Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tag/travelport/ Informing, connecting and developing the world’s travel industry professionals. Sat, 06 Jan 2024 11:31:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Travelport completes new equity financing https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-completes-new-equity-financing/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:45:31 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=861836 The post Travelport completes new equity financing appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced that it has completed its previously announced financing transaction with a group of its existing equity holders and lenders who have invested $570 million in new equity into the Company.

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Travelport announced that it has completed its previously announced financing transaction with a group of its existing equity holders and lenders who have invested $570 million in new equity into the Company.

The new financing significantly deleverages Travelport’s balance sheet, giving the Company a more robust long-term capital structure. It positions Travelport to continue investing in its technology platforms and further innovating new, exceptional ways for the travel industry to serve customers.

“The completion of Travelport’s previously announced financing transaction represents the strong belief our investors have in our competitive position and potential for long term growth,” said Greg Webb, Chief Executive Officer of Travelport. “Our new financing allows us to continue to innovate, enhance and deliver the best-in-class technology our partners have come to expect from us. This investment will further fuel our momentum, setting up the company for increased speed, agility and innovation in 2024.”

The completion of the transaction concludes a productive year for Travelport. The Company has undertaken several successful strategic investments and initiatives to enhance the technology, products and services it provides to customers. Moving forward, Travelport will continue to invest in its customer offerings including accelerating new developments in Travelport+, support for a wide range of carrier NDC offerings, and the Content Curation Layer, the Company’s groundbreaking, machine learning-powered search engine that normalizes and personalizes all sources of travel content.

Travelport’s owners are now composed of Travelport’s existing equity and credit investors, including Elliott Investment Management, Davidson Kempner Capital Management, Canyon Partners, Siris Capital and other leading institutional investors.

 

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Travelport investors commit $570 Million in new equity financing https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-investors-commit-570-million-in-new-equity-financing/ Mon, 11 Dec 2023 02:00:49 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=857697 The post Travelport investors commit $570 Million in new equity financing appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport Worldwide Limited announced that a group of its existing equity holders and lenders have agreed to invest $570 million of new equity financing into the Company.

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Travelport Worldwide Limited announced that a group of its existing equity holders and lenders have agreed to invest $570 million of new equity financing into the Company. The new financing will give Travelport a robust capital structure, enable further investment into Travelport’s technology platforms and pave the way for other innovations to deliver new and exceptional ways for the travel industry to serve customers.

The new investment in Travelport is being made pursuant to an agreement that will significantly deleverage and strengthen the Company’s balance sheet (the “Transaction”). Following completion of the Transaction, Travelport will have a new ownership structure composed of Travelport’s existing equity and credit investors, including Elliott Investment Management, Davidson Kempner Capital Management, Canyon Partners, Siris Capital and other leading institutional investors. These investors will remain well positioned to provide strategic counsel and support to the Company’s management.

“This investment demonstrates our investors’ support for Travelport and will advance our mission to reinvent a better future for the travel industry,” said Greg Webb, Chief Executive Officer of Travelport. “With this new investment, Travelport will have a strong balance sheet with the least amount of debt amongst its peers, which we believe will put the Company in an even better position for long-term, profitable growth. Most importantly, this Transaction will further strengthen our operating business and accelerate our investments in Travelport+ and other initiatives that make us the most innovative and agile partner to all our customers. We thank our investors for their significant vote of confidence in Travelport.”

In the last year, Travelport has undertaken several successful strategic investments and initiatives to enhance the technology, products and services it provides to customers. These include the acquisition of Deem, a leading corporate travel management platform, as well as the upgrade of over 85% of the Company’s agency customers to Travelport+. The Transaction will enable further investment in customer offerings, including accelerating new developments in Travelport+, such as support for a wide range of carrier NDC offerings and the Content Curation Layer, the Company’s groundbreaking, machine learning powered search engine that normalizes and personalizes all sources of travel content.

The Transaction, which is subject to obtaining requisite consents and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, is expected to close by the end of the year.

 

 

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Travelport delivers retail-ready NDC for Lufthansa Group Airlines on Travelport+ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-delivers-retail-ready-ndc-for-lufthansa-group-airlines-on-travelport/ Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:45:19 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=857664 The post Travelport delivers retail-ready NDC for Lufthansa Group Airlines on Travelport+ appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, announced the launch of Lufthansa Group airlines’ NDC content and servicing capabilities in the Travelport+ platform.

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Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, announced the launch of Lufthansa Group airlines’ NDC content and servicing capabilities in the Travelport+ platform. Agents using Travelport+ will be able to easily search and compare NDC offers from the Lufthansa Group airlines, which include Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS and Air Dolomiti.

Travelport’s NDC content and servicing solution for the Lufthansa Group airlines has first become available to all agency customers located in Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Access will expand to agency customers located in additional European countries in the coming weeks and will continue to roll out to Travelport+ customers in the Americas, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions in early 2024.

“We are dedicated to making NDC easy for the agency community, and that is why we have focused on delivering a complete retail ready NDC solution for the Lufthansa Group airlines,” said Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Travel Partners at Travelport. “Our NDC solution is designed to minimize complex retailing processes so that agents using Travelport+ can easily shop and book NDC offers from the Lufthansa Group and provide a seamless servicing experience for travelers.”

Travelport+ enables agency customers to access a wide range of rich content, fares, and unique offerings from the Lufthansa Group airlines all in one place, enhanced by the Content Curation Layer (CCL). This technology enabler, embedded inside Travelport+, uses powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) capabilities to provide agents and travelers a more modern retailing experience with accurate search responses, highly relevant results, and greater clarity and transparency.

Lufthansa Group is committed to providing travel agents worldwide with the capability to seamlessly shop, compare, and book NDC offers from all Lufthansa Group airlines through Travelport. This ensures that travel customers have simplified access to a broad range of choices and optimal options. Travelport’s dedication to simplifying NDC for travel agencies and its focus on providing agents with the ability to efficiently service NDC bookings align with Lufthansa Group’s goal of offering travelers complete support.

 

 

 

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Travelport extends and expands partnership with Air India https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-extends-and-expands-partnership-with-air-india/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 03:15:32 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=851616 The post Travelport extends and expands partnership with Air India appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In conjunction with Travelport’s operator partner ITQ, the expanded relationship between Air India and Travelport will provide agencies in India and across the globe with enhanced retailing capabilities and more choice, including NDC-sourced content.

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In conjunction with Travelport’s operator partner ITQ, the expanded relationship between Air India and Travelport will provide agencies in India and across the globe with enhanced retailing capabilities and more choice, including NDC-sourced content.

Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, and Air India, India’s leading global airline, announced today that they have extended and expanded their multi-year distribution agreement to include New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing.

The agreement further expands the collaboration between Travelport and Air India, confirming the future delivery of a complete NDC solution which will provide Travelport’s global network of travel agencies the ability to easily search, shop and service Air India’s product offerings.

“Our valued partnership with Travelport is an important part of our growth and technology strategy as we prepare to deliver a complete solution that makes it easy for agents to access and service Air India’s content and offers,” said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Air India. “Travelport+ will elevate our technology investment and the future roll out of NDC-sourced content, so that together, we can ensure agents and travelers have a seamless, modern retailing experience.”

Travelport and Air India remain committed to providing travel agencies worldwide with more choices and a fast, easy way to search and book the best options that meet travelers’ needs. This renewed agreement between Travelport and Air India ensures that Travelport subscribers continue to have simplified access to Air India’s extensive network of destinations, which will continue to expand and evolve.

“Our expanded agreement with Air India positions Travelport and our operator partner ITQ to continue driving modern travel retailing as the leading travel technology partner of choice for travel agencies in India,” said Damian Hickey, Global Head of Airline Partners at Travelport.“As part of Air India’s future technology strategy, our collaboration on NDC will be complemented by the superior retailing and merchandizing solutions available in Travelport+, which ultimately make it easier for agents to operate as modern retailers and deliver exceptional service experiences for travelers flying Air India.”

 

 

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Travelport signs new content distribution agreement with Air Canada, including NDC https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-signs-new-content-distribution-agreement-with-air-canada-including-ndc/ Fri, 20 Oct 2023 01:15:01 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=849378 The post Travelport signs new content distribution agreement with Air Canada, including NDC appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced they have renewed their content distribution agreement, which includes New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing.

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Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, and Air Canada, Canada’s flagship carrier,  announced they have renewed their content distribution agreement, which includes New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing.

With this agreement, Travelport-connected agencies worldwide will continue to have access to the widest range of products and ancillaries from Air Canada, along with superior servicing capabilities. As Travelport delivers retail-ready content from the carrier, including NDC content, agency customers will be able to easily search, view and compare Air Canada’s dynamic offers all in one place.

Travelport and Air Canada anticipate the launch of the airline’s full NDC solution on Travelport+ in the coming months, which will include full end-to-end servicing of NDC bookings to help agencies easily manage trip changes and exchanges.

“Travelport and Air Canada share a decades-long relationship and we’re pleased to be taking this important next step as we modernize our distribution capabilities,” said Mark Nasr, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital for Air Canada. “Together, we will enable the delivery of the full range of content and fares that Air Canada provides to our travel trade partners, as well as access to the many upcoming products and services that are focused on improving travel for our customers.”

“Our new long-term agreement with Air Canada is a result of our shared focus on making it easier for agents to shop, sell and service dynamic offers with access to even more content from all sources – including NDC,” said Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Travel Partners at Travelport.

“As we prepare to roll out our Air Canada NDC solution in the coming months, our agency customers can rest assured they will have continued access to extensive offerings from Air Canada, including personalized offers and the ability to easily manage all aspects of their customers’ travel within a single view of product features and ancillaries.”

 

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Thai Vietjet chooses iPort Departure Control System powered by Travelport and Res2 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/thai-vietjet-chooses-iport-departure-control-system-powered-by-travelport-and-res2/ Wed, 11 Oct 2023 03:15:25 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=848363 The post Thai Vietjet chooses iPort Departure Control System powered by Travelport and Res2 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Res2, a Netherlands based departure control system provider and airport automation leader, announced a new multi-year agreement with Thai Vietjet.

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Travelport and Res2, a Netherlands based departure control system provider and airport automation leader, announced a new multi-year agreement with Thai Vietjet, a leading low-cost airline from Thailand with flights to destinations across Asia-Pacific. Under the agreement, the airline will be using iPort DCS (Departure Control System) to manage passenger handling, baggage, boarding, and enhance its customer experience with the automation enabled by iPort.

“We are very excited about this strategic partnership with Travelport and Res2. The growth plan of our airline requires a strong partner; we recognize the vital role that iPort DCS will play in our airport operation modernization. We are confident that our collaboration with Res2 and Travelport LP will enable us to elevate the travel experience for our customers,” said  Woranate Laprabang, Chief Executive Officer of Thai Vietjet.

iPort DCS’s innovative, end-to-end service offering is designed to increase efficiency in the check-in and boarding process, deliver full scale self-service capacity, enhance security and immigration regulatory compliance, reduce wait times, and improve accuracy information management. By automating many of the routine tasks associated with check-in and boarding, the system can enable airlines to operate more efficiently and reduce costs. Most importantly, by providing real-time information to airline staff, the system improves communication and provides a better overall customer experience. Additionally, ancillary sales, weight and balance and biometric self-boarding are in scope of iPort.

Hans van Engelen, CEO of Res2 said, “We’re delighted to welcome Thai Vietjet to the iPort DCS Community of 110+ airlines and ground handlers around the world. We look forward to building a sustainable and beneficial partnership with Thai Vietjet and be a strong partner for their accelerated growth.”

“iPort provides Thai Vietjet with market leading scale and flexibility to support its international growth. Res2 and Travelport are delighted to partner with one of the fastest growing airlines in the world to enhance their onboarding experience, a critical part of the VietJet’s brand promise,” said Cormac Reilly, Vice President, and Global Head of Travel Partner Solutions at Travelport.

 

 

 

 

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Christopherson Business Travel achieves milestone with Deem, Powered by Travelport+, NDC Capability https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/christopherson-business-travel-achieves-milestone-with-deem-powered-by-travelport-ndc-capability/ Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:30:05 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=847355 The post Christopherson Business Travel achieves milestone with Deem, Powered by Travelport+, NDC Capability appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The integration of Deem with Travelport+ demonstrates Christopherson's commitment to providing its customers with the most efficient and advanced travel booking options.

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Christopherson Business Travel, a leader in innovative corporate travel solutions, and Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of suppliers worldwide, today jointly announced an industry first: being the first travel management company (TMC) to successfully issue a ticket on the revolutionary Deem platform since its integration with Travelport+. The move signals a significant advancement in corporate travel management and marks the dawn of a new era in modern retailing.

The integration of Deem with Travelport+ demonstrates Christopherson’s commitment to providing its customers with the most efficient and advanced travel booking options. New distribution capability (NDC) technology allows for more personalization, flexibility, and transparency in booking and servicing travel, ultimately enhancing the customer experience. As longtime partners of Travelport, Christopherson was one of the first North American TMCs to upgrade to Travelport+, enabling the agency to deliver the modern retailing experience their customers expect. Travelport+ simplifies access to multi-source content and generates value for agents and travelers, with advanced retailing capabilities, sophisticated cloud-based point of sale solutions, and tools that make operations easier.

“Adopting Deem with Travelport+ is a game-changer for our clients,” said Mike Cameron, CEO of Christopherson Business Travel. “This successful implementation not only positions us at the industry’s forefront, but it ensures our customers benefit from a consumer-like booking tool with multi-source content, including NDC, displayed in a modern storefront, all powered by Travelport+.”

Providing unparalleled benefits for business travelers, Deem with Travelport+ revolutionizes the way corporate travel is booked and managed. This integration accesses a comprehensive range of travel content, empowering Christopherson travel advisors with an extensive selection of airlines, accommodations, and ancillary services, all through a single, user-friendly interface.

“Deem and Travelport+ are modernizing the corporate travel experience, bringing two industry-leading channels together at one source to streamline the integration between the corporate booking tool and agency point of sale,” said John Elieson, COO and Deputy CEO of Travelport. “Our longstanding partner, Christopherson Business Travel, is a prime example of how a business can lead by leveraging cutting-edge technology. Their focus on innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to revolutionize the corporate travel industry.”

Deem with Travelport+ brings tremendous value to Christopherson’s clients through its robust features, including:

  1. Comprehensive Content: Access to a vast array of airline content, including NDC-based offerings, to ensure travelers have access to the most relevant choices.
  2. Streamlined Booking and Servicing: A simplified booking process that saves time and reduces complexity through seamless integration and servicing, including NDC.
  3. Personalization: Customized travel options tailored to each traveler’s preferences and corporate policies, enhancing the overall travel experience.

Founded in 1953, Christopherson Business Travel has consistently led the way in corporate travel management, offering an array of high-touch services and proprietary tools. The integration of Deem with Travelport+ further solidifies Christopherson’s position as a trailblazer in the industry.

Travelport acquired Deem (a leading corporate travel management platform) in March 2023, a move intended to fulfill a growing need for a tight, fully integrated, GDS-agnostic tool that provides access and end-to-end servicing of all multi-source content, including NDC.

For more information about Christopherson Business Travel’s services and the successful implementation of Deem with Travelport+, visit cbtravel.com.

 

 

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The Next-Generation of Corporate Travel Retailing: Deem, Powered by Travelport+ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-next-generation-of-corporate-travel-retailing-deem-powered-by-travelport/ Wed, 09 Aug 2023 06:30:37 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=841309 The post The Next-Generation of Corporate Travel Retailing: Deem, Powered by Travelport+ appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport confirmed the integration with Deem, a leading corporate travel management platform, with Travelport+.

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Travelport confirmed the integration with Deem, a leading corporate travel management platform, with Travelport+. The announcement comes just months after Travelport publicized the game-changing acquisition, a move intended to fulfill a growing need for a tight, fully-integrated tool that provides access and end-to-end servicing of all multi-source content, including NDC.

“Business travelers want, and deserve, the same modern retailing experience as leisure travelers,” said John Elieson, COO and Deputy CEO of Travelport. “When Travelport announced the acquisition of Deem in March, it was with the intention of providing the corporate travel world with award-winning, complementary tools that are as revolutionary, modern, and easy-to-use as Travelport+. We’ve not only delivered on that promise, but are proud to confirm the integration of the Deem and Travelport+ platforms.”

Together, Deem and Travelport are modernizing the corporate travel experience. Travel management companies (TMCs), corporations and their travelers that utilize Deem and Travelport+ will be able to access a wide range of rich and relevant content, all in one place, enhanced by the Content Curation Layer (CCL). This Travelport+ feature uses powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) capabilities to provide agents and travelers a more modern retailing experience with faster search responses, more pertinent results, and greater accuracy. When seamlessly integrated with Deem’s award-winning, modern user interface, this will allow travelers to stay within their corporate policies while ensuring bookings (including NDC) are fully serviceable.

In the 150 days since the acquisition, Deem has continued to thrive, with notable moments such as:

  • Being named a Champion in Software Reviews 2023 Travel Management Emotional Footprint Awards
  • Expanding to support global customers in more than 60 countries
  • Achieving a net score of 9.5 in a customer satisfaction survey, a nearly two-point lead ahead of industry standards
  • Receiving the highest CX score (9.7) of all corporate booking tools
  • Rebranding the Etta platform to the company’s namesake, Deem, to increase clarity and unite products under a single iconic name that has become synonymous with innovation in corporate retailing
  • Winning a Stevie Award for its Diversity and Inclusion campaign

When looking towards the immediate future, Travelport has big plans for the GDS-agnostic tool. In 2024 alone, Travelport expects Deem to:

  • Accelerate its international expansion, doubling its global footprint with a focus first in EMEA, followed by APAC
  • Evolve the user interface to continue to revolutionize the corporate travel retailing experience and deepen the industry-leading gap that Deem already has in front of its competitors
  • Implement enhanced emissions data, which is already available on Travelport+

“We’ve heard our corporate customers and there are two key things that they need,” Elieson continued. “First, they want a one-stop shop for all content through a single tool. And, just as important, they want ease of traveler servicing, meaning the content needs to be the same as what their TMC partner sees. By combining traveler-first, human-centric design with a best-in-class user experience, we’ve brought the ease and enjoyment of booking leisure trips to business travel. Making that content both accessible to and easily managed by their TMC partner ensures travelers are covered, even when you factor in new products only available through NDC or other content sources.”

 

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Travelport delivers British Airways’ NDC content on Travelport+, providing faster and easier access for agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-delivers-british-airways-ndc-content-on-travelport-providing-faster-and-easier-access-for-agents/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 07:44:45 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=840730 The post Travelport delivers British Airways’ NDC content on Travelport+, providing faster and easier access for agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced that New Distribution Capability (NDC) content from British Airways is now live on the Travelport+ platform.

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Travelport announced that New Distribution Capability (NDC) content from British Airways is now live on the Travelport+ platform. With Travelport, British Airways is delivering simplified access to NDC content to agents, so that travel retailers can easily book and service NDC offers for their customers. The content is available as of today in the UK and Ireland and will be followed by a global rollout for Travelport+ users around the world.

“We’re delighted that, together with Travelport, we’re now providing agents with a view of all our products and dynamic fares. With everything all in one place, we are empowering agents to take control of a wide range of content available to them for a more efficient and seamless booking experience,” said Ian Romanis, British Airways’ Director of Retail and Customer Relationship Management.

The Content Curation Layer (CCL) within Travelport+ is driven by powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning capabilities in order to provide more accurate, relevant results for a faster, more streamlined booking experience for travel retailers. Agents using Travelport+ will be able to easily search, compare, book and service British Airways’ content all in one place, with access to a wide range of rich content, fares, and unique offerings with just a few simple keystrokes.

“Now that we have more content from different sources live in Travelport+, like British Airways NDC, agents can easily manage all aspects of their clients’ travel within a single view of product features, dynamic offers and ancillaries,” said Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Travel Partners at Travelport.  “Travelport+ was designed to revolutionize the way airlines distribute their products by connecting suppliers directly with travel agents around the world through one unified platform. Following this launch, we will continue to deliver access to even more extensive offerings from British Airways, including personalized offers tailored to customer needs.”

 

 

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Travelport renews multi-year agreement with United Airlines https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-multi-year-agreement-with-united-airlines/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 07:49:13 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=840596 The post Travelport renews multi-year agreement with United Airlines appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced that it has renewed its multi-year agreement with United Airlines, the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles.

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Travelport announced that it has renewed its multi-year agreement with United Airlines, the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. As part of the agreement, Travelport will continue to provide travel agencies around the world real-time access to United’s wide selection of travel content, products, and services.

Travelport will also continue to collaborate closely with the carrier to support United’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiatives and deliver a world-class, modern travel retail experience. Simplified access to United’s NDC content and servicing capabilities launched several months ago with a successful early adopter program and is anticipated to be available to all of Travelport’s agency customers in August. With this extended rollout, Travelport-connected agencies will be able to easily search, compare and book United’s NDC offers, as well as service NDC bookings, including modifications and cancellations.

While all Travelport customers will have access to United’s NDC content, agents using Travelport+ will be able to access a wide range of United’s rich content, fares, and unique offerings all in one place, enhanced by the Content Curation Layer (CCL). This Travelport+ feature minimizes manual tasks using powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) capabilities to provide agents and travelers a more modern retailing experience with faster search responses, more relevant results, and greater accuracy.

“We’re laser-focused on modern retailing and making new content sources, like NDC, easier for travel agents. Our partnership with United Airlines provides a streamlined booking experience with simplified access to United’s dynamic offers and ancillaries to our agency network anytime, anywhere,” said Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Travel Partners at Travelport. “Our NDC solution is designed to support travel retailers with complete end-to-end servicing that goes beyond the booking process, allowing agents to easily manage trip changes on the go while offering superior levels of service to their travelers.”

Travelport’s NDC content and servicing solution for United is anticipated to first become available to all agency customers located across the US and the EMEA region in August, with access for agency customers located in countries across Latin America and the rest of the world to follow in the coming weeks.

 

 

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Travelport and Adventureman set a New World Record https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-and-adventureman-set-a-new-world-record/ Tue, 16 May 2023 09:11:19 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=802887 The post Travelport and Adventureman set a New World Record appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, and Jamie McDonald, a British adventurer better known as “Adventureman”, today announced a new world record – the fastest time to visit the new Seven Wonders of the World, achieved in less than seven days.

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Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, and Jamie McDonald, a British adventurer better known as “Adventureman”, today announced a new world record – the fastest time to visit the new Seven Wonders of the World, achieved in less than seven days. Confirmed by Guinness World Records, the journey was achieved in 6 days, 16 hours, and 14 minutes, using only public transportation. The challenge was set to Adventureman by Travelport in order to put the company’s modern retail platform, Travelport+, to the test, proving that the company’s technology allows its travel agency partners to simply plan, book and manage even the world’s most complex trip.

“When we began upgrading our agency partners to Travelport+ in 2021, it was with the intent of making the complicated travel industry easier and faster to navigate,” said Greg Webb, Chief Executive Officer at Travelport. “This epic adventure was the ultimate test for our platform – could we take the world’s most complex trip and make it simple? Could we ensure it was easy to service? Would the platform be agile enough to accommodate whatever unforeseen bumps the trip encountered? Six days, sixteen hours and fourteen minutes later, we had our answer: yes, yes and yes. This trip also proves that, after a few challenging years for the industry, travel is most definitely back and better than ever.”

Travelport+ provides global travel agents with modern retail technology that allows them to compare millions of travel routes and select the best one for each individual traveller. Travelbag, a travel agency who has been a longtime partner of Travelport, booked all aspects of Adventureman’s trip via Travelport+, and they were able to search, filter, find, compare and build the most complex itinerary with ease using Smartpoint Cloud. Adventureman had round-the-clock access to a dedicated Travelbag Travel Specialist who, on his request, tracked evolving travel restrictions, identified schedule changes, and made necessary tweaks to his itinerary in real time. He also was able to access Travelport’s Trip Manager feature on the go, in order to add ancillaries and extras (meals, paid seats, etc.) to his itinerary. For travelers who want to visit one, or all, of the seven modern wonders themselves, Travelbag has a range of packages available, allowing travelers to visit all seven wonders of the world themselves (packages starting from £31,000) or visit an individual wonder (packages starting at £1,300 per person). Depending on each traveler’s individual requirements, Travelbag can tailor-make the perfect holiday.

“At Travelbag, we’ve planned and booked thousands of trips, and yet, even we had never seen an itinerary this complex before,” said Caroline Foxwell, Sales and Service Leader at Travelbag. “The retailing tools from Travelport+ are so powerful – Smartpoint Cloud made booking and servicing this trip so easy, it practically did the job for us. Travelport+ helps us to build the perfect itinerary for our clients, time and again, even when that client is a globetrotting, world record-setting superhero!”

Adventureman began the trip at the Great Wall of China, the world’s longest human-made structure, and the world-record clock started ticking the moment he left the first wonder via toboggan. Second, he visited India’s Taj Mahal – the country’s top tourist destination, which is widely considered a symbol of eternal love. From there, he traveled to Jordan and then by bus to the ancient city of Petra, whose carved rose-red sandstone rock facades, tombs, and temples became even more famous from their role in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Departing Jordan, Adventureman flew to Rome to see its legendary Colosseum, envisioning ancient gladiator battles before he made time for a quick pizza pit stop (the only non-airplane food he consumed during the trip). Christ the Redeemer, the world’s largest art deco statue, brought Adventureman to Brazil, where he was equally in awe of the view from its platform as he was of the statue itself. The sixth wonder, Machu Pichu (an Incan citadel nearly 8,000 feet above sea level) was Adventureman’s favorite: he plans to go back one day and bought a stuffed llama toy there to bring back for his daughter. Finally, after only 6 days, 16 hours and 14 minutes, he reached Chichén Itzá, an archeological site that was a hallowed place of ceremony in the Mayan culture.

For Adventureman, a main focus of the record-breaking trip was raising funds for his charity, the Superhero Foundation. As a child, Jamie was diagnosed with a rare spinal condition called syringomyelia, and doctors warned his parents that he might lose the ability to walk. Through the help of many doctors, hospitals and his family, his health improved, starting him on his lifelong mission of giving back to sick kids around the world. To kick start fundraising efforts, Travelport has donated $22,856, a dollar for every mile that Jamie, a Pride of Britain winner, traveled for this challenge. The money will be utilized to continue the charity’s mission: helping families in need fund treatments, therapies and equipment that aren’t freely available to them through their traditional or local healthcare support system.

“In my previous adventures, I’ve run solo across America (the equivalent of 210 marathons) and have cycled 22,000 kilometers from Thailand to the United Kingdom, and yet, this was certainly my most complex, complicated trip yet,” said Jamie McDonald, better known as Adventureman. “With travel, there are just so many variables – weather, restrictions, delays, customs, traffic, cancellations, you name it. When you’re attempting to set a world record, speed and agility are absolutely key. There was no other partner besides Travelport that could’ve made this all possible.”

For the trip to be endorsed by Guinness World Records, Adventureman had to abide by several rules:

  • Use only scheduled public transportation, with licensed taxi rides unable to exceed 50 kilometers
  • Keep a logbook with clearly indexed evidence (receipts, tickets, etc.) supporting each step
  • Obtain receipts and/or tickets everywhere available
  • Use accurate professional equipment (i.e. GPS tracking equipment)
  • Take videos and photos showing the applicant, the location and the date at each site visited
  • Get a written or recorded statement from an official member of staff, local dignitary and/or police officer at each site
  • Understand that the ‘clock’ starts the moment the challenger leaves the first wonder site, and it does not stop for any reason until the challenger sets foot in the final site

 

 

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China travel is back! Trends for the May holiday season https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-travel-is-back-trends-for-the-may-holiday-season/ Mon, 01 May 2023 22:30:56 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=789474 The post China travel is back! Trends for the May holiday season appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has released the below trend data highlighting the resurgence of outbound travel from mainland China. Demand has continued to rise leading up to Chinese Labor Day (May 1), historically one of the most popular times for tourists from mainland China to travel. Overall Outbound Travel Trends On December 27, the Chinese government made a […]

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Travelport has released the below trend data highlighting the resurgence of outbound travel from mainland China. Demand has continued to rise leading up to Chinese Labor Day (May 1), historically one of the most popular times for tourists from mainland China to travel.

Overall Outbound Travel Trends

On December 27, the Chinese government made a much-anticipated announcement: travelers arriving to China from January 8th would no longer have to quarantine. On the day of the announcement, outbound flight bookings from mainland China increased by 247% when compared to the same day the previous month.

Prior to the pandemic, China had the most travelers visiting destinations outside of their home country. According to research conducted by the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the China Tourism Academy1, approximately 150 million Chinese tourists traveled internationally in 2019, spending $277 billion on global tourism. With quarantine restrictions now lifted, the first quarter of 2023 saw outbound bookings from mainland China increase by 331% compared to last year. However, mainland China is still only at 21% of its 2019 outbound booking levels. According to OAG2, international airline capacity is at 37% of its April 2019 availability.

According to a recent McKinsey survey3, pent-up demand for outbound travel from mainland China is massive, with 40% of survey respondents wanting to travel and prioritizing international destinations for their next trip.  According to Travelport data, the top five destinations that travelers from mainland China have booked trips to in 2023 are:

  1. Hong Kong SAR (#4 in 2019)
  2. Macau SAR (#9 in 2019)
  3. Thailand (#2 in 2019)
  4. United States (#5 in 2019)
  5. South Korea (#3 in 2019)

One major difference in 2023 travel is that tourists from mainland China are taking shorter trips, with the percent of 2 day and 3-4 day trips both increasing. This may explain why closer destinations, such as Hong Kong and Macau, claim the number one and two spots. Additionally, of all the flight options available from mainland China, the majority (71%) are bound for Asia Pacific.

Chinese Labor Day

Labor Day in China is celebrated as an annual public holiday on May 1. In recent years, the holiday has been expanded to include a three-day break, making it one of the most popular times of the year to travel. April 24 through May 7 (the week of Labor Day and the week prior) tend to be the most ideal dates for travelers to get away.

Due to pent up demand, outbound travel from mainland China during this year’s holiday period has reached a three-year high. When compared against last year alone, travel bookings for these dates have increased by 470%. Additionally, unlike the rest of the year, these dates see a noticeable spike in trips longer than 10 days, which may explain why the top destinations for these travel dates are further afield. Long haul locales such as United Kingdom and Canada have all entered the top 10 for these dates only, and the United States claims the number two spot.

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Travelport launches Smartpoint Cloud https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-smartpoint-cloud/ Fri, 31 Mar 2023 00:05:51 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=781501 The post Travelport launches Smartpoint Cloud appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, announced the launch of Smartpoint Cloud on Travelport+.

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Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, announced the launch of Smartpoint Cloud on Travelport+. As the only modern retailing platform built for agencies, Travelport+ will now deliver a more intuitive and efficient way for travel agents to sell and service travel, all while increasing sales of higher-value services for suppliers. Through Smartpoint Cloud, agents will be able to easily search, filter, find and create tailored packages to suit every customer type, including fully customizable hotel and flight search options and NDC offers.

“Travel agents are the true retailers of our industry, and launching Smartpoint Cloud on Travelport+ will help our partners to deliver more value to both their clients and suppliers,” said Tom Kershaw, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Travelport. “Like any good tech innovation, these tools are simple to use and tackle key challenges faced by the travel advisor community. Smartpoint Cloud will further personalize agent workflows, help drive more revenue, and most importantly, impress customers.”

Built with the insight that agencies need to train and onboard new agents, the graphical user interface (GUI) on Travelport+ is designed to provide a more user-friendly, simpler experience that speeds up agent workflow. Agents who prefer to work in a traditional (cryptic) interface have the flexibility to do so. Smartpoint Cloud’s retailing storefront helps agents understand offers and make more informed decisions within the robust offerings of air, hotel, car, and rail content available. It provides better criteria to allow easy comparisons from any source, including both NDC and traditional air content side by side. Smartpoint Cloud also helps provide more transparency on offers, enabling agents to have the relevant information for comparison shopping at their fingertips. Additionally, the newly expanded Trip Quote capabilities integrate both GDS and NDC offers, enabling agents to present more customized choices and better service, while offering travelers the ability to more easily compare prices. Smartpoint Cloud also enhances exchange capabilities to automate the calculation of accurate exchange costs and reduce errors.

Mike Cameron, CEO of Christopherson Business Travel commented, “Smartpoint Cloud allows our agents to have access to all travel content, including NDC, in a modern web-based interface that allows them to work anywhere, on any device, anytime. It also allows our operations to be streamlined and will dramatically decrease our training costs. It’s clear Travelport understands what modern retailing should look like and this will be a game changer.”

An Innovation for Suppliers Too
As Smartpoint Cloud equips agents with new tools that enable them to better understand the details of an offer, suppliers can expect to boost their sales by seamlessly showcasing their top brands and best products to their target customers. Supplier content is organized and promoted through concise and user-friendly matrix displays that enable effortless comparison of content from various sources, such as NDC and traditional airline content. The attribute-enhanced searches, that show agents exactly what is included, help agents to become better retailers and upsell travelers with options that are most important to them. Smartpoint Cloud also makes it easier for agents to service trips and manage exchanges independently.

Anthony Rader, Director of Airline Retailing Technology at American Airlines commented, “We have seen the direction Travelport is taking towards supporting modern retailing. The Smartpoint Cloud and Travelport+ solution is really compelling and advanced.”

Travelport was the first GDS to successfully offer a complete solution for American Airlines (AA) NDC content, first on Travelport+ nearly a year ago, and as of this week, across the entire Travelport portfolio. The company’s number one commitment has always been ensuring its customers have access to all the content they need, regardless of airline, channel, or technology. Delivering on that promise faster than its competitors, this latest integration of AA NDC content is a prime example of the company providing what agents need in a scalable, seamless, and serviceable manner.

 

 

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Travelport acquires Deem https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-acquires-deem/ Mon, 13 Mar 2023 04:27:25 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=778154 The post Travelport acquires Deem appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, announced the acquisition of Deem, a leading corporate travel management platform.

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Travelport acquires Deem

Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, announced the acquisition of Deem, a leading corporate travel management platform. Since launching the company’s next-generation marketplace, Travelport+, Travelport has continued its investment in innovation, with the acquisition of Deem being the latest example.

The game-changing acquisition of Deem by Travelport will fulfill a growing, post-pandemic need for a tight, fully-integrated corporate tool that will provide access to all multi-source content, including NDC,” said Greg Webb, CEO of Travelport. “We’ve been laser-focused on investing in technology innovation, and Travelport+ has simplified the agency workflow, upgraded how travel content is curated, and enabled modern travel retailing. Now with the acquisition of Deem, Travelport will provide corporate travel with award-winning, complementary tools that are as revolutionary, modern, and easy-to-use as Travelport+.”

Previously owned by Enterprise Holdings, a leading provider of mobility solutions, Deem has long been recognized as the foremost modern technology for the corporate travel industry. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2022, Deem has pioneered its suite of online booking and travel technology products for business travelers, travel managers, travel-management companies and suppliers, making the corporate travel experience more efficient for all. Deem has continued to grow its share of the corporate travel business, and Travelport’s investment intends to further accelerate that growth on a global scale.

“Deem is pleased to be joining the Travelport family,” said David Grace, President of Deem. “We are proud of the growth and success Deem has achieved in recent years. The acquisition by Travelport will enable a strong future of global growth for Deem and help accelerate the delivery of travel management solutions in a rapidly evolving industry. We want to express our sincere appreciation to our customers, as well as recognize the hard work and dedication of our Deem team members.”

Travelport established itself as a leader in NDC by launching the industry’s first end-to-end solution for American Airlines’ NDC content. Travelport plans to build on its leadership position by implementing a swift technical integration to enable Deem’s access to NDC offers, products and services. Access to this content is becoming critical for travel agencies, corporations, and travelers, particularly those in North America where airlines are beginning to shift some content exclusively to NDC. This acquisition will dramatically improve Deem’s speed to market, allowing it to seamlessly integrate multisource content.

“We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition for Deem employees, partners, and customers, and look forward to welcoming them to Travelport,” Webb continued. “Having a one-stop source for all content on a single corporate tool has been the main goal of our customers for a long time. Together with the Deem team, Travelport will deliver that.”

 

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The time to Get Modern is now https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-time-to-get-modern-is-now/ Sun, 12 Mar 2023 22:45:58 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=777553 The post The time to Get Modern is now appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

This isn’t going to be another one of those articles that starts with pointing out that the internet changed everything, and not just because it started by claiming not to be one of those articles. We’re all past that. Innovation, change in habits, etc. But since – yes – the internet changed everything, it would […]

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This isn’t going to be another one of those articles that starts with pointing out that the internet changed everything, and not just because it started by claiming not to be one of those articles. We’re all past that. Innovation, change in habits, etc.

But since – yes – the internet changed everything, it would be shocking if it had somehow missed retailing. Some changes are tectonic and obvious – for example, Amazon exists while Sears no longer does. But beyond the evolution of e-commerce, the fact is that retailing innovation has caused consumer expectations to similarly evolve and retailers who want to thrive must understand what modern consumers need of them.

Retailers must understand modern in order to be able to become modern. That dual meaning is behind my company’s message to travel retailers: it’s time to Get Modern.

There are retailers out there that everyone can learn something from, no matter what industry you’re in. But let’s focus on travel, which has, arguably, had good reason to be slower to innovate because of its complexity.

As much as people love to travel, our industry isn’t frequently praised for its retailing experience. From the drawn-out research process, to winnowing down booking choices, to difficultly assembling a single itinerary across multiple purchase points, to the burdensome exchange/refund process, getting modern – and thereby meeting customer expectations – is crucial. The key thing customers want of modern retailing is simplicity, and the main reasons they want it is to save time and gain transparency.

In April, Travelport will be releasing the results of consumer research we did in order to better understand exactly what customers want of modern retailers. In the meanwhile, I offer you some preliminary thoughts on getting modern.

Book with travel agencies

When thinking about where you should book your next trip, travel agencies are best placed to offer a modern retailing experience for customers because they have the have all the available choices under their umbrella – transit, lodging, packages, and more. Having the ability to compare is an important aspect of what customers want. Choice is a key value for consumers, and the ability to easily filter from an overwhelming amount of options down to the ones that best meet their needs is the difference between a good experience and a frustrating one.

Retailers who have built their processes around modern expectations can tailor the entire customer journey from end to end – transportation, accommodation, and destination activities. As modern retailers, agencies can compare products from various suppliers and reassure the customer that they are getting the best value while finding the right offer for them. And it’s important to note that the right offer isn’t the cheapest offer; it’s the cheapest offer that meets their needs and wants.

Taking learnings from modern retailing disruptors such as Amazon and Alibaba will allow the travel industry to modernise and simplify the way we sell to our customers. Internet retailing experiences, however, can sometimes feel soulless, and the customer can feel like they’re wandering alone in a well-stocked store where there’s no one to help them. Despite their acceptance of technology and e-commerce, consumers crave support. Even – and here I’m previewing one of the most interesting findings from our upcoming research – younger digital natives want both tools and people to support their purchases. So, travel agents can add meaningful value when you consider the servicing element they bring to the table. They can help mitigate the real risk of making a solitary choice that doesn’t actually meet expectations.

Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer at Travelport

A modern digital experience doesn’t punish you by taking away the store or the contact centre – it rewards the consumer by offering them the choice to self-serve for some tasks and making that process easy, while still providing confidence-building help for those who seek it.

Let’s consider for a moment, how companies like Amazon and Alibaba have differentiated themselves. A single marketplace for suppliers of all sizes, locations and offerings. Consumers who have had good experiences come back for all their shopping behaviours – from browsing for inspiration to dropping in for a quick purchase they’ve already identified. Travel agencies are uniquely positioned to be this sort of one-stop-research-through-purchase-then-service shop for travellers. The trick is that there is a lot of competition in the space, so a modern travel retailer needs to think about how to craft a user experience that makes them the landing spot for purchase after what could be many hours of research. Empower agents even more through retailing and merchandising technology can help that happen.

Personalisation is really important

Consumers want, but don’t expect, personalisation. They want it because it will save them time. They don’t expect it because no retailer – not just in travel – has done a very good job of providing it. So, curation isn’t up there with their expectations, but it is way up there with their wants. In the meantime, they want powerful search and filtering tools because they do believe that is possible in the here and now.

Modern retailing is set to revolutionise travel and meet those needs by making the process of searching and booking trip options efficient and reliable, and the decision-making then becomes so much easier. Content provided to agents can be normalised, enriched with brand logos, and delivered via data that is then used by artificial intelligent (AI) algorithms to ensure shoppers see just what they need on the shelf. By making travel content more “retail ready,” we ensure agency shelves are displaying the right fares, personalised offers, and ancillaries across air, hotel, car and rail.

Is there such a thing as too much choice? Decision paralysis is becoming an increasingly big problem in everything we do. When there might be hundreds, if not thousands, of routes from Point A to Point B, smart technology is crucial to ensure we’re not bogging down the customer or agent with irrelevant options. Luckily, modern retailing sets the right customer expectations from the outset, making it super clear what the offer (or product) entails and detailing its relevance to the traveller’s unique needs. Better retailing also sells more – because the right product for one specific customer is usually something more than the cheapest product. In the long term, this also builds loyalty and earns the ultimate compliment – repeat business.

Getting modern is a mindset and a process. The modern retailing journey can be a long and challenging one for agencies without proper technical support and know how. Here at Travelport, we started the journey of modern retailing with many of our partners and our strong, hands-on, technical background, combined with our cutting-edge platform, have enabled us to work seamlessly and smoothly with our agency partners. We make it easier for agents (but again, we like to refer to them as “travel retailers”) and shoppers to find, understand, and compare products from suppliers. We also make sure the after-sales service is excellent, whether self-service or through an agent.

It has also been encouraging to see that travel industry suppliers have continued to invest in and improve their direct channels. They’ve done a fantastic job at broadening their offers and providing more choices, with updated routes and transportation schedules. We’re now even seeing those options evolve further with more choices in seat sizes, extra legroom, pre-ordered meals and more.

So, just like the Amazon and Alibaba suppliers, it’s up to us in distribution and travel retailing to put our technology to use, to add the most relevant offers to individual shelves and make shopping easier for our corporate and consumer customers, and to provide the transparency consumers expect so that they aren’t surprised at the airport that their fare doesn’t include something they expected. Apart from enabling suppliers to sell more of their own products, they can now provide more choices for agents to choose from in the system when servicing customers.

When travel agencies Get Modern, suppliers also benefit. Travel retailers that deliver a better experience, make things easier for consumers and deliver superior customer support will ultimately generate more bookings. In a nutshell, modern travel retailing elevates the travel industry to new heights and requires a new way of thinking. Suppliers, you’re doing a great job at servicing travellers and giving them more choices – but now it’s time to support and elevate the travel agencies, the true modern retailers, to help us all deliver a great experience for our customers.

GET MODERN

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The time to Get Modern is now Retailers must understand modern in order to be able to become modern. That dual meaning is behind my company’s message to travel retailers: it’s time to Get Modern. Travelport,get modern Get_Modern_for_TDasia jennifer-catto
Travelport and Air France-KLM launch NDC Content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-and-air-france-klm-launch-ndc-content/ Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:00:49 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=764158 The post Travelport and Air France-KLM launch NDC Content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Air France-KLM announced that Air France-KLM’s New Distribution Content (NDC) is now live on Travelport. 

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Travelport and Air France-KLM announced that Air France-KLM’s New Distribution Content (NDC) is now live on Travelport. The move gives Travelport users direct access to the carrier’s NDC content, including shopping, booking, servicing, and private fares to cover multiple segments, and market specifics. It also allows users to get access to continuous pricing and ancillary purchases.

“We are thrilled to see Air France-KLM’s success with this ground-breaking NDC initiative, making NDC content via Travelport accessible to agents and travel retailers,” said Damian Hickey, Global Vice President & Global Head of Airline Partners at Travelport.

“Through Travelport+, we are helping Air France-KLM expand simplified access to their NDC content, and deliver their best travel offers to our travel agency customers. This milestone assures Air France-KLM as an innovative and competitive market supplier while also cementing our position as a market leader in NDC and modern travel retailing.”

 

 

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Sustainable and smarter travel on the cards for 2023 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/sustainable-and-smarter-travel-on-the-cards-for-2023/ Mon, 12 Dec 2022 01:25:34 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=754177 The post Sustainable and smarter travel on the cards for 2023 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

John Elieson, COO of Travelport gave an overview of 2022 and prediction for the year ahead. He said: “The travel industry worked hard to get ‘back to business’ in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic.

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John Elieson, COO of Travelport gave an overview of 2022 and prediction for the year ahead. He said: “The travel industry worked hard to get ‘back to business’ in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic. This year has been defined by the return to big cities, the power of flexibility, the need for reconnection and the desire to splurge.

Although we’ve seen confidence in the industry bounce back, and international bookings outpace domestic, business travel has been slower to recover. With a tough economic environment, there are now even more factors to consider in the decision-making process. But even with those uncertainties, many believe this is the best time for business travel, so that they can reconnect with colleagues and customers, after the long, pandemic-induced hiatus in travel.

People now are booking smarter business travel – combining more meetings into one trip and being intentional with when to travel vs. when to video conference, in order to mitigate these concerns. However, there is no substitute to being together in person. On a professional level, it improves connections, conversations and collaboration. On a personal level, it promotes open-mindedness and truly enriches life.

Sustainability will also deservedly come to the forefront in 2023. We will see more businesses take ESG policies seriously and reconsider their business habits accordingly. The travel industry needs transparency in order to do our part for a more sustainable future. Without it, travellers will lose trust and adopt a wait-and-see mentality rather than embracing sustainable solutions. We’re committed to creating a smarter and greener global travel industry.”

 

 

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Travelport joins Travalyst Coalition and escalates focus on sustainability in travel retailing https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-joins-travalyst-coalition-and-escalates-focus-on-sustainability-in-travel-retailing/ Wed, 09 Nov 2022 22:48:36 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=741777 The post Travelport joins Travalyst Coalition and escalates focus on sustainability in travel retailing appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has joined the global sustainable travel coalition, Travalyst, as part of the company’s commitment to driving sustainability forward in travel retailing. Travelport will also implement the Travalyst data methodology and will build capabilities in the Travelport+ platform to help its travel management company (TMC) and agency customers accelerate sustainable travel by providing them the […]

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The post Travelport joins Travalyst Coalition and escalates focus on sustainability in travel retailing appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has joined the global sustainable travel coalition, Travalyst, as part of the company’s commitment to driving sustainability forward in travel retailing. Travelport will also implement the Travalyst data methodology and will build capabilities in the Travelport+ platform to help its travel management company (TMC) and agency customers accelerate sustainable travel by providing them the tools to effectively sell the most eco-friendly offers and report on sustainability.

Travalyst Partner

Travelport joins some of the world’s largest travel and tourism platforms and service providers, which include Travalyst’s founding partners Booking.com, Skyscanner, Trip.com Group, Tripadvisor, and Visa, as well as recently joined partners, to actively collaborate in resolving the industry’s greatest challenges in sustainable travel. Travalyst is concentrated on delivering universal transparent reporting on emissions and sustainability efforts to empower travel retailers, corporates, and travelers to choose the most sustainable trip options. Travelport decided to join the Travalyst coalition to take an active role in the collaboration that will drive the industry reporting standards needed to empower travel agents and travel managers.

