following the success of its Facebook campaign when it first opened. The hotel has launched a new website with photo galleries of its hotel and music venues, as well as virtual tours and video channels linked to YouTube and an iTunes podcast. It has also partnered several social media sites, including YouTube, FourSquare and Pinterest in an expansion of its Facebook activity, which handed wristbands to guests which were directly linked to the site. More than 6,000 photos were shared during the process.