“As the newest member of the Travalyst coalition, Travelport will bring invaluable knowledge and expertise in helping us drive mass adoption of sustainability standards with its integral role connecting agencies and suppliers,” said Sally Davey, Chief Executive Officer at Travalyst. “Our shared commitment to industry-wide collaboration and simplifying how information about sustainable offers is shared and reported will be a tremendous asset to the travel agency community.”

GBTA Sustainability Founding Partner

Travelport has also recently joined the GBTA Sustainability program alongside many global travel industry leaders, such as American Express Global Business Travel, Delta Airlines, Hilton and SAP Concur. Travelport’s participation in the sustainability leadership council will help guide GBTA’s efforts, define priority areas for collaborative and global action, and help the business travel industry contribute to climate action and corporate responsibility. As a founding member, Travelport’s product and technology leaders will take an active role in driving initiatives to inform and empower the corporate travel sector with better sustainable travel options for businesses.

“It is incredibly important for us to take action and collaborate as an industry on unifying and scaling the way we report on sustainability standards, so everyone can become informed and make sustainable travel more feasible for corporates, agents and travelers,” said Tom Kershaw, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Travelport. “Travelport is making great strides in modernizing travel retailing with its Travelport+ platform, which can help retailers determine the best eco-friendly travel itineraries.”

Travelport Sustainability Roadmap

Travelport recently established a new sustainability office within its product strategy team which will focus on prioritizing sustainability across product roadmaps and future development. While actively participating in The Travalyst Coalition and the GBTA Sustainability program, Travelport’s product and technology team will incorporate sustainability data as a first-class citizen to enhance search and shopping capabilities in the Travelport+ platform. The new sustainable shopping and reporting features will begin to roll out in 2023 and will help travel retailers become more informed so they can easily book the most eco-friendly options for their travelers. Travelport will also explore opportunities to combat challenges with data integration and neutralizing the negative impacts on emissions.

“At Travelport, we are championing open-sourced data to address key challenges with integration and being able to inform agents and travelers about the best sustainable options for their trips, regardless of price or other factors,” Tom Kershaw continued. “As an industry, we have a long road ahead to make an impact with sustainable travel and my team is up for the challenge. We’re committed to delivering the tools agents and travel managers need to identify the best eco-friendly offers and help companies maintain their sustainability commitments.”

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Travelport renews agreement with Hopper https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-agreement-with-hopper/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-agreement-with-hopper/#respond Thu, 22 Sep 2022 16:47:29 +0000 https://eturbonews.com/?p=3079695 The post Travelport renews agreement with Hopper appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, a global technology company that powers bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, today announced it has renewed a multi-year agreement with Hopper, the world’s fastest-growing mobile-first travel marketplace and lea...

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The post Travelport renews agreement with Hopper appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, a global technology company that powers bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, today announced it has renewed a multi-year agreement with Hopper, the world’s fastest-growing mobile-first travel marketplace and leading travel fintech company. Travelport+ Upgrade Travelport’s industry leading data products and Competitive Insights have been fundamental in helping to fuel Hopper’s […]

Travelport renews agreement with Hopper

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Amex GBT to upgrade with Travelport+ Technology https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/amex-gbt-to-upgrade-with-travelport-technology/ Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:53:39 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=720335 The post Amex GBT to upgrade with Travelport+ Technology appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) have renewed their strategic relationship with a multi-year agreement which includes the use of Travelport’s next generation selling platform, Travelport+.

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Travelport, and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) have renewed their strategic relationship with a multi-year agreement which includes the use of Travelport’s next generation selling platform, Travelport+. Enhancements in Travelport+ are targeted to improve access to content, providing more retailing capabilities and enhancing productivity for travel counselors.

“We value our relationship with Amex GBT which has lasted more than 40 years.  Deepening our collaboration by using Travelport+ will benefit both Amex GBT and its business customers,” said Jason Toothman, chief commercial officer – agency at Travelport. “Combining Amex GBT’s expertise with our modern travel retailing tools will ultimately improve how corporate travel is managed. The introduction of Travelport+ servicing capabilities and retailing improvements will ensure continued focus on delivering customer, traveler and supplier value to Amex GBT’s marketplace.”

“Our agreement with Travelport remains focused on innovation and ensuring our customers have access to the broadest set of content while continuing to deliver best-in-class servicing,” said John Bukowski, vice president, content and strategic sourcing. “Our planned upgrade to Travelport+ and shared vision to advance travel retailing with modern technology and process simplification will help the Amex GBT marketplace deliver on its promise and fuel our mission to drive progress through travel.”

 

 

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Ethiopian Airlines signs new distribution agreement with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ethiopian-airlines-signs-new-distribution-agreement-with-travelport/ Mon, 05 Sep 2022 06:34:01 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=719424 The post Ethiopian Airlines signs new distribution agreement with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The renewed deal includes distribution on the Travelport platform and expands the ongoing travel retailing and distribution relationship between Travelport and Ethiopian Airlines.

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The renewed deal includes distribution on the Travelport+ platform and expands the ongoing travel retailing and distribution relationship between Travelport and Ethiopian Airlines.

“As we are now investing in our ability to meet high demand for travel following the pandemic, it is crucial that we deepen our partnership with Travelport as they understand our need to efficiently deliver simplified access to our growing content,” said Lemma Yadecha, chief commercial officer at Ethiopian Airlines. “Travelport’s enhanced multisourced content capabilities within the Travelport+ platform will help us to provide agents and their travellers with quick, easy access to highly relevant offers and more choices to fit their needs. Our expanded agreement with Travelport and Rich Content & Branding will further enable us to drive more value for our travelers through today’s modern travel retailing environment,” he added.

David Gomes, head of regional air partners, EMEA at Travelport, said: “Our renewed, expanded agreement with Ethiopian Airlines to include Travelport RC&B participation is a significant step in evolving and modernising Ethiopian’s retailing strategy. Travelport+ was built to manage multiple sources of content and effectively merchandise personalised and dynamic offers, which will greatly benefit the agency community and provide a better experience for Ethiopian’s travellers as the airline pushes its NDC strategy forward.”

Once the airline makes content via NDC distribution available, both companies will work together to provide agents with access to NDC content and functionality from Ethiopian Airlines in the Travelport+ platform. As part of the agreement, Ethiopian Airlines will become a new participant in Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding (RC&B) program. As a top 100 carrier booked through Travelport, the carrier is laying the foundation to ensure that Travelport-connected agencies can access the most robust, enriched Ethiopian Airlines’ content following its current fleet expansion.

 

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New Travelport+ Self-Service Suite unlocks productivity and propels travel retailing https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/new-travelport-self-service-suite-unlocks-productivity-and-propels-travel-retailing/ Tue, 31 May 2022 22:40:24 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=697034 The post New Travelport+ Self-Service Suite unlocks productivity and propels travel retailing appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has debuted the latest product feature release for its next-generation travel retailing platform, Travelport+. The new self-servicing suite and automation tools, now available on Travelport+, help travellers, and the travel retailers that support them, to create an efficient, online shopping and servicing experience for travellers. Travelport has also recently expanded the availability of NDC […]

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The post New Travelport+ Self-Service Suite unlocks productivity and propels travel retailing appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has debuted the latest product feature release for its next-generation travel retailing platform, Travelport+. The new self-servicing suite and automation tools, now available on Travelport+, help travellers, and the travel retailers that support them, to create an efficient, online shopping and servicing experience for travellers. Travelport has also recently expanded the availability of NDC content and NDC servicing capabilities for several of its airline partners.

“This next phase of our Travelport+ evolution is all about making our next-generation travel marketplace work and feel more like the Internet, with more self-service and automation, so that our customers can activate their own modern digital retailing experiences,” said Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer at Travelport. “With so many customers upgrading to Travelport+, we’ve remained agile and focused on providing agents the ability to automate a task quickly and easily, so that agents get more time back in their day to serve and support their travelers. We’re also expanding on NDC capabilities with our partners, to go above and beyond the ability to just book NDC content by really improving how flights are shopped, sold, and serviced, with new add-ons, paid seats and bag opportunities.”

Better Workflow Automation for Agents

Travelport’s new self-service tool, Productivity Automator, is designed to help agents work more productively by reducing the amount of manual back-end tasks and calls to suppliers. ​The automation capabilities available with Productivity Automator through Travelport+ ultimately give agents more time to focus on advising their travellers and increased upsell opportunities for suppliers. Travelport+ customers using Productivity Automator have seen they can potentially generate a 14% time ​savings across their ​entire team every day.

Lisa Henning, Managing Director at Inspire commented: “Productivity Automator has not only eliminated repetitive tasks by streamlining workflows, but it has also helped us to reduce the cost of trip servicing significantly, due to our improved efficiency.”

Greater Self-Service Support for Developers and Agents

The latest Travelport+ product release also introduces modernized self-service tools for agency customers and developers, including Travelport’s completely redesigned MyTravelport developer portal. The updated portal was designed with modern travel retailers in mind and now offers virtual agent support, a smarter knowledge base search, and an online community.​ These customer service and support updates both speed up and simplify the Travelport+ digital support journey for developers and agencies using Travelport.

Expanded Content and More Choice for All

Travelport has continued to evolve its content offering to help agency customers offer more choices with Travelport+, with new add-ons which include paid seats and baggage opportunities with more than 14 new airlines. ​The company has signed NDC deals with 19 airlines worldwide and is continually rolling out more NDC content, making it accessible to Travelport customers in each region. American Airlines NDC content is now available to Travelport+ customers in North America, and Travelport anticipates that NDC content from three additional airlines will go live in NORAM this quarter.

“New Distribution Capability is a key component to transforming travel retailing,” said Neil Geurin, Managing Director of Digital and Distribution for American Airlines. “Travelport is making significant progress with NDC by providing travel agents with access to better, more relevant offers, which is invaluable to American and our customers.”

Travelport customers also have fast, easy access to even more robust, enriched content with over 318 branded fare airlines now live in Travelport+, following the addition of 12 new airlines that recently joined Travelport rich content and branding.

The self-service tools and automation functionalities in this latest Travelport+ release compliment agents’ ability to sell more, by freeing up their time, while also providing them an expanded menu of content.

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Demand for travel to Southeast Asia increases as borders reopen https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/demand-for-travel-to-southeast-asia-increases-as-borders-reopen/ Tue, 19 Apr 2022 01:09:07 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=689710 The post Demand for travel to Southeast Asia increases as borders reopen appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

As borders begin to reopen across Southeast Asia, increased flight bookings show how excited travellers are to return to the region.

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The post Demand for travel to Southeast Asia increases as borders reopen appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

As borders begin to reopen across Southeast Asia, increased flight bookings show how excited travellers are to return to the region.

All countries in Southeast Asia, with the exception of Brunei, have started to remove their travel restrictions and are reopening their borders to international tourists in hopes of rejuvenating the industry that was hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic: tourism. Travelport, a global technology company that powers bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, today released the below trend data showing how the easing of restrictions has affected the international demand for travel to Southeast Asia.
Hot Spots

According to Travelport’s booking data, the top ten destinations in Southeast Asia for international travellers to visit in 2022 are:

1. Manila (Philippines)
2. Singapore (Singapore)
3. Bangkok (Thailand)
4. Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
5. Jakarta (Indonesia)
6. Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
7. Hanoi (Vietnam)
8. Phuket (Thailand)
9. Bali (Indonesia)
10. Angeles/Mabalacat (Philippines)

For the first quarter of 2022, international flight bookings to Southeast Asia overall have increased and have shown an upward trajectory with the Philippines taking the lead by achieving 42% of its international bookings in the first quarter of 2019 prior COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines and Thailand were among the earliest countries in Southeast Asia to reopen their borders, and travellers are already clamouring to visit. In the first quarter of 2022, these two countries alone represent over half (51%) of all international flight bookings to the region.

On 28 January, the Philippines announced its plans to fully reopen to vaccinated travellers on 10 February. Within a week of the announcement, international flight bookings to the country rose by 114%. One month after the announcement on 28 February, the country saw a 294% increase in daily flight bookings.

Thailand, on the other hand, first allowed foreigners to enter the country on February 1 with the introduction of its Test & Go program which required tourists to have a negative PCR test for entry, and a subsequent antigen test on the fifth day of travel. In the 24 hours following that announcement, international
flight bookings to Thailand grew by 37%. On March 7, the Thai government further revised the measures, dropping the testing requirements on the fifth day. With that change, international flight bookings grew 128% compared to booking on the first announcement.

The top five countries travelling to Southeast Asia are the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. Solo travellers made up 44% of international flight bookings for the first quarter of 2022 to date, by far the largest traveller segment, which may be comprised of returning business travellers, flexible tourists whose bags are packed the moment borders reopen, and Southeast Asian expats who are eager to return home without enduring a once mandatory quarantine.

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Will 2022 be the year of travel? https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/will-2022-be-the-year-of-travel/ Fri, 25 Mar 2022 02:42:04 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=688640 The post Will 2022 be the year of travel? appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jen Catto from Travelport talks about how it’s imperative the industry listens to its customers as demand for travel rebounds at its strongest pace since the pandemic began

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Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer at Travelport talks about how it’s imperative that the industry listens to its customers as demand for travel rebounds at its strongest pace since the pandemic began.

After two years of border closures and international travel restrictions, people are excited to get away. So much so, they are willing to forgo entertainment, shopping and even self-care for six months or longer to travel. Yes, really.

In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic took the global travel industry from all-time highs to a low of only 5% of expected volumes overnight. Over the last two years, the industry has seen that the road to recovery isn’t linear. Border closures, vaccine shortages, new variants (delta, omicron) and now, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine all have immediate effects on travel. By the end of 2021, the global travel industry recovered more than 50% of its gross activity, and if recovery continues along the same trajectory, 85% of the travel industry’s gross activity could be regained by the end of 2022.

Recently, Travelport commissioned a study of thousands of people across seven countries, and the results were overwhelming. Perhaps not surprising given the last two years, but what we heard, loud and clear, is that that travel is back.

People are so excited to travel, they’re willing to give up some of their favorite things for six months or longer in order to do so:

  • 71% of respondents would forgo concerts
  • 64% would stop buying new clothes
  • 63% would give up spa treatments
  • 60% would skip the cinema
  • 53% would give up playing sports
  • 36% would stop dining at restaurants

However, not every aspect of the travel experience is all sunshine and umbrella drinks. There is a notable experience gap between the high degree of enjoyment respondents felt from going on holiday and the frustration they experienced when booking that very same trip. For example, in the US (the largest travel region) 43% of respondents said they don’t find booking travel enjoyable. However, 95% of that same group enjoy actually being on holiday.

Globally, travel was ranked as the number one most enjoyable activity, which again, is hardly a surprise, but it dropped to the number four spot when it came to shopping for travel. And this isn’t just a generational issue. A quarter of Gen Z respondents agreed that searching and booking travel is a necessary evil for a change of scenery.

On average, travelers visit a whopping 38 different websites before booking their trip. Put this in the context of the old adage that a consumer visits a website an average of five times before making a purchase. Other industries have steamed ahead in terms of digital retailing simplicity and innovation, evolving with their consumers’ sophisticated expectations, and shifting perceptions over time. Study respondents found the travel industry to be an outlier, perceiving it to be even less innovative than the finance industry. Ouch.Shopping for travel is complicated, which is why Travelport has made simplifying the complex travel ecosystem its mission. In order to be successful at this, we believe:

  • Convenience is crucial: People want a travel shopping experience where they can search and book everything in one place.
    • 45% of respondents would prefer to book an entire trip through one website, one that offers choice of airlines, hotels, car hire companies, and extras.
  • Choice beats price: Customers don’t necessarily want the cheapest option. They want the best option for their needs. And, in order to select the best option, they want to see everything on offer.
    • Only 13% would book the cheapest option if it meant limiting their choice.

With demand for travel rebounding at its strongest pace since the pandemic began, it’s imperative that the industry listens to its customers. Now is the time for us to fix travel retail, putting consumer convenience and breadth of choice above all. By restoring clarity, confidence, and fun to travel shopping, we can grow trust, generate repeat business, and inspire true loyalty – the benchmark of successful modern retailing.

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Have suitcase, will travel: New research from Travelport highlights excitement to travel in 2022 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/have-suitcase-will-travel-new-research-from-travelport-highlights-excitement-to-travel-in-2022/ Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:03:02 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=688501 The post Have suitcase, will travel: New research from Travelport highlights excitement to travel in 2022 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has revealed a new survey that highlighted excitement to travel in 2022.

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The post Have suitcase, will travel: New research from Travelport highlights excitement to travel in 2022 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has revealed a new survey that highlighted excitement to travel in 2022. In a study commissioned by Travelport and conducted by Toluna Research, thousands of respondents from seven different countries said they’d even be willing to give up some of their favourite things for six months or longer in order to travel.  

  • 71% of respondents would forgo concerts 
  • 64% would stop buying new clothes 
  • 63% would give up spa treatments 
  • 60% would skip the cinema 
  • 53% would give up playing sports 
  • 36% would stop dining at restaurants 

“While the last two+ years have been a significant challenge, the global travel industry recovered more than 50% of its gross activity by the end of 2021,” said Jen Catto, chief marketing officer for  Travelport. “Should this trend continue along the same trajectory, it could reach 85% recovery by the end of this year. The pent-up desire to travel is strong. Our latest survey findings clearly demonstrate this,  highlighting how many indulgences people are willing to sacrifice in order to travel again.” 

However, not every aspect of the travel experience received the same level of enthusiasm. A notable experience gap emerged between the high degree of enjoyment respondents get from going on holiday and the frustration they experienced when booking that very same trip. 

  • 43% of US respondents, the largest travel region, do not find booking travel enjoyable
  • 95% of that same group enjoy the experience of being on holiday 

Globally, travel was ranked as the number one most enjoyable activity, but when it came to shopping for travel, the industry dropped to the number four spot, trailing the worlds of clothing, restaurants and electronics. And this isn’t just a generational issue. A quarter of Gen Z respondents agreed on the complexity of searching, comparing and booking travel offers just isn’t fun. 

On average, travellers visit a whopping 38 different websites before booking their trip. Other industries have steamed ahead in terms of simplicity and innovation, evolving with their consumers’ sophisticated expectations, and shifting perceptions over time. Study respondents found the travel industry to be an outlier, perceiving it to be even less innovative than the finance industry

“Shopping for travel is complicated, which is why Travelport has made simplifying the complex travel ecosystem its mission,” continued Catto. “With demand for travel rebounding at its strongest pace since the pandemic began, it’s imperative the industry listens to its customers. Now is the time for us to fix travel retail, putting consumer convenience, digital experience, and breadth of choice above all. By  restoring clarity, confidence, and fun to travel shopping, we can grow trust, generate repeat business and  inspire true loyalty – the benchmark of successful modern retailing.”

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Paradox of choice! Elevating customer experience through technology is the solution https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/paradox-of-choice-elevating-customer-experience-through-technology-is-the-solution/ Fri, 17 Dec 2021 04:39:32 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=683477 The post Paradox of choice! Elevating customer experience through technology is the solution appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer at Travelport talks about the advent of modern digital retailing in travel and how the travel industry can take on the opportunity with the right improved tools

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The post Paradox of choice! Elevating customer experience through technology is the solution appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In a guest column this week, Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer at Travelport talks about the advent of modern digital retailing in travel and how the travel industry can take on the opportunity with the right improved tools.

People love choice. Having options makes us feel in control, and reassured in our buying decisions. But the paradox of choice is when an overload of alternatives leads to inaction. Imagine you’re shopping to get kitted out for an upcoming vacation.

You go into a huge retailer like Target, or a department store that sells an enormous range of big-brand products. There’s so much on offer you end up feeling overwhelmed, and leave empty-handed. Or, you deliberate for ages over which pair of sunglasses, Hawaiian shirt, or luggage you want, but still make a bad decision. We’ve all been there.

Having options is exciting. But it can equally make decision-making long and stressful. And because choice puts the onus on the chooser, it means you only have yourself to blame if things go wrong. Personal shoppers help consumers navigate these situations. Their unique value is being unbiased, and having expertise in finding the right fit and the best deals.

This is what travel agents do too. When it comes to travel, there’s so much to choose from now that it’s all too easy to abandon cart. Travel agents also help consumers avoid bad choices — be it unsuitable destination, inconvenient flight time, or too many stopovers (unfortunately they can’t help on the Hawaiian shirts though).

But as retailing becomes more and more digitized, the travel industry is failing to give our personal shoppers the right tools for the job. And as time passes, more and more products, technology, retail channels, and suppliers are coming on the market — compounding the buyers’ dilemma and intensifying the need for change.

Travel Retailing is Broken 

Before we go any further, let’s be really clear about what we mean by ‘retailing’. A lot of travel tech companies refer to ‘travel retailing’ in the context of agencies that have physical stores. However, I believe that travel retailing should be the entire process of buying, and even servicing of travel — regardless of agency or supplier type.

Modern digital retailing in travel is about putting the customer (the traveler, guest, or passenger) at the centre of what you do and taking responsibility for their entire journey, from initial shopping through to completing the trip. The modern digital brands that consumers love have a lot in common. They’re fast, simple, convenient, provide choice, have excellent customer service, take responsibility for fulfilment and delivery, and work hard to meet their customer’s needs. And this grows trust and builds loyalty.

So why do we think travel retailing specifically is broken’? In a nutshell: the system that was built thirty or forty years ago hasn’t really kept with the times — which means we aren’t delivering that modern, digital customer experience. While other industries embraced new retailing technology with open arms, too often travel shied away from change. In innovation terms, travel is a ‘late adopter’, especially compared to retailers in other industries, like Amazon, Netflix, or Spotify. The result? Agents aren’t set up to succeed, and so suppliers can’t get the most from this über-valuable sales channel.

And hey, airlines are great at selling their own products. But for the customer, shopping is all about seeing different options, being able to clearly compare and contrast them, and ending up with the right deal for what they want or need. Especially when they’re buying (or booking) in bulk — or if the ‘store’ isn’t visible (i.e. it’s online). But, just as there are 80,000 possible ways to drink a Starbucks beverage, there are literally trillions of possible travel offers/combinations out there, and guiding the decision is the travel agents’ forte.

There are isolated silos of retailing excellence (some online travel agencies(OTAs) have built a great business out of selling hotels), but nobody is getting the most from doing it end to end, for full journeys, and across all channels.

What Does Modern Retailing Look Like? 

Back to choice. Having more options and full price transparency is always better for the consumer. Like I said, the perception of choice helps to reinforce buying decisions, builds trust, and makes customers feel in control. That means showing the cheapest offer, even if we already know it’s not the one they’ll go for. Price comparison sites are a step in the right direction, but they still don’t fully solve the challenges of personalization, brand loyalty, and ensuring repeat business. Just ask OTAs.

Modern retailing happens when the consumer gets the right product/offer, at the right time, and at the right price. And in doing so, those customers immediately recognize the value of agencies in solving their choice paradox. This isn’t just my view — it’s backed heavily by the airline industry and IATA as the primary strategy for change and managing digital transformation. The nuance in the wording says it all: IATA have even replaced NDC certification with its Airline Retailing Maturity(ARM) index.

We all know the score. If you’re not disrupting, you risk being disrupted. If you let shopping become overwhelming, tedious, or a chore for your customers, they’ll go elsewhere. Travel itself is a joy, so it should be inherently easy to sell. But the fact that customers have to seek so much advice before booking proves that it’s not. The question is: how do we help agents cut through complexity, manage choice, and be the personal shoppers their customers need? If travel retailing is broken, who’s going to fix it?

Your Retail Toolkit 

My two cents is: you can’t solve travel’s complex retailing challenges unless you tackle them from an impartial, independent standpoint. Just like travel agencies, being neutral is the only way to really understand the problems, and propose unbiased solutions that prioritize customer needs above all else. And, you also have to actually understand what ‘retailing’ really means, and what it requires.

At Travelport, we talk to travel businesses about their retailing challenges every single day. And we use this continuous feedback loop to develop future-focused solutions within Travelport+. Ones that make it easier for agents’ to manage choice, build better digital experiences, and sell more effectively. That means access to more and more products that are ready to sell (i.e. no development work) — including both traditional and non-traditional offers, like NDC.

Modern retailing is about embracing new technology that makes retailing better, easier, and faster than before. So we’re making it a priority to support retailing through different devices (web and mobile responsive) via our API toolkit. And, we’re bringing out smarter displays that are set up to give agents more control, more detailed searches, and intuitively help to sell more extras and add-ons as they guide customers through the decision-making process.

When I said earlier that retailing is the entire process of buying and selling travel, that doesn’t just mean booking. There are opportunities to sell, upsell, and impress your customer with excellent service throughout the trip too (or rather, there should be, if your technology partner is doing its job right). From ticketing to exchanges — and onwards through trip management — the overall customer experience is the result of multiple interactions, not just the first, simple sale. Because at the end of the day, that’s what modern retailing is all about: impressing your customer in every transaction.

Driving Retailing Excellence 

The choice paradox is just the tip of the iceberg in modern retailing. There’s so much more to explore, and as a company, we’ll continue to do that through Travelport+ and our other industry initatives like Travelport Accelerator, the Travelport NDC Leadership Council, and other events that we tailor around aspects of modern retailing.

Modern retailing isn’t just a buzzword to us. It’s something we’re really passionate about. Frankly, we built a whole new platform to enable it — that’s how serious we are about it. We don’t want travel to be the late adopters anymore. And we don’t want customers to feel like they’re standing confused in the aisle of a Target, unable to make up their minds. Travel retailing is broken, but we’re fixing it. So stay tuned for more.

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The new battleground in travel retail https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-new-battleground-in-travel-retail/ Wed, 01 Sep 2021 01:49:37 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=676355 The post The new battleground in travel retail appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Many holiday-starved travelers will get to the end of the booking process, only to discover the deal they thought they were getting has vanished. In its place - a long list of hidden costs.

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As international travel gradually opens up, many holiday-starved travellers will start eagerly planning their first trip in many months, if not years. And many holiday-starved travellers will get to the end of the booking process, only to discover the deal they thought they were getting has vanished. In its place – a long list of hidden costs.

It could be the airfare which slaps you with additional fees to carry a bag onboard. Or perhaps the processing fee to use any credit card other than the airline’s co-branded one. It might be that club access isn’t actually included in the too-good-to-be-true rate for your club room. Every traveller has almost certainly experienced some hidden cost or another when presented with their final bills.

Chua Hui Wan, Head of Agency Sales for Asia Pacific, Travelport

While it will hardly come as a shock to learn people loathe these clandestine charges, what is perhaps surprising is just how much travellers hate them. So much so, in fact, winning over consumers’ trust now hinges more on price transparency than even long-term safety records. You read that right: Right now, travellers care about price transparency more than safety.

This is what we discovered when we surveyed 11,000 travellers around the world (almost half of them in Asia) to find out what they trust about the travel industry, and—importantly—what they don’t. The research results were overwhelming: Consumers are tired of having their pockets shaken down or feeling like they’ve been baited-and-switched.

Nowhere were trust issues more apparent in our research than in New Zealand and Australia, where the study revealed a huge chasm between expectation and performance. Price transparency and fully flexible or refundable tickets were ranked as the top two most influential factors over whether to trust a travel firm. However, the same travellers rated industry performance in these areas 40% lower than the score they gave our industry for the things we need to do to win their trust.

Pricing transparency may soon replace Covid health and safety measures as the next big battleground for retailers as travel resumes.

75% of those surveyed globally also told us they felt their trust had been broken more than once by a travel business. The takeaway is clear: Our industry cannot view pent-up demand as a guarantee of bums-on-seats. Pricing transparency may soon replace Covid health and safety measures as the next big battleground for retailers as travel resumes. The appearance of affordability is misleading, and the illusion is starting to wear thin.

Part of the ongoing issue with hidden fees is everyone is doing it, leaving retailers who maintain complete transparency at a distinct disadvantage. Higher prices up front mean appearing further down in search results, which means lower chances for conversion (even if the overall cost is lower than those less-transparent results that rank high in the search). And, given how impactful we know search rankings are on revenue, broken trust tends to be written off as an unfortunate, but unavoidable cost of doing business.

However, the data proves it is not.

Restoring trust is often far simpler than people think. It starts with better merchandising and retailing. It doesn’t mean discontinuing basic fares, but they must be accompanied by restriction disclosures, so travellers can manage expectations about what is and isn’t included. Make it clear a rate is non-refundable, seat selection is extra or no bags are included. And above all, get the right product to the right customer.

Four out of five times the product the customer needs is not the cheapest. This means travel businesses must master the upsell effectively and cross-sell relevant extras at the right time (without breaking trust).

Technology must be upgraded for the industry to be able to do this. Progress must be genuine and consumer-centric. Upselling and cross-selling must demonstrate immediate, relevant value—not only to the seller, but also to the buyer. And those wondering if they can simply build a more sophisticated form of trickery should think again.

Trust is earned, and companies that continue to squeeze consumers’ wallets via hidden costs are playing the short game. These companies will eventually struggle to engage those seeking a value exchange that better reflects the realities of a post-pandemic world.

Travellers are itching to get away. We in the industry need to do our best to remind them of the magic of travel, not the annoyances.

Chua Hui Wan is Travelport’s Head of Agency Sales for Asia Pacific.

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Upper,View,Of,Elegant,Woman,In,White,Pants,And,Striped Chua Huiwan, Head of Agency Sales, Asia Pacific, Travelport2
Travelport+: When simple is best https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-when-simple-is-best/ Tue, 01 Jun 2021 23:00:59 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=671072 The post Travelport+: When simple is best appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

With the aim to be the best multi-source content aggregator in the world, the new Travelport+ is the key to modern travel retailing.

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With the aim to be the best multi-source content aggregator in the world, the new Travelport+ is the key to modern travel retailing.

GDSs are essential in the travel industry bridging suppliers and distributors, but despite their importance, technological improvements are slow. Traditionally, GDS terminals are usually retro-style, outdated and not very user-friendly.

“The systems of the past were all built around the original requirements … that they were created for airlines specifically. And certainly, travel retailing has gone beyond airlines at this point, yet some of the underlying data structures are really still tied in what was called the PNR – passenger name record,” Travelport CEO Greg Webb said.

When the buying process is too complex, it takes the joy out of shopping and customers tend to just give up. Yes, customers want as many options as possible to ensure they book the best trip from trusted suppliers and get value for money. What customers do not want are complicated, maze-like systems. That is why the new Travelport+ is a platform that allows users to filter through this myriad of options from thousands of suppliers with a few taps on the computer.

Here’s what is new in Travelport+:

Content-rich

Travelport+ will pool all relevant content from various sources. It will also offer tools to customise the new content in a way that optimises revenue and enabling more efficient management of the individual components of the journey.

This way, agencies get fast access to the widest range of targeted offers that are ready to sell and easy to understand, regardless of source.

Selling, upgraded

Travelport went back to GDSs ultimate role in travel – to make it easier for suppliers to sell their products. Travelport+ makes retailing easier, faster, and more profitable for everyone. Applying NDC capabilities, suppliers can personalise offers that mirror suppliers’ direct channels.

With the new interface, agencies can easily find, compare, and sell the right offer, at the right time, at the right price. There is no need to wrestle with the platform, spending a large amount of time planning a trip.

Value for all

Travelport aims for a solution where everyone benefits. Travelport+ is designed so suppliers will obtain more data and insights, which can be used to improve products and offers for potential revenue; and agencies receive better business intelligence, increased support, and time-saving tools like automated exchanges and traveller self-service. The end result is: Whisking happy customers where they want to go.

Travel shopping should be an easy and personalised experience. It is not enough that one can access all the available air, hotel, car and rail offers, we should be able to offer the customer what they don’t yet know they want. A platform with capabilities made to adapt and embrace changes like NDC and beyond is badly needed by the travel industry.

Yes, travel is complex, but it shouldn’t be for travellers. Times and people’s buying habits change, and so must we.

Learn more about TRAVELPORT+

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Travelport+: When simple is best With the aim to be the best multi-source content aggregator in the world, the new Travelport+ is the key to modern travel retailing. Travelport,GDS,travelport+ Successful,Young,Businessman,On,A,Beach.,Man,Standing,In,The travelport
Rebranded: Travelport has striking new visual identity https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/rebranded-travelport-has-striking-new-visual-identity/ Wed, 24 Feb 2021 06:08:15 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=575012 The post Rebranded: Travelport has striking new visual identity appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Worldwide travel retail platform, Travelport, today launched a bold and distinct new visual identity, which has been created as part of the company’s first ever end-to-end rebrand

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The post Rebranded: Travelport has striking new visual identity appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Worldwide travel retail platform, Travelport, today launched a bold and distinct new visual identity, which has been created as part of the company’s first ever end-to-end rebrand.

“Travelport has transformed. We are now fully focused on what we do best – connecting buyers and sellers that share our passion for delivering exceptional travel experiences. We are also embracing our strengths – our agility, our independence and our ability to make the bold long-term decisions needed to simplify travel’s complex ecosystem. Our new brand reflects all this – who we’ve become, through our investments in the right people, products and technology and our vision for the future, as we get ready for a year of significant advances for Travelport. We’re proud to show it to the world today and are looking forward to following it up very soon with the launch our next-generation platform, which will change the game in travel retailing,” said Greg Webb, chief executive officer of Travelport.

Travelport’s rebrand was overseen by Greg Webb and chief marketing officer, Jen Catto, who joined the company in September 2020. “This is a holistic rebrand”, said Catto. “While we’ve kept the essence of what makes Travelport great, we’ve refined our vision, what we stand for, how we act, how we look and how we market our business. Most importantly, this is a new promise we’re making to our customers; we’ll work harder for you than anyone else to build a better, simpler and smarter future for travel retailing.”

Travelport’s new visual identity can already be seen on its website and social media channels, which now include Instagram. The full rebrand of all assets, including products and office spaces, will be completed in the coming months.

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Rebranded: Travelport has striking new visual identity Travelport launched a bold new visual identity, which has been created as part of the company’s first ever end-to-end rebrand Travelport,Greg Webb,Jen Catto,Travelport Travelport Concept Pack
Travelport listens to the needs of agencies with new ‘real time’ information tool https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-listens-to-the-needs-of-agencies-with-new-real-time-information-tool/ Wed, 15 Jul 2020 02:19:34 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=553518 The post Travelport listens to the needs of agencies with new ‘real time’ information tool appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

British travel tech firm Travelport has launched the Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin. The plugin provides travel agencies with the latest information on government restrictions, lockdowns and safety measures across the globe.

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Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin (1)

British travel tech firm Travelport has launched the Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin. The plugin provides travel agencies with the latest information on government restrictions, lockdowns and safety measures across the globe – all within the agent workflow.

The new tool provides detailed information on a range of topics, including:  lockdown rules, entry requirements and quarantine measures for travellers. Country-level information can be displayed at the click of a button, allowing agents to advise their customers easily and instantly.

Kyle Moore, Global Head of Customer Strategy and Marketing, Travelport, said: “The travel ecosystem today is probably the most complex it has ever been, with government, airline, and hotel policies in every country constantly-changing. We’re making sure our agent partners no longer need to constantly leave their workflow to search for accurate and up-to-date information – greatly improving their efficiency in servicing their traveller customers.”

“Listening to the needs of the industry”

The information in the Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin is provided by global travel safety intelligence provider, Safeture, and is updated daily. “Our collaboration with Travelport will provide millions of travellers with the information they need to make informed decisions. With travel showing signs of a long-awaited recovery, creating this sense of security will be key to the reopening of economies and societies,” commented Magnus Hultman, Chief Executive Officer of Safeture.

“Working with the Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin will allow our consultants to advise our customers with up-to-date destination information regarding this pandemic straight from the Smartpoint desktop. Travelport has turned this around quickly. It is great to know they are listening to the needs of the industry and are prepared to supply new leading-edge tools that can help aid recovery,” said Colin Boddy, Group Commercial Director, Meon Valley Travel Group.

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Travelport listens to the needs of agencies with new 'real time' information tool Travelport has launched the Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin. The plugin provides travel agencies with the latest information on government... Travelport,Kyle Moore,Meon Valley Travel Group,Magnus Hultman,Safeture,Travelport Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin (1) Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin (1)
Millennial business travellers push the future of corporate travel https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/millennial-business-traveller-push-the-future-of-corporate-travel/ Wed, 11 Mar 2020 03:50:17 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=543168 The post Millennial business travellers push the future of corporate travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

UK based travel techspert Travelport has published data which suggests millennial travellers are driving corporate travel towards a post-digital era in Asia Pacific (APAC) as their exceptionally high use of digital channels is being met by mounting frustrations with existing offerings. According to the study, more millennial business travellers in APAC use a mobile device […]

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UK based travel techspert Travelport has published data which suggests millennial travellers are driving corporate travel towards a post-digital era in Asia Pacific (APAC) as their exceptionally high use of digital channels is being met by mounting frustrations with existing offerings.

According to the study, more millennial business travellers in APAC use a mobile device when researching (68%) and booking (67%) a trip than in any other region worldwide. Use is second highest in North America (64% and 55%, respectively) and lowest in Europe (54% and 45%, respectively). One third (36%) of millennial business travellers in APAC even now claim they use mobile devices to both book and pay for ‘every trip’.

“Millennial travellers in APAC are now heavily using digital channels in all stages of business travel”

In addition, the research revealed that more millennial business travellers in APAC are turning to travel booking sites to help them discover ‘bleisure’ experiences (45%) than in any other region. Once again, North America (41%) ranks second and use is lowest in Europe (26%).

The study also revealed, however, that millennial business travellers in APAC have a growing list of pain points with current digital offerings. Around half, for example, are still left frustrated by companies not giving them access to their booking information on all of their mobile devices (53%), not using data to remember their preferences (45%) and not giving them the option of booking everything in one place (48%).

Travelport’s Mark Meehan, group vice president and managing director of APACMEA, said: “Millennial travellers in APAC are now heavily using digital channels in all stages of business travel. This high use, however, is being matched by increasing frustrations with existing offerings, which indicates corporate travel in the region is on the verge of leaving the digital age and entering the post-digital era. In this new era, sellers of corporate travel need to use digital channels to deliver value in more modern and sophisticated ways. This could be by solving more complex problems, enhancing personalization or more proactively meeting millennials’ needs for memorable bleisure experiences.”

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Travelport’s hattrick heroes https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelports-hattrick-heroes/ Wed, 04 Mar 2020 05:24:48 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=539648 The post Travelport’s hattrick heroes appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

UK based travel tech firm Travelport has announced three new deals with airlines in the Asia Pacific region. The hattrick of multiyear agreements with Fly Corporate (Australia), Fly Pelican (Australia) and Air Chathams (New Zealand), will see all three carriers gain access to more than 68,000 agencies servicing hundreds of millions of travellers around the […]

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UK based travel tech firm Travelport has announced three new deals with airlines in the Asia Pacific region.

The hattrick of multiyear agreements with Fly Corporate (Australia), Fly Pelican (Australia) and Air Chathams (New Zealand), will see all three carriers gain access to more than 68,000 agencies servicing hundreds of millions of travellers around the world with real-time access to search, sell, and book their content and inventory.

Fly Corporate

Andrew Major, CEO of Fly Corporate, commented: “We are delighted to form this partnership with Travelport. Its pioneering travel commerce platform is well-positioned to support our ambitious growth objectives. Aiming to be an airline of choice for regional communities, we regard technology as an essential component of our growth strategy. I believe this partnership will help us seize more business opportunities and sufficiently fulfill the demand of our passengers.”

Chris Ramm, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Air Partners at Travelport, said: “We are excited to welcome three more carriers to join us in the Pacific region, where we have a strong presence in both the airline and agency sectors. 2020 will be a year of both challenges and opportunities to the regional travel industry. We are fully prepared to help our partners grow and prosper leveraging our global network, innovative technologies and seamless support.”

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Travelport bags five in APAC https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-bags-five-in-apac/ Tue, 18 Feb 2020 10:40:43 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=537152 The post Travelport bags five in APAC appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

UK based travel tech firm Travelport announced new partnerships with five airlines today.  The announcement flows the signing of multi-year agreements with Regional Express (Australia), Solomon Airlines (Solomon Islands), Air Vanuatu (Vanuatu), Samoa Airways (Samoa) and Air Tahiti Nui (French Polynesia). The upgraded contracts will see the Pacific region airlines extend their relationships with Travelport, […]

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UK based travel tech firm Travelport announced new partnerships with five airlines today. 

The announcement flows the signing of multi-year agreements with Regional Express (Australia), Solomon Airlines (Solomon Islands), Air Vanuatu (Vanuatu), Samoa Airways (Samoa) and Air Tahiti Nui (French Polynesia).

Solomon Airlines flies its Airbus A320 to Vanuatu
Solomon Airlines

The upgraded contracts will see the Pacific region airlines extend their relationships with Travelport, supporting them with access to in excess of 68,000 agencies worldwide and reaching hundreds of millions of potential customers.

Brett Gebers, CEO of Solomon Airlines, said: “We are delighted to continue the collaboration with Travelport, which has been a trustworthy partner of ours. The pioneering platform and solutions of Travelport have provided strong support for our growth and we look forward to commencing the new phase of our partnership.”

“We already have a strong presence in Australia and New Zealand”

Chris Ramm, vice president for Asia Pacific, air partners at Travelport, said: “The increasing appeal of the Pacific to global travellers has given us great confidence to further explore this region.

We already have a strong presence in Australia and New Zealand, and have been gradually expanding our ties with Pacific Island airlines. We believe the ongoing or planned fleet renewal and infrastructure development by these carriers will significantly rejuvenate the regional tourism sector.”

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easyJet targets diversified traveller growth https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/easyjet-targets-diversified-traveller-growth/ Mon, 03 Feb 2020 10:47:54 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=535045 The post easyJet targets diversified traveller growth appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

easyJet has announced the renewal of its long-standing content partnership with Travelport. Travel agencies around the world will continue to benefit from real-time access to the airline’s range of fares through the company’s technology platform, Travelport Smartpoint. The airline will also benefit from access to the full suite of Travelport’s digital media merchandising solutions in […]

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easyJet has announced the renewal of its long-standing content partnership with Travelport. Travel agencies around the world will continue to benefit from real-time access to the airline’s range of fares through the company’s technology platform, Travelport Smartpoint.

The airline will also benefit from access to the full suite of Travelport’s digital media merchandising solutions in line with its strategy to refine and diversify the way it targets business and leisure travellers.

Thomas Haagensen, group markets director at easyJet said: “Having been one of the first airlines in the low-cost sector to make its inventory available through global distributor, Travelport, we continue to deliver on our strategy to increase our appeal, especially to the business travel sector and are pleased to have renewed our partnership.” The airline will remain among the 300 airlines that utilise Travelport’s innovative merchandising tool, Travelport Rich Content and Branding.

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Digital experience is deal breaker for millennial travellers https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/digital-experience-is-deal-breaker-for-millennial-travellers/ Mon, 03 Feb 2020 10:27:23 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=535038 The post Digital experience is deal breaker for millennial travellers appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The recent Global Digital Traveller Research 2019 by Travelport highlighted that millennials in India seek a premium digital experience across all aspects of travel. Another key finding was that travellers in India want and expect travel providers to help them personalise their experience seamlessly. The research surveyed 23,000 people from 20 countries; including 2000 from […]

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The post Digital experience is deal breaker for millennial travellers appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The recent Global Digital Traveller Research 2019 by Travelport highlighted that millennials in India seek a premium digital experience across all aspects of travel. Another key finding was that travellers in India want and expect travel providers to help them personalise their experience seamlessly.

The research surveyed 23,000 people from 20 countries; including 2000 from India of which 1,526 were millennials (in the age group of 20-39 years). It revealed that Indian millennial travellers were one of the world’s most likely (84%, above the global average of 71%) to consider it important that an airline offers a good digital experience – for instance, offering online check-in and gate information.

Similarly, Indian millennials were the world’s most likely to consider the digital experience when booking hotels (e.g. having a room key on their smartphones) – 82% in India considered it important, well above the global average of 58%.

Sandeep Dwivedi, chief operating officer (COO) of InterGlobe Technology Quotient said: “The findings of the research clearly establishes that Indian millennials have a strong penchant for a superior digital experience while planning their travel. The travel ecosystem in India is headed towards a digital-first future and we, working with Travelport, are committed to innovate and develop solutions that can help the industry cater to the expectations of the modern traveller.”

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Air India: Sabre out, Amadeus in. https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-india-sabre-out-amadeus-in/ Tue, 07 Jan 2020 06:00:01 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=532007 The post Air India: Sabre out, Amadeus in. appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Following the news yesterday that Air India ditched American firm Sabre as its GDS provider after two decades, rival company Amadeus announced a new deal to roll out the full range of the airline’s international content. The development sees the carrier return to Amadeus after its decision to switch to Travelport last year. The new […]

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The post Air India: Sabre out, Amadeus in. appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Following the news yesterday that Air India ditched American firm Sabre as its GDS provider after two decades, rival company Amadeus announced a new deal to roll out the full range of the airline’s international content.

The development sees the carrier return to Amadeus after its decision to switch to Travelport last year.

The new distribution deal with Amadeus could be seen as a potential blow to Sabre, but industry insiders say the deal is nothing more than a coincidence of timing and it’s just as likely we could wake up tomorrow with news that Air India has signed a new partnership with Sabre as well, as not. Make of that as you will.

With the exclusivity clause of Travelport’s 2018 deal with Air India in effect, Amadeus affiliated global sellers will be able to distribute the carriers full selection of international and domestic content. Whereas, India based TA’s will have access to the airline’s international content only. An example, for those not familiar with the ins and outs of GDS contract law, would be if a travel agency in India wants to book a flight on a GDS Delhi to Mumbai they can only see these fares on Travelport’s platform. But, for the return portion of the journey Delhi to London, agents will see it on both Amadeus and Travelport.

Discussing the announcement Meenakshi Mallik, Air India’s commercial director,  didn’t give much away: “We are pleased to renew our relationship with Amadeus to support our growth strategy globally and hope that this is the first step in our new journey together. We look forward to working closer with Amadeus to support agencies and travellers in the future.”

Cyril Tetaz, executive vice president of airlines in Asia Pacific for Amadeus said: “We are glad to once again work with Air India and play a positive role in the airline’s growth strategy. Amadeus’ simple, open and agile system will allow Air India to innovate, experiment and collaborate to create new products which will add value to customers and create upsell or cross-sell opportunities.”

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‘Ambitious plans for growth and development’: Travelport unveils new CFO https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ambitious-plans-for-growth-and-development-travelport-unveils-new-cfo/ Tue, 19 Nov 2019 05:35:41 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=528454 The post ‘Ambitious plans for growth and development’: Travelport unveils new CFO appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced Nick Bray as its new chief financial officer.  As CFO Bray will play a fundamental role in the execution of Travelport’s strategy, focused on a strong business partnership approach and process excellence across the finance organization. Most recently, Mr Bray was CFO of Sophos, a role he held for nine years. Commenting […]

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Nick Bray

Travelport has announced Nick Bray as its new chief financial officer.  As CFO Bray will play a fundamental role in the execution of Travelport’s strategy, focused on a strong business partnership approach and process excellence across the finance organization. Most recently, Mr Bray was CFO of Sophos, a role he held for nine years.

Commenting on the appointment, Greg Webb, CEO of Travelport said: “Nick has impressive commercial and growth credentials. He has extensive international and operational skills combined with significant public company and private equity experience. We are very much looking forward to him joining the team in this new era for Travelport.”

The new CFO said: “It’s an exciting time to be joining Travelport, a truly global company with ambitious plans for its growth and development. I look forward to working with Greg, the executive management team and our colleagues in my new role.”

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Nick-Bray Travelport Nick Bray
eSports and the quest for personalisation: Is the travel industry missing a trick? https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/esports-and-the-quest-for-personalisation-is-the-travel-industry-missing-a-trick/ Mon, 11 Nov 2019 09:12:28 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=527648 The post eSports and the quest for personalisation: Is the travel industry missing a trick? appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

With the final of another blockbuster esports tournament concluding yesterday, travel companies are missing out on a huge business opportunity and a unique chance to differentiate personalisation efforts, writes Rob Brown, global vice president and managing director, online business group at Travelport. There are 20,300 seats at the Accorhotels Arena in Paris. And they were […]

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The post eSports and the quest for personalisation: Is the travel industry missing a trick? appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

With the final of another blockbuster esports tournament concluding yesterday, travel companies are missing out on a huge business opportunity and a unique chance to differentiate personalisation efforts, writes Rob Brown, global vice president and managing director, online business group at Travelport.

Rob Brown

There are 20,300 seats at the Accorhotels Arena in Paris. And they were all filled with thousands of esports fans, many of whom had travelled vast distances around the world and paid between EUR40-80 just for an entry ticket to the final of this year’s League of Legends tournament.

And when it comes to the commercial impact emerging from this and other multi-million-dollar esports opportunities, everyone seems to be getting in on the act—everyone, that is, except the travel industry.

League of Legends final, Paris 2019.

The meteoric rise of esports has thrust the industry into the news and broadcast agendas of the world’s biggest media outlets. International competitions have been broadcast globally by the likes of ESPN and NBC, and have sold-out some of the world’s most recognisable arenas—think Madison Square Gardens.

Dedicated arenas are springing up in cities all over the globe, as investors attempt to maintain pace with demand from travelling fans for a front-row piece of the action when the world’s gaming elite go head-to-head. Marvel Entertainment and Disney have signed eye-watering commercial deals and Intel has also partnered with Tokyo 2020 to run two major tournaments alongside next year’s Olympic Games.

“One of the biggest live tournaments on the planet”

Yet, while our analysts identified a 20% spike in solo travellers making weekend bookings to Seoul and Busan ahead of the 2018 League of Legends World Championship—arguably one of the biggest live tournaments on the planet—few, if any, travel businesses are proactively targeting these travellers.

The stats painted a similar picture in Vancouver in 2018, where we witnessed a 40% rise among solo, weekend and group travellers before and during The International, a major esports event organised by the creators of DOTA 2. And with prizes reaching into the millions of dollars, interest shows no sign of abating as the 2019 League of Legends Championship races towards its dramatic finale on 10 November.

How big is the video gaming opportunity?

The reason why travel brands aren’t engaging esports travellers isn’t exactly clear but is likely to revolve around perceptions of video gaming as an armchair activity watched from living rooms and basements.

Many esports enthusiasts are also committed gamers and are notoriously resistant to advertising as we know it—and they’re incredibly territorial about the games they are prepared to play and watch. Market research company Newzoo estimates that 70% of esports gamers are only interested in watching one game, while their research revealed how 42% of viewers don’t play the games they watch.

“Revenue generated by the video games market will pass USD30 billion”

However, millions more watch esports casually and don’t necessarily share the same characteristics as the gamer audience, making personalisation even more critical for those looking to build a connection.

Those who do venture into the world of spectator esports can expect to find huge opportunities and, for the moment, very little competition. In a recent Global Entertainment & Media Outlook, PwC suggested the revenue generated by the video games market will pass USD30 billion within the US alone by 2023.

That’s over six times the revenue of China’s largest online travel agency, Ctrip, and it doesn’t stop there either. The management consultant’s five-year forecast for esports specifically, includes annual growth forecasts of more than 18.3%, making it by far the fastest-growing segment in gaming globally.

Understanding what esports travellers want

Like all personalisation efforts, securing bookings from esports travellers requires knowledge of what motivates enthusiasts and passive audiences to travel to an event, as well as where they can be found.

Platforms like Amazon’s Twitch have become more popular than mainstream broadcasters like ESPN and NBC among those choosing to watch online, with global audiences are set to swell by an additional 200 million by 2020. Can these audiences be enticed into arrivals?

In the search for answers to this question, travel brands can learn a lot from the way the video gaming industry has developed into the best example of personalisation in the world, through the use of ideas like customisable characters or countless features that can be purchased in-game, among other things.

When combined with data from 14 billion monthly shopping searches processed by Travelport systems, insights like these are likely to be especially useful for online travel agencies who despite collecting more data than ever before, have traditionally found creating a tailored experience far easier said than done.

Engagement

According to recent research from Adobe’s 2018 Digital Transformation Report, only 36% of travel executives rated their personalisation efforts as four or five on a scale of one to five. Our own research, is helping to turn this tide by providing our partners business intelligence generated by over USD89 billion worth of annual travel spend and helping them turn this into an actionable basis for their strategic investment decisions.

“Uniquely memorable”

In the case of esports, this means building out engagement plans that reflect the lengths that travelling fans will go for the experience of being at a live event and lead times that can range from seven to 30 days, depending on the likelihood of a team’s success and the results of qualification and knock-out stages.

This approach is central to creating any uniquely memorable travel experience and will only grow in importance as we transition to a customer-centric world packed full of new motivations to travel.

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Rob Brown, Global Vice President and Managing Director, Online Business Group at Travelport league of legends esport league of legends esports2
Travelport brings together Priceline, Qantas and United at NDC Leadership Council https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-brings-together-priceline-qantas-and-united-at-ndc-leadership-council/ Wed, 25 Sep 2019 01:39:06 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=520997 The post Travelport brings together Priceline, Qantas and United at NDC Leadership Council appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has rolled-out the findings discussed in the September meeting of its NDC (New Distribution Capability) Leadership Council, where Qantas and United Airlines representatives met with teams from American Express Global Business Travel, BCD Travel, DNATA Travel and Priceline  The NDC Leadership Council brings together leaders from airlines, travel agencies, travel management companies and corporations with Travelport’s own technology, product and […]

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The post Travelport brings together Priceline, Qantas and United at NDC Leadership Council appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has rolled-out the findings discussed in the September meeting of its NDC (New Distribution Capability) Leadership Council, where Qantas and United Airlines representatives met with teams from American Express Global Business Travel, BCD Travel, DNATA Travel and Priceline 

The NDC Leadership Council brings together leaders from airlines, travel agencies, travel management companies and corporations with Travelport’s own technology, product and air commerce teams to discuss NDC developments and technical considerations necessary to successfully implement NDC across the travel industry.

As a result of their discussions, the NDC Leadership Council identified focus areas to ensure the development of an NDC solution that is able to operate at scale across the travel industry. The topics discussed included:

  • Architecture and technology representatives will consider the opportunities and challenges of NDC, including latency and asynchronous search with the aim to tackle issues before they arise.
  • Given the complexity of deploying NDC for certain travel intermediaries, the NDC Leadership Council will also evaluate how to eliminate roadblocks in making technical changes for those intermediaries, for example, consolidators.

Commenting on the actions resulting from this meeting, Ian Heywood, global head of New Distribution at Travelport said: “Our NDC Leadership Council is focused on discussing best practices in the implementation of NDC and committed to sharing the learnings from our discussions with a wide audience.

NDC will be most beneficial if it works for all parts of the travel industry so getting a group of leaders together to identify developments is a productive way to continue to drive the NDC conversation and for airlines, travel intermediaries, corporate partners, and consumers to fully realise the potential benefits of NDC. We’re grateful to our airline, agency and corporate partners for lending both their time and their expertise to the Council.”

The NDC Leadership Council meets three times each year. The next meeting will take place later in 2019.

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Travelport signs decade-long partnership with Edwardian Hotels London https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-signs-decade-long-partnership-with-edwardian-hotels-london/ Tue, 03 Sep 2019 13:52:52 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=518605 The post Travelport signs decade-long partnership with Edwardian Hotels London appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a long-term agreement with Edwardian Hotels London. The contract represents the largest hotel partnership of its kind managed by Travelport’s digital media solutions team in Europe and will see the tech giant deliver an expanded digital advertising programme to Edwardian. Support will include the launch of the group’s super hotel, the Londoner, […]

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The post Travelport signs decade-long partnership with Edwardian Hotels London appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a long-term agreement with Edwardian Hotels London. The contract represents the largest hotel partnership of its kind managed by Travelport’s digital media solutions team in Europe and will see the tech giant deliver an expanded digital advertising programme to Edwardian.

Support will include the launch of the group’s super hotel, the Londoner, in 2020. As part of the agreement, Edwardian Hotels London is set to become Travelport’s first and a prime hotel research and development partner, giving the organisation access to Travelport’s business intelligence, data, mobile and hospitality teams.

This status will enable both organisations to test and pilot new products and initiatives, and work is already underway to boost engagement with travellers via advanced data traveller insights and mobility platforms.

Jason Clarke, senior vice president and managing director of Travel Partners at Travelport said: “This new long-term agreement is testament to the value that our travel partners place in the solutions we provide at Travelport. Our ability to communicate compelling messages that support travel agents at every stage of the booking process was central to our discussions about areas where our digital media solutions team could add commercial value.”

Edwardian Hotels London will also become an innovation and local marketing partner across its properties in London and Manchester and will take part in commercial conferences to raise awareness of its portfolio among Travelport’s international agency network.

Travelport’s dedicated Edwardian Hotels London team will adopt an ‘always on’ approach to the new partnership, delivering bespoke curated messaging at the right time to the right audiences. This strategy has been implemented to secure healthy year-on-year growth across the hospitality group’s UK portfolio.

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“Positioned to grow”: Qantas new SVP of Asia talks market share, cabin upgrades and the Qantas Channel https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/positioned-to-grow-qantas-new-svp-of-asia-talks/ Mon, 02 Sep 2019 07:02:45 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=518366 The post “Positioned to grow”: Qantas new SVP of Asia talks market share, cabin upgrades and the Qantas Channel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Back at the end of June, Qantas unveiled John Simeone as its new senior vice president for Asia and Papua New Guinea, based in Singapore. To find out more about the new role, I snatched a few minutes with the seasoned executive to discuss plans to increase profits in the region, the upcoming cabin upgrade on the A380 and  the new booking platform, Qantas Channel.

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The post “Positioned to grow”: Qantas new SVP of Asia talks market share, cabin upgrades and the Qantas Channel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qantas Airbus A380

Back at the end of June, Qantas unveiled John Simeone as its new senior vice president for Asia and Papua New Guinea, based in Singapore. With a remit to guide the Aussie airline’s commercial, financial and operational performance across Asia (not including Japan), Simeone has moved from his previous role, as Qantas head of business and government sales, to take on the position. 

To find out more about the new role, I snatched a few minutes with the seasoned executive to discuss plans to increase profits in the region, the upcoming cabin upgrade on the A380 and  the new booking platform, Qantas Channel.

A smooth segue

John Simeone

First up, how does your new role differ from your previous position?

I have recently moved to Singapore to lead Qantas’ business across Asia. I was previously based in Sydney where I looked after Qantas’ sales to major corporates and the Australian Government on both international and domestic networks.

Asia is an incredibly important region to Qantas, with Singapore being Qantas’ largest hub outside of Australia. I join the team in Singapore at a particularly exciting time. We have recently opened our Business Lounge at Singapore Changi and a new First Lounge will follow in November. The Airbus A380, which flies through Singapore, is undergoing a major cabin upgrade, with the first aircraft of our fleet to be in service in September.

Has the transition been a smooth segue or a steep learning curve?

Travel is a complex and rapidly evolving industry, so there is always something new to learn. I am fortunate to work with a great team in Asia, and with the strong support of our people at our Sydney HQ, I believe we are well positioned to seize the growth opportunities offered by Asia.

What are the personal qualities, which you think, will make you a success as the new senior vice president?

Having worked in aviation for 25 years in a variety of roles, including Network Scheduling, Pricing and Yield, Tourism Development and Crew Operations, I think that humility and the willingness to keep learning are critical to succeed in an ever-changing environment.  I have always been a people-focused leader, I enjoy coaching and developing capability within my team. Together with my leadership team, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment and making Qantas in Asia a great place to work.

“50% of the 9.3 million international visitors to Australia came from Asia”

What excites you most about the role?

The growth opportunities offered by this region are very exciting. Research shows that Asia Pacific is set to lead the growth of global passengers, making up nearly half of the world’s air travellers by 2037. Asia is also a key inbound market for Australia. In the year ending March 2019, 50% of the 9.3 million international visitors to Australia came from Asia. We want to take advantage of this. And with around 50 percent of the Qantas Group’s international capacity dedicated to Asia (up from 30% eight years ago), we are well positioned to grow our business in Asia.

Market development

Bondi Beach

What plans do you have in place to maximize Qantas commercial potential in Asia?

First, we will continue to leverage our Singapore hub which offers a great solution for customers travelling beyond through Asia, and to London and Europe (including with our codeshares with Finnair and KLM). With Jetstar Asia and our other codeshare partners, we offer great connectivity across the region.

Across Asia, we are also working closely with Australia’s state tourism organisations to attract more international visitors to Australia. For example, our latest marketing campaign Qantas Passenger Perks offers exclusive discounts on iconic Australian activities to customers flying with Qantas, including 20% off Bridge Climb Sydney to 30% off a surf lesson at the iconic Bondi Beach.

On the distribution side, we are closely working with our travel agents and our GDS partners across Asia to modernise the way agencies book fares and deliver personalised experiences to customers through the Qantas Channel. The launch of the Qantas Channel is pretty exciting and is an important milestone in the transformation of our distribution strategy.

Strategy

How does Asia differ as a market to other regions?

Asia is a diverse region comprising both mature and growth markets. With so many different cultures and consumer behaviors, there is no size one fit all approach in Asia. Each market requires a different strategy to address local specificities and respond to local consumer travel behaviors.

However, there is one characteristic that most consumers share across Asia, they are incredibly digital savvy, which is strongly shaping our marketing approach in the region. We have seen considerable growth in our on-line sales recently, in particular those coming from mobile devices.

Finally, Asia is a vast region, which means we can’t fly to every destination. Having partners like China Eastern is key for us to expand our footprint and serve more customers.

What challenges do you perceive up ahead?

We will continue to manage headwinds including higher oil prices, weaker Australian dollar and instability in some markets. We have the right strategy for Asia, with our Singapore hub services performing strongly, so we are feeling confident about this year ahead.

Lounging

Tell me more about the new First Lounge coming to at Changi Airport

This is a pretty exciting development. With the return of the Singapore hub, we are seeing strong demand for travel in premium cabins and an increase in passengers transiting through Singapore. To respond to this, we announced a multi-million dollar investment in our Singapore lounges which will increase our lounge capacity by 60%. We completed the first phase of the investment with the opening of our expanded Business Lounge at Singapore Changi (above) this month.

And, in November this year, we will be opening our new First Lounge, designed to suit the specific needs of transit travellers, with shower facilities, a cocktail bar, open kitchen and menu offerings reflecting the best of Singapore’s vibrant dining culture. Singapore will join Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles as Qantas ports with a dedicated First Lounge (below). Both lounges combined will offer seating for more than 800 customers.

And the upcoming the cabin upgrade on the A380?

There is a lot happening at Qantas this year! A major cabin upgrade for our A380 fleet will see a change in the seat mix on our 12 super-jumbos to meet increased customer demand for premium cabins. The business and premium economy seating will be upgraded and our first-class cabin will be refreshed focusing on privacy and comfort. Our first A380 with an upgraded cabin will be in service later this year, stay tuned!

The Qantas Channel

Why is Qantas launching its own channel? What is the knock-on effect to TAs and, finally, the customer?

With the Qantas Channel, we want to empower our agency partners to deliver more enriched and personalised experiences for our mutual customers. Travel agents who have signed up to the Qantas Channel will, over time, be able to offer customers new content, sourced from the NDC-enabled Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP), which is not currently available via traditional indirect booking systems.

Why have you chosen to use Sabre, Amadeus, Travelport, TravelSky instead of just one GDS for Qantas Channel?

We have partnered with all of the major global distribution systems (GDS) to make the Qantas Channel available to agencies globally and we continue to work with other technology partners to deliver the Qantas Channel and QDP content.  Thousands of agencies around the world have signed up to the Qantas Channel, representing around 90% of Qantas’ revenue from trade partners.

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"Positioned to grow": Qantas new SVP of Asia talks market share, cabin upgrades and the Qantas Channel Back at the end of June, Qantas unveiled John Simeone as its new senior vice president for Asia and Papua New Guinea, I snatched a few minutes with the... Travelport,Amadeus,Sabre,Qantas (Qantas Airways Limited),NDC,TravelSky,John Simeone qf-airbus-a380-flying-over-the-cloud-v1 Qantas Airbus A380 is flying over the cloud John-Simeone_QantasInternational Bondi Beach Bondi Beach Qantas-Singapore businees lounge First Lounge ,Changi Airport Qantas NDC
“Frankly, I have two goals when it comes to our payment process”: Travelport gets in on the blockchain gang https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/frankly-i-have-two-goals-when-it-comes-to-our-payment-process-travelport-gets-in-on-the-blockchain-gang/ Wed, 21 Aug 2019 09:41:00 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=517258 The post “Frankly, I have two goals when it comes to our payment process”: Travelport gets in on the blockchain gang appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has revealed it has got in on the blockchain action with an announcement today that it has developed a solution using the trending tech, that will improve the hotel commission reconciliation process.  In partnership with IBM Services and travel management company BCD Travel, as well as a number of hotel chains, the blockchain technology […]

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The post “Frankly, I have two goals when it comes to our payment process”: Travelport gets in on the blockchain gang appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has revealed it has got in on the blockchain action with an announcement today that it has developed a solution using the trending tech, that will improve the hotel commission reconciliation process. 

In partnership with IBM Services and travel management company BCD Travel, as well as a number of hotel chains, the blockchain technology solution aims to optimise hotel commission processing on a distributed ledger by managing reconciliation, tracking and accounting for commission payments owed from hotel chains for services purchased by travellers via booking agencies.

Commenting on the technology, Travelport’s senior product director, Ross Vinograd said: “Blockchain technology applied to commission reconciliation has the potential to deliver real ROI to both a travel agency and the hotel. Traveller modifications at the property, no shows, and complimentary room nights are just a few examples that drive commission discrepancies which in turn generate escalations, cost, and revenue loss. Our aim is to put the lifecycle of a booking on the blockchain and we believe doing so will drive transparency, trust, and ultimately booking volume.”   

Kurt Wedgwood, IBM blockchain leader for Travel, said: “Global distribution companies and providers would benefit from this use of blockchain technology to remove their never-ending work of reconciliation to spend that time adding new experiences and insights for the traveller. Eliminating the hours spent addressing dollars in dispute or the timeliness and accuracy of information allows all participants to focus on what matters most: the traveller.”

 “From my perspective, there are data standardisation issues throughout the ecosystem from all parts,” Dan Stephenson, regional process owner and shared services director at Hyatt commented during the GBTA panel. “One of the things that has attracted me to this particular project, is I see this as a potential solution – one of the only ones that I am aware of that could actually work to solve for some of those standardisation issues. Frankly, I have two goals when it comes to our payment process – that we pay accurately, and that we pay as quickly as we can. The less time we’re all spending thinking about getting to the right answer, the better off we all are.”

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Travelport and Qantas pioneer NDC era https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-and-qantas-pioneer-ndc-era/ Mon, 19 Aug 2019 14:48:36 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=516979 The post Travelport and Qantas pioneer NDC era appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

As the next step in its continuing support for Qantas’ New Distribution Capability (NDC), including the Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP), Travelport, has begun handling its first bookings with IATA’s NDC standard. The bookings are being made through Travelport Smartpoint in a live production test environment as Qantas prepares distribution of differentiated NDC content from late […]

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The post Travelport and Qantas pioneer NDC era appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

As the next step in its continuing support for Qantas’ New Distribution Capability (NDC), including the Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP), Travelport, has begun handling its first bookings with IATA’s NDC standard. The bookings are being made through Travelport Smartpoint in a live production test environment as Qantas prepares distribution of differentiated NDC content from late 2019.

This NDC connection to Qantas is the first by any global distribution system (GDS) to the carrier and enables live bookings of NDC content to be made by selected agency partners taking part in the testing programme, including ATPI Corporate Travel, Globetrotter and Travel Beyond. It comes ahead of a rollout to the wider agency community in the coming months.

The development is part of the airline’s plans for the QDP which is dedicated to offering an improved customer experience through enhanced and personalized content tailored to meet a travellers’ unique needs.

Having been the first GDS to make a live NDC booking in October 2018, Travelport has already connected to five European airlines’ NDC content. It will follow up with an API NDC connection channel through Travelport’s Trip Service API with Qantas’ content among the first to be available through this channel.

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Travelport offers first phase of Next Generation Storefront capability https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-offers-first-phase-of-next-generation-storefront-capability/ Thu, 01 Aug 2019 16:31:03 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=514830 The post Travelport offers first phase of Next Generation Storefront capability appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced that it is actively working with multiple airlines and partners to offer Next Generation Storefront (NGS) capability. NGS is an industry initiative to enable travel agencies to display airfares just like airlines show their branded fares on their own websites. Developed by industry body Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCO), it aims to deliver […]

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The post Travelport offers first phase of Next Generation Storefront capability appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced that it is actively working with multiple airlines and partners to offer Next Generation Storefront (NGS) capability. NGS is an industry initiative to enable travel agencies to display airfares just like airlines show their branded fares on their own websites.

Developed by industry body Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCO), it aims to deliver a richer and more informed shopping experience for travellers. The storefront allows users to compare and choose between multiple branded fare offers and across different airlines’ flights – all on one screen.

Industry partners working with Travelport to pioneer NGS development are WhereTo, an online booking tool, and Travel Technology & Solutions (TTS), a global leading player in the development of innovative solutions for the travel and tourism industry.

As the ATPCO standards continue to evolve, Travelport will facilitate exact comparisons across airlines’ full range of products, whether for online agencies, corporate booking tools or Travelport’s own travel agency desktop solution, Smartpoint. The new displays will show different branded categories such as basic economy, standard economy and economy plus in a single display alongside one another, enabling users to select their preferred branded offer for each leg of their journey.

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India most popular long-haul destination in Asia for UK travellers this summer https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/india-most-popular-long-haul-destination-in-asia-for-uk-travellers-this-summer/ Tue, 23 Jul 2019 00:21:16 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=513090 The post India most popular long-haul destination in Asia for UK travellers this summer appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

India has emerged as the top travel destination in Asia this summer for travellers from the UK, according to an analysis conducted by Travelport. Globally, the US was the top destination while India was the second most popular long-haul destination for UK travellers. As of 14 June, just under 87,000 advanced bookings had been made […]

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The post India most popular long-haul destination in Asia for UK travellers this summer appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

India has emerged as the top travel destination in Asia this summer for travellers from the UK, according to an analysis conducted by Travelport. Globally, the US was the top destination while India was the second most popular long-haul destination for UK travellers.

As of 14 June, just under 87,000 advanced bookings had been made in the UK through all global distribution systems (GDS) for return flights to India scheduled between Friday 28 June 2019 and 8 September 2019. Flight bookings in other Asian countries like Thailand and China stood at 49,137 and 29,870, respectively.

With flight bookings up by 3,402 (13%) year-on-year, China was the fastest-growing top ten long-haul destination for UK travellers compared to the same period the previous year.

Martin Herbert, regional managing director of India and Sri Lanka at Travelport said: “It’s exciting news for Indian tourism to see the country attracting more bookings than both China and Thailand combined. This trend is fuelling increased booking volume and we expect to see it continue in the years to come.”

 

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10 long-haul destinations for UK travellers this summer https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/10-long-haul-destinations-for-uk-travellers-this-summer/ Tue, 16 Jul 2019 00:55:38 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=512042 The post 10 long-haul destinations for UK travellers this summer appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Summer is here and Brits are planning for long haul travel.

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The post 10 long-haul destinations for UK travellers this summer appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Summer is here and Brits are planning for long haul travel.

A research conducted by Travelport found out that the United States, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among the most popular long-haul destinations for travellers in the United Kingdom (UK) this summer.

United States

India

United Arab Emirates

Dubai, UAE - MBLM

Canada

Pakistan

Thailand

China

South Africa

Cape Town - Trafalgar - Acclaim

Australia

Bangladesh

Bangladesh

This data is derived from Travelport’s interpretation of relevant MIDT data. It reflects bookings made in the UK as of 14 June 2019 through GDS only, for return flights between 28 June and 8 September 2019. Additional bookings will have been made directly with airlines, which may or may not also have a GDS presence.

As of 14 June 2019, over 300,000 advanced bookings had been made3 in the UK through all global distribution systems (GDS) for return flights to the US scheduled between 28 June and 8 September. Flight bookings to second place India stood at 86,978. The third most popular long-haul destination, the UAE, had registered 78,761 flight bookings.

With flight bookings up by 3,402 (13%) year-on-year, China was the fastest-growing top ten long-haul destinations for UK travellers compared to the same period the previous year. South Africa had also seen a notable uplift with 1,881 (7%) additional bookings made.

Paul Broughton, Travelport’s vice president and managing director for Northern Europe, said: “Sunny skies, family attractions, natural landmarks and affordable flights make the United States an ever-popular choice for UK travellers over the summer holidays. To put just how popular the country is into perspective, to-date we’ve seen more advanced flight bookings made from the UK to the States over the summer than to the rest of the top five most popular long-haul destinations combined!”

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united states india pic Dubai, UAE Canada’s Rocky Mountains pakistan china1 Cape Town, South Africa Cape Town, South Africa australia shutterstock_122234191 Bangladesh’s hotel supply will more than triple, according to STR Global
China among top long-haul destinations for UK travellers https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-among-top-long-haul-destinations-for-uk-travellers/ Thu, 27 Jun 2019 22:39:47 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=509376 The post China among top long-haul destinations for UK travellers appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China is among the most popular long-haul destinations for travellers in the UK this summer. This was revealed by a recent study by Travelport. As of 14 June 2019, close to 30,000 advanced bookings had been made in the UK through all global distribution systems (GDS) for return flights to China scheduled between 28 June […]

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The post China among top long-haul destinations for UK travellers appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China is among the most popular long-haul destinations for travellers in the UK this summer. This was revealed by a recent study by Travelport. As of 14 June 2019, close to 30,000 advanced bookings had been made in the UK through all global distribution systems (GDS) for return flights to China scheduled between 28 June and 8 September of this year.

With flight bookings up by 3,402 (13%) year-on-year, China was the fastest growing top ten long-haul destinations for UK travellers compared to the same period the previous year. The US is still ranked as the most popular destination with over 300,000 flight bookings.

According to Paul Broughton, vice president and managing director for Northern Europe, Travelport, it was interesting to see China become a top ten long-haul summer destination for UK travellers this year, having sat just outside in 11th place last year. “A study in 2018 claimed it to be the top bucket list travel destination for one in four people in the UK, so interest in the country does seem to be rising. We are starting to see this translate into increased booking volume and I expect this trend to continue in the years to come as more people recognize just how much the country has to offer tourists,” he said.

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Indian business travellers yearns for digital travel solutions, says Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/indian-business-travellers-yearns-for-digital-travel-solutions-says-travelport/ Wed, 26 Jun 2019 21:33:39 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=509137 The post Indian business travellers yearns for digital travel solutions, says Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Tech-savvy business travellers in India are increasingly demanding, as well as using, advanced digital solutions that can enhance their travel experience, according to an independent study commissioned by Travelport, a travel commerce platform. Commenting on the findings of the survey, Martin Herbert, regional managing director for India and Sri Lanka, Travelport, said, “The results clearly […]

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The post Indian business travellers yearns for digital travel solutions, says Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Tech-savvy business travellers in India are increasingly demanding, as well as using, advanced digital solutions that can enhance their travel experience, according to an independent study commissioned by Travelport, a travel commerce platform.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Martin Herbert, regional managing director for India and Sri Lanka, Travelport, said, “The results clearly show that business travellers in India now fully expect airlines, hotels, travel agents, and other companies in the travel ecosystem, to deliver effective and easily accessible support via digital channels throughout their journeys. The immediate areas digital solutions can support are those that are straight-forward or easily automated but companies also need to consider technologies like artificial intelligence-powered chatbots, which can execute more advanced tasks and lead to even greater increases in sales and reductions in operating costs.”

Sandeep Dwivedi, chief operating officer, InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ), Travelport’s operator in six countries across the Asia Pacific region, including India, added, “Digital solutions offer travel agents and travel providers a way to really elevate the customer experience and, in doing so, set themselves apart from their peers. For digital solutions to be successful, they need to compliment physical channels at every stage. This requires careful planning and proven technology but, when executed well, the impact digital solutions can make can be game-changing.”

The research was carried out by Toluna Research and is based on responses from 8,100 regular business travellers across 25 countries. According to the study, titled the Digital Business Traveller Research 2019, in the planning and booking phase, nearly three quarters (72%) of business travellers in India have now used voice search, at some point, to investigate items like flight times, hotel options and the weather at their destinations. Two-thirds (66%) have also researched and booked a business trip entirely on their smartphone.

In addition, three quarters of business travellers in India now feel a good digital experience is ‘very important’ when choosing a hotel (75%) and airline (79%). In fact, 72 per cent actively avoid hotels that still charge for WIFI.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019: Surge in bookings from US as soccer fans head to France https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/fifa-womens-world-cup-2019-surge-in-bookings-from-us-as-soccer-fans-head-to-france/ Mon, 10 Jun 2019 12:54:09 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=506718 The post FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019: Surge in bookings from US as soccer fans head to France appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The overwhelming growth in women’s soccer bodes well for the ongoing World Cup 2019 in France as there has been a staggering rise in tourists this season. The US has significant numbers of travelling fans at the Women’s World Cup 2019, which started on 7 June in France. This was revealed by a recent survey […]

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The overwhelming growth in women’s soccer bodes well for the ongoing World Cup 2019 in France as there has been a staggering rise in tourists this season. The US has significant numbers of travelling fans at the Women’s World Cup 2019, which started on 7 June in France. This was revealed by a recent survey by Travelport.

The volume of advanced flight bookings made through global distribution systems (GDS) to France was analysed and compared to the same period in the previous year.

Of the countries participating in the Women’s World Cup 2019, the greatest growth in flight bookings to France has come from the US (12,989) with more travelling fans than the rest of the other top 10 countries combined. Canada (1,444) had also seen a significant increase with Brazil (910) and South Africa (657) following shortly behind.

Stephen Shurrock, chief commercial officer, Travelport, said: “We’re really excited to see the Women’s World Cup 2019 generate such a global buzz, particularly for the competing nations and in support of the global growth of women’s sports. With a World Cup trophy already to its name and an ever-increasing fan base, it’s not surprising that the US, who are among the favourites to win, has seen a significant surge in flight bookings to France.

“Football has historically been very popular in Brazil and the nation’s optimism for winning this year’s Women’s World Cup doesn’t seem to be any different as it has the third highest number of travelling fans. Hosting the last Women’s World Cup seems to have boosted Canada’s following of the sport but also set the benchmark for this year’s tournament. The 2015 event attracted 1.3 million attendees across the duration of the competition, the highest ever recorded,” he added.

 

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“A vote for diversity, dignity and respect” Travelport commits to gender neutral booking code https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/a-vote-for-diversity-dignity-and-respect-travelport-commits-to-gender-neutral-booking-code/ Thu, 30 May 2019 03:56:10 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=505672 The post “A vote for diversity, dignity and respect” Travelport commits to gender neutral booking code appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced that is set all to use a new booking code for non-binary gender passengers when it kicks into action on 1 June. Coming in the wake of United Airlines decision to run the “X” code, to denote gender neutrality, back in March of this year, Travelport will make the code available to […]

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The post “A vote for diversity, dignity and respect” Travelport commits to gender neutral booking code appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced that is set all to use a new booking code for non-binary gender passengers when it kicks into action on 1 June.

Coming in the wake of United Airlines decision to run the “X” code, to denote gender neutrality, back in March of this year, Travelport will make the code available to all of the 480 airlines on its platform if they wish to use it. Along with United, American Airlines and Delta have also confirmed they are preparing to bring in the new code option, with more carriers to follow.

Discussing the introduction of the new code, Gordon Wilson (below), president and CEO of Travelport said: “As a company committed to diversity and promoting travel for all, we are delighted that the new code for nonbinary gender passengers has now been introduced. We hope more airlines will provide this option to ensure their customers are fully respected and welcomed. For us ‘X’ marks a vote for diversity, dignity and respect.”

Gordon Wilson, Travelport's president & CEO

The new code offers the option to choose “X”, rather than “M” or “F”, when a passenger is required to provide such advance passenger information.  Such information needs to be provided for customers travelling to or in transit to Algeria, Canada, China (except Hong Kong), Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, Syria, Thailand, USA and the United Arab Emirates.

The option to choose “X” will need to be matched with the passenger’s passport or identity document. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Malta, New Zealand, Nepal, The Netherlands and Pakistan already offer an option other than “M” or “F” on passports – in most cases “X”. X passports are approved by the ICAO, the UN agency that regulates international air travel.

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Equality Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO
Fifty global travel agencies sign up for Trip Assist app https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/fifty-global-travel-agencies-sign-up-for-trip-assist-app/ Tue, 28 May 2019 08:25:50 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=505294 The post Fifty global travel agencies sign up for Trip Assist app appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

UK based tech firm and travel commerce platform Travelport, has announced it has signed up 50 new travel agencies clients to its Trip Assist mobile app. The most recent signatories include well-known travel agencies such as CT Travel (UK), Ezfly (Taiwan), Cisalpina Tours (Italy) and Top Viajes (Mexico). The agencies have all signed on the […]

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The post Fifty global travel agencies sign up for Trip Assist app appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

UK based tech firm and travel commerce platform Travelport, has announced it has signed up 50 new travel agencies clients to its Trip Assist mobile app. The most recent signatories include well-known travel agencies such as CT Travel (UK), Ezfly (Taiwan), Cisalpina Tours (Italy) and Top Viajes (Mexico).

The agencies have all signed on the dotted line to gain access to the app, which has been specifically designed to help strengthen traveller interaction, support travel programme compliance and lower overheads by delivering an improved travel experience.

Trip Assist’s rich content is compatible with Apple and Android and includes smart itinerary management, day-of-travel assistance, click-to-call agent support and flexible messaging capabilities including rich push and Facebook Messenger.

Commenting on the growth of Trip Assist, Stephen Shurrock, Travelport’s chief commercial officer, said: “The strong demand for Trip Assist by many of the world’s smartest agencies demonstrates their continuing desire to engage with travellers at all stages of their travel journey.

 

Shurrock added: “It also satisfies the customers’ expectation to have all the information they need to manage their travel experience in a single, easy to use app tailor-made for a device they’re already carrying and using throughout their trip. Trip Assist is a great example of how our platform provides choice, performance, experience and intelligence to our customers and their travellers through unique content and technology.”

According to Travelport’s 2018 global survey of 16,000 travellers, mobile engagement is crucial to both leisure (67%) and business (69%) travellers. They view centralised itinerary management tools, such as Trip Assist, as critical to providing them with a seamless experience from pre-trip to booking and on through until they arrive home.

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Fifty global travel agencies sign up for Trip Assist app UK based tech firm and travel commerce platform Travelport, has announced it has signed up 50 new travel agencies clients to its Trip Assist mobile app. The most recent signatories include well-known travel agencies such as CT Travel (UK), Ezfly (Taiwan), Cisalpina Tours (Italy) and Top Viajes (Mexi Travelport,Stephen Shurrock,Tripp Assist Trip assist
Travelport: UK among fastest-growing destinations for KSA travellers https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-ksa-travellers/ Fri, 26 Apr 2019 04:08:16 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=501493 The post Travelport: UK among fastest-growing destinations for KSA travellers appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport - KSA travellers

According to an analysis conducted by Travelport, the countries that have seen the greatest growth in flight bookings from travellers in the KSA are Turkey, Egypt and the United Kingdom.

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Travelport - KSA travellers

Travelport - KSA travellers

According to an analysis conducted by Travelport, the countries that have seen the greatest growth in flight bookings from travellers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in the last 12 months are Turkey, Egypt and the United Kingdom.

From 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019, bookings made in the KSA through all global distribution systems (GDS) increased by nearly 45,000, up 16% to Turkey; over 40,000, up 3% to Turkey; and over 13,000, up 14% to the United Kingdom.

“Major drivers of growth in flight bookings”

Mohammed Khair, Travelport’s country manager for the KSA, explained the causes behind the phenomenon: “Increased airline capacity, economic growth, and rises in demand from leisure travellers are all major drivers of growth in flight bookings.

“Turkey had a remarkable year for tourism in 2018. According to its tourism ministry, nearly 40 million foreign tourists visited the country during the year, an increase of more than 21%. Our data shows the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was one of the top source countries for flight bookings to Turkey.

“2018 was also a good year for Egypt, with reports suggesting nearly 9 million tourists visited in the country, up from just over 5 million in 2016. Egypt is always a favourite for tourists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to its geographic proximity, close economic ties and the large Egyptian expatriate community residing in the Kingdom. The addition of 40,000 flight bookings to Egypt over the last 12 months shows the attraction of the country is still on the rise.”

Mauritius in East Africa
Mauritius in East Africa

Out of the ten countries with the largest volume growth, the biggest movers in terms of percentage were Mauritius, which saw an increase in flight bookings made in the KSA through all GDS of 219% during the last 12 months, and Russia, which registered a rise of 168%.

Khair added: “The rise in flight bookings to Mauritius from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can at least in part be attributed to increased capacity. The spike in bookings to Russia was mainly driven by the Football World Cup. Booking volumes from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Russia in June and July 2018, the months the tournament was held, were up 1,141% and 225% respectively, year-on-year.”

The research was concluded ahead of the Arabian Travel Market, happening from 28 April to 1 May 2019.

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Travelport – KSA travellers Mauritius in East Africa
Holi moley: Top 10 nations visiting India’s Festival of Colour https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/holi-moley-top-10-nations-visiting-indias-festival-of-colour/ Thu, 21 Mar 2019 05:10:44 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=498826 The post Holi moley: Top 10 nations visiting India’s Festival of Colour appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Following on from our story, Holi 2019: Top 10 Indian destinations to celebrate the festival of colours, looking at the best celebrate India’s chromatic, also known as the 'Festival of Spring' or the 'Festival of Colours', Travelport has revealed which nations travel most frequently to India during the festival.

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Following on from our story,  Holi 2019: Top 10 Indian destinations to celebrate festival of colours last week, looking at the best celebrate India’s chromatic, also known as the ‘Festival of Spring’ or the ‘Festival of Colours’, Travelport has revealed which nations travel most frequently to India during the festival.

Using data scoured from all global distribution systems (GDS) the British based firm established that as of 14 March, the United States was top of the list with a total of 14,300 advanced bookings to India between 19 and 24 March 2019. Whereas the second and third spots were taken by the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with bookings for the period standing at 12,200 and 11,000 respectively.

“Holi is one of the most colorful and spectacular religious festivals in the world”

With both the US and Canada making the list, the Americas registered the second most flight bookings (18,700; 26.4%), followed by Europe (12,400; 17.5%) and the Asia Pacific (4,500; 6.3%).

Countries with the largest number of flight bookings to India through global distribution systems during the Holi festival:

    1. United States                       14.3K
    2. United Arab Emirates     12.2K
    3. Saudi Arabia                         11.0K
    4. United Kingdom                 9.9K
    5. Kuwait                                      5.4K
    6. Australia                                  4.5K
    7. Canada                                     4.5K
    8. Oman                                        4.0K
    9. Qatar                                         2.7K
    10. Germany                                  2.5K

Sandeep Dwivedi, chief operating officer at InterGlobe Technology Quotient, Travelport’s main operator in six countries across the Asia Pacific region including India and Sri Lanka, said: “Tourists today, more than anything, are looking for truly unique and memorable experiences. Holi is one of the most colourful and spectacular religious festivals in the world so tends to attract a high number of tourists. There is nowhere better to celebrate Holi and experience its bright and vibrant festivities than right here in India. We look forward to welcoming tourists to our country and seeing them enjoy the festival of colours being brought to life.”

 

 

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Holi Festival, India
Special Olympics Summer Games 2019: Travelport “takes action” to promote SSR codes https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/special-olympics-summer-games-2019-travelport-takes-action-to-promote-ssr-codes/ Tue, 05 Mar 2019 01:00:38 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=496905 The post Special Olympics Summer Games 2019: Travelport “takes action” to promote SSR codes appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced its brand new campaign aimed at smoothing the travelling woes of passengers with intellectual disabilities, by putting a spotlight on the DPNA Special Service Request (SSR) code.

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Travelport has announced its brand new campaign aimed at smoothing the travelling woes of passengers with intellectual disabilities, by putting a spotlight on the DPNA Special Service Request (SSR) code.

The push comes following the discovery that, despite more than 250 million flight bookings flowing through the Travelport GDS in 2018, of 136 surveyed agencies a little less than a quarter of TA’s (24%) knew of the code’s existence.

The six-month drive, run in conjunction with the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2019 in Dubai, is expected to reach in excess of 100,000 travel agents across the firm’s network of 30 countries, through the use of electronic direct mails (EDMs) as well as ‘sign on alerts’ and graphical directions delivered through the company’s Smartpoint tool.

These EDMs and ‘sign on alerts’ are being shown to its travel agent partners globally, while the ‘prompts’ are activated when a consultant is at the booking stage of a flight to over 30 of the most popular destinations in the world such as London, New York, Sydney and Delhi.

“We decided to take action”

Gordon Wilson, president and chief executive officer of Travelport, said: “Travel can be a particularly challenging time for people who require special assistance, so once we discovered such low use of the DPNA SSR code, we decided to take action.

Our point of sale, Travelport Smartpoint, with all of its graphical and prompted capabilities offers the perfect channel to reach and remind travel agents across the world of the existence of this facility, enabling them to work in better partnership with our airline customers in the service of these travellers.”

Zayed Sports City Stadium, the location of the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2019

Special service codes were introduced by the industry so that passengers could make requests or inform airlines of their travel needs, such as wheelchair assistance, directly to an airline. The request is then sent to a four-letter code (standardised by IATA). Once an IATA member airline has received the code, a response acknowledging the request is mandatory.

Wilson closed his comments: “We hope this campaign will not only make a difference in the travel industry but act as a catalyst for other organizations to investigate how their industry or the industry they serve can better support people with intellectual disabilities and make improvements where needed.”

Linda Ristagno, external affairs manager at IATA, said: “We introduced the DPNA SSR code to assist persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are delighted that Travelport has launched this awareness campaign and encourage all our member airlines and travel agents to properly use this and all the other IATA disability codes to ensure that the appropriate support to our valued passengers is provided.”

This year’s Special Olympics World Summer Games (14- 21 March 2019) in Dubai will see 7,000 athletes from 170 countries, demonstrate their skill competitive spirit in 24 sports, with over half a million spectators signed up to cheer them on – not to mention the legions of online and TV viewers tuning in around the world.

“The world games are a catalyst for change”

Dr Yousef Al Hammadi, chief intelligence officer at Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, said: “We are excited to see companies such as Travelport getting inspired by the values of the Special Olympics movement and creating innovative solutions to help improve everyday experiences and quality of life for People of Determination.

“The world games are a catalyst for change, and this initiative is a wonderful example of how we can build a legacy of inclusion long after the closing ceremony.”

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2018 Special Olympics Middle East North Africa (MENA) Zayed sports City Stadium Zayed sports City Stadium, location of the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2019
Travelport NDC comes to UK Travel Agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-ndc-comes-to-uk-travel-agents/ Thu, 31 Jan 2019 05:07:36 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=493734 The post Travelport NDC comes to UK Travel Agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Good news for TA’s as Travelport revealed new partnerships with a number of big name agencies, to roll out the New Distribution Capability (NDC), giving participants access to the enhanced bookings content.

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The post Travelport NDC comes to UK Travel Agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Good news for TA’s as Travelport revealed new partnerships with a number of big name agencies, to roll out the New Distribution Capability (NDC), giving participants access to the enhanced bookings content.

Following the first the first live booking using NDC content through Travelport’s Smartpoint tool, by UK firm Meon Valley Travel in October last year, the company was able begin recruiting agencies in earnest.

The broad spectrum of companies coming on-board, helping to ensure the booking system works for agencies of all sizes, including American Express Global Business Travel, DNATA, Gray Dawes Group, Global Travel Management, Meon Valley Travel, Premier Holidays, TAG, Travel Counsellors and Travel & Transport Statesman.

Seamless

Commenting on the landmark development, Nick Dagg, SVP of global agency sales said: “We work at the heart of the travel industry and our agency customers rely on us to provide them with choice through access to the broadest range of travel content. NDC is no exception and we’ve taken great care in managing the roll out of our NDC booking capability through Smartpoint to our agency customers.

This has allowed us to learn as we go, listen to the important feedback from our customers as they operate in this new distribution era and refine our NDC solution to ensure it provides seamless, integrated travel choice. I’d like to thank all our customers for collaborating with us as we deliver an NDC solution which works for everyone.”

Scalable and cost effective

Smartpoint user screenshot
Travelport Smartpoint screenshot

John Bukowski, director of content and distribution at American Express Global Business Travel said: “We are working with key parties to ensure we continue to deliver access to all content, with a focus on improving traveller experience, controlling cost, maintaining full end to end servicing, as well as transparent fares, pricing and comparison shopping.

NDC is an important step in advancing airline offers and fare options, which we believe should remain focused on delivering value to corporate clients and not as a means to limit access to content, add cost, or force new and costly airline connectivity.  We look forward to continuing to engage with Travelport, airline partners, and others to continue to progress NDC capabilities while maintaining a focus on delivering a scalable, cost effective way to access content for our clients.”

“The best way to be ready for the new era of content distribution”

Mervyn Williamson, managing director of Travel and Transport Statesman, said: “If you’re involved in travel, you’ve probably had a conversation in the last few months on NDC. It’s having a major impact on all of us as we work through the best way to be ready for the new era of content distribution, maintaining at the same time optimum fulfilment service for our clients.

Having access to NDC content as soon as possible was of vital importance to us and our travellers so we were pleased to have been part of the initial group of NDC-connected agencies through Travelport Smartpoint.”

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Travelport NDC Travelport Smartpoint Travelport Smartpoint screenshot
Aviation round up: BA goes BOAC in time and Lufthansa looks to the future https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/aviation-round-up-ba-goes-boac-in-time-and-lufthansa-looks-to-the-future/ Tue, 22 Jan 2019 08:53:16 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=492826 The post Aviation round up: BA goes BOAC in time and Lufthansa looks to the future appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

747 with BOAC design and logo

Aviation this week looks to the past as well as the future with some notable tech developments, while an iconic name celebrates a century of flying by rifling through its wardrobe for a vintage livery.

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747 with BOAC design and logo

Aviation this week looks to the past as well as the future with some notable tech developments, while an iconic name celebrates a century of flying by rifling through its wardrobe for a vintage livery.

But first some news from Korea…

Jin and a mixer

Jin Air has announced a new deal with Travelport to access the British tech firm’s rich content and branding merchandising tools, showing the Korean LCC ambitions to reach more customers, with the two solutions giving agents the ability to search and book graphically rich content for Jin branded fares and ancillary products.

“Safe, enjoyable and unique”

A spokesperson for the carrier said: “We are excited to work with industry leaders like Travelport to embark on the next decade of growth. We believe Travelport’s innovative solutions will not only expand our reach to more agencies and global travelers, but also help us fulfil their personalized needs. In collaboration with Travelport, we look forward bringing safe, enjoyable and unique travel experiences to more travellers around the globe.”

Chris Ramm, VP of air partners in Asia Pacific at Travelport, said: “Travelport is committed to understanding airlines’ technology and commercial needs. Our teams work hard to help airlines efficiently reach and attract travel buyers in every channel. Aided by Travelport’s continuous technology advancements, we are confident that our support for Jin Air – the second largest low-cost carrier in South Korea – will translate into robust business returns for the airline, and further harness the huge potential of the LCC market in this fast-growing region.”

Lufthansa hops into AI

Lufthansa's Gleb Tritus and Christian_Langer
Gleb Tritus and Christian_Langer

The Lufthansa Group has entered into a research alliance with Canadian startup Hopper, to delve into the potential of artificial intelligence. The third tech investment in the last year, investments in startups Fleet Logistics and cargo.one.

“Hopper operates one of the world’s most successful flight booking apps and has developed a unique AI-based technology. With this research alliance, the Lufthansa Group is further expanding its expertise in this area. This will enable us to provide our customers with even better data-driven, tailor-made offers in the future. This is one of the central goals of our digital strategy for this year,” explains Christian Langer, vice president for digital strategy at Lufthansa Group.

The deal is mark of intent for Hopper, who have recently completed a recent USD 100 million round of financing, and their plans for the region, with the European roll out of its services coming in June of this year.

European rollout

Hopper CEO Frederic Lalonde
Frederic Lalonde

Frederic Lalonde, CEO of Hopper, said: “We are thrilled to have Lufthansa Group and Lufthansa Innovation Hub as partners in research as we further our expansion into Europe. The combination of local market knowledge and dedication to exploring the upper bounds of AI makes this an ideal partnership for Hopper as we double down on our efforts to bring the best in travel booking to a global audience.”

In addition to furthering the development of AI, Hopper will work closely with the Lufthansa Innovation Hub to expand into the European market. The Innovation Hub will provide strategic input on market-specific customer needs as well as access to its network of stakeholders in the European travel and technology space.

“We are delighted to have established a meaningful partnership between the Lufthansa Group and one of the world’s most innovative travel tech startups,” explains Gleb Tritus, managing director of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub. “In the coming months, we will support the collaboration with the Lufthansa Group’s revenue management and distribution experts. We are also confident that our Berlin team will be able to make a vital contribution to Hopper’s European expansion.”

Ho Chi win

Vietjet officially welcomed its first flight connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Van Don in Quang Ninh province on 20 January, at Van Don International Airport.

The latest route for the airline connects the largest city of Vietnam with the islands of the Quang Ninh province, the gateway to UNESCO World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay.

The Ho Chi Minh City – Van Don route will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday with a flight time of around two hours and 15 minutes per leg. The flight departs from Ho Chi Minh City at 0700  and arrives in Van Don at 0915. The return flight takes off at 0950 and lands in Ho Chi Minh City at 1205.

BA goes ‘BOAC’ in time

747 with BOAC design and logo
Original 747 in BOAC livery

As part of its 100-year birthday, British Airways has disclosed plans to rewind the clock and deck out one of its  Boeing 747s in the simple and elgent design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

The livery from the 1964 – 1974 BOAC era will adorn a B747, reg: G-BYGC. The aircraft will leave the paint shop in Dublin and arrive in to Heathrow on 18 February, before entering service the following day.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ chairman and CEO, said: “So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design. Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery.”

GBP 6.5 billion

The BOAC livery will remain on the plane until it retires in 2023. By this time, British Airways will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft.

This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the next four years – which feature new cabins and are more environmentally efficient – as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline’s GBP 6.5bn investment for customer.

New neo

Cebu’s new arrival

Good news for Philippine  LCC, Cebu Pacific who received their first  A321neo, in an order of 32, from Airbus yesterday.

Cebu Pacific is expecting delivery of at least five more A321neo aircraft this year to support its expansion. CEB is also set to receive five (5) Airbus A320neo (New Engine Option) aircraft leased from international aircraft leasing company Avolon; as well as an additional ATR 72-600 aircraft within 2019.

The latest delivery brings the total number of aircraft in the Cebu Pacific fleet to 72. On top of the A321neo, the Cebu Pacific fleet is comprised of 36 Airbus A320, seven Airbus A321ceo, eight Airbus A330, eight ATR 72-500 and 12 ATR 72-600 aircraft. The ATR aircraft are used by its subsidiary Cebgo for domestic destinations where jet operations are not possible.

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Jin Air Gleb Tritus and Christian_Langer Gleb Tritus and Christian_Langer Hopper CEO Frederic Lalonde Founder CEO Frederic Lalonde Hi chi minh BA BOAC_ Original 747 in BOAC livery A321neo_Ajig Ibasco-2 Cebu's new arrival
GDS holiday revelations: Travelport’s top ten destinations for the UK https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-uk-top-long-haul-destinations/ Thu, 20 Dec 2018 05:14:19 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=490718 The post GDS holiday revelations: Travelport’s top ten destinations for the UK appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Washington DC, USA

Travel commerce platform Travelport has revealed the most popular long-haul destinations for travellers in the UK this festive season.

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Washington DC, USA
Washington DC, USA
Washington DC, USA

Travel commerce platform Travelport has revealed the most popular long-haul destinations for travellers in the UK this festive season.

The data gathered by Travelport reflects advanced flight bookings made for travel from the UK to final destinations between 21-30 December 2018. It reflects bookings through GDS (global distribution systems), a channel primarily used by travel agents.

As of 7 December 2018, nearly 50,000 advanced bookings had been made in the UK for return flights to the US. Meanwhile, in second place is India, with flight bookings at 23,443. While this is less than half the number of flights booked to the US, bookings to India were up by 1,654 (+8%) year-on-year, making it the fastest growing long-haul destination.

“An ever-popular destination for travellers in the UK”

Paul Broughton, Travelport’s VP and managing director for Northern Europe, said: “Breathtaking festive celebrations, shopping sales and definitive weather seasons on both the east and west coast, make the United States an ever-popular destination for travellers in the UK in the winter months. This is of course boosted by the growing number of affordable flight options to the States.”

Goa, India
Goa, India

The third most popular long-haul destination, the UAE, had registered more than 20,000 advanced flight bookings. With bookings up this year by 1,549 (+8%), the Emirates was the second fastest growing long-haul festive destination in terms of volume, narrowly ahead of Pakistan (up by 1,414 bookings, +18%).

Global distribution systems are vast hi-tech reservation networks that allow travel agents, travel management companies and large corporations, among others, to search and book airline seats, hotel rooms, rental cars, and other travel related items. Globally in 2017, Travelport alone processed 1 trillion transactions through its platform.

“In search of winter sun”

Broughton added: “Destined for warmer climes, we are now seeing more and more travellers in the UK flock to the Middle East in search of winter sun. This is reflected by the UAE being the third most popular long-haul destination, with advanced bookings up 8% year-on-year.”

Dubai, UAE
Dubai, UAE

The top ten long-haul festive season destinations booked through GDS are US, India, UAE, Thailand, Australia, Pakistan, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Broughton concluded: “Thailand also remains a cost-effective getaway with exotic appeal. Straightforward visa laws and a huge variety of package deals available throughout the year for travellers in the UK makes it an ever-attractive destination.

“The increase in flight bookings to Pakistan is likely to have been aided by the government relaxing its tourist visa policy earlier in the year.”

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Washington DC, USA Washington DC, USA Goa, India Goa, India Dubai, UAE Dubai, UAE
Indian TA’s hit back at Air India’s exclusive GDS deal with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/indian-tas-hit-back-at-air-indias-exclusive-gds-deal-with-travelport/ Tue, 27 Nov 2018 11:45:08 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=488391 The post Indian TA’s hit back at Air India’s exclusive GDS deal with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Following the news in October that UK-based Travelport had won the contract to become the sole provider of Air India’s GDS, the nation’s travel agents have responded with an emphatic request that the airline reconsider the exclusive nature of the deal and to continue to allow content from existing GDS providers.

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In October it was announced that UK based firm Travelport had won the contract to become the sole provider of Air India’s GDS. The nation’s travel agents have responded with an emphatic request that the airline reconsiders the exclusive nature of the deal and to continue to allow content from existing GDS providers.

The Travel Agents Association Of India (TAAI) and Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), along with other industry groups, have co-authored an open letter to Air India’s chairman and managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola, where they strongly asserted their belief that the airline did not discuss the impact of the deal with stakeholders, saying they were “extremely perplexed and shocked” by the decision.

The emotive letter states: “This approach of Air India and its personnel to prevent an open discussion or a review with the Associations or even through a response to our objections is considered sceptical.”

” A big threat to Air India’s survival”

The document goes on to note the organisations confusion at outrage over the lack of consultation for a contract that they believe may impact the carriers existence:

“We fail to understand why the industry leaders or the associations have not been consulted when our national airline opts for such a mega initiative that poses a big threat to Air India’s survival, despite the tough times, Air India is currently reeling under. Not involving us or our associations in a dialogue, confirms, we were not to be consulted at all and we were to be kept in the dark.”

The letter closes with “We earnestly suggest and request that this initiative by Air India to disconnect its inventory from any existing GDS be immediately withdrawn.”

The letter, which also suggests that the deal is a violation of India’s competition law,  comes at an difficult time for GDS, with both Sabre and Amadeus recently revealed to be subjects of an antitrust investigation by the European Commission.

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Financial check: A quarterly analysis of the major GDS players https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/financial-check-an-quaterly-analysis-of-the-major-gds-players/ Fri, 16 Nov 2018 12:42:35 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=487680 The post Financial check: A quarterly analysis of the major GDS players appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

This month, three of the major GDS providers in the industry -- Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport, denoting an upward trend recording considerable profits.

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This month, three of the major GDS providers in the industry – Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, released their quarterly reports, all of them denoting an upward trend and recording considerable profits. Here’s the rundown of the number, and what this means for the rest of us:

Amadeus

  • Revenue increased 4.6% to EUR 3,683.8 million, EBITDA grew 8.6%, to EUR 1,588.0 million
  • In the Distribution segment, travel agency air bookings grew 2.4% to EUR 444.8 million
  • In IT Solutions, Passengers Boarded increased 13.8% to EUR 1,397.3 million

Travelport

  • Net revenue increased 2% to USD 623 million
  • Travel Commerce Platform revenue increased 2% to USD 598 million
  • Beyond Air revenue increased 14% to USD 193 million, contributing 32% of Travel Commerce Platform revenue (Q3 2017: 29%);
  • eNett net revenue increased 58% to USD 86 million
  • Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by 13% to USD 83 million

Sabre

  • Third quarter revenue increased 7.7% to USD 970.3 million
  • Travel Network revenue rose 10.7%; bookings grew 7.7%
  • Airline Solutions revenue increased 1.1%
  • Hospitality Solutions revenue grew 3.1%
  • Cash provided by operating activities increased by 9.2% to USD 194.4 million

Comparison at a glance

SABR TVPT AMS
Revenue growth (in %) 7.7% 2% 4.6%
Net income increase (adjusted EBIDTA) 4.3% 2% 8.6%
Free Cash Flow increase by 17.5% -24% 1.7%
Cash from operating activities increased by 9.2% -13% 4.6%

Growth drivers

While Amadeus’s results in the third quarter continued to be negatively impacted by the USD / Euro exchange rate fluctuation, it was to a lesser extent than in the first two quarters of the year.

Luis Maroto, president and CEO of Amadeus, attributed the growth to new contracts and said: “We signed or renewed distribution agreements with 11 carriers, including Aerolíneas Argentinas, Norwegian and Porter Airlines, amounting to a total of 35 for the first nine months of the year. We also increased our customer base on our Airline IT business, with carriers such as Bangkok Airways signing up for the full Altéa Suite.”

He also said that the rollout of the Guest Reservation System (GRS) with InterContinental Hotels Group is almost complete, with over 95% of its hotels already migrated. This along with the acquisition of TravelClick (as announced in August) will be a significant driver of growth for their hospitality business in the near future.

Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport, commented: “The continued strong performance of Beyond Air, driven by our virtual payments business eNett, helped us overcome the more challenging market and customer environment we anticipated for the second half of the year.”

He highlighted the major growth factors as their ongoing focus on the efficiency of the cost base, commercial wins and the ongoing investments in the key areas viz. travel content; search, merchandising and shopping capabilities; and mobile, data and payments solutions.

Travelport made history by becoming the first GDS to transact the booking of flights using IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) API protocol. These initiatives will contribute to the onboarding of new business next year, alongside the continued growth of eNett.

“We benefit from a transaction-driven business model with recurring revenue driven by continued volume growth at our customers across the travel ecosystem,” said Sean Menke, Sabre president and CEO. He also said they are “winning in the marketplace” and their third quarter air booking share gain of over two points is a testimony to that.

Key markets

While the Asia Pacific and North America continued to be fastest growing regions for travel agency air bookings for Amadeus for the first time its bookings in Western Europe declined, impacted by the industry weakness and the slippage of market share at some European mid-size online travel agencies and increased competition in the market.

Travelport consolidated its position in India by concluding long-term deals to distribute the content of Air India and Jet Airways, in both cases as the preferred distributor and their our exclusive distribution contract with IndiGo. This will give them additional advantage in India and key markets beyond it.

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Travelport bags seven new contracts for its mobile solution deployment https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-bags-seven-new-contracts-for-its-mobile-solution-deployment/ Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:46:49 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=485144 The post Travelport bags seven new contracts for its mobile solution deployment appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, a travel commerce platform, announced it has secured seven new agreements in Europe to deploy Trip Assist, its advanced mobile application for travel management companies and travel agencies.

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In addition to making waves in Asia, Travelport, a travel commerce platform, announced it has secured seven new agreements in Europe to deploy Trip Assist, its advanced mobile application for travel management companies and travel agencies. The announcement was made during the company’s exclusive Travelport LIVE Europe event in Rome, Italy, which was attended by over 200 business leaders from across the region.

The new agreements are with four Hungary-based travel agencies– Weco-Travel, Air Partner, utazom.com and OTP Travel; two UK-based agencies– Amber Road Travel and Lycafly, and Italy-based Regent International. Since the mobile solution was launched in May 2018, Travelport has now secured more than 20 Trip Assist customers across the world.

By signing up for Trip Assist, the agencies will benefit from a fully branded mobile engagement solution that allows them to support, engage and connect with travellers at every stage of their journey. Incorporating smart itinerary management capabilities and the ability to create agency defined messages and rich push notifications; the solution will empower the agencies to build stronger relationships with their customers.

Trip Assist will support travellers by allowing them to share and organize their complex travel plans on the go and from one place. It will also give them greater autonomy to self-serve with features that enable airline check-in, the ability to import external bookings and ‘click to call’ support. By giving travellers more control, the solution will also provide the agents with more time to spend on more specialist travel inquiries.

“Deliver a new standard of service”

Matt Lambert, operations director for Amber Road Travel, said: “Today’s travellers expect support delivered 24/7 throughout their journey. Trip Assist will allow us to directly provide this via the platform travellers value most on the go – mobile. We are confident the tool will help us deliver a new standard of service, which helps further set us apart from our peers.”

Balázs Horváth, managing director of Weco-Travel, commented: “Success today is defined by the experience you provide to travellers. The more you’re able to shape their experience from the moment they purchase a trip to the time they return home, the more chance you have of delivering something truly memorable and encouraging repeat custom. We believe Trip Assist will play a major role in helping us in this area.”

“Be agile and identify new technology solutions”

Giovanni Tiradritto, general manager of Regent International, added: “Demand for digital travel solutions is increasing rapidly, aided by the success of companies like Uber and Airbnb. In times of change, you can’t stand still. You need to be agile and identify new technology solutions that can add value to your customers and move quickly to attain them. This is why we have chosen to invest in Trip Assist. We see it as a solution that can deliver real change to the customer experience.”

Danushka Ihalagedara, managing director of Lycafly, said: “Travelers carry their mobile phones throughout their journey, making them the perfect always-on virtual assistant. By using Travelport Trip Assist, we will be able to handle your straightforward information requests and actions at the click of a button. Travelport Trip Assist will not only free up our consultants to spend more time doing what they do best – providing considered expert advice – it will improve the overall customer experience for you.”

Gwenael Merlin, global vice president of Travel Retailers at Travelport, said: “We are delighted to have secured seven new Trip Assist agreements in Europe. They reflect the scale of demand agencies are seeing today from travellers for best-in-class mobile travel solutions, and we expect this to only rise in the years to come. We look forward to working in partnership with the agencies to enhance the way they support travellers throughout their journey and seeing them reap the many benefits this provides.”

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Ready jet go: Jet Airways renews GDS with Sabre https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ready-jet-go-jet-airways-renews-gds-with-sabre/ Thu, 18 Oct 2018 04:08:48 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=485067 The post Ready jet go: Jet Airways renews GDS with Sabre appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jet Airways has been busy this week getting its domestic content distribution in order. Earlier this week, the Indian carrier announced it had renewed its GDS agreement with British travel tech firm Travelport to continue to roll out its rich content offering, and now Jet has unveiled a similar re-up with Sabre Corporation.

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Jet Airways has been busy this week getting its domestic content distribution in order. Earlier this week, the Indian carrier announced it had renewed its GDS agreement with British travel tech firm Travelport to continue to roll out its rich content offering, and now Jet has unveiled a similar re-up with Sabre Corporation.

The extended contract will go into effect as of April next year.

“Sabre is well positioned to support the carrier’s growth objectives”

Discussing the news, Rakesh Narayanan (below), vice president, for airline of business at Sabre Travel Network Asia Pacific, focused on the growth potential of the airline – which has already seen domestic air travel in the country expand by 21.2% this year – when he said:

“As a long-term technology partner to Jet Airways, providing the airline with unmatched solutions that enable superior passenger services, Sabre is well positioned to support the carrier’s growth objectives. Today, we are pleased to provide Jet Airways with the ability to share their content through Sabre’s leading global travel marketplace, which will, in turn, contribute to their ongoing business success.”

“Under this agreement, Sabre will continue to power Jet Airways’ global content distribution and provide end-to-end offerings to Sabre agencies,” added Narayanan.

Further to its local success, the World Travel & Tourism Council predicts India is on target to become the world’s fourth-largest travel and tourism economy behind China, the United States and Germany.

Discussing Jet’s contract with Travelport earlier this week, Damien Hickey, the tech company’s head of air-travel partners, also noted the possibilities of the Indian markets saying:  “Our position in the rest of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas – where Jet Airways services the Indian diaspora, tourists and business people travelling to this amazing country – means that we are able to deliver to them a wide mix of international travellers. This is in addition to the millions of outbound and domestic Indian travellers they serve.”

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2007 Jet Airways Boeing 777-300ER 2007 Jet Airways Boeing 777-300ER Rakesh Narayanan Rakesh Narayanan
Desperate times, desperate measures: Shift in Indian airlines’ GDS providers https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/desperate-times-desperate-measures-shift-in-indian-airlines-gds-providers/ Wed, 17 Oct 2018 14:58:03 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=485058 The post Desperate times, desperate measures: Shift in Indian airlines’ GDS providers appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently bagged contracts of India's state-owned Air India and one of India's premier airlines, Jet Airways as their exclusive ticket-distribution service provider and content provider.

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Travelport recently bagged contracts of India’s state-owned Air India and one of India’s premier airlines, Jet Airways, as exclusive ticket-distribution service provider and content provider in the country, respectively.

While the contracts will not come into effect any time soon, it has created ripples in the industry. Here’s how:

Reeling from high fuel costs, a falling rupee and stiff competition; financially stressed full-service airlines in India have reasons to slash their sales and distribution costs by renegotiating contracts, even while such measures may compromise their market reach.

The Air India-Travelport agreement will come into effect from January 2020 but as the struggling carrier tries to cut costs, contract revision with its suppliers such as aircraft lessors and engine makers, and providers of global distribution systems (GDS), are reportedly on the cards.

An Air India official told local media that the deal can help them reduce distribution cost by almost 60% and they aim to capitalise on the increased share of domestic bookings that comes directly through the airline’s website.

In addition to Travelport’s renewed contract and terms with Jet Airways, technology provider Sabre, too, today announced a renewed, full-content, distribution agreement with Jet Airways. Effective April 2019, Sabre’s extended agreement with Jet Airways provides Sabre-connected agents across India and the world a path to access the full content of Jet Airways into year 2024.

Jet Airways seems to be working on a deal to limit its GDS presence to only two platforms — Travelport and Sabre. It would reportedly result in the airline saving close to USD 50 million in distribution costs. However, no comment was received from Jet Airways confirming the same.

Penny pinching

Unlike low-cost airlines, Air India and Jet Airways rely on GDS providers such as Amadeus, Travelport and Sabre for distribution in India and abroad for a segment fee for every booking. It shares a portion of it with travel agents, thus increasing costs for airlines. In 2017-18 IndiGo’s sales and distribution costs were INR 7.81 billion; Jet Airways spent INR 28.2 billion.

Amadeus has the largest number of travel agents and market share of more than 40% in India and these renegotiated terms will mean offerings of these airlines will be unavailable to travel agents who use Amadeus. The move may risk both these large carriers in India and their consolidated contracts for both domestic and international bookings with Amadeus thus losing access to a big booking channel.

“Committed to the Indian market”

Travelport seems keen to use this opportunity to amplify its market share in India and an unnamed spokesperson from Travelport reiterated: “As a business policy, Travelport does not comment on the commercial details of agreements and partnerships. As the only such platform that has content from India’s top airlines – Air India, Jet and Indigo – we are committed to the Indian market and continue to work hard to create value for all our local partners.”

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Travelport renews ties with Jet Airways https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-ties-with-jet-airways/ Wed, 17 Oct 2018 05:53:09 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=484974 The post Travelport renews ties with Jet Airways appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jet Airways has signed a long-term supplier agreement with Travelport that will be effective from April 2019 and enable online and offline travel agencies around the world to shop, book and manage itineraries for leisure and business travellers using the airline’s extensive network and codeshare alliances.

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Following the news of Travelport partnering with India’s national carrier Air India, Travelport is now making larger head ways into this market with a renewed and long-term partnership with India’s Jet Airways. The airline has signed a long-term supplier agreement with Travelport that will be effective from April 2019 and enable online and offline travel agencies around the world to shop, book and manage itineraries for leisure and business travellers using the airline’s extensive network and codeshare alliances.

Effective April 2019, Jet Airways – India’s premier, full-service, international airline, which operates flights to 66 destinations worldwide – will also deploy Travelport’s rich content and branding, from which over 270 airlines now benefit by displaying graphical content, their fares families and a full range of ancillary products. This means that Travelport will provide the same content as Jet Airways’ direct selling channels.

Travelport has seen a rapid expansion in India and beyond in recent years following the acquisition of business from the largest online travel agencies such as MakeMyTrip, Ibibo, Yatra, EaseMyTrip and ClearTrip as well as working with the major corporate travel agencies and new entrants to the travel sector such as PayTM. In addition to industry-leading airline content, Travelport has also expanded its footprint and capabilities considerably with leading hotel groups and aggregators in India such as Oberoi, Taj, Treebo and Trident.

“Commitment to the Indian travel market”

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s head of Air-Travel Partners, commented: “Travelport’s commitment to the Indian travel market and the provision of the widest range of content has been further evidenced today with the announcement of this new mutual commitment between Jet Airways and our company beginning April 2019. Furthermore, our position in the rest of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas – where Jet Airways services the Indian diaspora, tourists and business people travelling to this amazing country – means that we are able to deliver to them a wide mix of international travellers. This is in addition to the millions of outbound and domestic Indian travellers they serve.”

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Travelport wins tender to become Air India’s sole distributor in home market https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-wins-tender-to-become-air-indias-sole-distributor-in-home-market/ Fri, 12 Oct 2018 06:45:07 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=484627 The post Travelport wins tender to become Air India’s sole distributor in home market appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has won a tender process undertaken by Air India for the sole distribution of its domestic flight content in the airline's home market.

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Travel commerce platform Travelport has announced today it had won a competitive tender process undertaken by Air India for the sole distribution of its domestic flight content in the airline’s home market.

The contract awarded to Travelport came after a comprehensive bidding process. It will begin to come into effect from November 2018 and be fully implemented by the end of 2019.

The agreement confirms Air India’s continued deployment of Travelport Rich Content and Branding, now used by over 270 airlines. This displays the airlines’ graphical content, their fares families and a full range of ancillary products. It means that Travelport will provide the same content as Air India’s own direct-selling channels.

Travelport has seen a rapid expansion in India in recent years following the acquisition of the business from the largest online travel agencies such as MakeMyTrip, Ibibo, Yatra, EaseMyTrip and ClearTrip, as well as working with the major corporate travel agencies and new entrants to the travel sector such as PayTM.  In addition to industry-leading airline content, Travelport has also expanded its footprint and capabilities with leading hotel groups and aggregators in India such as Oberoi, Taj, Treebo and Trident.

“We faced stiff competition from our rivals and rigorous examination”

Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president and CEO, commented, “Travelport is delighted to have been selected by Air India to provide these services. It is another welcome endorsement of our technology and our services in India. It was a tough process. We faced stiff competition from our rivals and rigorous examination by the airline’s team. We look forward to implementing the agreement and delivering a world-class service to the airline.”

Air India is the country’s flag air carrier with a leading position in international and domestic operations. Along with Air India Express, it has a 43% share of the international traffic to and from India among Indian carriers and a 17% share, including global airlines, as of Q3 CY17. It is a member of the Star Alliance and is a pioneer of India’s civil aviation sector, being the first scheduled airline in India, enjoying a rich heritage of over 85 years.

“Even better value for money and a superior distribution”

Pradeep Singh Kharola, chairman and managing director of Air India, said: “Air India is pleased to award this important contract to Travelport. In written submissions and in discussion with their team the company demonstrated a clear understanding of our needs and displayed impressive technological and financial capability.

“As we make the switch to Travelport, we hope to be able to deliver even better value for money and a superior distribution to our customers in India and abroad.”

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Connecting with 68,000 Travelport agents could be the lifeline Eurostar needs https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/eurostar-sign-travelport-access-68000-tas/ Tue, 22 May 2018 05:48:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=469618 The post Connecting with 68,000 Travelport agents could be the lifeline Eurostar needs appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Following Travelport’s response to Travel Daily’s assessment of its future last week, the travel commerce platform has now announced it has signed an agreement with Eurostar, to supply the company the high-speed UK and Europe rail link with its ‘merchandising solution, Rich Content and branding’.

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Left to right Simon Tyler (Eurostar), Kamal Abbasi (Eurostar), Derek Sharp (Travelport) and Karima Bennour (Eurostar)

Following Travelport’s response to Travel Daily’s assessment of its future last week, the travel commerce platform has now announced it has signed an agreement with Eurostar International, to supply the company the high-speed UK and Europe rail link with its ‘merchandising solution, Rich Content and branding’.

Derek Sharp, senior vice present and managing director of air commerce at Travelport, said: “Today’s announcement further enhances and strengthens the cooperation between Eurostar and Travelport. It also marks another significant milestone for Rich Content and Branding as Eurostar is the first rail operator that can display rich content in a way which replicates the consumer experience online.”

The agreement should be seen as a lifeline to Eurostar which has suffered mixed fortunes since it first opened in 1994.

The Eurostar high-speed bullet train, which connects Paris Gare du Nord to London St. Pancras station, celebrated its 20th anniversary in November 2014
Eurostar International high-speed bullet train, which connects Paris Gare du Nord to London St. Pancras

Indeed, any successes the company achieves are often swiftly turned on the head, one example being how the record-breaking numbers achieved in 2008, which saw a 10.3% rise in passenger use, was immediately slapped down just one year later, when footfall fell 11.5% because of the 2009 recession and the 2008 ‘Chunnel fire’ – which, after raging for 16 hours, resulted in 14 miles of commercial track to be closed for nearly six months and deeply affected the public trust of the link.

Exterior view of St Pancras International train station in London
St Pancras International, home of Eurostar

However, the rise in the public’s awareness of environmental issues has played in the rail company’s favour, as rail travel is now considered a viable, even preferable alternative to flying for many short-haul destinations. By signing up with Travelport, Eurostar will be connected to over 68,000 affiliated travel agents and management companies across the world. Travelport will also deliver to agents a graphically rich experience when searching for, and booking Eurostar branded fares and seats.

Simon Tyler, head of sales and business improvement at Eurostar International: “Our agreement with Travelport demonstrates our commitment to better serve the end traveller and marks a new era of indirect distribution for Eurostar. With visually rich content covering our onboard classes of service and range of fares and offers, agents across the world will have at their fingertips the product information they need to represent our offering in the best possible manner. We’re looking forward to seeing the benefits this provides to our customers and our business.”

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Eurostar-Travelport 2 Eurostar Bullet train The Eurostar high-speed bullet train, which connects Paris Gare du Nord to London St. Pancras St Pancras International St Pancras International,
OTAs and agents take note: Travelport reveals how Americans will travel this summer https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-summer-survey-2018/ Thu, 17 May 2018 13:00:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=469295 The post OTAs and agents take note: Travelport reveals how Americans will travel this summer appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

According to a new survey from Travelport, Americans are more likely to take a vacation this summer based on their household finances.

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According to a new survey from Travelport, Americans are more likely to take a vacation this summer based on their household finances.

Since the beginning of the pre-summer months, the internet has been bombarded with travel blogs about where to go, what to do, and how to get the best deals this summer. But in this case, Travelport has concluded a study called The 2018 Travelport U.S. Vacation Survey (which was done in Toluna Quick Surveys), and it shows how Americans are going to actually spend their budget on summer escapades.

According to the report, millennials (ages 18-34) are most likely to spend more on their upcoming vacations than any other age group, which somehow, isn’t surprising to me at all. It says that one out of three millennials is willing to spend US$5,000 or more on their vacations.

38% of Americans are more likely to take a vacation this summer

The study showed that 38% of Americans (overall) are more likely to take a vacation this summer, in comparison to last year. This is good news for agents and OTAs selling tours and vacations in the USA. However, this optimism isn’t shared by American baby boomers aged 55 and up, who showed they aren’t up for some fun in the sun. Only 22% of them responded to travelling this summer.

The younger generations are bullish about taking vacations in the year ahead – 56% of millennials and 35% of generation x respondents are planning to travel this summer.

Other key findings:

Vacation spending and gender

Males are significantly more likely to splurge than females, with 37% of males planning to spend more than US$5,000 in the next 12 months, compared to only 15% of female respondents.

More education + more income = more vacations

64% of Americans with postgraduate degrees and with household incomes above US$200,000 (71%) are the most likely demographic segment to take a vacation this summer.

Millennials on the road

Millennials travelled the most in the last 12 months (51%) compared to gen X and baby boomers (each at 48%).

Baby Boomers least likely to double down

Baby Boomers are least likely to increase their plans to travel because this demographic has established a consistent approach to planning and going on vacation. More than 78% said they would travel either the same amount or less in the next 12 months.

Direct or aggregate bookings dominate

The most common method for booking air travel is directly through an airline’s website (30%), followed by a fare aggregator website (21%). For hotel bookings, millennials are the most likely to use traditional offline travel agencies (23%), compared to gen X and baby boomers (7% and 6% respectively). Now, that’s surprising.

Convenience and personalisation are key

The younger generation is more likely to use an OTA on a mobile app with customised notifications available. While 44% of millennials are willing to make the switch, only 23% of gen X respondents and an even smaller proportion (5%) of baby boomers agree.

“The key is offering consumers, regardless of their budgets, the best air, hotel and other vacation deals”

Erika Moore, Travelport’s vice president and general manager for the United States, said: “Travelport’s survey is good news for the U.S. travel industry, as Americans are cautiously optimistic about taking vacations this summer and next year. The key is offering consumers, regardless of their budgets, the best air, hotel and other vacation deals, which requires travel providers and travel sellers to deliver a personalized, seamless and stress-free experience at each step of the vacation journey.”

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Family Beach Summer Friends
Travelport’s increase in revenue driven by travel payment eNett https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelports-increase-in-revenue-driven-by-travel-payment-enett/ Mon, 14 May 2018 13:38:38 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=468178 The post Travelport’s increase in revenue driven by travel payment eNett appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travel commerce platform and services company Travelport recorded a solid first quarter thanks to its Beyond Air portfolio. The travel payment solutions company eNett under it had an 81% increase in revenue. Travelport Worldwide announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2018. Travelport reported a total of net revenue increase of 4%, to […]

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Travel commerce platform and services company Travelport recorded a solid first quarter thanks to its Beyond Air portfolio. The travel payment solutions company eNett under it had an 81% increase in revenue.

Travelport Worldwide announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2018. Travelport reported a total of net revenue increase of 4%, to $678 million. The company recorded net income increased 6%, to US$59m. Travel Commerce Platform increased 5%, to US$653m, while the Technology Services portion of its business saw a 12% decrease in revenue to US$25m.

The Beyond Air portion of Travelport’s business saw a revenue increase of 22%, to US$180m, contributing 28% of the Travel Commerce Platform’s revenue. The growth in revenue was largely driven by the acceleration of eNett commercial payments platform, which helped the company recover from last year’s losses. eNett almost doubled its revenue amounting to US$74m.

eNett develops automated payment solutions for the travel industry. The company offers credit card processing, EFT/direct debit processing, merchant services and issuing of virtual account numbers (VANs). eNett’s VANs offer a safe and secure payment transaction as unique numbers are generated for every transaction making it popular among clients.

At the earnings call, Travelport’s president and CEO Gordon Wilson praised eNett’s unprecedented growth as a “standout performance” and added that it is thanks to the doubling volume of payments from existing customers.

Travelport teams up with Cabforce

Wilson hinted that the company has immense potential. “We think we are still barely scratching the surface of potential,” Wilson said.

The company’s chief executive also claimed that this is just the start of a strong year and pointed out that both adjusted EBITDA and core travel commerce platform revenue exceeded their expectations.

“These results include the well-documented loss of one large travel agency in the Pacific region, which impacted Travel Commerce Platform revenue growth by 5 percentage points and Adjusted EBITDA by nine percentage points. Our performance, therefore, demonstrates the continued success of our strategy, resulting in Air revenue growth in Asia and Europe in the quarter, as well as significant air market share gains in the latter region,” Wilson said.

“Beyond Air revenue growth accelerated to 22%, largely due to eNett as the business continued to expand share of wallet at several large OTAs in Asia Pacific and Europe. We continue to invest in innovation to drive growth,” he added.

After all, Travelport delivered what it promised of achieving sales growth and striking new partnerships despite the sting of losses still fresh in investors’ minds. There is nothing one can do but to look forward to what Travelport can do.

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Travelport teams up with Cabforce
Has Travelport’s GDS business fallen too far behind? https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-gds-business-fallen-behind/ Wed, 09 May 2018 13:22:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=468117 The post Has Travelport’s GDS business fallen too far behind? appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport last week reported 1Q earnings and took a big one on the chin reporting negative bookings growth. Already the smallest of the GDS, the company was bearing the brunt of the Flight Centre loss to Sabre and Amadeus. The bad news didn’t stop there.

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The GDS business is one that has had many critics and its demise has been predicted since the late 90’s. Yet GDS’s have thrived and consistently posted attractive growth and earnings.

Travelport last week reported 1Q earnings and took a big one on the chin reporting negative bookings growth. Already the smallest of the GDS, the company was bearing the brunt of the Flight Centre loss to Sabre and Amadeus. The bad news didn’t stop there:

  • Adjusted net income:               ↓ 15%
  • Free Cash:                                   35% 
  • EBITA:                                         ↓ 9%

And while revenue and earnings disappointed, expense increases intensified the pain:

  • Commissions increased:            ↑ 16%
  • Customer loyalty payments:         63%
  • SG&A increased:                           ↑ 13%

There were some bright spots with revenue increasing 4% and the Beyond Air business growing at 22%. Inside the Beyond Air numbers, eNett was a shining star posting 81% growth attributed to share of wallet gains with Travelport OTAs in Europe and Asia.

The loss of Flight Centre is a seminal moment for Travelport and for the GDS industry

Every industry evolves and it’s important to stay alert to signals that indicate a real shift. Having a GDS report negative bookings growth is definitely worth a look. Gordon Wilson, the Travelport CEO, dismissed the performance challenges attributing them to the loss of a large agency customer (Flight Centre).

During the call, Wilson and CFO Bernard Bot repeatedly referenced performance numbers excluding recent large customer losses. The problem is the loss can’t be excluded – it’s a loss and the bookings are not coming back. Big customer GDS volume shifts are rare.  The last one was the shift of a material volume by Expedia from Sabre to Amadeus in 2012. The loss of Flight Centre is a seminal moment for Travelport and for the GDS industry. 

Is an increasing smaller GDS sustainable?

To keep things in perspective let’s do a quick landscape level set using Q1 data. Travelport has struggled since its creation by Cendant merging the assets of Galileo, Apollo and soon thereafter Worldspan.

They have slowly and consistently bled market share since 2006. Initially, Amadeus was the primary beneficiary, but more recently both Sabre and Amadeus have been benefiting from Travelport’s decline. 

Travelport Q1 2012 and Q1 2018 Report slides on segment volume

 

Travelport did more GDS bookings in Q1 2012 than Q1 2018.  While revenues have continued to grow the GDS revenue growth has been driven by price versus volume increases.  Sabre and Amadeus have increased price and volume materially over the same period.

From a GDS segment perspective, Sabre and Amadeus now hold relatively equal positions.

Using their self-reported Q1 numbers Amadeus is now at 40%, Sabre at 37% and Travelport at 23%. These numbers are directional as each GDS has its own approach to what counts and does not count as a segment.

It’s really a matter of time until the scale disadvantages will become acute enough to force a structural change. Is a GDS with less than 20% market share sustainable?   Amadeus Q1 EBITA # is essentially in line with Travelport’s top line revenue number!  Both competitors are making heavy investments in the future of their businesses yet still report Free Cash Flow numbers at multiples 2.8x, 6x that of Travelport.  

While Beyond Air (especially eNett) shows promise, linking it to a declining GDS business may not be the optimal way to maximise the value of the asset over time.  

Looking ahead it’s hard to imagine Travelport turning the tide. It’s a scale game and competitors are executing well. Even from a distance both financial scale and financial performance look problematic. If the Travelport model was that of a young and fast disruptor the scale and performance issues could be ignored. Travelport is a traditional incumbent in a mature industry – the numbers say it all.  The likelihood of a structural change in the GDS business over the next 24 months is high. 

Signs of change are already in the wind with Elliott Management Corp., a 12% owner in the business, tipped to be in talks to lead a leveraged buy out.  

Looking ahead it’s hard to imagine Travelport turning the tide.

Up next – the wildcard

The untold wildcard in the macro GDS landscape story is TravelSky. This China-based GDS has all the scale advantages and more of any competitor. They also have a lock on what will be the worlds largest aviation market and what is already the worlds largest outbound market.   

All the western GDS have courted Travelsky over the past 10 years – including Travelport. Travelport also recently hired Robert Bailey the former Abacus CEO as the chief strategy officer. Bailey led the charge for Abacus in trying to gain access to the China market for the regional GDS. He has spent a significant amount of time with Travelsky and CAAC leadership so this certainly creates the Travelsky path as one possible (if very unlikely) future for Travelport. 

Subscribe now for more on Travelsky, Sabre, and Amadeus Q1 results and what they mean for the future of the distribution landscape in the coming weeks.

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Travelport to provide tech solutions for Norwegian OTA chain, G Travel https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-g-travel-deal/ Fri, 04 May 2018 02:39:13 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=467571 The post Travelport to provide tech solutions for Norwegian OTA chain, G Travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Airline Tech

Travel commerce platform, Travelport announced a new multi-year technology and content agreement with Norwegian travel agency chain, G Travel.

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Airline Tech

Airline Tech

Travel commerce platform, Travelport announced a new multi-year technology and content agreement with Norwegian travel agency chain, G Travel.

With 27 offices in Norway, 6 in Sweden, and an additional 17 global agencies, G Travel is one of the most expansive travel companies in the Nordics. On 2 May 2018, it has announced a new deal with the tech-solutions provider for the travel industry, Travelport.

As part of the agreement, Travelport will provide tailor-made solutions for G Travel consultants by giving them access to an intelligent, fast, and accurate search of high-quality content from over 400 airlines, 650,000 hotel properties, and 35,000 car rental locations. In addition, G Travel will benefit from being able to display, gain insights from, and sell branded fare families and ancillary products (such as paid seat assignments, baggage fees, priority boarding, etc.) from over 250 airlines that signed up to use Travelport’s merchandising technology.

“We are delighted to sign this new technology agreement with Travelport,” said Finn Vetle Hansen, CEO of G Travel.

“We need a technology partner that is fast, accurate, reliable, and for us, Travelport is leading in these capabilities today. Its edge in technological innovation and wide choice of content will enable our consultants to deliver the best travel itineraries for our customers and a truly personalized service throughout the travel experience.”

“We need a technology partner that is fast, accurate, reliable, and for us, Travelport is leading in these capabilities today”

G Travel will also be able to use Travelport Business Insights, a data analytics tool that provides real-time access to a vast range of data sources. It will help G Travel optimise supplier contracts, enhance customer service, and improve overall operational efficiencies.

Travelport’s interface to its GDS system

As the first global distribution system (GDS) provider to be certified by IATA as a Level 3 Aggregator under its New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative, Travelport will benefit G Travel by creating NDC connections with airlines as they become available.

Peter Cramon, managing director, Nordics at Travelport, commented: “We are delighted to have signed this new partnership with G Travel. We are proud the company recognises the value our technology and content provides. It is a testament to the strength of our dedicated team of highly experienced travel tech professionals and best-in-class technology that market leaders like G Travel continually choose us to power their solutions.

“We look forward to working with the leadership team at the company to continually find new ways to set it apart from its peers and help shape its future.”

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Travelport to provide tech solutions for Norwegian OTA chain, G Travel Travel commerce platform, Travelport announced a new multi-year technology and content agreement with Norwegian travel agency chain, G Travel. Travelport,Peter Cramon,Finn Vetle Hansen,G Travel,travelport Airline Tech Mobile Travelport
AI primer with Travelport VP Simon Ferguson, ahead of his keynote at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ai-travelport-simon-ferguson/ Mon, 09 Apr 2018 08:06:40 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=464447 The post AI primer with Travelport VP Simon Ferguson, ahead of his keynote at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The week of 16 April is a crucial conference week for travel marketers from around the world and especially in Singapore, as both the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit and the Digital Travel APAC events hit Lion City. TD will be at both events so if you are attending, drop us a tweet or FB message and […]

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Ferguson at Travelport’s Northern Europe Gathering 2018

The week of 16 April is a crucial conference week for travel marketers from around the world and especially in Singapore, as both the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit and the Digital Travel APAC events hit Lion City. TD will be at both events so if you are attending, drop us a tweet or FB message and let’s connect!

The Mumbrella event kicks off the week at the Novotel Clarke Quay with an impressive speaker line-up, including sessions from leaders like Skyscanner, Expedia, Trip Advisor, and IBM. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of most talked about topics in travel tech in 2018 – with much of the conversation coming from C-level execs or research companies, but little coming from actual practitioners.

The keynote session for the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit is entitled: Artificial Intelligence and Travel: Where are we at and where are we going next? and I spoke to the keynote speaker, Simon Ferguson, vice president and managing director for Northern Europe, Travelport, ahead of the event to ask a few questions and get a preview on what to expect.

AI has to be the most overused buzzword in tech right now and travel is no exception; I heard someone last week describe a robotic vacuum cleaner as IOT AI tech last week. Can you set the frame by defining the buzzword properly – what is AI?

In simple terms it is using computer / digital intelligence to perform tasks normally accomplished by human intelligence. I think it is helpful to break it down into three areas:

1. Virtual / augmented / mixed reality: using artificially/computer generated imagery and mixing with ‘real world’ views to enhance the travel experience;

2. Automation: using robots / chatbots / software algorithms to perform human tasks; for example, automating bookings or call centre conversations;

3) Machine learning / big data: mining historical data and using the power of machines to learn/compute faster than humans to predict future patterns

What are the key areas in travel where organisations have already started applying commercial AI solutions?

Hotels and airlines are using augmented / virtual reality; the Renaissance Midtown in Manhattan has launched a digital concierge [where] you interact with a digital wall which recommends restaurants and shows you great places to visit. Lufthansa are using VR headsets for first / business class passengers to get a virtual sense of what their seat and cabin environment will be like.

Marriott Labs are prototyping a completely white hotel room which will feature different imagery / data dependent on guest profile. The Singapore Tourist board have used VR hotel rooms to showcase the destination, attracting meeting and incentives business. London City airport has moved its air traffic control room some 50 miles away from the airport – they use a virtual reality display which recreates the runway view in realtime.

There are over 70 travel brands actively using chatbots and digital assistants. Hopper, a US based OTA uses Travelport historical flight data to predict when is the best time for a consumer to buy a flight to a particular destination These are great examples of machine learning in practice.

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay

What travel industry companies are currently leading AI?

It’s difficult to point to clear leaders as it is still early days. Many of the successful examples above rely on brands working with innovative developers who specialise in AI.

For example, Samsonite worked with a specialist developer in Belgium to embed chips in their suitcases. Not only can they track lost luggage and sell this data to the airlines, but they can increasingly predict likely luggage losses. The leading players are experimenting and working creatively with third parties.

What are the hottest emerging areas (not yet commercialised but with potential) for AI in travel?

While VR gets a lot of the headline, biometrics will be huge. A large OTA in Scandinavia offers its employees the opportunity to embed a chip into their hand, free of charge, which negates the need for them to have an office key. The Internet Of Things (IoT) will revolutionise the travel experience; you can increasingly access airport lounges with facial recognition, and Apple have patented using the Apple ID as a biometric passport.

One of the meeting spaces at Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay

The other huge area is automation. It is common for global travel brands to have upwards of 10,000 people in call centres; a lot of this work can be replaced by chatbots over time. Travelport is working with several brands to use chatbots to automate the re-issuance of airline tickets.

Are there any must-dos for travel industry players related to AI in 2018? Say, for hotels / airlines / agencies / GDS?

Don’t try and do everything. Work out what role you think AI could have in the existing experience you provide for your customers, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Experiment and work with innovative boutique providers/third parties.

 

You can catch Simon Ferguson’s Keynote at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit next week in Singapore.  Use Discount code traveldailytms.

 

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Travelport and Air France KLM sign new deal for content distribution, removing GDS charges for agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-air-france-klm-deal/ Thu, 29 Mar 2018 03:30:25 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=462938 The post Travelport and Air France KLM sign new deal for content distribution, removing GDS charges for agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport signed a deal with Air France KLM to distribute its content through a private channel arrangement, allowing agents to avoid the carrier’s GDS charge. The deal allows customers selected by Air France KLM and HOP! to access a private channel via Travelport. On the platform, they will receive content without the additional distribution surcharge levied […]

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Travelport signed a deal with Air France KLM to distribute its content through a private channel arrangement, allowing agents to avoid the carrier’s GDS charge.

The deal allows customers selected by Air France KLM and HOP! to access a private channel via Travelport. On the platform, they will receive content without the additional distribution surcharge levied by Air France KLM starting 1 April 2018.

Travelport is the only operator of a Global Distribution System (GDS) with the highest level of International Air Transport Association (IATA) certification for the deployment of its New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology. The Air France KLM and HOP! content on the platform will include Travelport’s rich content, brand fares, fare families, and multiple ancillaries.

“This is an extension of a long-term relationship which has delivered greater choice to Air France KLM’s customers”

Travelport customers will continue to have access to Travelport’s tools beyond booking capability. It will enable workflow automation, change in management processes, multiple content integration, robotics for fulfilment and other vital services.

Derek Sharp, Travelport

Derek Sharp, Travelport’s senior vice president and managing director for air commerce, commented on the agreement: “We are delighted to have signed this agreement with Air France KLM, one of Europe’s leading airline groups.

“This is an extension of a long-term relationship which has delivered greater choice to Air France KLM’s customers. We look forward to a continuing productive partnership as we deploy new technology with the airline.”

Emmanuelle Gailland, vice president distribution Air France KLM, added: “Travelport has been a great partner throughout our Private Channel engagement as a transition towards NDC.

“Both Air France KLM and Travelport will work together to bring NDC content of new fares, products, services and rich media in the marketplace.”

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Airlines get branded boost with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airlines-get-branded-boost-travelport/ Mon, 22 Jan 2018 12:16:55 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=443258 The post Airlines get branded boost with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced that more than 250 airlines now benefit from its rich content and branding merchandising tool which gives agencies and travel bookers a ‘graphically rich experience’ when searching for and booking branded fares and ancillaries. Launched in 2014, Rich Content and Branding allows network airlines and low-cost carriers to differentiate themselves through strong […]

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Travelport has announced that more than 250 airlines now benefit from its rich content and branding merchandising tool which gives agencies and travel bookers a ‘graphically rich experience’ when searching for and booking branded fares and ancillaries.

Launched in 2014, Rich Content and Branding allows network airlines and low-cost carriers to differentiate themselves through strong visuals and detailed descriptions of their products and services. This gives OTAs, travel agencies and bookers an understanding of each airline’s offering.

Airlines benefiting from branded fares and ancillaries include:

British Airways: branded fares across its domestic and global network
Air France/KLM: branded fares as well as bags, sports equipment and pets
Lufthansa: branded fares and several ancillaries such as bags and unaccompanied minors
Iberia: branded fares as well as bags
Smaller and low-cost airlines such as Aegean, Ryanair and Loganair
Major airlines currently or soon offering access to their branded fares through Rich Content and Branding include Delta, China Southern Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, Emirates, Norwegian, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Avianca.

In addition, an increasing number of airlines such as Etihad Airways and Jetstar are introducing no-bag fares on long-haul routes.

Riccardo Lo Presti, TAP president sales and distribution, said: “Rich Content and Branding helps TAP Air Portugal stand out against our competitors. It has helped us improve our ability to sell more than just a seat. Its graphics, just like you’d see on our website, drive significant adoption of ancillaries. It is a great way of showing a product.”

 

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KLM KLM.
Travelport CEO discusses results for third quarter of 2017 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-ceo-discusses-results-third-quarter-2017/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-ceo-discusses-results-third-quarter-2017/#respond Wed, 27 Dec 2017 22:59:35 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=436581 The post Travelport CEO discusses results for third quarter of 2017 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport released revenue statistics for the third quarter of 2017, yesterday. Commenting on the numbers Gordon Wilson (main picture), president and CEO of Travelport, cited the Asian market as being particularly important to the strong mid-year result.

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Gordon Wilson, Travelport's president & CEOTravelport released revenue statistics for the third quarter of 2017, yesterday. Commenting on the numbers Gordon Wilson (main picture), president and CEO of Travelport, cited the Asian market  as being particularly important to the revenue increase.

“Our Travel Commerce Platform delivered revenue growth of five percent for the quarter, which included revenue growth across all International regions and a particularly strong performance in Asia where we continue to gain air market share. Our leadership there has been further strengthened by our partnership with India’s largest OTA, MakeMyTrip, together with the signing of Traveloka, which is the leading OTA in Indonesia and will now leverage our technologies to expand across Asia. In Beyond Air, we continue to see good momentum in hotel and car bookings, while our commercial payments business eNett accelerated to 30 percent revenue growth for the quarter, driven by transaction growth with several major European and Asian OTAs.

Mr Wilson continued, “Our Adjusted EBITDA decreased in the quarter, with several of our planned technology investments moving from design to implementation phase, as we further expand our products and capabilities. We also incurred higher commercial expenditure relating to the growth and ongoing implementation of our signed new business.”

As our mix of business continues to pivot towards the fast-growing online channel, I am confident that these investments will drive sustainable longer-term growth. For the full year 2017, we anticipate Adjusted EBITDA growth to be within the 2 to 4 percent range as guided’, he added.

 

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Fiji Airways and Travelport unite to satisfy demands vital to APAC travellers https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/fiji-airways-travelport-unite-satisfy-demands-vital-apac-travellers/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/fiji-airways-travelport-unite-satisfy-demands-vital-apac-travellers/#comments Thu, 07 Dec 2017 22:59:59 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=434751 The post Fiji Airways and Travelport unite to satisfy demands vital to APAC travellers appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport have announced the signing of an agreement with South Pacific airline, Fiji Airways. With this agreement, Travelport will provide the airline with a mobile application powered by its new Travelport Fusion product.

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Travelport have announced the signing of an agreement with South Pacific airline, Fiji Airways. With this agreement, Travelport will provide the airline with a mobile application powered by its new Travelport Fusion product.

Travelport Fusion is a quick-to-market mobile solution that helps airlines keep up with the rapid changes in mobile technology. The new mobile app will provide Fiji Airways with a robust tool, providing a more compelling and engaging experience for travellers. It will allow Fiji Airways to fully maintain their brand identity with consistent brand experience. As part of the service and support from Travelport, Fiji Airways will also benefit from future product upgrades.

 

Marc Cavaliere, chief commercial officer of Fiji Airways commented, “We recognize the importance of mobile engagement and being able to connect with our customers, bringing them highly relevant, personalized information and services they need, at every step of their journey. Travelport Fusion allows us to implement this mobile app rapidly. We look forward to this new development with Travelport.”

A recent Travelport global digital traveller research report highlighted the need for a strong airline mobile app solution with findings indicating that 64 percent of travellers in Asia Pacific look for a good digital experience when choosing an airline to travel with. To further support this, 46 percent of them book their leisure trips on a smartphone and 73 percent believe that digital boarding passes make traveling much easier.

Ailsa Brown, vice president of Asia Pacific for Travelport Digital, said, “We are delighted that Fiji Airways has selected us to be their mobile partner. With our experience in mobile technology and our in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, Fiji Airways will receive complete support from our team, enabling them to focus on engaging their travellers and developing lasting and valuable relationships.”

With this agreement, Fiji Airways will also have access to digital analytics that includes booking trends and behaviours, allowing them to adapt their sales and marketing strategies more effectively. In addition, Travelport will provide further support and advice on best practice for digital marketing of the app and any app store optimization strategies.

The Fiji Airways app is due to be launched to the public in the second quarter of 2018.

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MakeMyTrip teams up with Travelport to expand content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/makemytrip-teams-travelport-expand-content/ Wed, 23 Aug 2017 08:04:04 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=400753 The post MakeMyTrip teams up with Travelport to expand content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

India’s largest online travel agency, MakeMyTrip, has signed a major new agreement with Travelport. Under the terms of the deal with InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ), Travelport’s Indian distributor, MakeMyTrip will be able to access Travelport’s GDS content, including approximately 400 airlines and ancillary services. These include India’s largest low-cost carrier, IndiGo. MakeMyTrip acquired the Ibibo […]

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Gordon Wilson, Travelport's president & CEO
Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO

India’s largest online travel agency, MakeMyTrip, has signed a major new agreement with Travelport.

Under the terms of the deal with InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ), Travelport’s Indian distributor, MakeMyTrip will be able to access Travelport’s GDS content, including approximately 400 airlines and ancillary services. These include India’s largest low-cost carrier, IndiGo.

MakeMyTrip acquired the Ibibo Group in January 2017, which initially gave the company access to Traveport’s content. This expanded agreement will make the content available via MakeMyTrip’s other distribution channels from the second half of 2017.

At present, MakeMyTrip receives more than 33 million monthly visits to its desktop and mobile websites, and has 40m monthly users on its mobile app.

“India is a market with enormous growth potential where Travelport, working with our distributor ITQ, has grown in air booking terms by 14% in the first half of 2017 when the GDS air market has grown by 11%,” said Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO. “Securing a partnership with the leading online travel agency in the market, with a high growth profile and tremendous track record, gives even further impetus to our plans in the country.

“The fact that MakeMyTrip has elected to work with us is a testament to our investment in leading-edge search, shopping and booking technology alongside the significantly differentiated travel content now available on our platform for both the domestic and outbound Indian traveller,” he added.

Deep Kalra, founder, chairman & group CEO of MakeMyTrip, commented; “This is an exciting time for MakeMyTrip and we are delighted to partner with Travelport and ITQ as part of our growth strategy in the service of the travelling Indian consumer.”

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Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO
Travelport expands ground transport bookings https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-expands-ground-transport-bookings/ Wed, 16 Aug 2017 05:42:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=378164 The post Travelport expands ground transport bookings appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has secured a new partnership that will expand the number of ground transport services offered to travel agents. The arrangement with Ugo Transfers, which aggregates ground transfer content, will provide more than 68,000 travel agents globally with access to a wide range of ground transport services in over 100 countries. Bookings will be available […]

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Travelport has secured a new partnership that will expand the number of ground transport services offered to travel agents.

The arrangement with Ugo Transfers, which aggregates ground transfer content, will provide more than 68,000 travel agents globally with access to a wide range of ground transport services in over 100 countries. Bookings will be available using the Ugo app via the Travelport Smartpoint agency desktop solution.

“Ugo Transfers will provide our agents with more content and booking choices for ground transportation,” said Tony Hopwood, Travelport’s senior director for products & solutions in Asia Pacific. “We hope that making this app accessible to travel agencies using Travelport’s Smartpoint will allow agents to create a faster and more efficient workflow, improving the response time for their customers.”

As well as individual bookings, Ugo Transfers recently established a specialised “service centre” which allows for requests to cater to larger groups and other customised options.

“This… will add another layer of reassurance and personalized service delivery for our customers,” said Brad Wicks, managing director of Ugo Transfers. “We are looking forward to providing more travel agents with a seamless solution to search and book for ground transportation. Travelport has been a very supportive partner and we look forward to continuing our great relationship with the team.”

 

 

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Travelport allows Asian agents to go mobile https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-allows-asian-agents-go-mobile/ Mon, 17 Jul 2017 05:32:09 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=285372 The post Travelport allows Asian agents to go mobile appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has launched a new mobile solution for travel agents and TMCs in the Asia Pacific region. With 50% of this year’s global mobile travel sales expected to originate in Asia Pacific, Travelport has now introduced its “Trip Assist” product in the region. The new solution is designed to enable travel agents to provide mobile […]

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Travelport Trip Assist
Travelport Trip Assist

Travelport has launched a new mobile solution for travel agents and TMCs in the Asia Pacific region.

With 50% of this year’s global mobile travel sales expected to originate in Asia Pacific, Travelport has now introduced its “Trip Assist” product in the region. The new solution is designed to enable travel agents to provide mobile itineraries and updates to their clients.

One of the key elements of Trip Assist is “Travelport Engage”, a mobile messaging tool which delivers personalised travel updates during and after every trip. Travellers also have the ability to connect directly to a support agent, as well as being provided with real-time alerts and reminders.

“The increasingly connected traveller expects support throughout their trip,” said Fergal Kelly, chief commercial officer of Travelport Digital. “Customer engagement via mobile is now critical for agencies of all sizes and we believe that the business travel industry and business travellers are not yet well-served.

“We are delighted to bring Trip Assist to TMCs and travel agencies in this region as part of Travelport’s  continuously expanding range of services,” he added.

Trip Assist had already been launched in the EMEA region and was introduced to the Asia Pacific travel trade at the Travelport Live event in Sydney this week.

This comes at an opportune time; mobile bookings in Asia Pacific are growing at a faster rate than in any other region. In the past five years, mobile travel sales have seen strong double-digit growth in markets like South Korea (58.7%), Australia (52.2%) and China (49.9%), and it is estimated that by 2020, 76% of the growth of online travel will come from mobile sales.

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Trip Assist Trio
The latest Asian appointments from Shangri-La, Travelport, Tourism NZ and more https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-asian-appointments-from-shangri-la-travelport-tourism-nz-and-more/ Wed, 14 Jun 2017 08:07:12 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251947 The post The latest Asian appointments from Shangri-La, Travelport, Tourism NZ and more appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

OLIVER BONKE has been announced as Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts’ new president & chief operating officer, effective 1 September. Bonke has nearly 30 years of experience, including spells with IHG and Starwood. Most recently he was chief commercial officer of New York-based Loews Hotels. GREG WAFELBAKKER has been named as Tourism New Zealand’s new general […]

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Oliver Bonke
Oliver Bonke

OLIVER BONKE has been announced as Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts’ new president & chief operating officer, effective 1 September. Bonke has nearly 30 years of experience, including spells with IHG and Starwood. Most recently he was chief commercial officer of New York-based Loews Hotels.

GREG WAFELBAKKER has been named as Tourism New Zealand’s new general manager for Asia. He joins the tourism board from Westland Milk Products, where he was based in Shanghai as GM for China and marketing. He has also previously worked in the US, Singapore, Thailand and Germany.

Ailsa Brown
Ailsa Brown

AILSA BROWN has been appointed to lead Travelport Digital, the travel technology company’s mobile development team, as vice president for Asia Pacific. She moves into the new role having previously led Travelport’s sales and commercial strategy in the region for many years.

FANG-XUN ONG has been named as the Singapore Tourism Board’s new senior manager for Oceania. Based in Sydney, she succeeds Cheryl Wen in managing the STB’s regional marketing portfolio. Ms Ong previously worked at the STB’s international marketing department in Singapore.

Saurabh Kukreja
Saurabh Kukreja

SAURABH KUKREJA has been appointed general manager of the Renaissance Pattaya Resort & Spa, which is on track to open in September. A UK national, Kukreja worked at The Savoy in London, before moving to Asia. Most recently he was GM of the Crimson Hotel Filinvest City in Manila.

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Oliver Bonke Oliver Bonke Ailsa Brown Ailsa Brown Saurabh Kukreja Saurabh Kukreja
Travelport renews Worldspan partnership in Korea https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-worldspan-partnership-in-korea/ Thu, 08 Jun 2017 06:42:29 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251713 The post Travelport renews Worldspan partnership in Korea appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has renewed its partnership with Sharp Aviation K for the continued distribution of the Worldspan platform in South Korea. Seoul-based Sharp Aviation K has operated Worldspan Korea since 1998, providing reservation and ticketing support to travel agents. Worldspan Korea supplies Travelport’s technology solutions, including its travel agency desktop solution, Smartpoint, to the Korean market. […]

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Travelport has renewed its partnership with Sharp Aviation K for the continued distribution of the Worldspan platform in South Korea.

Seoul-based Sharp Aviation K has operated Worldspan Korea since 1998, providing reservation and ticketing support to travel agents. Worldspan Korea supplies Travelport’s technology solutions, including its travel agency desktop solution, Smartpoint, to the Korean market.

“We have built an invaluable relationship with Sharp Aviation K and we are delighted to extend this long-term partnership with Worldspan Korea,” said Martin Herbert, Travelport’s managing director for Asia.

“This agreement is testament to Travelport’s combination of innovative technology and extensive travel content, together with Worldspan Korea’s market familiarity. Together, we can effectively support customers to achieve commercial success.”

Asia Pacific is Travelport’s fastest-growing region globally, with 18% growth in the year to 31 March 2017. And Korea is one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets in Asia Pacific, with approximately 22 million Koreans (almost half of the country’s population) travelling abroad in 2016.

“We have a great partnership with Travelport and we look forward to continue working with the leading travel commerce platform. The renewal of our deal will further support our growth in one of the fastest growing Asian markets,” said Soon Suk Paik, owner of Worldspan Korea.

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The latest appointments from Travelport, AirAsia, Mandarin Oriental and more https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-appointments-including-a-new-gm-for-the-mandarin-oriental-bangkok/ Wed, 07 Jun 2017 04:34:56 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251634 The post The latest appointments from Travelport, AirAsia, Mandarin Oriental and more appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

MING FOONG has become Travelport’s new managing director for Greater China & Online Business Group Asia Pacific. Having joined Travelport in 2012, Foong’s most recent role was director of OTA for Asia Pacific and business development for North Asia and Japan. He will be based in Hong Kong. GOH CHOON PHONG has been elected as […]

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The post The latest appointments from Travelport, AirAsia, Mandarin Oriental and more appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Ming Foong
Ming Foong

MING FOONG has become Travelport’s new managing director for Greater China & Online Business Group Asia Pacific. Having joined Travelport in 2012, Foong’s most recent role was director of OTA for Asia Pacific and business development for North Asia and Japan. He will be based in Hong Kong.

GOH CHOON PHONG has been elected as the new chairman of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The CEO of Singapore Airlines will serve a one-year term in the role, succeeding Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG. Goh joined SIA in 1990 and was appointed CEO in 2011.

CELIA LAO SIO WUN has been named as AirAsia’s new CEO for Hong Kong and Macau. Ms Lao has worked for the low-cost carrier since 2004, when she became AirAsia’s first employee in Greater China. Most recently she served as general manager of regulatory and airport affairs in the country.

VIJAY JAISWAL has been hired by Sarovar Hotels as its new senior vice president of sales & marketing. He brings almost 30 years of experience to the Indian hotel group, the majority of which were spent with ITC Hotels. Most recently he was head of sales & marketing for Fortune Hotels.

Greg Liddell
Greg Liddell

GREG LIDDELL has been announced as the new general manager of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. An Australian national, he takes the reins at the 141-year-old riverside hotel following a spell as GM of the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona. He also previously worked with the company in Chiang Mai.

CRAIG SIMMONS has become Oakwood Worldwide’s new senior vice president & chief human resources officer. He brings 25 years’ experience to the company, most recently as chief HR officer for American Apparel. Simmons is the first executive appointed by new Oakwood CEO, Chris Ahearn.

Stephen Mahoney
Stephen Mahoney

STEPHEN MAHONEY will be joining the Destination NSW team as its new general manager – regional. He moves to New South Wales’ tourism board from Etihad Airways, where he was head of corporate communications for Australia & Asia. Mahoney has also worked for Qantas and JAL.

TONY KOK has become the new director of food & beverage at the Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen. With 12 years in the hospitality industry, Kok served in a series of positions at the hotel prior to this promotion. He will now be tasked with overseeing all the hotel’s restaurants and bars.

Sheilla Andrade Cruz
Sheilla Andrade Cruz

SHEILLA ANDRADE CRUZ has been appointed director of sales & marketing at the Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa. She has more than 20 years of experience, including spells with IHG and Pestana Hotels in Brazil. Most recently she was director of sales & marketing at the InterContinental Sao Paulo.

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Ming Foong Ming Foong Greg Liddell Greg Liddell OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Stephen Mahoney Sheilla Andrade Cruz Sheilla Andrade Cruz
Airlines adjust as distribution “tsunami” approaches https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airlines-adjust-as-distribution-tsunami-approaches/ Sun, 14 May 2017 11:53:18 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=250452 The post Airlines adjust as distribution “tsunami” approaches appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The nature of airline distribution will fundamentally change in the coming years, as factors including API connectivity and Google have a major impact the sector, delegates at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit have heard. In a panel discussion at the Dublin event, CNN anchor Richard Quest warned that a “tsunami is coming”, but that no-one […]

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The nature of airline distribution will fundamentally change in the coming years, as factors including API connectivity and Google have a major impact the sector, delegates at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit have heard.

In a panel discussion at the Dublin event, CNN anchor Richard Quest warned that a “tsunami is coming”, but that no-one knows from which direction.

Ian Heywood, Travelport’s global head of product & marketing for air commerce, stressed the importance of API distribution, which he said would bring “huge benefits to airlines”. But at present, traditional airlines, which need to transition away from their old distribution methods, are way behind the curve compared to low-cost carriers, who have used APIs since the start.

“An API enables you to earn more revenue, to personalise offers, differentiate between people and agents, and dynamically return fares,” said Heywood, adding that using APIs would allow carriers to make “significant progress in increasing sales”.

Travelport currently has API connections with 25 airlines, but Heywood warned that the industry’s transition process “will take a long time” and that some airlines are reluctant to start. “[It] involves changing whole distribution and sales structure,” he said.

But while Heywood said that airline distribution was in a process of “evolution”, CarTrawler’s chief technology officer, Bobby Healy, warned of a potentially seismic shift in the sector.

Google Flight Search, he asserted, has the potential to harm airlines and even “wipe out” rival online travel sites. As it increases its share of the market to “critical mass”, Google Flight Search will have a shattering impact travel planning sites, meta-search companies, online travel agencies and even airlines’ own websites, he predicted. Once it has achieved this, he added, the fees for displaying air fares on Google Flight Search will rise.

And while he admitted that Google Flight Search was a “good product”, he told the assembled airlines that they are contributing to their own downfall by providing their data to Google.

“Google has more access to customer insight and data than airlines will ever have, and their ability to engineer new products is faster than ever seen.” Healy said. “[But] airlines are willingly giving Google real-time data.

“Right now airlines get a free ride from Google. They don’t see the tide [coming]. But the cost will come,” he added.

All parties agreed however, that airlines can brace themselves for these waves by collaborating as an industry. Heywood said the shift to API distribution “needs to be a collaborative effort between all players in the industry, particularly travel agents”.

“We need to talk about it and plan, but this isn’t happening at the moment,” he added.

Healy warned that stopping Google Flight Search would not be easy, but that steps could be taken. “Don’t let Google have your data unless it’s on your terms. Be vocal, lobby and add your voice to lobby groups,” he advised.

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Travelport launches data tool https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-data-tool/ Thu, 11 May 2017 13:38:59 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=250437 The post Travelport launches data tool appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has launched Travelport Business Insights to its Northern European region.  This new service gives travel agencies and other companies access to a range of data sources. Travelport Business Insights uses data from traditional and non-traditional travel sources, augmenting these with analytics and presents the results on simple dashboards which highlight key insights and trends. It removes the […]

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Travelport has launched Travelport Business Insights to its Northern European region. 

Travelport Business Insights
Travelport Business Insights

This new service gives travel agencies and other companies access to a range of data sources.

Travelport Business Insights uses data from traditional and non-traditional travel sources, augmenting these with analytics and presents the results on simple dashboards which highlight key insights and trends.

It removes the reliance on manually sourcing, organising and interpreting data and delivers the information via any device and in near real-time.

Travelport Business Insights benefits includes:

  • Data to improve sales and consultant performance and productivity.
  • Real-time visibility on customer and supplier data. Thereby allowing companies to focus account management resource and improve negotiations.
  • Provide visual business intelligence to help travel managers very quickly understand where they need to focus to manage compliance, make savings, create value and minimise risk.
  • Suggest travel program savings, highlight duty of care issues (such as two key executives travelling on the same flight) and provide traveler stress analysis based on bookings to improve productivity from each trip
  • Help predict future travel needs and provide alerts to possible duty of care and policy compliance threats such as the use of non-preferred suppliers, air but no hotel bookings for overnight stays or non-standard hotel room bookings.

Simon Ferguson, managing director, Northern Europe at Travelport said: “Our customers have told us the volume of data available to them is dramatically increasing but so too is the time and cost of interpreting it. We have developed Travelport Business Insights to help our customers make business decisions that can improve revenue, enhance customer service and reduce operational costs by not only aggregating travel data from multiple sources, but transforming the information into insights and providing businesses with a competitive edge.

The product is available in three packages making it suitable for all sizes of operations and the flexible platform allows for customization and branding opportunities.

Meanwhile, during the company’s recent earnings call, Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport, said: “We continue to invest in Data & Analytics and have just launched a new Agency-facing product – Travelport Competitive Insights. At the leading edge of cloud-based analytics, this product has been very well received throughout market testing and expected to help drive further market share gains. The competitive benchmarks it provides, allows our agencies to forensically analyse their own performance versus their peers, across a range of KPIs by destination, fare type, and carrier, for example. This new product builds on a growing suite of capabilities we are building in Data & Analytics, supporting all customer needs (both agency and provider) across four key, strategic pillars: to ‘elevate the conversation’ with our customers; unlock the value of our data assets to drive new revenue streams; new product innovation making our products more intelligent through the integration of machine learning; and driving greater operational efficiency and synergies throughout our Travel Commerce Platform.”

 

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Travelport Business Insights – screenshot Travelport Business Insights
China to be aviation’s next “big disruptor” https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-to-be-aviations-next-big-disruptor/ Thu, 11 May 2017 10:31:33 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=250419 The post China to be aviation’s next “big disruptor” appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China will be one of the next “big disruptors” of the aviation industry in the coming years, a major industry event has heard. Addressing the CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Dublin this week, Peter Harbison, executive chairman of the Centre for Aviation, told delegates that China’s influence on aviation – especially on regulatory issues – […]

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The post China to be aviation’s next “big disruptor” appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China will be one of the next “big disruptors” of the aviation industry in the coming years, a major industry event has heard.

Addressing the CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Dublin this week, Peter Harbison, executive chairman of the Centre for Aviation, told delegates that China’s influence on aviation – especially on regulatory issues – will increase in the next decade as the country “expands into its new global role”.

Harbison identified the first three stages of disruption already experienced by the aviation industry: sixth freedom rights (the ability of airlines to fly passengers from markets other than their home countries), the emergence of Gulf carriers, and the proliferation of low-cost carriers.

Considering the fourth phase of disruption, he asserted that it is likely to involve three possible factors: China, airline partnerships and big data.

“China is becoming a much more powerful voice,” Harbison said. “The next phase will involve a lot of influence from Asia, on the regulatory side.”

This power is being driven by the sheer volumes of traffic that Chinese airlines can deliver. For destination countries, welcoming millions of Chinese visitors is incredibly appealing, and this will in turn strengthen the China’s voice and negotiation stance in the global regulatory environment.

In terms of partnerships, Harbison highlighted the current trend of airlines forming cross-border joint ventures and commercial relationships with (often multiple) other airlines, as well as taking equity stakes in foreign carriers. Etihad’s network of equity partnerships, AirAsia’s collection of Asian carriers, and multi-airline joint ventures such as trans-Atlantic cooperation between United, Air Canada and Lufthansa were all cited as examples of how the goalposts are moving with regards to airline ownership rules and regulations.

Arguably the biggest shift however, could be seen in the area of big data. Citing the examples of Amazon, Facebook and Google, Harbison predicted that the business of selling tickets will “change dramatically” in the coming years, as these huge non-aviation companies continue to invest in data analytics and consumer technology.

In reality, all three of these factors are already having a major impact on the aviation industry, and will to continue to do so in future. And the next big disruptor could even come from an as-yet-unforeseen source. What is certain is that the aviation landscape will change dramatically in the coming years, driven by a combination of different “disrupting” factors.

Supported by Travelport, the CAPA Airline Leader Summit is taking place in Dublin from 10-11 May 2017.

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Tech innovations to drive business travel growth https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tech-innovations-to-drive-business-travel-growth/ Thu, 27 Apr 2017 16:15:23 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=249882 The post Tech innovations to drive business travel growth appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The business travel sector is set to grow by 3.7% per year worldwide over the next decade, according to a new report by Travelport and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Released at the WTTC Global Summit in Bangkok, the report shows that growth is expected to be driven by emerging markets, with the […]

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The post Tech innovations to drive business travel growth appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The business travel sector is set to grow by 3.7% per year worldwide over the next decade, according to a new report by Travelport and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Released at the WTTC Global Summit in Bangkok, the report shows that growth is expected to be driven by emerging markets, with the Asia-Pacific leading the way at a predicted rate of 6.2% each year to 2027.

The largest business travel markets at present are the USA, China, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.

The report highlights a top ten list of countries with the strongest forecast annual business travel growth including:

In Asia, China leading the way with 9.5% annual growth to 2027, followed by Myanmar (8.7%), Hong Kong (8%), Cambodia (7.4%) and India (7.2%)

Rwanda and Gabon (both 8.5%) leading in Africa with Tanzania at 7.9%.

In the past five years Business Travel spending has advanced rapidly in many emerging markets with the DR Congo rising by 32% between 2011-2016,Qatar at 25%, Azerbaijan at 21%, and Mozambique at 19% over the same period.  The report highlights data which shows that eight of the top twenty fastest growing business travel destinations have introduced visa improvements which helps sector growth and economic growth.

The report identifies a number of factors influencing such growth. Business travel is often the driving force in the overall growth in contribution of travel and tourism to national GDP as companies continue to find ways to develop new markets and maximize their revenues. Countries emerging from conflict such as Sudan, Sri Lanka, Angola and Rwanda also feature highly on this list, highlighting the link between peace and economic development.

The report furthermore explores the increasing use of technology supporting travelers and travel companies. Travelport research highlights how business travelers want mobile phone alerts and information about disruptions, flight updates and upgrades. It also draws attention to the need to serve digitally-connected millennials and for the industry to deploy data-driven insights to engage customers more effectively.

The report incorporates White Paper proposals underlining the need for investment in technology and infrastructure, the removal of visa burdens, tackling cyber security and personalizing services for travelers.

The CEO of Travelport, Gordon Wilson, commented: “Every day we see business travel growing at a significant rate in many emerging markets with technology playing an in increasingly important role in easing the way for those on trips for their work. As an industry we need to continue to invest in the best technologies and infrastructure whilst governments need to be more business-friendly by removing burdensome visa requirements.”

David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC, said: “Travel & Tourism generates USD$7.6 trillion in GDP and supports over 292 million jobs. Business travel is a vital part of the sector, and it is a key catalyst for global growth. It drives the relationships, investments, supply chains and logistics that support international trade flows.”

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Middle East millennials drive demand for personalization https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/middle-east-millennials-drive-demand-for-personalization/ Wed, 19 Apr 2017 11:47:36 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=249543 The post Middle East millennials drive demand for personalization appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

At this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) from 24-27 April,  Travelport says it will highlight how travel tech is allowing airlines and travel agents to meet Middle East travellers’ demands.  According to the company, by providing a more personalized travel experience with more relevant travel choices to all the region’s travellers, there’s an opportunity to grow business. Travel […]

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At this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) from 24-27 April,  Travelport says it will highlight how travel tech is allowing airlines and travel agents to meet Middle East travellers’ demands. Rabih Saab Travelport

According to the company, by providing a more personalized travel experience with more relevant travel choices to all the region’s travellers, there’s an opportunity to grow business.

Travel & Tourism investment in the Middle East is set to continue to rise by over 7% in 2017 and digital consumption in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is expected to reach high levels of personalization by 2021. Innovation in travel tech is supporting the industry’s growth through connecting travellers to more travel choices

With today’s youngest working segment- the millennial generation- estimated to become the largest workforce segment by 2030 , travel industry players in the Middle East are leveraging technology to meet the needs of millennials who tend to be higher spenders than their global peers with regards to travel.
The region’s travel industry is feeling the clout of their spending power already and it is estimated that millennials in the UAE will generate $40,000 average annual gross income by 2019 with almost half of them booking travel through mobile devices.

Travel apps have become their preferred method of interacting with brands, almost a third more than past generations.

Travelport says mobile applications are ideal platforms to create personalized offers. For airlines, the key can be the travel behavior already known to the airline through past purchases tied to the user’s booking account.

In the Middle East, airlines such as Etihad have launched successful travel apps which deliver digital travel solutions for their travellers. Low cost carriers strengthening expansions in the Gulf such as India’s largest airline, IndiGo, also provide strong mobile retailing examples.

Research indicates low cost carriers have high growth opportunities in the Middle East. With rising business and tourism stemming from the Gulf, carriers such as IndiGo have recently launched new routes in the UAE and have been key adaptors of innovative technology to reach new travelers in the region.

Speaking ahead of ATM, Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president & managing director for Europe, Middle East, Africa and South Asia said: “Travel tech is an exciting place to be right now. We are increasingly living in an experiential world. Mobile penetration in the Middle East is astronomical, across the GCC almost 80% of the population are mobile subscribers.

Smart travel brands will continue to look at how mobile can help bridge the gap between generic experiences and ones where the end-traveller feels truly engaged and supported. Brands will thrive or decline depending on the experiences delivered to travelers and how relevant and personalized these experiences are.”

 

ATM visitors can experience Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform at Sheikh Saeed Hall 1 – Stand TT1520 .

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Rabih Saab Travelport
Travelport and eNett host trade partners at Hong Kong Sevens https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-hosts-trade-partners-at-hong-kong-sevens/ Sun, 09 Apr 2017 08:27:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=249159 The post Travelport and eNett host trade partners at Hong Kong Sevens appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Back: Dhimant Thakker of Rakuten, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Matt Arthur of eNett; Front: Scott Duane of eNett, Michael Yates of Travelport, Tim Hannan of HRG

The Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament returned to the city from 7–9 April 2017. The 42nd edition of the event saw Travelport and eNett host their travel trade partners at the Hong Kong Stadium for a weekend of sporting excitement.  

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Back: Dhimant Thakker of Rakuten, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Matt Arthur of eNett; Front: Scott Duane of eNett, Michael Yates of Travelport, Tim Hannan of HRG

The Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament returned to the city from 7–9 April 2017. The 42nd edition of the event saw Travelport and eNett host their travel trade partners at the Hong Kong Stadium for a weekend of sporting excitement.

Back: Jeff Naylor of Walshes World and Tim Hannan of HRG; Front: Matt Arthur of eNett, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Michael Yates, of Travelport
Back: Jeff Naylor of Walshes World and Tim Hannan of HRG; Front: Matt Arthur of eNett, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Michael Yates, of Travelport
Eric Siu of Travelwebsite and Noble Vocation, Roy Ng of Skyward Travel, Michael Yates of Travelport, and Yu Fai Chan of Travelport
Eric Siu of Travelwebsite, Roy Ng of Skyward Travel, Michael Yates of Travelport, and Yu Fai Chan of Travelport
Tim Hannan of HRG, Gary Marshall of Travel Daily Media, and Jeff Naylor of Walshes World
Tim Hannan of HRG, Gary Marshall of Travel Daily Media, and Jeff Naylor of Walshes World
All Blacks legend Andrew Mehrtens with HRG's Tim Hannan
All Blacks legend Andrew Mehrtens with HRG’s Tim Hannan
Scott Duane of eNett with Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard
Scott Duane of eNett with Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard
Back: Dhimant Thakker of Rakuten, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Matt Arthur of eNett; Front: Scott Duane of eNett, Michael Yates of Travelport, Tim Hannan of HRG
Back: Dhimant Thakker of Rakuten, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Matt Arthur of eNett; Front: Scott Duane of eNett, Michael Yates of Travelport, Tim Hannan of HRG

 

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FullSizeRender Back: Jeff Naylor of Walshes World and Tim Hannan of HRG; Front: Matt Arthur of eNett, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Michael Yates, of Travelport FullSizeRender1 Eric Siu of Travelwebsite and Noble Vocation, Roy Ng of Skyward Travel, Michael Yates of Travelport, and Yu Fai Chan of Travelport FullSizeRender2 Tim Hannan of HRG, Gary Marshall of Travel Daily Media, and Jeff Naylor of Walshes World image1 All Blacks legend Andrew Mehrtens with HRG's Tim Hannan IMG_5520 Scott Duane of eNett with Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard Main pic Back: Dhimant Thakker of Rakuten, Alex Thanopoulos of MasterCard, and Matt Arthur of eNett; Front: Scott Duane of eNett, Michael Yates of Travelport, Tim Hannan of HRG
Travelport seals Zuji deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-zuji-deal/ Thu, 06 Apr 2017 05:40:56 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=249067 The post Travelport seals Zuji deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport will continue to supply its GDS content to Zuji, the Asia-focused online travel agency, following the extension of their existing partnership. This will provide users with access to an extensive array of travel content from more than 400 airlines and 650,000 hotel properties, plus car rental, rail and cruise options. More than 200 of […]

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Mark Meehan pens the deal with Jacob Jiang
Mark Meehan pens the deal with Jacob Jiang

Travelport will continue to supply its GDS content to Zuji, the Asia-focused online travel agency, following the extension of their existing partnership.

This will provide users with access to an extensive array of travel content from more than 400 airlines and 650,000 hotel properties, plus car rental, rail and cruise options. More than 200 of the airlines will offer branded fares and ancillary services.

“As online booking is very often the preferred method for travel purchases in Southeast Asia, Travelport is excited to be able to provide distribution and content support for our partners,” said Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific.

“We are also investing in the online and travel technology space in this region which continues to be the fastest growing in the world. We are thrilled that Zuji recognises the value of what we have built together and are keen to continue working with us into the future.”

Jacob Jiang, commercial director of Zuji’s parent company, Uriel Aviation Holdings, commented; “With Travelport’s impressive content, technology and solutions, we look forward to exploring further growth opportunities in the online travel space.”

Zuji is one of 68,000 online and traditional travel agencies connected to Travelport.

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Zuji deal Mark Meehan pens the deal with Jacob Jiang
World Travellers Group upgrades with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/world-travellers-group-upgrades-with-travelport/ Wed, 22 Feb 2017 07:57:18 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=247465 The post World Travellers Group upgrades with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

World Travellers Group, the New Zealand-based retail travel network, has made a significant investment in its future by signing a new multi-year technology agreement with Travelport. The company, which has more than 25 outlets and mobile travel businesses across New Zealand, will continue to provide its agents with access to the Travelport point-of-sale system, Smartpoint, […]

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Rich Content & Branding
Rich Content & Branding

World Travellers Group, the New Zealand-based retail travel network, has made a significant investment in its future by signing a new multi-year technology agreement with Travelport.

The company, which has more than 25 outlets and mobile travel businesses across New Zealand, will continue to provide its agents with access to the Travelport point-of-sale system, Smartpoint, enabling them to search for and book products from more than 400 airlines, 650,000 hotels and 36,000 car rental locations worldwide.

They are also able to access improved graphical content and enhanced product descriptions through Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding solution, which features Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia, Solomon Airlines and Fiji Airways.

“After a comprehensive tender process and analysis all of the available technology providers, World Travellers is pleased to announce that it has once again chosen Travelport as our preferred partner. It is clear that Travelport’s technology continue to be the right fit for the future success of our business. We very much look forward to working with the Travelport team in the years to come,” said Eden Stevenson, CEO of the World Travellers Group.

Travelport’s content is being used by 68,000 travel agencies in 180 countries.

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RCB Rich Content & Branding
Asian OTA gets technology boost from Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-ota-gets-technology-boost-from-travelport/ Wed, 15 Feb 2017 06:37:24 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=247136 The post Asian OTA gets technology boost from Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Hutchgo.com, the Asian online travel agency, has moved to expand and improve its operations by signing a major new technology agreement with Travelport. The deal will see Travelport become the Hong Kong-based OTA’s main technology partner in multiple markets, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the UK. This expands […]

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Hutchgo.com
Hutchgo.com

Hutchgo.com, the Asian online travel agency, has moved to expand and improve its operations by signing a major new technology agreement with Travelport.

The deal will see Travelport become the Hong Kong-based OTA’s main technology partner in multiple markets, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the UK.

This expands on an existing agreement signed in 2015 between Travelport and Hutchison Travel, Hutchgo.com’s parent company, covering Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

Under this expanded agreement, Travelport will power the OTA’s online reservations, giving customers the ability to search for and book the latest travel content, airfares and ancillaries.

“Travelport has proven to be a highly valued technology partner for Hutchgo.com since our partnership in 2015. We are pleased to broaden the scope of our agreement covering our expansion into key regions in Asia and into the UK, and look forward to providing our customers with the best-in-class booking experience powered by Travelport’s leading technology,” said Tony Ma, CEO of Hutchgo.com.

Formerly known as Hutchison-Priceline, Hutchgo.com was Hong Kong’s first full-service OTA, and has since expanded its operations to eight countries.

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HG Hutchgo.com
Avis Budget commits to Travelport GDS distribution https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/avis-budget-commits-to-travelport-gds-distribution/ Tue, 14 Feb 2017 06:18:53 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=247090 The post Avis Budget commits to Travelport GDS distribution appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Avis Budget Group, the global car rental company, has signed a new agreement that will ensure its products are made available to travel agents via Travelport’s GDS channels. Under the terms of the multi-year deal, agents around the world – including OTAs and corporate travel agencies – will be able to search for and book […]

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All of Avis Budget Group's brands will be available under the new deal
All of Avis Budget Group’s brands will be available under the new deal

Avis Budget Group, the global car rental company, has signed a new agreement that will ensure its products are made available to travel agents via Travelport’s GDS channels.

Under the terms of the multi-year deal, agents around the world – including OTAs and corporate travel agencies – will be able to search for and book Avis Budget Group’s full range of vehicles plus various ancillary products and services across multiple brands, including Avis, Budget, Payless Car Rental, Apex Car Rentals and Maggiore.

Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform connects to the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDSs.

“We’re pleased to extend our relationship with Travelport,” said Scott Deaver, executive vice president & chief marketing officer of the Avis Budget Group. “Showcasing our products and services on their Travel Commerce Platform gives travellers more choice and flexibility when booking car rental and provides a great opportunity for us to accelerate growth.”

Car rental is one the key sectors in which Travelport is aiming to expand, as part of its “Beyond Air” growth strategy.

“With Travelport’s industry-leading technology and services, Avis Budget Group will be able to deliver rates and availability in a visually rich and cohesive way to connect with travel agents worldwide,” commented Niklas Andreen, Travelport’s senior vice president & managing director of hospitality.

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Avis Budget
Gulf Air launches interline pricing tool https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gulf-air-launches-interline-pricing-tool/ Thu, 08 Dec 2016 07:09:10 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=244726 The post Gulf Air launches interline pricing tool appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gulf Air launched the solution in partnership with Clarity Airline Solutions

Gulf Air has launched a new tool that enables travel agents to book interline flights with special fares. The ‘Instant Book and Price’ solution has been developed in tandem with the airline’s technology partner Clarity Airline Solutions, and Travelport, the GDS company. The new dynamic pricing tool will offer special fares for 900+ interline destinations […]

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Gulf Air launched the solution in partnership with Clarity Airline Solutions

Gulf Air has launched a new tool that enables travel agents to book interline flights with special fares.

The ‘Instant Book and Price’ solution has been developed in tandem with the airline’s technology partner Clarity Airline Solutions, and Travelport, the GDS company.

The new dynamic pricing tool will offer special fares for 900+ interline destinations using pricing agreements with more than 68 airline partners. This will allow passengers to book tickets with multiple flights and on multiple airlines, including stopovers in many destinations, all within their Gulf Air ticket. Baggage will be checked through to the passenger’s final destination.

Gulf Air’s director of sales & marketing, Yahya Bu Ali, pens the deal with Clifford Christopher, co-founder of Clarity Airline Solutions
Gulf Air’s director of sales & marketing, Yahya Bu Ali, pens the deal with Clifford Christopher, co-founder of Clarity Airline Solutions

“With Gulf Air’s ‘Instant Book and Price’ tool, travellers can now fly with Gulf Air and its partners, choosing from an array of convenient flight connections and to a wide range of global destinations – all with a single Gulf Air ticket,” explained Gulf Air’s director of sales & marketing, Yahya Bu Ali.

“In tandem, the tool helps travel agents better serve our customers with greater efficiency by offering dynamic pricing. We are very excited to be able to offer our loyal customers more flexibility and convenience as they plan their travels,” he added.

Clifford Christopher, co-founder of Clarity Airline Solutions, commented; “Gulf Air can now make use of their partners’ route network and inventory with instant price quotes, to anywhere in the world, without the need to be filed through any channel, which in turn enhances greater customer service.”

Gulf Air partners with several other carriers, including American Airlines, Egyptair, Philippine Airlines and Thai Airways.

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GF Clarity slider Gulf Air launched the solution in partnership with Clarity Airline Solutions
China Southern uses Travelport to target agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-southern-uses-travelport-to-target-agents/ Wed, 07 Dec 2016 05:59:56 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=244674 The post China Southern uses Travelport to target agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China Southern's economy class cabin

China Southern Airlines has deepened its partnership with Travelport, the travel technology company, in an effort to directly promote its products to travel agents. Under a new agreement, the Guangzhou-based carrier – Asia’s largest in terms of passenger traffic and fleet – will harness Travelport’s ‘Sponsored Flights’ tool to highlight and promote its fares on […]

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China Southern's economy class cabin
China Southern's economy class cabin
China Southern’s economy class cabin

China Southern Airlines has deepened its partnership with Travelport, the travel technology company, in an effort to directly promote its products to travel agents.

Under a new agreement, the Guangzhou-based carrier – Asia’s largest in terms of passenger traffic and fleet – will harness Travelport’s ‘Sponsored Flights’ tool to highlight and promote its fares on the travel agent screen.

It has also signed up for the ‘Rich Content & Branding’ solution, which improves the graphic and descriptive content of an airline’s fares and products on the GDS.

“We are very pleased to be working with Travelport again to propel our business to the next level. With the growth of our airline and adding more services such as non-stop flights between Toronto-Guangzhou and Adelaide-Guangzhou, we believe these new routes will continue to bring new opportunities and mutual benefit for both companies,” said Li Dong Liang, China Southern’s vice president of sales.

The new solutions will enhance the airline’s visibility among the 250,000 global travel agents connected to the Travelport GDS at the point of sale.

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shutterstock_294302510 China Southern's economy class cabin
Vueling signs Travelport content and branding deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/vueling-signs-travelport-content-and-branding-deal/ Sun, 04 Dec 2016 14:45:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=244554 The post Vueling signs Travelport content and branding deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a new agreement with Vueling, which will the Spanish low-cost airline sign up for Travelport’s airline merchandising solution, Travelport Rich Content and Branding.  The agreement continues Travelport’s long standing relationship with Vueling, and parent company International Airlines Group (IAG). The solution enables airlines to fully display their brand proposition, exactly as they […]

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Travelport has signed a new agreement with Vueling, which will the Spanish low-cost airline sign up for Travelport’s airline merchandising solution, Travelport Rich Content and Branding. 

Vueling has seen some of the largest growth
Vueling has seen some of the largest growth

The agreement continues Travelport’s long standing relationship with Vueling, and parent company International Airlines Group (IAG).

The solution enables airlines to fully display their brand proposition, exactly as they would on their own websites. It includes rich product descriptions and imagery, optional or ancillary products for sale, including fares families, and provides airlines with the greatest control possible over how their products appear on travel agent screens. Vueling’s content is now live for agents to search, sell and book and is available in both English and Spanish, as well as to travelers directly via online travel agents.

Rich Content and Branding continues to differentiate Travelport from its peers in the indirect distribution channel and has continued its strong momentum with over 180 airlines now fully implemented. Travelport has continued to enhance Rich Content and Branding by adding powerful, new search functionality and increased opportunities for upselling by offering the ‘next product/price point up’, with a full comparison of associated attributes and ancillaries.

The new addition of its ‘Basic Fare’ offering to Travelport’s merchandising solution means these lowest fares options that only include hand luggage will now be available to Travelport connected agents and cover Vueling’s route network of nearly 130 destinations. Available to search and book from today, these fares are in addition to Vueling’s ‘Optima’ and ‘Excellence’ fares, that include additional services such as the ability to choose your seat and have flexibility on ticket changes.

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Vueling web Vueling has seen some of the largest growth
IndiGo fares go live with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/indigo-fares-go-live-with-travelport/ Sun, 04 Dec 2016 10:50:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=244547 The post IndiGo fares go live with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

IndiGo’s Aditya Ghosh celebrates the launch with Travelport’s Gordon Wilson

IndiGo’s fares and ancillary services are now available for sale via Travelport’s travel agent platform. The Indian low-cost carrier, which is the country’s largest domestic airline in terms of market share, announced in September that it had agreed to distribute its content via the GDS for the first time, making it available to both online […]

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IndiGo’s Aditya Ghosh celebrates the launch with Travelport’s Gordon Wilson

IndiGo’s fares and ancillary services are now available for sale via Travelport’s travel agent platform.

The Indian low-cost carrier, which is the country’s largest domestic airline in terms of market share, announced in September that it had agreed to distribute its content via the GDS for the first time, making it available to both online and traditional travel agencies across the world. These fares are now live in India.

IndiGo’s Aditya Ghosh celebrates the launch with Travelport’s Gordon Wilson
IndiGo’s Aditya Ghosh celebrates the launch with Travelport’s Gordon Wilson

The launch was celebrates at an event attended Aditya Ghosh and Gordon Wilson, the respective presidents of IndiGo and Travelport, along with more than 300 travel industry guests.

“We are very excited to officially launch our content on the Travel Commerce Platform today, and we are proud of our partnership with Travelport,” said Ghosh.

“Travelport’s technology is providing an opportunity for us to reach new travellers at home and internationally and familiarise them with our unique brand in a highly cost-effective manner without incurring the traditional costs associated with participation in the more traditional global distribution platforms.”

Wilson commented that the inclusion of IndiGo’s content is “very good news for our… travel agents both in India and around the world”.

“By adding IndiGo’s fares and ancillaries to the Travelport platform, we have marked another significant industry first and we look forward to working with IndiGo in the years ahead to help them expand their distribution.  Meanwhile, we will continue to invest in and extend our leadership in air merchandising and the provision of innovative technology to the global travel industry,” he added.

Following the Indian roll-out, IndiGo’s content will be gradually made available to agents around the world.

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Aditya Ghosh with Gordon Wilson IndiGo’s Aditya Ghosh celebrates the launch with Travelport’s Gordon Wilson
OTA starts selling airline ancillaries with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ota-starts-selling-airline-ancillaries-with-travelport/ Tue, 15 Nov 2016 07:42:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=243727 The post OTA starts selling airline ancillaries with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Fly365.com's Rich Content and Branding display

Fly365.com has become the first online travel agency (OTA) in the Asia Pacific region to implement Travelport’s merchandising technology, Rich Content & Branding.   Under the new arrangement, the Australia-based OTA will be able to provide its customers with access to branded fares and ancillaries from more than 180 airlines. This will enable Fly365.com to […]

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Fly365.com's Rich Content and Branding display
Fly365.com's Rich Content and Branding display
Fly365.com’s Rich Content and Branding display

Fly365.com has become the first online travel agency (OTA) in the Asia Pacific region to implement Travelport’s merchandising technology, Rich Content & Branding.  

Under the new arrangement, the Australia-based OTA will be able to provide its customers with access to branded fares and ancillaries from more than 180 airlines. This will enable Fly365.com to offer a similar range of products and services to those sold via the airline’s own website.

“We are pleased with Fly365.com’s successful implementation of Travelport Rich Content and Branding, enabling them to provide customers with a much more enhanced comparing and shopping experience,” said Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific. “Airlines will also reap in the benefits of having their branded offering shown to travellers in such an intuitive manner, enabling upsell opportunities.

“This is a real first for any OTA in the Asia Pacific region and we look forward to working closely with Fly365.com as they continue to grow in Australia and beyond,” he added.

Fly365.com’s chief operating officer, Scott Mayne, said that his company had already been able to “increase our margins and sales since implementation”.

Travelport Rich Content & Branding is already being utilised by several OTAs, including UK-based Skylord Travel and Russia’s OneTwoTrip.

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Fly365 Rich Content and Branding Fly365.com's Rich Content and Branding display
Travelport improves Hopper’s flight booking app https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-improves-hoppers-flight-booking-app/ Tue, 01 Nov 2016 06:22:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=243164 The post Travelport improves Hopper’s flight booking app appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The Hopper app launched in 2015

Travelport has expanded its partnership with Hopper, creator of the mobile flight booking app. The Hopper app, which is available for iOS and Android, uses big data to find, analyse and predict air fares, and then advises travellers on whether to book immediately or wait for cheaper flights. Under the new agreement, Hopper will leverage […]

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The Hopper app launched in 2015
The Hopper app launched in 2015
The Hopper app launched in 2015

Travelport has expanded its partnership with Hopper, creator of the mobile flight booking app.

The Hopper app, which is available for iOS and Android, uses big data to find, analyse and predict air fares, and then advises travellers on whether to book immediately or wait for cheaper flights.

Under the new agreement, Hopper will leverage Travelport’s Universal API and shopping data products to improve the accuracy of its traveller recommendations.

“Travelport’s innovative technology, along with our leading data-driven research and analytics, is helping travellers make better decisions and save money on their flight bookings,” said Frederic Lalonde, Hopper’s founder & CEO.

Chris Zando, Travelport’s vice president of partnerships & alliances, added; “Our work with Hopper is a great example of Travelport’s commitment to engage with early stage companies who recognise the value that our industry-leading technology gives them to boost their success and future growth.”

Hopper first launched in early 2015 and has since won several awards.

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Hopper The Hopper app launched in 2015
Travelport launches data analytics tool in Asia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-data-analytics-tool-in-asia/ Tue, 11 Oct 2016 06:40:41 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=242273 The post Travelport launches data analytics tool in Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Data is presented on dashboards that highlight key trends

Travelport has launched its new business analytics tool in the Asia Pacific region. The new solution, Travelport Business Insights, provides travel agencies and other companies with “near real-time” access to data from a range of sources. This, according to Travelport, will bring a range of benefits to users, including the ability to “optimise supplier contracts, […]

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Data is presented on dashboards that highlight key trends

Travelport has launched its new business analytics tool in the Asia Pacific region.

The new solution, Travelport Business Insights, provides travel agencies and other companies with “near real-time” access to data from a range of sources. This, according to Travelport, will bring a range of benefits to users, including the ability to “optimise supplier contracts, enhancing customer service and improve operational efficiencies”.

Data is presented on dashboards that highlight key trends
Data is presented on dashboards that highlight key trends

“Our customers have told us the volume of data available to them is dramatically increasing, as is the time and cost of collating and interpreting the information,” said Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific.

“We have developed Travelport Business Insights to help our customers make key business decisions that can improve revenue, enhance customer service and reduce operational costs by not only aggregating travel data from multiple sources, but transforming the information into insights, providing businesses with a competitive edge.”

The new tool collects data from both traditional and non-traditional travel sources, before augmenting it with predictive and forward-thinking analytics. The data is then presented on dashboards which highlight key insights and indicators.

Travelport Business Insights is available in three packages designed to suit different sizes of business.

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Hotel Program snapshot Data is presented on dashboards that highlight key trends
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/241140/ Wed, 14 Sep 2016 07:42:54 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=241140 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Roberto Martinoli

ROBERTO MARTINOLI has been appointed CEO of Silversea Cruises, effective 19 September. A Silversea board member since 2013, Martinoli takes over as CEO following a long career in the cruise industry, including spells with Carnival, Costa and Norwegian cruises. He replaces Enzo Visone. PHILIPPINE CHEREQUE has been named as the new president of American Express […]

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Roberto Martinoli
Roberto Martinoli
Roberto Martinoli

ROBERTO MARTINOLI has been appointed CEO of Silversea Cruises, effective 19 September. A Silversea board member since 2013, Martinoli takes over as CEO following a long career in the cruise industry, including spells with Carnival, Costa and Norwegian cruises. He replaces Enzo Visone.

PHILIPPINE CHEREQUE has been named as the new president of American Express Global Business, effective immediately. In this newly-created position, Chereque will continue to oversee the company’s commercial and product technology organisations, as well as assuming new responsibilities.

Stéphane Daillencourt
Stéphane Daillencourt

STEPHANE DAILLENCOURT has become the new president & CEO of Asia Aviation Capital, AirAsia’s aircraft leasing unit. A French national, Daillencourt has more than 30 years’ experience in buying, selling, financing and leasing aircraft, most recently with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS).

FIONA SHANLEY has been appointed as Travelport’s new chief customer & marketing officer. Ms Shanley, who joins from Microsoft, will head up the Customer and Marketing Organisation, which forms part of Travelport Digital – a new organisational unit focusing on the digital economy.

Arnaud Champenois
Arnaud Champenois

ARNAUD CHAMPENOIS has been announced as Belmond’s new senior vice president of marketing & brand. With more than 20 years of experience, Champenois has worked for luxury brands including Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani and Yves Saint Laurent. He moves to Belmond from Starwood.

RANJAY RADHAKRISHNAN has become the new chief human resources officer at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), effective 1 December. He joins IHG from Unilever, where he has spent 23 years in a range of senior leadership roles, most recently as executive vice president of global HR.

Neoh Kean Boon
Neoh Kean Boon

NEOH KEAN BOON has been appointed general manager of the Dusit Thani Pattaya. The move marks a return to the property for Boon, who previously spent three years as resident manager before moving to Bangkok to become hotel manager of the Dusit Princess Srinakarin.

MARC EMMANUEL has become general manager of the Pan Pacific Hanoi, which will open in October following the rebranding of the Sofitel Plaza Hanoi. Emmanuel is no stranger to the hotel, having spent the last five years of his 15-year career as its executive assistant manager.

Kumar Renoo
Kumar Renoo

KUMAR RENOO has been appointed general manager of Le Meridien Putrajaya, the newly-opened Malaysian hotel. Renoo has spent his career with Starwood, rising through the departments at hotels across Malaysia. Most recently he was dual GM for the Sheraton and Four Points resorts in Langkawi.

KRIENGSAK HANSA has been named as the Chatrium Residence Sathorn Bangkok’s new executive assistant manager – rooms. He has almost 22 years of experience in the hotel industry, including spells in Hua Hin and Koh Samui. Most recently he worked at the Muthi Maya resort in Khao Yai.

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Roberto Martinoli Roberto Martinoli Stéphane Daillencourt Stéphane Daillencourt Arnaud Champenois Arnaud Champenois Neoh Kean Boon Neoh Kean Boon Kumar Renoo Kumar Renoo
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-210/ Wed, 17 Aug 2016 09:35:11 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=240014 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Henry Gray

HENRY GRAY has become Six Senses’ new vice president of operations for hotels & resorts, based in Bangkok. A British national, Gray previously served as Six Senses’ area director for Thailand between 2007 and 2009. He has also been involved in opening new properties for Amanresorts around the world. THEIRRY DOUIN has been promoted to […]

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Henry Gray
Henry Gray
Henry Gray

HENRY GRAY has become Six Senses’ new vice president of operations for hotels & resorts, based in Bangkok. A British national, Gray previously served as Six Senses’ area director for Thailand between 2007 and 2009. He has also been involved in opening new properties for Amanresorts around the world.

THEIRRY DOUIN has been promoted to the role of senior vice president of hotel operations for Dusit International. A French national, Douin has 35 years of experience in the hotel industry, including spells with IHG and Shangri-La. He joined Dusit in 2013 as regional vice president for the Middle East & Africa.

Osamu Tokairin
Osamu Tokairin

OSAMU TOKAIRIN has been announced as the new managing director of Travelport Japan. With more than 25 years’ experience, Tokairin has held several senior travel industry roles, including CEO of Kuoni Japan and managing director of GTA Japan. He was also GM of Toptour Corporation’s office in LA.

SHAFI SYED has been named as the Jumeirah Group’s new chief development officer, effective immediately. Syed brings more than 25 years of experience to the role, including spells with Taj Hotels in India and Wyndham in London and Dubai. Most recently he worked for Trump Hotels.

Marc Landgraf
Marc Landgraf

MARC LANDGRAF has been named as the new general manager of the Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort. A French national with more than 30 years’ experience, Landgraf was previously GM of Outrigger’s resorts in Phuket and Phi Phi. He speaks German, Spanish and English, as well as his native French.

GRANT JEFFERIES has become general manager at Pulse Hotels & Resorts’ newest venture, Kandima Maldives. An Australian national, Jefferies’ career has included spells in Oceania, US, Europe and Southeast Asia. He was once New York City’s youngest GM, when he led the Soho Grand Hotel.

Thomas Salg
Thomas Salg

THOMAS SALG has been promoted to the role of general manager for Marco Polo’s three Hong Kong properties: Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Prince Hotel and Gateway Hotel. He brings more than 20 years’ experience to the role, having spent many years with Marriott in Asia. He joins from Marco Polo Shenzhen.

PER KREDNER has been appointed general manager of the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui. A Swedish national, Kredner’s 15-year career has taken him to the UAE, Oman, Singapore, China, Japan and Indonesia, most recently as hotel manager of Grand Hyatt hotels in Bali and Shenzhen.

Mike Bertoia
Mike Bertoia

MIKE BERTOIA has taken the enviable role of product manager for Goway Travel’s IslandEscapes brand. This will see Bertoia travel to some of the world’s most idyllic islands, such as Tahiti, Fiji, the Cook Islands and Maldives, in an effort to inspect and improve its portfolio of luxury products.

THOMAS PFORDTE has joined Dusit International as group director of food & beverage. A German national, Pfordte has spent more than 18 years working in senior positions across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Previously he was the group director of F&B for Marco Polo, based in Hong Kong.

Pradtana Tubprayoon
Pradtana Tubprayoon

PRADTANA TUBPRAYOON has been appointed hotel manager of the Manathai Surin Phuket. Khun Noina, as she is better known, is a Thai national and a graduate of the Swiss Hotel Management School in Montreux. She has 10 years’ experience in Thailand and Laos, most recently with Furama.

STANLEY TAN has been named as the new director of sales & marketing at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore. No stranger to the hotel, Tan spent the early years of his career at the Ritz-Carlton. He has since worked in Hong Kong, Japan and Turkey with Peninsula, Marriott and Shangri-La.

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Henry Gray Henry Gray Osamu Tokairin Osamu Tokairin Marc Landgraf Marc Landgraf Thomas Salg Thomas Salg Mike Bertoia Mike Bertoia Pradtana Tubprayoon Pradtana Tubprayoon
Travelport renews content and IT agreements with Emirates https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-content-and-it-agreements-with-emirates/ Fri, 05 Aug 2016 11:15:39 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=239578 The post Travelport renews content and IT agreements with Emirates appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has renewed its global full content and IT agreements with Emirates. The strengthened partnership will see Emirates offer Travelport-connected agencies in 180 countries with continued access to all of Emirates’ fares and inventory through the Travel Commerce Platform. Furthermore, Travelport has signed an extension of its long-standing IT services agreement with Emirates. This agreement […]

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The post Travelport renews content and IT agreements with Emirates appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has renewed its global full content and IT agreements with Emirates.

The strengthened partnership will see Emirates offer Travelport-connected agencies in 180 countries with continued access to all of Emirates’ fares and inventory through the Travel Commerce Platform. Furthermore, Travelport has signed an extension of its long-standing IT services agreement with Emirates. This agreement will see Travelport continue to provide Emirates with industry leading pricing, shopping and ticket rebooking technology, enabling Emirates to support advanced shopping and rebooking options within their internal sales channels including www.emirates.com.

On the distribution side, the new deal means Emirates will commence the initial rollout of Travelport’s airline merchandising solutions giving them the capability to directly promote their fare brands, ancillaries and associated upsell options -for the first time- to the global travel agent community. Joining approximately 170 airlines now live with Travelport’s merchandising solution (rich content and branding), Emirates will benefit from Travelport’s ability to provide detailed product descriptions, including images and related ancillary options to travel agencies.

Derek Sharp, senior vice president and managing director, air commerce, Travelport, commented: “We are delighted to build on our strong partnership with Emirates through this enhanced global full content agreement as well as the renewal of our long standing IT agreement.  Emirates’ choice to offer agents their branded fares content with detailed descriptions and imagery will enable agents to more effectively upsell Emirates’ services providing an improved service to travellers and hopefully boosting Emirates’ growth across the globe.”

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Brisbane’s Airtrain to sell tickets via GDS https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/brisbanes-airtrain-to-sell-tickets-via-gds/ Fri, 05 Aug 2016 04:29:24 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=239556 The post Brisbane’s Airtrain to sell tickets via GDS appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Damian Hickey (far left) and Chris Basche (second right) celebrate the deal

Airtrain, which connects Brisbane Airport with the city and Gold Coast, has agreed to start distriburing its tickets to travek agents via the GDS. Under a new agreement with Travelport, the Australian airport rail operator will make its tickets avaiulable to agents through Travelport’s Airport Express app. Travel agents will receive an automatic prompt when […]

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Damian Hickey (far left) and Chris Basche (second right) celebrate the deal
Damian Hickey (far left) and Chris Basche (second right) celebrate the deal
Damian Hickey (far left) and Chris Basche (second right) celebrate the deal

Airtrain, which connects Brisbane Airport with the city and Gold Coast, has agreed to start distriburing its tickets to travek agents via the GDS.

Under a new agreement with Travelport, the Australian airport rail operator will make its tickets avaiulable to agents through Travelport’s Airport Express app. Travel agents will receive an automatic prompt when an air booking is made into and out of Brisbane Airport, as a reminder of the option of adding Airtrain tickets.

The deal gives Airtrain access to Travelport’s global network of more than 67,000 travel agents, which Chris Basche, CEO of Airtrain, said would give his company “a huge reach to grow our sales”.

“The Airport Express App is a user-friendly tool which enables agents to book our services instantly, ensuring travellers have access to our efficient and comfortable mode of transport when travelling from Brisbane Airport to Brisbane City and the Gold Coast,” he added.

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president for Asia Pacific, commented; “We are pleased to partner with Airtrain to help them grow via the travel agency channel. We look forward to adding further partners to our system and providing our agents with the preferred tools and convenient access to book this mode of transport.”

Travelport launched its Airport Express app in March 2015, becoming the first travel technology platform to offer an app specifically for airport rail services. London’s Heathrow Express has already started using the app.

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Damian Hickey and Chris Basche Damian Hickey (far left) and Chris Basche (second right) celebrate the deal
Travelport appoints new operator in Tanzania https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-appoints-new-operator-in-tanzania/ Wed, 03 Aug 2016 10:55:43 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=239508 The post Travelport appoints new operator in Tanzania appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced a new operator agreement with TP Services Ltd in Tanzania.  It marks a new chapter for the travel industry in Tanzania, with the new leadership team officially introduced to the country’s travel industry leaders at a business gala at the Hyatt Hotel in Dar es Salam on Friday. With travel and tourism forecast […]

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Travelport has announced a new operator agreement with TP Services Ltd in Tanzania. 

It marks a new chapter for the travel industry in Tanzania, with the new leadership team officially introduced to the country’s travel industry leaders at a business gala at the Hyatt Hotel in Dar es Salam on Friday.

With travel and tourism forecast to support almost 12% of employment in Tanzania by 2025 (according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2015, Tanzania report), the event also allowed the attending delegates to learn about Travelport’s newly appointed operator’s strategy in supporting the growth of their travel agency business partners in Tanzania’s through Travelport’s industry defining technology.

TP services laid out plans to heighten travel agent experience and satisfaction of Travelport’s technology by offering enhanced service support and tailored product recommendations for local travel agencies.

TP Services will distribute Travelport’s content including fares from approximately 400 airlines globally, branded fares and ancillaries as well as more than 650,000 unique hotels properties worldwide fully bookable in Travelport’s travel commerce platform.

Tanzania’s travel agencies will also benefit from its innovative point of sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint, which allows travel agents to search, sell and book itineraries more effectively, significantly improves efficiency of their work, and provides agents with increased opportunities for upselling.

Country manager of TP Services, Sarfarazali Chagani, is responsible for the delivery of the full range of Travelport content, products and technology in Tanzania.

He said: “Travelport has all the right tools, as well as unrivalled leading content to support the development of Tanzania’s travel industry and deliver cutting edge solutions to local travel agencies to grow their businesses. Travelport is redefining travel commerce, investing more than $830 million since 2012 in new technology with a clear focus on redefining travel commerce and TP Services is here to champion it amongst Tanzanian travellers. With this in mind, we are very much looking forward to the new opportunities ahead of Travelport and for the entire travel industry in Tanzania.”

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Gulf Air launches global dynamic interline pricing tool in Sri Lanka https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gulf-air-launches-global-dynamic-interline-pricing-tool-in-sri-lanka/ Sat, 30 Jul 2016 09:08:28 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=239313 The post Gulf Air launches global dynamic interline pricing tool in Sri Lanka appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gulf Air has launched its Instant Book and Price tool for travel agencies in Sri Lanka in coordination with its General Sales Agent (GSA) Mack Air, technology partner Clarity Airline Solutions and Global Distribution System (GDS) partner, Travelport. To mark the occasion, Gulf Air GSA vice president Shaminda Fernando, Travelport country manager Mahendra Balasuriya and […]

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The post Gulf Air launches global dynamic interline pricing tool in Sri Lanka appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gulf Air has launched its Instant Book and Price tool for travel agencies in Sri Lanka in coordination with its General Sales Agent (GSA) Mack Air, technology partner Clarity Airline Solutions and Global Distribution System (GDS) partner, Travelport.

To mark the occasion, Gulf Air GSA vice president Shaminda Fernando, Travelport country manager Mahendra Balasuriya and Clarity Airline co-founder Clifford Christopher hosted an event at Travelport’s Colombo office where Sri Lanka’s 20 top agents were introduced to the innovative pricing automation solution available on Galileo GDS.

Gulf Air now offers instant pricing for any booking with interline itineraries using the airline’s 68 airline partners. Customers can stopover in many destinations and more importantly fly on a single Gulf Air ticket ensuring they have their baggage all the way to the final destination.

“Our customers can now fly with Gulf Air and its partners with one ticket,” said Fernando. “Previously customers faced difficulties when traveling to several cities. In most cases, either the fare was too expensive or flights were inconvenient with separate tickets.

“Now with Gulf Air Instant Book and Price tool, customers can choose convenient flight connections to a wide range of global destinations with a single Gulf Air ticket. The tool also helps agents to better serve customers by offering dynamic pricing without the need to refer to the airline for any fares that are not published. We are very excited to be able to offer our loyal customers more flexibility and more ultimately more destinations.”

Gulf Air senior manager sales, Yousif Saeed, said: “This is a remarkable achievement; we are delighted to provide better services to our partner agents and customers. Starting from Colombo, we are confident that this tool shall show a positive results, which will encourage such collaboration to phase out to different regions.”

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Travelport signs long-term deal with Roibek Travel https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-signs-long-term-deal-with-roibek-travel/ Sat, 30 Jul 2016 09:06:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=239312 The post Travelport signs long-term deal with Roibek Travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a long-term deal with Saudi Arabia’s Roibek Travel. It will see all 55 branches of Roibek, which are located across KSA, use Travelport technology exclusively. The agreement will also see the Riyadh-based travel agency deploy Travelport’s Universal API, the technology that powers internet booking engines and aggregates unrivalled travel content to boost […]

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The post Travelport signs long-term deal with Roibek Travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a long-term deal with Saudi Arabia’s Roibek Travel.

It will see all 55 branches of Roibek, which are located across KSA, use Travelport technology exclusively.

The agreement will also see the Riyadh-based travel agency deploy Travelport’s Universal API, the technology that powers internet booking engines and aggregates unrivalled travel content to boost the agency’s commercial successes online.

Travelport’s agency point of sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint, will give Roibek access to air and other travel content and services aimed at transforming the way agents work by maximising revenues, increasing productivity and improving the customer experience.

Smartpoint also allows travel agents to sell not just air fares, but an airline’s full range of ancillary products and services in real time from more than 400 of the world’s leading network airlines and low -ost carriers. There are also more than 650,000 unique hotel properties and 36,000 car rental locations available from Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform.

Khalid Suliman Al Turaiki, founder, Roibek Travel, said: “As a regional leader in airline ticketing for tours and travels, our selection of Travelport for our business, supports our objective to empower efficiency, increase productivity and improve our overall customers’ experience. A fundamental component of our strategy – as a pioneer of Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism landscape – is to grow our presence online and Travelport’s technology will also allow us to target growth in our business so that we can bring our online presence to an unprecedented level.”

Ibrahim El Mohandes, country manager, Saudi Arabia for Travelport, commented: “Travelport is delighted to announce this business partnership with Roibek Travel. Our technology solutions are redefining how travel is being search, bought and sold across the globe and our Travel Commerce Platform creates synergies that facilitate revenue growth for our customers, which will empower Roibek’s growth online, increasing revenue as well as improving customer service for the Roibek’s customers.”

Research has revealed that Saudi Arabia has the largest travelling population in the Middle East, with the young, middle class and affluent population making four to five trips a year, mostly within the Gulf. Investing to grow their online presence.

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Travelport and OYO announce new hotel content deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-and-oyo-announce-new-hotel-content-deal-2/ Mon, 18 Jul 2016 09:04:23 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=238840 The post Travelport and OYO announce new hotel content deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and OYO, India’s largest network of hotels, have announced a new agreement whereby 6,000 hotel properties offered by OYO will be made available through Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform to its travel agency users both in India and around the world.  OYO currently operates in more than 180 Indian cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore […]

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The post Travelport and OYO announce new hotel content deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and OYO, India’s largest network of hotels, have announced a new agreement whereby 6,000 hotel properties offered by OYO will be made available through Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform to its travel agency users both in India and around the world. 

Niklas Andreen
Niklas Andreen

OYO currently operates in more than 180 Indian cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa.

The agreement with OYO is the latest example of Travelport responding to the needs of its agents to add the hotel content they need in their local regions.

It also responds to the needs of hoteliers by giving them access to the international travel booking industry.

Once on Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform, travel agents globally have access to the hotel content through their normal workflow, eliminating the time-consuming and inefficiency of booking across different channels.

Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform connects hotel providers and independent properties to its 68,000 connected agencies worldwide; in turn, offering travellers more hotel choices as Travelport now offers 650,000 unique hotel properties.

Kavikrut, chief growth officer, OYO said: “We are pleased to partner with Travelport and take our offerings to a wider audience. Both OYO and Travelport are recognised for leveraging innovative technology capabilities. We are confident in utilising this synergy to unlock new growth areas for both partners.”

Niklas Andreen, SVP of Hospitality at Travelport, said: “This is an exciting partnership and one that forms part of our ongoing strategy to extend our hotel offering. Our industry-leading connectivity enables us to directly acquire specific hotel content, as well as requested local hotel chains and individual properties, and we are looking forward to continuing to expand our offering in this area throughout the year.”

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NiklasAndreen Niklas Andreen
Abu Dhabi agents attend Travelport workshops in Beirut https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/abu-dhabi-agents-attend-travelport-workshops-in-beirut/ Thu, 07 Jul 2016 10:46:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=238488 The post Abu Dhabi agents attend Travelport workshops in Beirut appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has hosted some of Abu Dhabi’s leading travel agencies at a series of innovation workshops at the Travelport office in Beirut, Lebanon. Among the attendees were representatives from well-known travel agencies such as Asian Gulf Travel, Shams Abu Dhabi Travel, Al Badie Travel Agency, Al Dana Travel, Liberty Travel, Smart Travel and Latakia Travel. […]

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Travelport has hosted some of Abu Dhabi’s leading travel agencies at a series of innovation workshops at the Travelport office in Beirut, Lebanon.

Matt Powell
Matt Powell

Among the attendees were representatives from well-known travel agencies such as Asian Gulf Travel, Shams Abu Dhabi Travel, Al Badie Travel Agency, Al Dana Travel, Liberty Travel, Smart Travel and Latakia Travel.

The workshop provided the platform for the agents to learn about leveraging the most innovative technology that is redefining travel commerce around the globe and how this technology can utilised to meet traveller demands and grow the UAE’s travel industry.

Travelport is a key technology partner for the Abu Dhabi agents who were in attendance, all of whom have recently signed long term agreements with Travelport.

The three-day workshop was an interactive gathering where Travelport’s product experts showcased technologies such as Travelport Smartpoint, the industry leading desktop solution, which can transform the way agents work; maximizing revenues, increasing productivity and improving the customer experience.

They allow travel agencies to sell more airline content more often, allowing agents to keep up-to-date with the widest range of real-time content from more than 400 of the world’s leading network airlines and low cost carriers, all from within their workflow. They can also upsell more hotel rooms and car rentals. There are more than 650,000 unique hotel properties and 36,000 car rental locations available from within Travelport Smartpoint.

“In order for traditional travel agents to remain competitive they need to be ‘consultants’ rather than merely trip bookers and our Travel Commerce Platform creates synergies and network effects that facilitate revenue growth across the travel value chain,” said Matthew Powell, regional director, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport.

“This series of workshops provided the platform for some of the UAE’s travel leaders to glean a complete understanding of how Travelport technology continues to lead the industry in redefining travel commerce so we can continue to partner with them to reach our mutual goal of growing the UAE’s travel industry.”

Mohamed Ashraf from Asian Gulf Travel commented: ‘‘The UAE’s travel industry is constantly evolving and embracing new trends and the technologies that support its progress and growth.  As a travel industry leader in the UAE, we see it as best business practice to embrace the most cutting edge tools and technology available to improve efficiency and business function. Investing in technology is an instrumental component of a thriving agency. As s long-term partner of Travelport, we were delighted to participate in this event.”

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Matt+Powell+Travelport Matt Powell
Fiji Airways improves GDS displays with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/fiji-airways-improves-gds-displays-with-travelport/ Thu, 30 Jun 2016 00:24:16 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=238248 The post Fiji Airways improves GDS displays with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Fiji Airways has become the latest Asia Pacific carrier to go live with Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding – a solution that improves how airlines’ products and services are displayed on GDS screens. The solution will enable Fiji Airways to display all of its fares and ancillaries to Travelport-connected travel agents, with enhanced product descriptions […]

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The post Fiji Airways improves GDS displays with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Fiji Airways has become the latest Asia Pacific carrier to go live with Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding – a solution that improves how airlines’ products and services are displayed on GDS screens.

Fiji Airways' Airbus A330-200 aircraft
Fiji Airways’ Airbus A330-200 aircraft

The solution will enable Fiji Airways to display all of its fares and ancillaries to Travelport-connected travel agents, with enhanced product descriptions and graphics. It also features screens that clearly display and compare what is included in a fare, allowing agents to up-sell.

Fiji Airways will also have the ability to make tailored or personalised offers to both individual travel agencies and corporations.

“Travel and tourism is the biggest industry in Fiji and is seeing continued growth in the Pacific. As the hub of the South Pacific, this presents an opportunity for Fiji Airways to project its brand and extend its reach to the growing numbers of inbound visitors into the region. Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding complements our growth strategy very well,” stated Andrew Stanbury, Fiji Airways’ executive general manager of sales & marketing.

Fiji Airways joins an extended list of more than 160 airlines worldwide that are now using Travelport Rich Content & Branding.

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Fiji Airways Fiji Airways' Airbus A330-200 aircraft
“No reason” Airbnb and Uber can’t be sold via GDS https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/no-reason-airbnb-and-uber-cant-be-sold-via-gds/ Sat, 28 May 2016 05:07:38 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=236922 The post “No reason” Airbnb and Uber can’t be sold via GDS appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Could Airbnb be distributed via the GDS?

Airbnb, Uber and other shared economy companies could be incorporated into the GDS in future, if there was demand for it, Travelport has revealed. Speaking at the Travelport Live 2016 event in Macau, senior Travelport’s executives told Travel Daily that “there is no reason” why Airbnb and Uber couldn’t be distributed via the travel agency […]

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Could Airbnb be distributed via the GDS?

Airbnb, Uber and other shared economy companies could be incorporated into the GDS in future, if there was demand for it, Travelport has revealed.

Speaking at the Travelport Live 2016 event in Macau, senior Travelport’s executives told Travel Daily that “there is no reason” why Airbnb and Uber couldn’t be distributed via the travel agency channel, although there are no immediate plans to make this happen.

Could Airbnb be distributed via the GDS?
Could Airbnb be distributed via the GDS?

“I don’t see why not; I’m not aware of anything on the roadmap, but there’s no reason why not,” Martin Herbert, Travelport’s general manager for Asia, told us.

“We pull together and aggregate content, so from that point of view we have more than 20 different suppliers in our Rooms & More product… all there within the same interface. There’s no technical reason why an Airbnb product couldn’t go into that.

“We have the technology to bring it in. It’s more about the demand from the agency channel themselves about whether they want to offer that,” he added.

Herbert noted however, that there are “duty-of-care issues” relating to the use of accommodation sharing sites, especially in the corporate travel sector.

“The challenge is around corporate travel policies. But it’s something we’d be completely open to. Watch this space; who knows what might happen. We would not rule it out,” said Kate Aldridge, Travelport’s vice president of global corporate communications.

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shutterstock_380493958 Could Airbnb be distributed via the GDS?
Industry’s rapid growth drives customers back to travel agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/industrys-rapid-growth-drives-customers-back-to-travel-agents/ Sat, 28 May 2016 04:44:33 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=236919 The post Industry’s rapid growth drives customers back to travel agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Mark Meehan

The rapid expansion of the travel industry, especially in Asia Pacific, is helping to drive customers back to traditional travel agencies, senior Travelport executives have told Travel Daily. Speaking at the Travelport Live 2016 event in Macau, Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific, told us that the proliferation of new options now available […]

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Mark Meehan

The rapid expansion of the travel industry, especially in Asia Pacific, is helping to drive customers back to traditional travel agencies, senior Travelport executives have told Travel Daily.

Speaking at the Travelport Live 2016 event in Macau, Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific, told us that the proliferation of new options now available to travellers – from low-cost and hybrid carriers to a plethora of new accommodation choices – has made the expert advice provided by agents more important than ever.

Mark Meehan
Mark Meehan

With such a vast amount of choice now on offer, he stated, agents can help travellers filter the options and work out the best available choice in an intelligent manner.

“For the agency community it’s about adding value in the travel chain through the expertise and the choice – the intelligent choice – that they’re giving to the consumer,” Meehan told Travel Daily.

And Travelport is aiming to facilitate this “intelligent choice” by improving agents’ search capabilities. The company has invested more than US$800 million in its agent-facing Travel Commerce Platform since 2012, including the launch of ‘Rich Content & Branding’ for air bookings and a significant expansion of its hotel content via the ‘Rooms & More’ platform.

Now adopted by more than 160 airlines, Rich Content & Branding provides agents with more information about different airfares and their inclusions in a graphic on-screen layout. Rooms and More meanwhile, now incorporates TripAdvisor reviews and maps.

And initiatives like these, according to Meehan, are enabling agents to provide more informed advice to their customers.

“With the growth that we’re seeing in the industry, and Asia in particular, we had the foresight to go out and develop this capability,” Meehan said. “The Travel Commerce Platform gives the agency community the ability to prove – as they are – that they are relevant, current and add value to the traveller.”

Travelport Rich Content & Branding, as displayed on an agency screen
Travelport Rich Content & Branding, as displayed on an agency screen

This view was backed up by Martin Herbert, Travelport’s general manager for Asia, who said the new graphical displays give travel agents “an opportunity to sell more and engage with their customers”.

“You don’t want to turn the screen and show the old green screen – that doesn’t add value to the customer. But now we have TripAdvisor reviews, maps to hotels and all of these elements that are in the same interface for the agent to show the customer,” Herbert said.

“With the phenomenal growth that we’re seeing in the industry, the challenge is the sheer diversity and complexity of choice. The travel agent is uniquely placed… to intelligently filter what the needs and requirements of the customer are. There are more opportunities out there, due to the amount of choice there is out there.

“Choice is a great thing, but you need to filter it. The future is very positive for the agency community,” Herbert added.

Meehan also noted that the new demographics of travellers, and their changing travel patterns, are providing new opportunities for agents.

“The demographic is changing; there are younger travellers with disposable income, and they are now tagging a leisure aspect to a business trip, [which] makes their itinerary a little more complex than before. But it also offers the agency community the opportunity to add value and expertise, and the end product of that is a satisfied traveller who’s going to go back to the agency,” Meehan revealed.

“We’re now seeing… younger travellers who will travel more, and also older travellers who travel more, because they have the disposable income and leisure time. So there is more demand out there, and that needs to be fulfilled.”

And this, Meehan added, means that GDS companies like Travelport need to continuously expand and improve their content, so that agents can continue to “demonstrate their expertise”.

“We have all this content, and keep adding to it all the time. But we have to make our tools smarter in terms of how we deliver that, and make it customisable,” Meehan stated. “We need to allow our technology to be optimised so that we can provide the search results that suit that agency and their customers,” he concluded.

And with all forecasts pointing to the continued expansion of the travel industry – from a 50% jump in international tourist arrivals by 2030 to doubling of the global air fleet over the next 20 years – it seems that, far from fading into extinction, as has been predicted in the past, traditional travel agencies are likely to become even more relevant in the years and decades to come.

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Mark Meehan Mark Meehan RC&B Travelport Rich Content & Branding, as displayed on an agency screen
Ancillary sales can help differentiate travel agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ancillary-sales-can-help-differentiate-travel-agents/ Wed, 25 May 2016 07:50:54 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=236796 The post Ancillary sales can help differentiate travel agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travel agents can improve customer service and differentiate themselves from their competitors by selling more airline ancillary products, delegates at Travelport’s annual customer conference have been told. In a panel discussion on the first morning of the Travelport Live 2016 event in Macau, which opened at the Studio City integrated resort on Wednesday, a panel […]

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Travel agents can improve customer service and differentiate themselves from their competitors by selling more airline ancillary products, delegates at Travelport’s annual customer conference have been told.

In a panel discussion on the first morning of the Travelport Live 2016 event in Macau, which opened at the Studio City integrated resort on Wednesday, a panel of senior Travelport executives was asked by the audience why agents should sell airlines’ ancillaries, if they aren’t being paid commission on them.

Scott Hyden, global vice president of Travelport’s Enterprise Customer Group, replied that travel agents should use the sale of ancillary products – such as seat selection and extra baggage – to add value to their clients and, in doing so, differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Ian Heywood, the company’s global head of air commerce product & marketing, agreed. With the wealth of online information available to consumers nowadays, he stressed that agents need to demonstrate more expertise and offer clients comprehensive information about airline products, fare inclusions and ancillaries.

The roll out of Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding solution, Heywood said, allows travel agents to quickly see what an airfare includes, inform the customer and potentially upsell that client with ancillaries or to a higher fare category.

“Rich Content & Branding allows travel agents to become experts – it provides all the information [agents need] and allows them to do a much better job,” Heywood stated.

In response to the issue of whether airlines should pay agents commission on ancillary sales, Heywood – who worked with British Airways when it cut agent commissions – argued that he prefers “inventive payments”, based on the overall value an agent brings to an airline, than straight dollar-per-sale commission payments. And ancillary sales can increase an agent’s value to an airline, he said.

Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding solution, which has now been adopted by more than 160 airlines, allows carriers to improve how their products are visually displayed on GDS screens, and provides more information about airfare inclusions. This is one of Travelport’s unique points of difference, as it is not offered by any other GDS company.

Running under the theme “Redefining Success”, Travelport’s annual customer conference has gathered 360 industry delegates to Macau for three days of discussions, debates and demonstrations.

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Travel “disruptors” allow industry to grow https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travel-disruptors-allow-industry-to-grow/ Wed, 25 May 2016 07:50:30 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=236800 The post Travel “disruptors” allow industry to grow appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Uber is a "complement to car rental", according to Travelport's Niklas Andreen

The so-called “disruptors” of the travel industry, such as Airbnb and Uber, are actually enabling the travel industry to expand and attract more customers, a senior Travelport executive has stated. Speaking at the Travelport Live 2016 in Macau, Niklas Andreen, the company’s global vice president of hospitality, argued that “Uber is a complement to car […]

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Uber is a "complement to car rental", according to Travelport's Niklas Andreen

The so-called “disruptors” of the travel industry, such as Airbnb and Uber, are actually enabling the travel industry to expand and attract more customers, a senior Travelport executive has stated.

Uber is a "complement to car rental", according to Travelport's Niklas Andreen
Uber is a “complement to car rental”, according to Travelport’s Niklas Andreen

Speaking at the Travelport Live 2016 in Macau, Niklas Andreen, the company’s global vice president of hospitality, argued that “Uber is a complement to car rental”, just as Airbnb is to the hotel sector.

These companies, and others like them, are “not a replacement” to traditional providers, Andreen said; instead they have “supplemented the industry and allowed it to grow”. Airbnb has “done a great job” and “allowed people to have new experiences”, he added.

Andreen noted however, that Airbnb is really only taking off in the leisure sector. The accommodation sharing company has launched a corporate travel programme, but Andreen suggested that it is still not being seen as an alternative to hotels, in the eyes of companies or corporate travellers.

“Hotels are geared up to handle corporate travellers,” he said.

Continuing the theme of disruptive influences, Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific, said that the travel industry will be “subject to constant change and disruption” in the coming years, that companies “can’t be complacent” and need to “foresee change and adapt to it”.

“Creative and innovative thinking… will change our businesses and the way we do business,” he stated.
Running under the theme “Redefining Success”, Travelport’s annual customer conference has gathered 360 industry delegates to Macau for three days of discussions, debates and demonstrations.

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shutterstock_411902611 Uber is a "complement to car rental", according to Travelport's Niklas Andreen
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-201/ Wed, 18 May 2016 08:25:06 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=236561 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Captain Izham Ismail

CAPTAIN IZHAM ISMAIL has been named as the new CEO of MASwings, Malaysia Airlines’ regional subsidiary. A former Malaysia Airlines pilot, Captain Izham is currently head of the national carrier’s operations programme management office, overseeing projects that form part of the airline’s turnaround plan. STEVE ODELL has been named as the new chairman of Cruise […]

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Captain Izham Ismail
Captain Izham Ismail
Captain Izham Ismail

CAPTAIN IZHAM ISMAIL has been named as the new CEO of MASwings, Malaysia Airlines’ regional subsidiary. A former Malaysia Airlines pilot, Captain Izham is currently head of the national carrier’s operations programme management office, overseeing projects that form part of the airline’s turnaround plan.

STEVE ODELL has been named as the new chairman of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia. A former Silversea executive, Odell currently serves as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ senior vice president & managing director for Asia Pacific. He replaces Gavin Smith at CLIA Australasia.

Tony Chisholm
Tony Chisholm

TONY CHISHOLM has become the new general manager of the Pullman Saigon Centre and area GM for South Vietnam. A New Zealand national, Chisholm has more than 20 years’ experience across the Asia Pacific region. This includes 12 years with AccorHotels in Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Gonzalo Gil Lavedra
Gonzalo Gil Lavedra

GONZALO GIL LAVEDRA has become Khiri Travel’s new general manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Gil Lavedra first joined Khiri in 2013 and has worked as the company’s branch manager in Phuket and Bali. He was responsible for opening the Khiri Bali office and adding tours across Indonesia.

PEGGY BIANCO has become Travelport’s new vice president and head of hotel sourcing worldwide. Ms Bianco, who joins the company this month, has more than 25 years’ travel industry experience, and previously served as group vice president of global hotel services for Orbitz Worldwide.

Christian Wurm
Christian Wurm

CHRISTIAN WURM has been appointed general manager of the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin and The Barai spa. His career started in the F&B sector, working as a chef for several restaurants, including a Michelin-starred establishment in Berlin. He has since gone on to work for Four Seasons, Raffles and at the Burj Al Arab.

THIERRY BEAU has become the new CEO of interTouch, the Singapore-based company that provides high-speed internet and IPTV services to the hospitality industry in Asia Pacific. Prior to joining interTouch, Beau was director of strategy for Hoist Locatel. He also previously co-founded Directstreams.

Justin Williams
Justin Williams

JUSTIN WILLIAMS has been appointed as SiteMinder’s new regional sales manager for Asia. A UK national, he joins the travel technology company from Travel + Leisure magazine, and has also previously worked for Travel Daily Media Group. He will continue to be based in Bangkok.

JOHN NEUTZ has become Banyan Tree’s new director of sales & marketing for Bangkok. With more than 20 years’ experience, Neutz has worked with companies including Shipfield Hotels, Stamford Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Worldwide. Most recently he was director of sales for Raffles in Cambodia.

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Captain Izham Ismail Tony Chisholm Tony Chisholm Gonzalo Gil Lavedra Gonzalo Gil Lavedra Christian Wurm Christian Wurm Justin Williams Justin Williams
Fly Blue Crane signs up with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/fly-blue-crane-signs-up-with-travelport/ Mon, 02 May 2016 07:34:23 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=235888 The post Fly Blue Crane signs up with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has partnered with Fly Blue Crane to offer its merchandising solution, Travelport Rich Content and Branding. The airline was launched in September 2015 and offers travel opportunities to various business and leisure destinations within the Southern African region, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Kimberley. The new multi-year global agreement with Travelport, gives the […]

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Fly blue crane gets connected with Travelport
Fly blue crane gets connected with Travelport

Travelport has partnered with Fly Blue Crane to offer its merchandising solution, Travelport Rich Content and Branding.

The airline was launched in September 2015 and offers travel opportunities to various business and leisure destinations within the Southern African region, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Kimberley.

The new multi-year global agreement with Travelport, gives the 68,000 Travelport-connected travel agency customers access to Fly Blue Crane’s content via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform.

Fly Blue Crane is now the latest carrier to go live on Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding solution which allows airlines to present their complete offerings to travel agents including graphical images and descriptions.

Approximately 160 airlines are now live with Travelport Rich Content and Branding. Building on this success, Travelport has recently also added the capability for airlines to make tailored or personalised offers to both individual travel agencies and/or Travel Management Company services.

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Fly blue crane 2015 Fly blue crane gets connected with Travelport
Travelport launches agent app for Windows phones https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-agent-app-for-windows-phones/ Thu, 28 Apr 2016 09:57:59 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=235806 The post Travelport launches agent app for Windows phones appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport Mobile Agent for Windows

Travelport has unveiled a new version of its Mobile Agent solution for Windows-powered smartphones. Developed by TTS, Travelport Mobile Agent allows travel agents to access the Travelport GDS platform remotely via their mobile or tablet. This includes being able to make new reservations and changes to existing bookings. The mobile platform also incorporates Travelport’s Rich […]

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Travelport Mobile Agent for Windows
Travelport Mobile Agent for Windows
Travelport Mobile Agent for Windows

Travelport has unveiled a new version of its Mobile Agent solution for Windows-powered smartphones.

Developed by TTS, Travelport Mobile Agent allows travel agents to access the Travelport GDS platform remotely via their mobile or tablet. This includes being able to make new reservations and changes to existing bookings.

The mobile platform also incorporates Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding solution, which improves how airline products are displayed and offers the ability to book ancillaries.

“Travelport and TTS are leading their competitors in this area and no one else can offer travel agents the same suite of comprehensive solutions, designed and built specifically for mobile and across multiple devices,” said Jason Clarke, Travelport’s global managing director for agency commerce.

“Travelport’s partnership with TTS demonstrates our continued commitment to working collaboratively with third parties to deliver innovative products for the global travel industry as well as delivering the very best in mobile technology.”

First released in 2011, Travelport Mobile Agent is now available for iOS, Android and Windows smartphones and tablets.

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Mobile Agent Travelport Mobile Agent for Windows
Travelport recognises its partners in Namibia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-recognises-its-partners-in-namibia/ Mon, 25 Apr 2016 05:37:27 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=235587 The post Travelport recognises its partners in Namibia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently hosted its annual travel industry workshop in Windhoek, Namibia. The event, coupled with an exhibition, attracted Namibia’s travel industry leaders- including suppliers and agents from across the country. The fourth annual Namibia travel industry workshop is now a regular feature. The travel industry is expected to have a total contribution of over 21% […]

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The post Travelport recognises its partners in Namibia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport showcases its technology to Nambia travel industry
Travelport showcases its technology to Nambia travel industry

Travelport recently hosted its annual travel industry workshop in Windhoek, Namibia.

The event, coupled with an exhibition, attracted Namibia’s travel industry leaders- including suppliers and agents from across the country.

The fourth annual Namibia travel industry workshop is now a regular feature. The travel industry is expected to have a total contribution of over 21% to Namibia’ GDP by 2025. During the workshop, the Travelport team showcased the intuitive desktop technology, Travelport Smartpoint.

Smartpoint provides agents with content including branded fares and ancillaries and features graphics, comparison shopping and descriptions or maps.

Attendees to the event also had an opportunity to feel inspired by Travelport’s motivational speaker, Shelley Walters who gave the lecture on the future role of travel agents.

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Trav Nambia Travelport showcases its technology to Nambia travel industry
China Southern improves GDS displays with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-southern-improves-gds-displays-with-travelport/ Wed, 20 Apr 2016 06:28:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=235375 The post China Southern improves GDS displays with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China Southern’s business class cabin

China Southern Airlines has become the latest carrier to sign up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding, which improves how products are displayed on GDS screens. The Guangzhou-based airline signed up to the platform as part of a new multi-year agreement with Travelport that ensures its fares and inventory will be made available to travel […]

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China Southern’s business class cabin
China Southern’s business class cabin
China Southern’s business class cabin

China Southern Airlines has become the latest carrier to sign up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding, which improves how products are displayed on GDS screens.

The Guangzhou-based airline signed up to the platform as part of a new multi-year agreement with Travelport that ensures its fares and inventory will be made available to travel agents via the Galileo and Worldspan GDS.

Rich Content and Branding offers enhanced descriptions and imagery to showcase an airline’s products and services, with the aim of driving more sales and boosting ancillary revenues.

“We are delighted that China Southern Airlines has extended their partnership with Travelport, and that they recognise the value of our Rich Content and Branding solution as a key driver of growth for their business,” stated Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president for the Asia Pacific region.

China Southern has been gradually improving its fleet and in-flight products in recent years, and was the first airline in the world to operate both the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

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GUN 777-300ER WE396 1173 – China Southern China Southern’s business class cabin
Macau partners Travelport to increase tourist traffic https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/macau-partners-travelport-to-increase-tourist-traffic/ Wed, 13 Apr 2016 10:29:46 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=235115 The post Macau partners Travelport to increase tourist traffic appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Macau’s Senado Square

The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has formed a new marketing partnership with Travelport, aimed at driving more visitors to the city. Under the agreement, Macau will push marketing messaging to targeted travel agency desktops via Travelport’s GDS channels. The campaign is mainly aimed at attracting Middle Eastern and African travellers, and there will also […]

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Macau’s Senado Square
Macau’s Senado Square
Macau’s Senado Square

The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has formed a new marketing partnership with Travelport, aimed at driving more visitors to the city.

Under the agreement, Macau will push marketing messaging to targeted travel agency desktops via Travelport’s GDS channels. The campaign is mainly aimed at attracting Middle Eastern and African travellers, and there will also be an online competition for travel agents.

“We are delighted to partner with Travelport to boost visitors from the Middle East and Africa – a new focus region for Macau. We look forward to capitalising on Travelport’s extensive knowledge, technology and global reach to showcase Macau as an exciting, prosperous and vibrant destination,” said Betty Fok, head of MGTO’s destination marketing department.

The new campaign will utilise Travelport’s Digital Media Solutions – one of the main elements of the company’s strategy of driving more revenues from different sectors, such as payments, hospitality, advertising and mobile commerce. Digital Media Solutions allows companies to deliver targeted promotional messages to travel agents at the point of sale.

“Travelport’s Digital Media Solutions have a strong track record of delivering successful marketing campaigns and we are confident that Macau Tourism will see fantastic results following this push,” said Anna Au-Yeung, Travelport’s global head of destination marketing.

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Macau Macau’s Senado Square
Travelport kicks off KSA road show https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-kicks-off-ksa-road-show/ Wed, 09 Mar 2016 07:47:22 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=233683 The post Travelport kicks off KSA road show appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently rolled out the Travelport LIVE ‘Spotlight on Innovation Roadshow’ across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The travel-agency focussed roadshow will take place Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. The roadshow features interactive sessions showcasing solutions and technologies redefining travel. In each city, delegates will have a chance to discuss topics related to air, hospitality, corporate, […]

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Ibrahim ElMohandes, country manager for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Ibrahim ElMohandes, country manager for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Travelport recently rolled out the Travelport LIVE ‘Spotlight on Innovation Roadshow’ across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The travel-agency focussed roadshow will take place Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. The roadshow features interactive sessions showcasing solutions and technologies redefining travel. In each city, delegates will have a chance to discuss topics related to air, hospitality, corporate, mobile, customer support as well as learn Travelport’s innovation in booking technology.

The roadshow looks to attract owners, managers and frontline travel consultants from travel agencies, airlines, hotels and car rentals, as well as corporate managers.

This year’s roadshow will also pay attention to tools designed for online travel agencies, reflecting findings from Travelport’s co-sponsored study from 2015 which highlighted trends in Saudi Arabia. The report focussed on growing volume of online travel bookings as well as responded to needs of corporates.

Ibrahim ElMohandes, country manager for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said: “Travelport’s value proposition is driven by access to global travel content, including over 650,000 hotel properties as well as fares and ancillaries from over 400 airlines. The road show is designed to empower travel professionals to continue redefining travel commerce in Saudi Arabia through set of tailored tools.”

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Travel King Ibrahim ElMohandes, country manager for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Cathay Pacific expands GDS contract with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/cathay-pacific-expands-gds-contract-with-travelport/ Tue, 16 Feb 2016 04:08:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=232749 The post Cathay Pacific expands GDS contract with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

How Cathay Pacific's GDS display will look under Rich Content & Branding

Cathay Pacific has signed a new multi-year distribution agreement with Travelport, committing to make its fares available via the Galileo and Worldspan GDS. The deal, which includes Cathay Pacific and its sister carrier Dragonair, had also seen the airlines sign up for Travelport’s graphic display solution, Rich Content and Branding. This improves the ways airlines […]

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How Cathay Pacific's GDS display will look under Rich Content & Branding

Cathay Pacific has signed a new multi-year distribution agreement with Travelport, committing to make its fares available via the Galileo and Worldspan GDS.

The deal, which includes Cathay Pacific and its sister carrier Dragonair, had also seen the airlines sign up for Travelport’s graphic display solution, Rich Content and Branding. This improves the ways airlines are able to display and market their products and services via the GDS, with interactive screen displays.

How Cathay Pacific's GDS display will look under Rich Content & Branding
How Cathay Pacific’s GDS display will look under Rich Content & Branding

“Cathay Pacific operates an extensive international network, while Dragonair concentrates on regional routes with unrivalled coverage of destinations in China,” said Toby Smith, Cathay’s general manager of sales & distribution.

“Both airlines see the benefit of communicating our value propositions in a clearer and more visual manner, helping to differentiate ourselves from our competitors within our market segments.

“Rich Content and Branding is a strategic tool that will help us achieve that objective. This solution also brings the distribution of our content towards the direction of IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative,” he added.

As a further part of the agreement, Cathay will start using the Travelport Rapid Reprice solution, which helps agents automate the process of ticket re-pricing and re-issuing.

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Cathay Pacific RCB How Cathay Pacific's GDS display will look under Rich Content & Branding
Travelport opens customer helpdesk in Kenya https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-opens-customer-helpdesk-in-kenya/ Wed, 27 Jan 2016 07:49:10 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=232045 The post Travelport opens customer helpdesk in Kenya appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently officially opened a new help desk for the Kenya’s travel agency community in Nairobi. Inauguration of the help desk comes as recent research indicates increasing synergies between various tourism and travel industry players in Kenya are supporting recovery of the industry despite a challenging environment. Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president and managing director for […]

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Rabih Saab, Travelport's president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia
Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia

Travelport recently officially opened a new help desk for the Kenya’s travel agency community in Nairobi.

Inauguration of the help desk comes as recent research indicates increasing synergies between various tourism and travel industry players in Kenya are supporting recovery of the industry despite a challenging environment.

Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president and managing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa said: “The new help desk reflects our ongoing investment and expansion strategy in the East Africa region in light of growth it is experiencing and its strategic location.”

The travel agency helpdesk facility in Nairobi offers a range of services including technical and operational assistance in both English and Swahili and employing five travel trade members full time.

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Travelport Rabih Saab, Travelport's president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia
Al Fanar Travel upgrades agreement with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/al-fanar-travel-upgrades-agreement-with-travelport/ Mon, 04 Jan 2016 08:37:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=231034 The post Al Fanar Travel upgrades agreement with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently announced that it has signed an upgraded multi-year agreement with Al Fanar Travel in Bahrain and also a unit of the Jawad Business Group. This new win builds on the momentum of recent months where Travelport has successfully won a string of new agency partners, growing its network in the Middle East. The […]

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Travelport strengthens its business in Bahrain
Travelport strengthens its business in Bahrain

Travelport recently announced that it has signed an upgraded multi-year agreement with Al Fanar Travel in Bahrain and also a unit of the Jawad Business Group.

This new win builds on the momentum of recent months where Travelport has successfully won a string of new agency partners, growing its network in the Middle East. The agreement also means Travelport will process vast majority of Al Fanar Travel’s bookings.

Deepak Janardanan, general manager, Al Fanar Travel, said: “Many of our customers are high value travellers with very exacting needs. As their expert travel advisor, we need to have the breadth of choices to meet their varied needs.”

The shift to Travelport is motivated by a positive service experience, extensiveness of content, better fare comparisons as well as value-added proprietary features.

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Al Fanar
Travelport releases latest version of agent desktop https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-releases-latest-version-of-agent-desktop/ Fri, 18 Dec 2015 01:04:32 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=230685 The post Travelport releases latest version of agent desktop appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Smartpoint 6.5 incorporates SeatGuru

Travelport has revealed a new version of its travel agency point-of-sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint. Available now, Smartpoint 6.5 incorporates new features designed to improve the user experience and allow agents to generate extra revenue. One of these enhancements is a new hotel search facility that allows agents to search for accommodation using a full or […]

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Smartpoint 6.5 incorporates SeatGuru
Smartpoint 6.5 incorporates SeatGuru
Smartpoint 6.5 incorporates SeatGuru

Travelport has revealed a new version of its travel agency point-of-sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint.

Available now, Smartpoint 6.5 incorporates new features designed to improve the user experience and allow agents to generate extra revenue.

One of these enhancements is a new hotel search facility that allows agents to search for accommodation using a full or partial address. This, according to Travelport, is something that “traditional cryptic point-of-sale products” can’t manage, forcing agents to leave their system and search online.

In addition, the new Smartpoint integrates a hotel billback solution utilising Virtual Account Numbers, or ‘VANs’, as provided by eNett International. This allows a business traveller to stay at a hotel without having to pay the bill on departure, as the payment is arranged directly between the TMC and the hotel.

Other new features in the hotel sphere include images, comparisons, maps and reviews of properties, as well as specific offers based on traveller’s loyalty memberships.

In the airline space, Travelport has now integrated SeatGuru into Smartpoint, allowing travellers to view airline seating arrangements and in-flight amenities. This is another way the solution incorporates processes into agents’ workflow, without the need for them to exit the system and check online.

And the products and services of many airlines are now presented in a more visually stimulating manner through the use of Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding, which provides interactive, graphical screen displays.

“Travelport Smartpoint is designed to give our travel agents the most effective selling experience possible, allowing them to deliver value to their customers and sell smarter,” explained Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for agency commerce. “We are constantly talking with and listening to our travel agency customers to find out exactly what their requirements are and these new enhancements come as a direct response to those conversations.

“As the needs of the traveller evolve, so must those serving them and at Travelport we continually strive to improve our offering. Travelport Smartpoint is the next step in this evolution,” he added.

Smartpoint 6.5 is available for all Travelport-connected agencies, including those using the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS.

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SeatGuru Smartpoint 6.5 incorporates SeatGuru
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-185/ Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:58:50 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=230632 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Thomas Mangas

THOMAS MANGAS has been appointed chief executive officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, effective 31 December. The move marks a promotion for Mangas, who is currently the company’s executive vice president & chief financial officer. Starwood’s interim CEO, Adam Aron, is leaving the company. RAJESH PUNJA has been announced as the new chairman of […]

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Thomas Mangas
Thomas Mangas
Thomas Mangas

THOMAS MANGAS has been appointed chief executive officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, effective 31 December. The move marks a promotion for Mangas, who is currently the company’s executive vice president & chief financial officer. Starwood’s interim CEO, Adam Aron, is leaving the company.

RAJESH PUNJA has been announced as the new chairman of Fiji Airways. Punja is director of the Punja Group of Companies, the Fijian consumer goods giant. He takes over from Nalin Patel who has been a director of Fiji Airways since 1993 and the company’s chairman since 2006.

Bernard Bot
Bernard Bot

BERNARD BOT has been named as Travelport’s new executive vice president & chief financial officer. Bot joins the company on 1 January 2016 from Aer Lingus, where he served as the Irish airline’s chief financial officer. A Dutch national, he previously worked for TNT Express and McKinsey & Company.

YVONNE SAI CHOO LIM has become Regent Hotels & Resorts’ new corporate director of revenue management. Ms Lim arrives from GHM where she held the same position. She has previously worked for Hotelbeds and Marriott in countries including Brunei, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Alice Mafaity
Alice Mafaity

ALICE MAFAITY has been named as the new resident manager of the InterContinental Hong Kong. A French national, she joins the hotel with more than 15 years’ hotel industry experience in France, Japan, China and the UAE, including spells with Hilton, Jumeirah Group and IHG.

MATT GRANFIELD has become Mantra Group’s new executive director for digital, overseeing the Australian hotel group’s e-commerce and digital strategy. He has 15 years of digital and marketing experience, most recently as head of customer marketing & digital at Heritage Bank.

Giles Selves
Giles Selves

GILES SELVES has been appointed general manager of the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Resort. A UK national, Selves joins Anantara following 19 years with Starwood, most recently as general manager at Keraton at the Plaza hotel in Jakarta, which forms part of the Luxury Collection portfolio.

LUTZ MUELLER has become the new general manager of the Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort. Having spent 22 years with Marriott in Germany, India, Thailand and China, Lutz joins Anantara from his most recent position as general manager at Wanda Vista Resort Xishuangbanna in China.

Rochelle Kilgariff
Rochelle Kilgariff

ROCHELLE KILGARIFF has been announced as the new resort manager at Finolhu, a new Maldivian resort that is expected to open in mid-2016. An Australian national, Ms Kilgariff joins the Small Maldives Island Co. with 15 years’ experience in Bali, Oman, Thailand, Indonesia and the Maldives.

I NYOMAN BANDISA SASTIKA has been appointed general manager of the Harper Kuta Bali Hotel. A native of Lombok, Bandisa has more than 15 years of hotel experience with several major hotels. His career started in the 1980s and he has gradually progressed through the ranks and departments.

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Thomas Mangas Thomas Mangas Bernard Bot Bernard Bot Alice Mafaity Alice Mafaity Giles Selves Giles Selves Rochelle Kilgariff Rochelle Kilgariff
Travelport, Kenya Airways extend multi-year agreement https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-kenya-airways-extend-multi-year-agreement/ Sun, 13 Dec 2015 05:14:24 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=230474 The post Travelport, Kenya Airways extend multi-year agreement appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Kenya Airways recently announced the extension of their multi-year, full content agreement. The agreement offers Travelport-connected agents worldwide continued access to search, compare and book Kenya Airways’ full range of fares and optional services via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. The agreement also follows the announcement earlier this year that Kenya Airways signed-up to […]

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Travelport renews milti-year agreement with Kenya Airways
Travelport renews milti-year agreement with Kenya Airways

Travelport and Kenya Airways recently announced the extension of their multi-year, full content agreement.

The agreement offers Travelport-connected agents worldwide continued access to search, compare and book Kenya Airways’ full range of fares and optional services via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. The agreement also follows the announcement earlier this year that Kenya Airways signed-up to Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding programme.

Hellen Mwariri, head of revenue management, Kenya Airways said: “It is imperative we leverage the industry’s cutting edge technology. The renewal of this agreement with Travelport follows our sign up to Rich Content & Branding earlier this year. We look forward to continue to develop our business though our partnership with Travelport.”

Adding further Will Owen-Hughes, senior director air commerce, Africa and Middle East, Travelport said: “Our platform and merchandising solutions are about empowering airline partners to create choices for their customers.”

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Kenya Trav Travelport renews milti-year agreement with Kenya Airways
Travelport, MEA host travel event in Lebanon https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-mea-host-travel-event-in-lebanon/ Thu, 10 Dec 2015 05:49:53 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=230409 The post Travelport, MEA host travel event in Lebanon appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In an effort to recognise contributions of its key agents, Travelport along with Middle East Airlines (MEA) recently hosted an appreciation evening. The event witnessed attendance from more than 120 of Lebanon’s travel industry leaders. The evening was themed with additional ‘beyond air’ capabilities on top of traditional air bookings. This is basically agents who […]

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Travelport along with MEA recognise travel partners
Travelport along with MEA recognise travel partners

In an effort to recognise contributions of its key agents, Travelport along with Middle East Airlines (MEA) recently hosted an appreciation evening.

The event witnessed attendance from more than 120 of Lebanon’s travel industry leaders.

The evening was themed with additional ‘beyond air’ capabilities on top of traditional air bookings. This is basically agents who have gone beyond air bookings with capabilities to book hotels for travellers.

The Middle East’s travel market is worth an estimated US$72 billion and is poised for more growth. Online travel bookings, which represent 25% of all bookings in the Middle East, are forecast to grow in 2015 and 2016 to reach 36% by end of 2017 when online revenue is expected to reach US$35 bn. Offline sales are forecast to continue to grow from US$54 bn in 2014 to US$63 bn in 2017.

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Trav MEA Travelport along with MEA recognise travel partners
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-184/ Wed, 02 Dec 2015 09:59:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=230085 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Richard Morgan

DHIREN SAVLA has been named as the Kuoni Group’s new chief information officer. An Indian national, Savla moves to Kuoni from the company’s visa services unit, VFS Global, where he also worked as CIO. He also previously served as Kuoni Group’s senior vice president and head of global IT. JAMES RILEY has been named as […]

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Richard Morgan
Dhiren Savla
Dhiren Savla

DHIREN SAVLA has been named as the Kuoni Group’s new chief information officer. An Indian national, Savla moves to Kuoni from the company’s visa services unit, VFS Global, where he also worked as CIO. He also previously served as Kuoni Group’s senior vice president and head of global IT.

JAMES RILEY has been named as Mandarin Oriental’s new group chief executive, effective 1 April 2016. He replaces Edouard Ettedgui  who will step down after 18 years in charge. Riley is currently the group finance director of Jardine Matheson Holdings and sits on Mandarin Oriental’s board.

Richard Morgan
Richard Morgan

RICHARD MORGAN has been appointed as Sabre’s new regional director for the South Pacific, overseeing the Sabre Travel Network business in Australia and New Zealand and the company’s joint venture in Indonesia. Morgan most recently served as Sabre’s managing director of global accounts.

SANDRA McLEOD has been confirmed as the new CEO of Locomote, the Australian corporate travel technology company that was recently acquired by Travelport. Ms McLeod has 25 years’ experience, most recently as Travelport’s group vice president of global accounts & corporate development.

Frederic Saunier
Frederic Saunier

FREDERIC SAUNIER has been announced as Amadeus’ new head of corporate IT for the Asia Pacific region. Saunier is no stranger to Amadeus, having served as sales director for Amadeus France for a number of years. Prior to that he worked for Air France-KLM in France and the UK.

DAN WESTBROOK has become the new vice president & general manager for Travelport’s Air Commerce Technologies business.  An experienced airline industry executive, Westbrook joined Travelport in April 2009. He previously held senior roles at Sabre and American Airlines.

Simon McKearney
Simon McKearney

SIMON McKEARNEY has been announced as Stella New Zealand’s new executive general manager, ahead of helloworld’s move into the New Zealand market. McKearney has more than 15 years’ experience in executive roles, most recently as managing director of corporate for Flight Centre NZ.

CHRISTOPHER BIRT has been named as Hong Kong Airlines’ new general manager of in-flight services. He joins the airline with almost 20 years of aviation experience, most recently as head of cabin crew at Thomson Airways in the UK. Prior to that he worked for Virgin Atlantic Airways.

David Tonkin
David Tonkin

DAVID TONKIN has been appointed general manager of the Parkroyal Melbourne Airport. He joins the property with 20 years of hospitality experience in Australia, the Middle East and the UK. Most recently he was regional director of operations at Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific.

SHAENAZ VOSS has been promoted to the position of executive general manager of Fiji Link and group corporate, international & government affairs with Fiji Airways. A Fijian national, Ms Voss was most recently general manager of international, industry & government affairs.

Glenn Daniels
Glenn Daniels

GLENN DANIELS has been appointed general manager of the LUX South Ari Atoll in the Maldives. He joins LUX with 26 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including spells in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and the Maldives. LUX is planning to launch another resort in the Maldives in 2016.

KEVIN JEAN FAWKES has been named as the culinary director at the new Nai Harn resort in Phuket, which opens in January. Fawkes has worked at restaurants run by several world famous chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, Jason Atherton, Albert Roux, including a spell at the Savoy Hotel London.

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Dhiren Savla Dhiren Savla Richard Morgan Richard Morgan Frederic Saunier Frederic Saunier Simon McKearney Simon McKearney David Tonkin David Tonkin Glenn Daniels Glenn Daniels
Travelport takes majority stake in Locomote https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-takes-majority-stake-in-locomote/ Tue, 01 Dec 2015 03:07:38 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=229996 The post Travelport takes majority stake in Locomote appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Locomote specialises in digital and mobile solutions for business travellers

Travelport has increased its investment in Australian corporate travel technology start-up, Locomote, to 55%, becoming its majority shareholder. The deal will now see Travelport’s Sandra McLeod become Locomote’s new CEO, while incumbent CEO Philip Weinman, who founded the company, steps into a role of vice chairman. Ms McLeod most recently served as Travelport’s group vice […]

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Locomote specialises in digital and mobile solutions for business travellers
Locomote specialises in digital and mobile solutions for business travellers
Locomote specialises in digital and mobile solutions for business travellers

Travelport has increased its investment in Australian corporate travel technology start-up, Locomote, to 55%, becoming its majority shareholder.

The deal will now see Travelport’s Sandra McLeod become Locomote’s new CEO, while incumbent CEO Philip Weinman, who founded the company, steps into a role of vice chairman. Ms McLeod most recently served as Travelport’s group vice president of global accounts & corporate development.

Philip Emery, Travelport’s chief financial officer, has become Locomote’s new chairman.

Travelport initially invested in Locomote in 2013, in a bid to advance its capabilities in the area of digital and mobile services for the corporate travel sector.

“Corporate travel needs and demands, content, and the demographic make-up of travellers are all changing rapidly,” said Travelport’s president & CEO, Gordon Wilson. “Travelport intends to be at the forefront of these changes as we deploy our content and technology assets to address them.

“Locomote, which approached the market with a clean slate and a fresh approach, is a key part of how we envision the future. What has been done here is consistent with the vision that Philip Weinman and I mapped out together when we first began our association in 2013.”

Wilson added that Travelport plans to create greater synergies between Locomote and the other areas of its business, including its mobile travel commerce provider MTT and B2B payments company, eNett.

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Locomote Locomote specialises in digital and mobile solutions for business travellers
Tigerair Taiwan pens GDS deal with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tigerair-taiwan-pens-gds-deal-with-travelport/ Tue, 24 Nov 2015 04:04:39 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=229686 The post Tigerair Taiwan pens GDS deal with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport's Damien Hickey agrees the deal with Ai-Ling Ng of Tigerair Taiwan

Tigerair Taiwan, the Taipei-based low-cost carrier, has signed a new GDS deal with Travelport. The multi-year agreement will allow the airline’s fares to be distributed to the travel trade via the Travelport GDS. In addition, Tigerair Taiwan will become only the third Asian LCC to sign up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding technology, which […]

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Travelport's Damien Hickey agrees the deal with Ai-Ling Ng of Tigerair Taiwan
Travelport's Damien Hickey agrees the deal with Ai-Ling Ng of Tigerair Taiwan
Travelport’s Damien Hickey agrees the deal with Ai-Ling Ng of Tigerair Taiwan

Tigerair Taiwan, the Taipei-based low-cost carrier, has signed a new GDS deal with Travelport.

The multi-year agreement will allow the airline’s fares to be distributed to the travel trade via the Travelport GDS.

In addition, Tigerair Taiwan will become only the third Asian LCC to sign up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding technology, which improves the way airlines’ products and services are presented on travel agency screens.

“Tigerair Taiwan is embarking on an expansion drive; we are doubling the size of our fleet by the end of this year,” said Ai-Ling Ng, the airline’s chief commercial officer.

“And our routes are all non-domestic, which means we need to project our brand strongly across to all our regional markets in order to grow our market share. We believe that Travelport’s global network and its Rich Content and Branding solution will help us to achieve those objectives.”

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president for Asia Pacific, added: “We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with Tigerair Taiwan. I am confident that they will be able to fully leverage Travelport’s global reach to grow their bookings via our Travel Commerce Platform, while projecting their brand across their target markets with our Rich Content and Branding technology.”

Tigerair Taiwan launched in 2014 as a joint venture between Singapore-based Tiger Airways and Taiwan’s national carrier, China Airlines. It currently operates a fleet of six Airbus A320 aircraft, and plans to welcome six more in the coming months.

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Damien Hickey, VP and Global Sales Strategy, Air Commerce, Travelport with Ai-Ling Ng, Chief Commercial Officer, Tigerair Taiwan Travelport's Damien Hickey agrees the deal with Ai-Ling Ng of Tigerair Taiwan
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-180/ Wed, 28 Oct 2015 07:58:55 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=228527 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Filip Boyen

FILIP BOYEN has been named chief executive officer of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). Boyen was appointed as managing director of Hill, Goodridge & Associates, SLH’s management company, in July this year, and will now also assume leadership for the SLH brand. He previously worked for Belmond. GARTH SIMMONS has been promoted to […]

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Filip Boyen
Filip Boyen
Filip Boyen

FILIP BOYEN has been named chief executive officer of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). Boyen was appointed as managing director of Hill, Goodridge & Associates, SLH’s management company, in July this year, and will now also assume leadership for the SLH brand. He previously worked for Belmond.

GARTH SIMMONS has been promoted to the role of chief operating officer for Malaysia, Indonesia & Singapore with AccorHotels. Simmons joined the company in 2007 and has held a variety of positions, most recently as senior vice president for New Zealand, the Pacific Islands & Japan.

Stephen Shurrock
Stephen Shurrock

STEVEN SHURROCK has become Travelport’s new executive vice president and chief commercial officer. He will relocate to the company’s UK head office in January 2016 from his current position as CEO of Telefonica’s consumer division. Prior to that he was chief financial officer of UK-based web portal Excite.

JORGEN CHRISTENSEN has been appointed general manager of the Marco Polo Changzhou. He brings 25 years of experience to the Chinese hotel, including spells with AccorHotels, Shangri-La and Langham. Most recently he served as general manager of the Mira Moon Hotel in Hong Kong.

Andrew Yell
Andrew Yell

ANDREW YELL has become general manager of global sales for Excite Holidays, the online travel wholesaler. Yell joins Excite from The Travel Corporation where he held several senior positions, including general manager of business development. He has also served as executive general manager for Creative Holidays.

EMILY SUBRATA has been appointed director of Indonesia’s Sudamala Resorts, which operates hotels in Bali and Lombok. A Swiss hotel school graduate, Ms Subrata is the daughter of Sudamala Resorts’ founder, Ben Subrata. She will now oversee the company’s operations, including the launch of a new resort near Flores.

Jackson Ferguson
Jackson Ferguson

JACKSON FERGUSON has been appointed director of sales & marketing at the Mövenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bangkok. Ferguson joins Mövenpick with a wealth of experience, having led the sales and marketing departments at the Warwick San Francisco Hotel and Rembrandt Hotel & Towers Bangkok.

ULI S. ALTRICHTER has been announced as the Regent Beijing’s new director of sales & marketing. He joins the luxury hotel with more than 20 years’ expertise in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific, including spells with IHG, Starwood and Hilton. Most recently he worked for the InterContinental Berlin.

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Filip Boyen Filip Boyen Stephen Shurrock Stephen Shurrock Andrew Yell Andrew Yell Jackson Ferguson Jackson Ferguson
Travelport develops new desktop solution for Japanese agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-develops-new-desktop-solution-for-japanese-agents/ Thu, 24 Sep 2015 04:03:42 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=227161 The post Travelport develops new desktop solution for Japanese agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The new AXESS GDS will be based on Travelport Smartpoint

Travelport has teamed up with AXESS International Network, the Japanese global distribution system (GDS), to create a new desktop solution for travel agencies in Japan. The new system, which will replace AXESS’ existing CREA desktop product, will be known as AXESS CREA Advance and will be powered by Travelport technology. The two companies initially joined […]

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The new AXESS GDS will be based on Travelport Smartpoint

Travelport has teamed up with AXESS International Network, the Japanese global distribution system (GDS), to create a new desktop solution for travel agencies in Japan.

The new system, which will replace AXESS’ existing CREA desktop product, will be known as AXESS CREA Advance and will be powered by Travelport technology.

The two companies initially joined forces in April 2012 with a view to creating a new GDS to meet the demands of Japanese travel agents and travellers. The resulting product will be powered by Travelport Smartpoint, the global point-of-sale technology which provides agents with air, hotel and car content. It also features Travelport Rich Content & Branding, a new product display solution that allows airlines to better showcase their products and services, and a payment solution by eNett. All of this content and technology will be integrated into the new AXESS solution.

The new AXESS GDS will be based on Travelport Smartpoint
The new AXESS GDS will be based on Travelport Smartpoint

“Launching a new agency desktop for AXESS… represents a great milestone in the technology partnership between AXESS and Travelport and opens the pathways for further opportunities in the future,” said Mark Meehan, president & managing director for Travelport Asia Pacific.

“Travelport prides itself in having the most balanced footprint globally. This partnership combines the best in international travel content with the most in-depth knowledge of the Japanese travel trade into one powerful platform.”

Following a period of customer testing and training, all AXESS-connected travel agents will migrate to the new AXESS point-of-sale solution in a phased manner. The full roll-out is scheduled for completion in 2017.

In addition to delivering a new agency desktop, AXESS has also partnered with Travelport to launch a new business travel management solution. Powered by Locomote technology, the new solution is designed to provide companies with greater control and visibility of their corporate travel programmes, on any device.

“We are delighted to announce the delivery of our new AXESS desktop as well as our new corporate booking tool designed specifically for the Japanese business traveller,” said Seiji Soekawa, president & CEO of AXESS. “As part of our technology partnership with Travelport, we are well placed to evolve our offering to Japanese agents, ensuring they have the very best content and tools to empower them to offer superior customer service.”

AXESS is owned by Japan Airlines.

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Travelport Smartpoint The new AXESS GDS will be based on Travelport Smartpoint
Travelport road show attracts key Saudi agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-road-show-attracts-key-saudi-agents/ Thu, 03 Sep 2015 06:30:55 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=226380 The post Travelport road show attracts key Saudi agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In a recent development, Travelport concluded a technology roadshow tour across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, Riyadh and Damman. The series of interactive workshops showcased how technology is redefining travel commerce and welcomed attendance from over 100 travel agents from across the Kingdom. Rabih Saab, president and managing director for Africa, Middle East […]

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Rabih Saab, president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia at Travelport
Rabih Saab, president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia at Travelport

In a recent development, Travelport concluded a technology roadshow tour across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, Riyadh and Damman.

The series of interactive workshops showcased how technology is redefining travel commerce and welcomed attendance from over 100 travel agents from across the Kingdom.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia at Travelport said: “We’ve have received extremely positive feedback on events and in particular, on innovation of our products. Our platform is leading the way in travel solutions through empowered selling and pushing new business frontiers such as halal tourism.”

The road show was held at an opportune time. Travelport recently released a co-sponsored study with Phocuswright1 on Saudi Arabia. The report revealed that the Kingdom has the largest travelling population in the Middle East. Online travel bookings, which represent 25% of all bookings in the Middle East, are forecast to grow in 2015 and 2016 to reach 36% by end of 2017 when online revenue is expected to reach US$35 billion. Offline sales are forecast to continue to grow from US$54 bn in 2014 to US$63 bn in 2017.

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Saui tech Rabih Saab, president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia at Travelport
Travelport, Nakhal Travel ink multi-year agreement https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-nakhal-travel-ink-multi-year-agreement/ Thu, 27 Aug 2015 09:20:01 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=226115 The post Travelport, Nakhal Travel ink multi-year agreement appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In a recent development, Travelport has renewed its multi-year agreement with Nakhal Travel in Lebanon. As per the agreement, Nakhal Travel will have access to Travelport’s travel content inventory including air, hotel, rail and car and will benefit from merchandising capabilities of Travelport Smartpoint. Jean El Zailaa, executive director, Travel Management Services, Nakhal said: “We […]

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Travelport renews milti-year agreement with Nakhal Travel
Travelport renews milti-year agreement with Nakhal Travel

In a recent development, Travelport has renewed its multi-year agreement with Nakhal Travel in Lebanon.

As per the agreement, Nakhal Travel will have access to Travelport’s travel content inventory including air, hotel, rail and car and will benefit from merchandising capabilities of Travelport Smartpoint.

Jean El Zailaa, executive director, Travel Management Services, Nakhal said: “We need to ensure we have progressive technology partners expertise to support our business goals. Our priority is to provide service to our customers and continue to enhance their experience.”

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Travelport Nak Travelport renews milti-year agreement with Nakhal Travel
MEA takes on Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/mea-takes-on-travelport/ Mon, 24 Aug 2015 08:27:29 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225948 The post MEA takes on Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In a recent development, Middle East Airlines (MEA) is the latest carrier to sign up Travelport. The airline has adopted the Travelport Rich Content and Branding and its fares along with Travelport Smartpoint 6.0. Following the new agreement, Middle East Airlines will utilise Travelport’s rich content and branding to control how their products are visually […]

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Middle East Airlines partners with Travelport
Middle East Airlines partners with Travelport

In a recent development, Middle East Airlines (MEA) is the latest carrier to sign up Travelport.

The airline has adopted the Travelport Rich Content and Branding and its fares along with Travelport Smartpoint 6.0. Following the new agreement, Middle East Airlines will utilise Travelport’s rich content and branding to control how their products are visually presented and described on travel agent screens. The solution already has over 100 airlines signed up including South African Airways, Comair, Kulula, Etihad, Gulf Air, and Kenya Airways.

Nizar Khory, head of commercial at MEA said: “Through our partnership with Travelport, we can now efficiently present our products to customers. The Travelport Smartpoint 6.0 will help travel agents promote and tailor our unique offering to meet needs of travellers.”

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A330-200_MEA_MIDDLE_EAST_AIRLINES_RR_V15 Middle East Airlines partners with Travelport
Travelport更新新加坡、马来西亚合同 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelportgengxinxinjiapomalaixiyahetong/ Thu, 20 Aug 2015 08:21:15 +0000 http://www.traveldailychina.com/?p=9231 The post Travelport更新新加坡、马来西亚合同 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport近日更新了和新加坡、马来西亚6家旅行中介的合同。 在最近的几个月内,旅行科技公司Travelport和马来西亚的Reliance、Miri Borneo、Smart Travel、Lintas Travel,以及新加坡的Airserve Marine、Aviation Services签订了新协议。 Travelport表示这次客户维系的努力将着重强调持续的创新和科技进步。 在过去的三年内,该公司投资了5亿美元开发完善其旅行商贸平台(Travel Commerce Platform)科技,包括最新升级到Smartpoint的为各机构准备的销售点。IT同时也推出了Agentivity,一个为代理们准备的新商务智能解决方案。 “我们一直专注于不断的创新,来为旅游代理们创造新的价值。不管是提供更有效的工作流还是创造更多新的营业额或是提供科技改进,很开心我们的伙伴能认可我们的努力,并一直这么信任我们,”Mark Meehan,Travelport亚太片区总经理表示。

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Travelport的商务智能解决方案Agentivity
Travelport的商务智能解决方案Agentivity

Travelport近日更新了和新加坡、马来西亚6家旅行中介的合同。

在最近的几个月内,旅行科技公司Travelport和马来西亚的Reliance、Miri Borneo、Smart Travel、Lintas Travel,以及新加坡的Airserve Marine、Aviation Services签订了新协议。

Travelport表示这次客户维系的努力将着重强调持续的创新和科技进步。

在过去的三年内,该公司投资了5亿美元开发完善其旅行商贸平台(Travel Commerce Platform)科技,包括最新升级到Smartpoint的为各机构准备的销售点。IT同时也推出了Agentivity,一个为代理们准备的新商务智能解决方案。

“我们一直专注于不断的创新,来为旅游代理们创造新的价值。不管是提供更有效的工作流还是创造更多新的营业额或是提供科技改进,很开心我们的伙伴能认可我们的努力,并一直这么信任我们,”Mark Meehan,Travelport亚太片区总经理表示。

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Air safety costs Philippines billions in lost revenue
Travelport expands its partnerships with Abu Dhabi agencies https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-expands-its-partnerships-with-abu-dhabi-agencies/ Wed, 19 Aug 2015 06:23:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225784 The post Travelport expands its partnerships with Abu Dhabi agencies appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In a recent development, Travelport announced a number of new business deals with travel agencies based in Abu Dhabi. The signing ceremony took place after a comprehensive technology workshop and series of live demonstrations. The occasion took place at Travelport’s Beirut office and was attended by Safe Travel, Rahlty Travel and Orient House Travel. Rabih […]

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Rabih Saab, president and managing director of Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport
Rabih Saab, president and managing director of Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport

In a recent development, Travelport announced a number of new business deals with travel agencies based in Abu Dhabi.

The signing ceremony took place after a comprehensive technology workshop and series of live demonstrations. The occasion took place at Travelport’s Beirut office and was attended by Safe Travel, Rahlty Travel and Orient House Travel.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director of Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport, said: “We look forward to providing our new customers with innovative technology and tools such as Travelport Smartpoint and help them to achieve business goals.”

All of these new companies have signed long-term agreements with Travelport and will have access to Travelport’s travel content inventory including air, hotel, rail and car.

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Travel AD Rabih Saab, president and managing director of Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport
Travelport’s renews contracts in Singapore and Malaysia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelports-renews-contracts-in-singapore-and-malaysia/ Wed, 19 Aug 2015 02:20:30 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225760 The post Travelport’s renews contracts in Singapore and Malaysia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport's business intelligence solution, Agentivity

Travelport has renewed its contracts with six travel agencies in Singapore and Malaysia. In recent months, the travel technology company has penned new multi-year contracts with Reliance, Miri Borneo, Smart Travel and Lintas Travel in Malaysia, as well as Airserve Marine and Aviation Services in Singapore. Travelport attributed this customer retention to its “focus on […]

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Travelport's business intelligence solution, Agentivity
Travelport's business intelligence solution, Agentivity
Travelport’s business intelligence solution, Agentivity

Travelport has renewed its contracts with six travel agencies in Singapore and Malaysia.

In recent months, the travel technology company has penned new multi-year contracts with Reliance, Miri Borneo, Smart Travel and Lintas Travel in Malaysia, as well as Airserve Marine and Aviation Services in Singapore.

Travelport attributed this customer retention to its “focus on constant innovation and technology refinement”.

Over the last three years, the company has invested US$500 million into developing and refining its Travel Commerce Platform technology, including updates to its Smartpoint point-of-sale solution for travel agents. IT has also launched Agentivity, a new business intelligence solution for agencies

“We are constantly innovating to add new value for our agency partners, be it to create a more efficient workflow or to create new opportunities to grow revenues or the many other technology improvements that we have implemented over the years. I am glad our partners have recognised our efforts and demonstrated their trust in us,” said Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific.

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Travelport’s business intelligence solution Agentivity Travelport's business intelligence solution, Agentivity
Ingresso launches Entertainment Tickets plug-in for Travelport users https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ingresso-launches-entertainment-tickets-plug-in-for-travelport-users/ Sun, 16 Aug 2015 10:21:40 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225633 The post Ingresso launches Entertainment Tickets plug-in for Travelport users appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Ingresso has developed a bespoke application to work alongside Travelport’s Smartpoint software that enables agents to find and sell tickets to customers in three steps.  The Ingresso Entertainment Tickets plug-in is free to download from the Travelport Marketplace. The application allows agents to book a variety of worldwide entertainment tickets all within the same booking […]

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Ingresso has developed a bespoke application to work alongside Travelport’s Smartpoint software that enables agents to find and sell tickets to customers in three steps. 

Ingresso's new app is available for download from Travelport Marketplace.
Ingresso’s new app is available for download from Travelport Marketplace.

The Ingresso Entertainment Tickets plug-in is free to download from the Travelport Marketplace.

The application allows agents to book a variety of worldwide entertainment tickets all within the same booking process, combining with their bookings for air travel and hotel stays without leaving Smartpoint.

Agents can choose their own commission levels and receive commission immediately, based on the difference between the net price and the recommended selling price.

The app uses customer information from the PNR, and pre-saved agent information, for a fast and easy checkout.

Details of the purchased entertainment tickets are added in to the PNR. The plugin also enables agents to use eNett virtual credit cards, which are more efficient and secure as well as less open to fraud.

Other key features of the Ingresso Tickets plugin include:

– Agents can set their own pricing and commission levels with immediate payment, no invoicing required;

– Exclusive ticket prices across a wide selection of international events;

– The ability to search by airport code or general terms such as ‘New York tours’;

– Immediate booking confirmation with no need to wait for third party bookings;

– Details of purchased tickets are fully integrated into passenger name records (PNRs) and back-office systems.

In a bid to attract new users to the app, Ingresso is offering an incentive based programme to select travel agencies, in return for a four-week trial of the app.

In exchange for the agencies downloading and completing the trial, Ingresso is offering a theatre night out in London’s West End.

In parallel with this incentive, the company is also offering the chance to win a theatre break for two in London, for the travel agent who makes the most sales by 31 September.

This prize includes a pair of tickets to see Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria, a dinner experience for two at Planet Hollywood, plus a night’s stay at a Radisson Blue-Edwardian hotel in London.

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ingresso Ingresso's new app is available for download from Travelport Marketplace.
Travelport, Al Futtaim Travel renew multi-year agreement https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-al-futtaim-travel-renew-multi-year-agreement/ Thu, 06 Aug 2015 08:28:03 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225293 The post Travelport, Al Futtaim Travel renew multi-year agreement appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently renewed its multi-year agreement with Al Futtaim Travel. The agreement provides Al Futtaim Travel with Travelport’s technology, including the Travelport Universal API. The agency’s customers will continue to have access to Travelport’s travel content inventory. This is the ability to search, sell and book fares from approximately 400 airlines globally as well as […]

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Rabih Saab, Travelport's president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia
Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia

Travelport recently renewed its multi-year agreement with Al Futtaim Travel.

The agreement provides Al Futtaim Travel with Travelport’s technology, including the Travelport Universal API. The agency’s customers will continue to have access to Travelport’s travel content inventory. This is the ability to search, sell and book fares from approximately 400 airlines globally as well as over 650,000 hotel properties (both chain and independents).

Micky Bhatia-India, general manager of Al Futtaim Travel said: “Working with Travelport allows us to continuously improve and enhance our tailor-made services we provide customers across the Gulf region.”

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Travelport Rabih Saab, Travelport's president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia
Virgin Australia improves GDS displays with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/virgin-australia-improves-gds-displays-with-travelport/ Mon, 03 Aug 2015 06:38:28 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225083 The post Virgin Australia improves GDS displays with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Virgin Australia's products, as displayed through Travelport's Rich Content and Branding solution

Virgin Australia has moved to improve the way its products are displayed to travel agents by signing up for Travelport‘s Rich Content and Branding solution. The airline has penned a new long-term global distribution agreement with Travelport, which will include the GDS company’s new graphic display technology. Through Rich Content and Branding, Virgin Australia will […]

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Virgin Australia's products, as displayed through Travelport's Rich Content and Branding solution
Virgin Australia's products, as displayed through Travelport's Rich Content and Branding solution
Virgin Australia’s products, as displayed through Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding solution

Virgin Australia has moved to improve the way its products are displayed to travel agents by signing up for Travelport‘s Rich Content and Branding solution.

The airline has penned a new long-term global distribution agreement with Travelport, which will include the GDS company’s new graphic display technology.

Through Rich Content and Branding, Virgin Australia will be able to control and enhance how its products are presented and described to travel agents on the GDS screen. This will allow it to improve the marketing of ancillary products and services, such as seats with extra legroom and lounge passes.

The move comes ahead of the launch of the airline’s new business class suites, which will be rolled out on trans-continental Airbus A330 aircraft and international Boeing 777 flights to Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles.

“We are committed to delivering a superior experience for our guests at all times on their journey. Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding solution will enable us to share details of exciting products and services such as our new business class suite with travel agents around Australia and worldwide,” said Virgin Australia’s chief commercial officer, Judith Crompton.

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president for Asia Pacific, added that the new solution would enable Virgin Australia to “create great choices for their customers and to clearly communicate those choices”.

Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding solution has now been adopted by more than 100 airlines worldwide.

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Virgin Australia’s Premium Economy product presented with Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding feature (2) Virgin Australia's products, as displayed through Travelport's Rich Content and Branding solution
Radius Travel pens new long-term Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/radius-travel-pens-new-long-term-travelport-deal/ Tue, 28 Jul 2015 02:20:38 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=224824 The post Radius Travel pens new long-term Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Radius members will be able to access a range of Travelport solutions, including its hotel content

Radius Travel, the corporate travel management company, has penned a new long-term agreement with Travelport. Under the new agreement, Radius members will have access to Travelport’s range of products, including the agency desktop solution Travelport Smartpoint, the graphic point-of-sale solution Rich Content and Branding, and Travelport Universal API, the application programming interface. In addition, Radius […]

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Radius members will be able to access a range of Travelport solutions, including its hotel content
Radius members will be able to access a range of Travelport solutions, including its hotel content
Radius members will be able to access a range of Travelport solutions, including its hotel content

Radius Travel, the corporate travel management company, has penned a new long-term agreement with Travelport.

Under the new agreement, Radius members will have access to Travelport’s range of products, including the agency desktop solution Travelport Smartpoint, the graphic point-of-sale solution Rich Content and Branding, and Travelport Universal API, the application programming interface.

In addition, Radius members will be able to utilise Travelport Booking Feed, a corporate data management solution data source used to analyse travel patterns and travel policy compliance. They will also be able to use eNett Virtual Account Numbers (VANs), Travelport’s automated electronic payment solution, and Travelport’s hotel content.

“The decision by Radius to enter into this exclusive partnership with Travelport strategically positions both parties to expand global business together, and to provide our mutual corporate customers with advanced and unique solutions, such as Travelport Smartpoint,” said Sandra McCloud, Travelport’s senior vice president global accounts & corporate.

The 70 members of the Radius network include leading names such as India’s Cox & Kings, China’s Ctrip and the UK’s Portman Travel.

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Travelport Rooms and More Radius members will be able to access a range of Travelport solutions, including its hotel content
Travelport, TTS sign reseller agreement in Asia Pacific https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-tts-sign-reseller-agreement-in-asia-pacific/ Mon, 27 Jul 2015 05:52:04 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=224780 The post Travelport, TTS sign reseller agreement in Asia Pacific appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

TTS Consolidator

Travelport has signed an agreement allowing it to sell and distribute three new TTS solutions in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Under the terms of the new deal, Travelport will act as the reseller for the TTS Consolidator, TTS Corporate and TTS WeBook products. TTS Consolidator automates the processes between a consolidator agency […]

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The post Travelport, TTS sign reseller agreement in Asia Pacific appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

TTS Consolidator
TTS Consolidator
TTS Consolidator

Travelport has signed an agreement allowing it to sell and distribute three new TTS solutions in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

Under the terms of the new deal, Travelport will act as the reseller for the TTS Consolidator, TTS Corporate and TTS WeBook products.

TTS Consolidator automates the processes between a consolidator agency and its sub-agents, while TTS Corporate is a corporate booking tool focusing on the SME market. Finally, TTS WeBook is an online booking engine that can be integrated with any website or Facebook page.

“As a leading travel commerce platform, Travelport recognises the importance of our partners and these TTS products will complement our broad product suite offering by providing solutions which address some of the unique requirements of our customers across Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific,” said Rabih Saab, president & managing director of Travelport for Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

“Having recently launched Smartpoint 6.0, the leading point of sale for airline rich content and ancillaries, TTS extends our industry leading technology solutions to our customers in the region.”

Pedro Barata, founder & CEO of TTS said the new agreement “represents a great opportunity to further expand the reach of TTS solutions”.

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TTS Consolidator TTS Consolidator
Travelport advances mobile strategy with MTT acquisition https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-advances-mobile-strategy-with-mtt-acquisition/ Tue, 07 Jul 2015 08:39:04 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=224093 The post Travelport advances mobile strategy with MTT acquisition appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO

Travelport‘s mobile strategy has taken a major step forward with the acquisition of Mobile Travel Technologies Ltd (MTT). Dublin-based MTT develops a range of mobile services for airlines, hotels, corporate travel management companies and travel agencies, including apps, mobile web and messaging services. These are then delivered to smartphones, tablets and wearable devices, including the […]

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The post Travelport advances mobile strategy with MTT acquisition appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO

Travelport‘s mobile strategy has taken a major step forward with the acquisition of Mobile Travel Technologies Ltd (MTT).

Dublin-based MTT develops a range of mobile services for airlines, hotels, corporate travel management companies and travel agencies, including apps, mobile web and messaging services. These are then delivered to smartphones, tablets and wearable devices, including the Apple Watch.

Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO
Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO

Its clients include easyJet, Singapore Airlines and BCD Travel.

“It is a natural extension of Travelport’s strategy of redefining travel commerce to have acquired, what we believe to be, the largest and most successful company focused on delivering sophisticated mobile services and apps to the travel industry,” said Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO.

“Adding MTT as an expanded capability to our existing travel commerce platform extends our reach further, and at the higher value add end of the service spectrum for our airline, hotel, travel management company and travel agency clients.”

MTT will now become subsidiary of Travelport, retaining existing CEO, Gerry Samuels, along with his management team.

“Becoming part of the Travelport family will enable MTT to accelerate what we are already doing in the travel industry – bringing cutting edge mobile innovations to airlines and travel intermediaries so that they can better serve the end traveller with innovative and personalised mobile services that transform the travel experience,” said Samuels.

In 2014, mobile accounted for around one third of all e-commerce transactions globally, and air ticket transactions are predicted to grow from just under 200 million in 2014 to in excess of 540m by 2018. And in the US alone, the transaction value of hotel bookings made using mobile devices is expected to grow from US$2.7 billion in 2014 to US$5.4bn in 2016.

Travelport said the EUR55 million (US$61m) acquisition would be “funded from [its] cash resources”.

The acquisition of MTT follows other recent Travelport investments, including the purchase of Travel IT, Hotelzon, and an expanded stake in eNett, the electronic payments company.

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Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO
Travelport connects with China’s Alitrip https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-connects-with-chinas-alitrip/ Mon, 06 Jul 2015 02:51:11 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=224024 The post Travelport connects with China’s Alitrip appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Alitrip.com

Travelport has expanded its presence in China with the signing of a new content and data partnership agreement with Alitrip, the online travel platform of Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba.   Through the partnership, Alitrip will have access to Travelport’s pricing and availability data to support its own fare and shopping platform, as well as the […]

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Alitrip.com
Alitrip.com
Alitrip.com

Travelport has expanded its presence in China with the signing of a new content and data partnership agreement with Alitrip, the online travel platform of Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba.  

Through the partnership, Alitrip will have access to Travelport’s pricing and availability data to support its own fare and shopping platform, as well as the use of Travelport’s shopping products, ePricing and Search Control Console.

“We are delighted to have Alitrip as our newest online partner. Travelport has led the development of technologies that support online travel platforms such as Alitrip. We are excited to work with the most successful name in e-commerce and help bring that same success to online travel commerce,” said Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific.

This agreement will also enable Alitrip to expand its merchant and customer base outside of mainland China, working with Travelport and Travelport-connected agencies. On the other side of the equation, Travelport’s agents and partners will benefit from having greater access to mainland China by participating on the Alitrip platform.

“We are impressed with the quality of Travelport’s content feed which supports our online platform. With this partnership we can now have a more efficient way to engage the wider agency community and bring them onto the Alitrip platform. This will provide our users with the best fare options,” said Zheng Zhou, general manager of Alitrip’s Transportation Business Unit.

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Alitrip Alitrip.com
Travelport Smartpoint 6.0 revamped for better efficiencies https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-smartpoint-6-0-revamped-for-better-efficiencies/ Thu, 02 Jul 2015 08:14:13 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=223937 The post Travelport Smartpoint 6.0 revamped for better efficiencies appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In an effort to enhance its technology, Travelport recently announced the evolution of Travelport Smartpoint. The revamped Travelport Smartpoint 6.0 empowers travel consultants to advise their customers about a range of products, optional services and offers. The solution is also available either as a simple download to a desktop app or an automated upgrade for […]

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The post Travelport Smartpoint 6.0 revamped for better efficiencies appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport's new revised Travelport Smartpoint 6.0
Travelport’s new revised Travelport Smartpoint 6.0

In an effort to enhance its technology, Travelport recently announced the evolution of Travelport Smartpoint.

The revamped Travelport Smartpoint 6.0 empowers travel consultants to advise their customers about a range of products, optional services and offers.

The solution is also available either as a simple download to a desktop app or an automated upgrade for those using the web browser version.

Travel agents can also now access airlines branded fares and ancillaries at availability, fare quote and fare shop stages of the booking process. Further enhancements also include reducing number of clicks required to access important information and ability for agents to book and pay for wide portfolio of low cost carriers.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director of Travelport for Africa, Middle East and Asia said: “We are constantly looking at ways to improve our innovative point-of-sale solution Travelport Smartpoint. We are also listening to our travel agency customers to find out exactly what they want from our products and systems. This latest version allows travel agents to sell more effectively and efficiently, increase revenues and grow their businesses.”

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TA Airlines Travelport's new revised Travelport Smartpoint 6.0
Kenya Airways partners with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/kenya-airways-partners-with-travelport/ Tue, 23 Jun 2015 07:45:25 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=223462 The post Kenya Airways partners with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport along with Kenya Airways jointly announced a new merchandising agreement. This will see Kenya Airways participate in Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding programme. The announcement coincides with the IATA aviation summit – ‘Connecting Africa – The linkage of Regulation, Capacity and Infrastructure’ in Nairobi. The partnership sees Travelport-connected agents worldwide with access to search, […]

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Travelport-Kenya Airways come together
Travelport-Kenya Airways come together

Travelport along with Kenya Airways jointly announced a new merchandising agreement.

This will see Kenya Airways participate in Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding programme.

The announcement coincides with the IATA aviation summit – ‘Connecting Africa – The linkage of Regulation, Capacity and Infrastructure’ in Nairobi.

The partnership sees Travelport-connected agents worldwide with access to search, compare and book Kenya Airways fares and offering via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform.

The rich content and branding programme enables airlines to market and retail their offering effectively. The programme allows airlines to control how their products are visually presented and described on travel agent screens.

Over hundred airlines have already signed up to participate in Rich Content and Branding since its launch in 2014, including South African Airways, Comair, Kulula, Etihad, Gulf Air, and British Airways.

 

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Kenya Travelport Travelport-Kenya Airways come together
APH gets smart with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/aph-gets-smart-with-travelport/ Sun, 14 Jun 2015 11:30:41 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=222992 The post APH gets smart with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Airport Parking & Hotels (APH) has teamed with Travelport to make its airport parking plug-in available through the company’s agency point of sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint. The application offered through Travelport’s Marketplace will enable travel agencies to upsell airport parking when making flight bookings using a simple two-step process. The application automatically presents relevant parking content […]

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Airport Parking & Hotels (APH) has teamed with Travelport to make its airport parking plug-in available through the company’s agency point of sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint.

The application offered through Travelport’s Marketplace will enable travel agencies to upsell airport parking when making flight bookings using a simple two-step process.

The application automatically presents relevant parking content based on specific airport codes and is simple to use and free of charge to travel agents.

Phillip Morris-Simpson, new business development manager at APH, said: “By tapping into the APH Airport Parking plug-in through Travelport Smartpoint, travel agencies can boost revenue, save time and increase customer loyalty by offering a number of parking solutions to meet individual needs. The plug-in is simple and fast to use. We look forward to continuing our work with Travelport and further developing our relationship over the years ahead.”

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Travelport helps travel start-ups https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-helps-travel-start-ups/ Wed, 03 Jun 2015 02:33:27 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=222505 The post Travelport helps travel start-ups appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport will offer access to its APIs, software development kits and data feeds

Travelport has announced the development of a new programme to accelerate the growth of start-up companies in the travel commerce sector. The Incubation programme will accept up to four start-ups every four months, which will have access to a Travelport mentor. At the end of each programme, each team then has the opportunity to participate […]

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Travelport will offer access to its APIs, software development kits and data feeds
Travelport will offer access to its APIs, software development kits and data feeds
Travelport will offer access to its APIs, software development kits and data feeds

Travelport has announced the development of a new programme to accelerate the growth of start-up companies in the travel commerce sector.

The Incubation programme will accept up to four start-ups every four months, which will have access to a Travelport mentor. At the end of each programme, each team then has the opportunity to participate in a demo day to pitch their innovations to senior Travelport executives, investors and other potential partners from across the travel industry, in a bid to secure future investment.

“We know there are some highly talented developers and travel start-ups out there who are also looking to have a positive impact on the travel commerce landscape,” said Jason Nash, Travelport’s head of marketing & product incubation. “This incubator allows us to join forces with these exciting companies of the future in a mutually beneficial way.

“The start-ups will benefit from exceptional support and we’re really looking forward to partnering with them to work on some seriously exciting ideas and innovations focused on the unmet needs of our customers.”

Jason Nash
Jason Nash

Start-ups accepted to the Incubation programme will have access to Travelport’s team of product managers, designers, developers and coaches. Participants will also be offered use of Travelport’s APIs, software development kits and data feeds, as well as feedback from Travelport’s customers, including travel agencies and travel content providers.

As part of its hosting programme, Travelport will also provide office space and other support services.

The first Incubator session is planned to begin in late summer and follows a similar, incubation program that has been running internally for Travelport employees.

“We’ve already tested our approach with our internal teams and figured out how to run a programme like this and maximise the adoption of lean and agile marketing methodology. This has also successfully helped us identify some budding internal entrepreneurs, many of whom were in unrelated roles, and we now want to replicate that success and support innovation in the external incubator program,” added Nash.

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Solutions Lab Travelport will offer access to its APIs, software development kits and data feeds Jason Nash Jason Nash
Travelport boosts entertainment content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-boosts-entertainment-content/ Thu, 28 May 2015 08:58:43 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=222312 The post Travelport boosts entertainment content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Photo by Lucian Milasan

Travel agents connected to the Travelport GDS are now able to book thousands of entertainment products, following a new partnership with the Ingresso Group. An Ingresso Entertainment Tickets plug-in is now available to travel agents using the Travelport Smartpoint agency system. This will enable agents to book and earn commissions on theatre and attraction tickets […]

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Photo by Lucian Milasan
Photo by Lucian Milasan
Photo by Lucian Milasan

Travel agents connected to the Travelport GDS are now able to book thousands of entertainment products, following a new partnership with the Ingresso Group.

An Ingresso Entertainment Tickets plug-in is now available to travel agents using the Travelport Smartpoint agency system. This will enable agents to book and earn commissions on theatre and attraction tickets and sightseeing tours worldwide. The plug-in is free to download from Travelport Marketplace.

“We are delighted to offer our travel agency customers access to the Ingresso Entertainment Tickets plug-in through Travelport Smartpoint,” said Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s managing director for the UK, Ireland & Nordics. “The plug-in offers a real cross-sell opportunity and agents can set the price and choose the commission they charge in order to boost revenue.

“This latest announcement is part of Travelport’s strategy to invest in developing new technologies and ideas, all on an open platform that delivers expansive content and improves customer service. We are pleased that Ingresso has seen the value that Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform can bring to its business.”

The new plug-in allows agents to search for attractions by airport code or general terms, such as ‘New York tours’, and receive immediate email confirmation. Details of purchased tickets will be fully integrated into passenger name records (PNRs) and back-office systems.

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London bus tour (credit Lucian Milasan) Photo by Lucian Milasan
Travelport Rich Content & Branding goes mobile https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-rich-content-branding-goes-out-of-office/ Tue, 26 May 2015 04:18:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=222181 The post Travelport Rich Content & Branding goes mobile appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Rich Content & Branding is now available via the Travelport Mobile Agent app or TTS Web Agent solution

TTS, which develops solutions for the travel and tourism industry, has now incorporated Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding concept into is mobile and web platforms, enabling travel agents to access the graphic content while away from the office. The new technology gives travel agents the ability to access the fares and products of more than […]

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Rich Content & Branding is now available via the Travelport Mobile Agent app or TTS Web Agent solution
Rich Content & Branding is now available via the Travelport Mobile Agent app or TTS Web Agent solution
Rich Content & Branding is now available via the Travelport Mobile Agent app or TTS Web Agent solution

TTS, which develops solutions for the travel and tourism industry, has now incorporated Travelport’s Rich Content & Branding concept into is mobile and web platforms, enabling travel agents to access the graphic content while away from the office.

The new technology gives travel agents the ability to access the fares and products of more than 100 airlines via rich graphic images and descriptions, using the Travelport Mobile Agent app or TTS Web Agent solution for laptops and desktops.

This means that travel agents can now access the same content and enjoy the same experience they would at the office with the Travelport Smartpoint platform.

“TTS and Travelport are working closely to change the way travel agencies search, sell and book airline content for their customers. By adding Rich Content & Branding to Travelport Mobile Agent and TTS Web Agent, we can offer a more comprehensive and graphical display of the airline’s overall offering, allowing agents to better communicate the benefits of each option to their customers and allowing them to sell more effectively even when out of the office,” said Susana Goncalves, product manager at TTS.

“As a technology company, we are highly focused in innovation and follow the latest news and trends. This allows us to keep improving our solutions and provide our clients with tools that truly fit their needs, help them to increase productivity and provide a great service to their customers. So when Travelport announced Rich Content & Branding, we immediately knew that we had to have this technology in our solutions.”

The graphic content offered by Rich Content & Branding offers agents the chance to view a wider range of airline products and ancillary services, in a similar format to how they are presented on airlines’ own websites.

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TTS Rich Content and Branding Rich Content & Branding is now available via the Travelport Mobile Agent app or TTS Web Agent solution
Travelport integrates airport parking content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-integrates-airport-parking-content/ Mon, 18 May 2015 08:47:42 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=221888 The post Travelport integrates airport parking content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Photo by Siha Sakprachum

Travelport has started offering airport parking content through its GDS. The Travel Parking Group (TPG), which offers airport parking in 45 countries on five continents, has added its content to the Travelport Smartpoint travel agent solution, via its Looking4app. Available as a free plug-in from the Travelport Marketplace, the Looking4app integrates the car parking content […]

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Photo by Siha Sakprachum
Photo by Siha Sakprachum
Photo by Siha Sakprachum

Travelport has started offering airport parking content through its GDS.

The Travel Parking Group (TPG), which offers airport parking in 45 countries on five continents, has added its content to the Travelport Smartpoint travel agent solution, via its Looking4app.

Available as a free plug-in from the Travelport Marketplace, the Looking4app integrates the car parking content into a passenger’s PNR details.

“Booking airport parking previously required agents to open multiple systems and often involved logging into several different websites to search for the best price which was a time-consuming process,” said Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s managing director for the UK, Ireland & Nordics.

“With TPG’s Looking4app incorporated into our industry-leading agency point-of-sale product, Travelport Smartpoint, agents can perform a simple search and offer airport car parking services to customers quickly and easily. By accessing Looking4app, agents can increase the overall revenue per trip and save themselves a lot of time by adding airport parking to existing reservations and back-office systems automatically,” he added.

TPG provides onsite and offsite car park reservations, meet and greet, and park and ride services in a range of countries, including Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, US and Canada.

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Photo by Siha Sakprachum Photo by Siha Sakprachum
AirAsia signs up for Travelport GDS display tool https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airasia-signs-up-for-travelport-gds-display-tool/ Thu, 14 May 2015 03:26:04 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=221765 The post AirAsia signs up for Travelport GDS display tool appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

AirAsia has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding

AirAsia has become the first Asian low-cost carrier to sign up for Travelport‘s Rich Content and Branding solution, which improves how airline products are displayed on the GDS screen. The airline started distributing its fares to the travel trade via Travelport’s GDS last year, and under the new arrangement it will be able to control […]

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AirAsia has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding
AirAsia has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding
AirAsia has signed up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding

AirAsia has become the first Asian low-cost carrier to sign up for Travelport‘s Rich Content and Branding solution, which improves how airline products are displayed on the GDS screen.

The airline started distributing its fares to the travel trade via Travelport’s GDS last year, and under the new arrangement it will be able to control how its products, including its important ancillary services, are visually showcased to travel agents.

“On AirAsia.com, we are very proud of the wide variety of options and add-ons we offer to our customers, clearly presented with detailed descriptions and highly illustrative visuals. We are glad we are now able to present our products in the same manner to Travelport’s global network using its Rich Content and Branding solution,” said Spencer Lee, AirAsia’s head of commercial.

Ancillary products, such as seat selection, insurance and in-flight meals, are an important source of revenue for low-cost carriers, but in the past these have been difficult to include in GDS bookings. AirAsia will hope its adoption of Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding will enable it to sell more of these additional products.

AirAsia joins a collection of more than 100 airlines to have signed up for Rich Content and Branding, including LCCs like easyJet and Ryanair.

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AirAsia fleet AirAsia has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding
Etihad signs up for Travelport’s GDS display tool https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/etihad-signs-up-for-travelports-gds-display-tool/ Tue, 12 May 2015 09:06:32 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=221679 The post Etihad signs up for Travelport’s GDS display tool appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Etihad has extended its full-content agreement with Travelport

Travelport has signed a new agreement with Etihad Airways that will see the carrier start using the Rich Content & Branding solution, which improves the way airlines’ products are displayed on GDS screens. Etihad has also extended its content agreement with Travelport, ensuring that travel agents connected to the technology company’s GDS platforms can access […]

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Etihad has extended its full-content agreement with Travelport
Etihad has extended its full-content agreement with Travelport
Etihad has extended its full-content agreement with Travelport

Travelport has signed a new agreement with Etihad Airways that will see the carrier start using the Rich Content & Branding solution, which improves the way airlines’ products are displayed on GDS screens.

Etihad has also extended its content agreement with Travelport, ensuring that travel agents connected to the technology company’s GDS platforms can access the airlines’ fares.

“I am pleased to have extended our partnership with Etihad Airways, and that they recognise Travelport as a valued technology partner within their growth strategy,” said Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s managing director for the UK, Ireland & the Nordics.

“We will continue to work closely with Etihad Airways in the effective delivery of their content to Travelport’s global network of over 67,000 travel agencies worldwide.”

Etihad becomes the 103rd airline to sign up for Rich Content and Branding since its launch in 2014, joining the likes of Delta, Avianca, Ryanair, British Airways, easyJet, Hong Kong Airlines and United Airlines.

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Etihad A330 engine Etihad
Travelport boosts ‘Beyond Air’ bookings, but earnings slip https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-boosts-beyond-air-bookings-but-earnings-slip/ Thu, 07 May 2015 04:37:15 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=221497 The post Travelport boosts ‘Beyond Air’ bookings, but earnings slip appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson

Travelport saw its profits decline in the first quarter of the year, but continued to increase its non-airline sales. The travel technology company’s earnings before tax and other items (EBITDA) fell 9% to US$137 million in the first three months of 2015; a result Travelport said was “in line with expectations”. The year-on-year comparisons were […]

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The post Travelport boosts ‘Beyond Air’ bookings, but earnings slip appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson

Travelport saw its profits decline in the first quarter of the year, but continued to increase its non-airline sales.

The travel technology company’s earnings before tax and other items (EBITDA) fell 9% to US$137 million in the first three months of 2015; a result Travelport said was “in line with expectations”.

Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson

The year-on-year comparisons were affected by impact of “renegotiated legacy contracts with Orbitz Worldwide and Delta Air Lines”, the company said.

Quarterly revenues were almost unchanged at US$572m.

Despite the decline in earnings, Travelport’s president & CEO, Gordon Wilson, was satisfied with the results.

“Travelport is off to a solid start in 2015 with the first quarter in line with our expectations,” Wilson said. “2015 continues to be a transition year for Travelport as we move beyond the resolution of two key legacy contracts. Net of these, we are seeing real momentum in our business as we continue to invest in our platform.”

The company continues to improve in areas outside the aviation sector, such as hotels, payment services and car rental. This ‘Beyond Air’ revenue increased 14% to US$110m in Q1 2015, with the proportion of hotel bookings sold in tandem with air tickets up 11%, and car rental bookings days sold also rising 11%.

Air revenue however, was down 3% to US$432m, as strong growth in the Asia Pacific region failed to fully offset the lower volumes in the US and Europe.

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Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson
UAE’s US$32 bn travel market charts growth: Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/uaes-us32-bn-travel-market-charts-growth-travelport/ Tue, 05 May 2015 04:46:03 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=221385 The post UAE’s US$32 bn travel market charts growth: Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently revealed significant travel industry forecasts for the UAE and Middle East. As per the report, the industry will witness double digit annual revenue growth expected from online travel in the next five years. With 29% online saturation, UAE currently outpaces that of the total region at 25%. Online travel bookings, which represent 25% […]

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The post UAE’s US$32 bn travel market charts growth: Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Rabih Saab, Travelport's president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia
Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia

Travelport recently revealed significant travel industry forecasts for the UAE and Middle East. As per the report, the industry will witness double digit annual revenue growth expected from online travel in the next five years.

With 29% online saturation, UAE currently outpaces that of the total region at 25%. Online travel bookings, which represent 25% of all bookings in the Middle East, are forecast to grow in 2015 and 2016 to reach 36% by end of 2017 when online revenue is expected to reach US$35 billion. Offline sales are forecast to continue to grow from US$54 bn in 2014 to US$63 bn in 2017.

The research also revealed that a host of ‘hybrid’ travel agents- those whose transactions take place online and offline – are expected to emerge as successful regional agents.

Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia said: “We can see from this new research that the Middle East’s travel industry is buoyant and poised for growth which is very encouraging for our customers.”

In the UAE, 72% of all flights for leisure were researched online but only 34% were purchased online. The research shows there is potential for a mobile breakthrough in the Middle East.

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Travelport Rabih Saab, Travelport's president and managing director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia
Travelport launches business analysis tool for Asian travel agencies https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-business-analysis-tool-for-asian-travel-agencies/ Thu, 30 Apr 2015 03:50:27 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=221231 The post Travelport launches business analysis tool for Asian travel agencies appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Agentivity will allow travel agencies to analyse their business performance

Travelport has launched a new business intelligence product for travel agencies in the Asia Pacific region. The product, known as c, is designed to provide information on all areas of an agency’s business, including booking trends, additional revenue opportunities, emergency notifications and agent productivity. It presents this data in a web-based format, allowing agency managers […]

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The post Travelport launches business analysis tool for Asian travel agencies appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Agentivity will allow travel agencies to analyse their business performance
Agentivity will allow travel agencies to analyse their business performance
Agentivity will allow travel agencies to analyse their business performance

Travelport has launched a new business intelligence product for travel agencies in the Asia Pacific region.

The product, known as c, is designed to provide information on all areas of an agency’s business, including booking trends, additional revenue opportunities, emergency notifications and agent productivity. It presents this data in a web-based format, allowing agency managers to analyse their business performance.

“As Travelport moves to expand both our ‘Air and Beyond Air’ offerings, a business intelligence solution like Agentivity is incredibly useful to our agency customers,” said Mark Meehan, managing director of Travelport Asia Pacific.

“[It] enables them to fully exploit the business opportunities we offer through our Travel Commerce Platform and concurrently upgrade the professional competency of their own operations.”

No software installation is required to use the new system, which was developed by the UK-based Inside Group.

“Agentivity significantly enriches the data we can collect in the agency environment and turns it into actionable insights that enable travel agencies to work smarter and more efficiently. We look forward to building on our relationship with Travelport in the Asia Pacific region,” said Edd McArdle, co-founder of the Inside Group.

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Booking office Agentivity will allow travel agencies to analyse their business performance
Travelport develops new airline intelligence tool https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-develops-new-airline-intelligence-tool/ Tue, 28 Apr 2015 02:12:11 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=221071 The post Travelport develops new airline intelligence tool appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has developed an "Alchemy engine"

Travelport has reached a major milestone in the development of a new business intelligence tool for the airline industry. The travel technology company has been awarded a patent in the US for the new solution, which is intended to simplify airline performance database management and booking data analysis. The new system, which is referred to […]

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Travelport has developed an "Alchemy engine"
Travelport has developed an "Alchemy engine"
Travelport has developed an “Alchemy engine”

Travelport has reached a major milestone in the development of a new business intelligence tool for the airline industry.

The travel technology company has been awarded a patent in the US for the new solution, which is intended to simplify airline performance database management and booking data analysis.

The new system, which is referred to as an Alchemy engine, allows airlines to search a MIDT (marketing information data tapes) database. Acting as a translator, Travelport’s engine can receive a request in one software language, such as an XML-based language, and translate the request into a second, such as SQL-based language.

This will offer airlines the ability to analyse and report on a range of airline data, including average fares.

“Being awarded this patent for the Alchemy engine is a great testament to the innovative prowess of the Travelport Business Intelligence development team,” said Bret Kidd, Travelport’s vice president & general manager of air commerce technologies.

“We have new opportunities with this patented system to analyse complex data for airlines faster and more efficiently than before. It also allows us to quickly build new reporting capabilities into our Business Intelligence applications that help Travelport offer increased value to our airline customers.”

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Solutions Lab Travelport has developed an "Alchemy engine"
Helloworld selects Travelport as main GDS partner https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/helloworld-selects-travelport-as-main-gds-partner/ Wed, 15 Apr 2015 07:28:29 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=220532 The post Helloworld selects Travelport as main GDS partner appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Helloworld's travel agents will now use Travelport's desktop solutions

Australian travel group Helloworld has formed a new partnership with Travelport. The company has selected Travelport as its “GDS service partner” for Australia and New Zealand, as well as for the Concorde Agency Network and helloworld.com.au. This will see Helloworld’s agents start to use the Travel Commerce Platform, which includes Smartpoint, the agency point-of-sale solution. […]

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Helloworld's travel agents will now use Travelport's desktop solutions
Helloworld's travel agents will now use Travelport's desktop solutions
Helloworld’s travel agents will now use Travelport’s desktop solutions

Australian travel group Helloworld has formed a new partnership with Travelport.

The company has selected Travelport as its “GDS service partner” for Australia and New Zealand, as well as for the Concorde Agency Network and helloworld.com.au.

This will see Helloworld’s agents start to use the Travel Commerce Platform, which includes Smartpoint, the agency point-of-sale solution.

“After an extensive review process, we are delighted to announce Travelport as Helloworld’s premium preferred GDS services partner,” said Helloworld’s CEO, Elizabeth Gaines. “Whilst we continue to have commercial arrangements across the GDS providers throughout the various channels of our business, Travelport is our premium preferred partner for the retail networks.”

Ms Gaines added that “competitive product pricing, greater transparency and market-leading technology and support” were the decisive factors in her company’s decision to choose Travelport.

“This renewal demonstrates Helloworld’s recognition of Travelport’s continued investments and expertise in terms of the content and technology we bring to the agency desktop,” said Kaylene Shuttlewood, Travelport’s general manager for the Pacific. “We look forward to continuing our long-term partnership and supporting Helloworld’s growth strategy across the region.”

Travelport and Helloworld have been partners for almost 30 years.

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brochure-hero_0 Helloworld's travel agents will now use Travelport's desktop solutions
Travelport signs global distribution agreement with HRS https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-signs-global-distribution-agreement-with-hrs/ Tue, 14 Apr 2015 10:42:22 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=220483 The post Travelport signs global distribution agreement with HRS appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a multi-year global distribution agreement with hotel solutions provider HRS.   The agreement will add more than 70,000 incremental hotels from HRS’ properties, the majority of which are independent hotels, to Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. This gives the private hotel providers access to Travelport’s 67,000 connected agencies worldwide and the additional independent hotel content […]

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Travelport has signed a multi-year global distribution agreement with hotel solutions provider HRS.  TravelportLogo

The agreement will add more than 70,000 incremental hotels from HRS’ properties, the majority of which are independent hotels, to Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. This gives the private hotel providers access to Travelport’s 67,000 connected agencies worldwide and the additional independent hotel content will help travel agents provide more choice and service to both leisure and business travellers, the companies claim.

The HRS inventory will be fully integrated later in the year into agent’s normal workflow. The agreement also gives Travelport-connected agents access to the HRS Business Tariff programme, which provides special corporate rates for more than 35,000 hotels globally.

HRS CEO Tobias Ragge said: “Travelport’s platform enables us to reach new travel buyers globally, thus boosting the reach of our global hotel partners and ensure a significant increase in hotel bookings. It gives travel agencies and companies access to new hotel properties and enables them to find the right content, all within an efficient booking process a win for all parties involved and a key milestone in our multi-channel strategy.”

The agreement with HRS follows other recent Travelport announcements relating to its “Beyond Air” strategy, which includes the acquisition of Travel IT in January 2015 and Hotelzon in June 2014.

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TravelportLogo
Travelport adds HRS hotel content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-adds-hrs-hotel-content/ Tue, 14 Apr 2015 00:27:29 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=220454 The post Travelport adds HRS hotel content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

HRS will add 70,000 hotels to Travelport GDS

Travelport has expanded its hotel content following an agreement with HRS. Under a new multi-year distribution agreement, Travelport will make HRS’ inventory of 70,000 hotels available for travel agent bookings via the GDS. The majority of these properties are independent hotels. “Travelport’s platform enables us to reach new travel buyers globally, thus boosting the reach […]

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HRS will add 70,000 hotels to Travelport GDS
HRS will add 70,000 hotels to Travelport GDS
HRS will add 70,000 hotels to Travelport GDS

Travelport has expanded its hotel content following an agreement with HRS.

Under a new multi-year distribution agreement, Travelport will make HRS’ inventory of 70,000 hotels available for travel agent bookings via the GDS. The majority of these properties are independent hotels.

“Travelport’s platform enables us to reach new travel buyers globally, thus boosting the reach of our global hotel partners and ensure a significant increase in hotel bookings,” explained HRS’ CEO, Tobias Ragge.

“It gives travel agencies and companies access to new hotel properties and enables them to find the right content, all within an efficient booking process a win for all parties involved and a key milestone in our multi-channel strategy.”

The HRS inventory will be fully integrated with Travelport, making hotels bookable as part of an agent’s usual workflow. The agreement also gives Travelport-connected agents access to the HRS Business Tariff programme, which provides special corporate rates for more than 35,000 hotels globally.

The agreement with HRS forms part of Travelport’s ‘Beyond Air’, through which it is aiming to diversify into a broader range of industry sectors.

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HRS HRS will add 70,000 hotels to Travelport GDS
100 airlines signed up for Travelport’s GDS display solution https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/100-airlines-signed-up-for-travelports-gds-display-solution/ Thu, 26 Mar 2015 03:36:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=219816 The post 100 airlines signed up for Travelport’s GDS display solution appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Rich Content & Branding allows carriers, like Singapore Airlines, to sell their products more effectively

Travelport has confirmed that 100 airlines have now signed up to its new GDS display solution, Rich Content and Branding. Launched last year, the new merchandising technology is integrated into the company’s Travel Commerce Platform, including its Travelport Smartpoint agency point-of-sale solution. It enables airlines to control how their products and services are displayed on […]

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Rich Content & Branding allows carriers, like Singapore Airlines, to sell their products more effectively
Rich Content & Branding allows carriers, like Singapore Airlines, to sell their products more effectively
Rich Content & Branding allows carriers, like Singapore Airlines, to sell their products more effectively

Travelport has confirmed that 100 airlines have now signed up to its new GDS display solution, Rich Content and Branding.

Launched last year, the new merchandising technology is integrated into the company’s Travel Commerce Platform, including its Travelport Smartpoint agency point-of-sale solution.

It enables airlines to control how their products and services are displayed on travel agent’s GDS screens, utilising images and descriptions in a similar way to airlines’ own websites.

“Our vision is to redefine travel commerce for our customers and providing improved air merchandising capabilities is a central element of this vision,” said Derek Sharp, Travelport’s managing director of air commerce.

“As a result of our heightened focus in this area, we have been able to transform the traditional air distribution model to offer a suite of unique merchandising solutions, including Rich Content and Branding, which significantly benefit our airline customers as well as our travel agency and TMC partners.”

Airlines to have signed up to Rich Content and Branding include Delta Air Lines, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, easyJet and Ryanair.

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SIA A330 Business Class Rich Content & Branding allows carriers, like Singapore Airlines, to sell their products more effectively
Biman Bangladesh Airlines secures GDS deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/biman-bangladesh-airlines-secures-gds-deal/ Tue, 17 Mar 2015 06:02:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=219450 The post Biman Bangladesh Airlines secures GDS deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed up with Travelport

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has penned a new agreement with Travelport that will offer even more of its fares and content to travel agents via the GDS. Under the expanded partnership, the Bangladeshi national carrier will provide its full content to Travelport’s global network of 67,000 travel agencies. This includes international, domestic and group bookings, as […]

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Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed up with Travelport
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed up with Travelport
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed up with Travelport

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has penned a new agreement with Travelport that will offer even more of its fares and content to travel agents via the GDS.

Under the expanded partnership, the Bangladeshi national carrier will provide its full content to Travelport’s global network of 67,000 travel agencies. This includes international, domestic and group bookings, as well such ancillaries products as paid seating and extra baggage.

Travelport said the flexibility of domestic and group bookings is “of particular relevance for travel agents in Bangladesh, as they cater to a large number of group travellers such as contract workers and Muslim Haj pilgrims flying out of Bangladesh”.

“I am thrilled that Biman Bangladesh Airlines recognises the strategic value of Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. Enabling airlines to differentiate and tailor their products to their specific customers has always been our key strength,” said Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president for Asia Pacific and global sales strategy – air commerce.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines currently operates flights to 21 destinations, including 18 international hubs.

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Biman Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed up with Travelport
Jet Asia signs up for Travelport’s content solution https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/jet-asia-signs-up-for-travelports-content-solution/ Mon, 16 Mar 2015 03:26:49 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=219378 The post Jet Asia signs up for Travelport’s content solution appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Previously a charter airline, Jet Asia is launching a series of new scheduled routes

Thailand’s Jet Asia Airways has taken another significant step in its expansion strategy by signing up to Travelport‘s Rich Content and Branding solution. The airline, which is in the process of launching a series of new scheduled air routes across the region, recently hooked up to the GDS network in an effort to distribute its […]

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Previously a charter airline, Jet Asia is launching a series of new scheduled routes

Thailand’s Jet Asia Airways has taken another significant step in its expansion strategy by signing up to Travelport‘s Rich Content and Branding solution.

The airline, which is in the process of launching a series of new scheduled air routes across the region, recently hooked up to the GDS network in an effort to distribute its new routes to the travel trade. And it has now decided to use Travelport’s latest visual display technology to improve how its products and ancillary services are presented on travel agency screens.

Previously a charter airline, Jet Asia is launching a series of new scheduled routes
Previously a charter airline, Jet Asia is launching a series of new scheduled routes

“We recently evolved from being a solely charter airline to offering a full service airline network connecting Southeast Asia, North Asia and the Middle East,” explained John Chapman, Jet Asia’s chief commercial officer.

“Hence we now require global distribution and access to the travel community worldwide. Through Travelport’s worldwide coverage, this new agreement offers Jet Asia true global presence and is a fast and comprehensive new travel industry distribution channel.”

According to Travelport, Rich Content and Branding allows airlines “to use more sophisticated retailing techniques in order to drive sales”, including optional extras like baggage and lounge passes.

“Travelport Rich Content and Branding was created to give airlines the flexibility to market their products to the global travel trade in exactly the same way they do on their own websites. We are delighted that Jet Asia has signed up and recognizes that our Travel Commerce Platform is uniquely capable of enabling them to achieve their goals and reposition themselves as a full service carrier,” said Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of Asia Pacific & global sales strategy – air commerce.

Jet Asia joins a group of more than 90 airlines to have signed up for the new solution, including Delta Air Lines, British Airways, SilkAir, Hainan Airlines and United Airlines.

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JAA fleet Previously a charter airline, Jet Asia is launching a series of new scheduled routes
Travelport starts offering GDS airport rail sales https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-starts-offering-gds-airport-rail-sales/ Sat, 07 Mar 2015 01:56:35 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=219006 The post Travelport starts offering GDS airport rail sales appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Heathrow Express will be the first airport rail link to use the service

Travelport has unveiled a new solution that will allow travel agents to book airport rail services for their customers. The new tool has been developed as a plug-in on Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform, and marks the first time travel agents have been able to book airport-city rail links via a GDS. Heathrow Express is the […]

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Heathrow Express will be the first airport rail link to use the service
Heathrow Express will be the first airport rail link to use the service
Heathrow Express will be the first airport rail link to use the service

Travelport has unveiled a new solution that will allow travel agents to book airport rail services for their customers.

The new tool has been developed as a plug-in on Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform, and marks the first time travel agents have been able to book airport-city rail links via a GDS.

Heathrow Express is the first customer to have signed up for the service, which is now live. As a result, agents can now book electronic tickets for the Heathrow Express rail link using Travelport’s point-of-sale solution, Smartpoint.

Sales will be automatically integrated with a customer’s PNR data and tickets will be issues electronically.

“This is really exciting news and a win-win for all parties concerned,” said Stephen O’Hara, Travelport’s director of rail. “Heathrow Express can reach more passengers, travel agents can offer a more effective end-to-end service for their customers and both will increase revenues as a result.

“The new application is a great step forward and it’s an important part of many travellers’ journeys that simply wasn’t being addressed by traditional GDSs. We’re having extremely positive conversations with other airport express services all over the world and hope today’s announcement will be the first of many,” he added.

The plug-in was created by UK-based Developer Connections Ltd, which forms part of Travelport’s Developer Network.

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shutterstock_221636761 Heathrow Express will be the first airport rail link to use the service
Priceline partners with Travelport in Asia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/priceline-partners-with-travelport-in-asia/ Thu, 12 Feb 2015 03:17:20 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=218093 The post Priceline partners with Travelport in Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has sealed a new partnership with Hong Kong-based Hutchison-Priceline, which operates the Priceline.com online travel brand in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Under the new agreement, all travel booking websites operated by Hutchison-Priceline will use Travelport to process their online reservations. In addition, Hutchison-Priceline is utilising Travelport’s Universal API technology to power its internet […]

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Hutchison-Priceline operates Priceline.com in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan
Hutchison-Priceline operates Priceline.com in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan

Travelport has sealed a new partnership with Hong Kong-based Hutchison-Priceline, which operates the Priceline.com online travel brand in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

Under the new agreement, all travel booking websites operated by Hutchison-Priceline will use Travelport to process their online reservations.

In addition, Hutchison-Priceline is utilising Travelport’s Universal API technology to power its internet booking engine for airline reservations. Universal API aggregates content from Travelport’s GDS, including airfares, ancillaries, hotels, car and rail, and makes it accessible to developers or companies creating their own travel apps. This is intended to negate the need for OTAs to obtain content from multiple sources, thus improving efficiency.

“We had very specific requirements when choosing a long-term technology partner for our business. We needed a provider that can take Hutchison-Priceline to the next level – by supplying broad travel content, innovative technology, global scope and service excellence. Travelport fulfils our criteria and we are confident that they can help us deliver on our growth strategy in the years ahead,” said Tony Ma, Hutchison-Priceline’s CEO.

Mark Meehan, Travelport’s managing director for Asia Pacific, said the deal was “a testament to our ongoing commitment in working with OTAs”.

According to PhoCusWright, OTA bookings in the Asia Pacific region are expected to reach US$46.5 billion by 2016, 58% higher than 2013.

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20150212_100951 Hutchison-Priceline operates Priceline.com in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan
Travelport to promote Beijing’s 72-hour visa waiver scheme https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-to-promote-beijings-72-hour-visa-waiver-scheme/ Tue, 03 Feb 2015 05:04:27 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=217729 The post Travelport to promote Beijing’s 72-hour visa waiver scheme appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Transit tourists are offers 72 hours of visa-free travel in Beijing

Travelport has formed a new marketing partnership with Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development to promote the Chinese capital’s 72-hour visa waiver scheme for transit tourists. The new deal will utilise a number of Travelport’s solutions, enabling Beijing Tourism to communicate the programme to the 67,000 global travel agencies that are connected to Travelport. “Travelport’s […]

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Transit tourists are offers 72 hours of visa-free travel in Beijing
Transit tourists are offers 72 hours of visa-free travel in Beijing
Transit tourists are offers 72 hours of visa-free travel in Beijing

Travelport has formed a new marketing partnership with Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development to promote the Chinese capital’s 72-hour visa waiver scheme for transit tourists.

The new deal will utilise a number of Travelport’s solutions, enabling Beijing Tourism to communicate the programme to the 67,000 global travel agencies that are connected to Travelport.

“Travelport’s advertising solutions are proven to deliver high-impact marketing campaigns via our Travel Commerce Platform. We are delighted to work with Beijing Tourism to boost tourist numbers and help to position the prospering city as a top of mind stopover destination,” said Anna Au-Yeung, Travelport’s head of destination marketing for Asia Pacific.

Since January 2013, air passengers arriving at Beijing’s Capital International Airport and holding an onward ticket within three days of their arrival have been allowed to stay in the city for 72 hours without needing a visa.

The scheme is available to the citizens of 45 countries, including the all EU member states, the US, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Russia, Ukraine, Qatar and the UAE.

Beijing is one of several Chinese cities to offer the visa waiver scheme, with others including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an and Kunming.

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shutterstock_223247176 Transit tourists are offers 72 hours of visa-free travel in Beijing
The latest industry appointments. https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-141/ Fri, 16 Jan 2015 14:34:36 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=217112 The post The latest industry appointments. appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Sarah Weetman has been promoted to head of trade sales at All Leisure Group. Weetman was previously group trade marketing manager at the group from 2012 and will now aim to boost its agency sales. She started her careers at Page & Moy in 1998 and also worked at International Cruise & Excursions. Maria Ersmaker […]

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Maria Ersmaker has joined Hurtigruten
Maria Ersmaker has joined Hurtigruten

Sarah Weetman has been promoted to head of trade sales at All Leisure Group. Weetman was previously group trade marketing manager at the group from 2012 and will now aim to boost its agency sales. She started her careers at Page & Moy in 1998 and also worked at International Cruise & Excursions.

Maria Ersmaker has been named regional sales manager for the southern region at Hurtigruten. Ersmaker has replaced Lucy Hone in the role, who left the cruise line earlier this year. Ersmaker joined the cruise line in 2011 and her accounts will now include Iglu, Bath Travel, Advantage and Travel Network Group.

Jeff Ward has been announced as the managing director of Hotel Gotham, a new property in Manchester from Bespoke Hotels. Ward has joined the new hotel ahead of its opening in April 2015 on King Street. He has previously worked at Park Hilton Munich, Bristol Hilton International and The Grand Hotel Europe, St Petersburg.

Jennifer Charlton has been recruited as vice president/head of supplier relations for EMEA at American Express Global Business Travel. Charlton joins the company from Carlson Wagonlit Travel and will lead GBT’s supplier strategy in the EMEA region. She will be based in London.

James McClure has joined Airbnb
James McClure has joined Airbnb

James McClure has joined Airbnb as UK & Ireland general manger. McClure was previously head of emerging markets for Singapore and South East Asia at Google. He will now be the primary ambassador for the brand in the UK and Ireland.

Thomas Murphy has been appointed general counsel at Travelport. Murphy joins the firm with more than 16 years’ experience as an in-house counsel, most recently at William Hill where he was responsible for regulating its US gaming business.

Maryam Banikarim has been appointed as Hyatt‘s new global chief marketing officer. She joins the Chicago-based hotel group with more than 20 years of marketing expertise across multiple industries. Most recently she was the first-ever chief marketing officer for US-based media company Gannett.

Sarah Lantzer has been named as European sales managers for the new Delano Las Vegas hotel. Lantzer will be responsible for group business and sales efforts in Europe as well as East Coast US, Midwest and Canada. She joins from MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Nick Taylor has also been appointed as a sales manager for West Coast US, Mexico and South America, joining from Mandalay Bay.

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SA – Maria Ersmaker Maria Ersmaker has joined Hurtigruten Sa – James McClure web James McClure has joined Airbnb
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/217004/ Wed, 14 Jan 2015 09:07:13 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=217004 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Maryam Banikarim

MARYAM BANIKARIM has been appointed as Hyatt‘s new global chief marketing officer. She joins the Chicago-based hotel group with more than 20 years of marketing expertise across multiple industries. Most recently she was the first-ever chief marketing officer for US-based media company Gannett. SCOTT CAMPBELL has been named as the new vice president & general […]

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Maryam Banikarim
Maryam Banikarim
Maryam Banikarim

MARYAM BANIKARIM has been appointed as Hyatt‘s new global chief marketing officer. She joins the Chicago-based hotel group with more than 20 years of marketing expertise across multiple industries. Most recently she was the first-ever chief marketing officer for US-based media company Gannett.

SCOTT CAMPBELL has been named as the new vice president & general manager Boeing‘s 737 programme. He takes control of the best-selling single-aisle aircraft series having previously held the same role for the Boeing 767. He will also manage Boeing’s production facility in Renton, Washington state.
    

Nicholas Kong
Nicholas Kong

NICHOLAS KONG has become Travelport‘s new general manager for Malaysia. An industry professional with 20 years of account management and sales experience, Kong initially joined Travelport in 2011. Prior to this, he worked for companies including Abacus, Amadeus and Creative Advances Technology.

THOMAS MURPHY has been appointed general counsel for Travelport. Murphy, whose appointment is with immediate effect, brings more than 16 years of experience as an in-house legal counsel to the travel technology company, most recently with William Hill. He is a qualified barrister and former solicitor.

Ronald van Weezel
Ronald van Weezel

RONALD VAN WEEZEL has become the new general manager of the Hilton Sydney. An experienced hotelier, van Weezel’s career started more than 36 years ago at the Hilton Amsterdam. Since then he has worked at hotels in Germany, Israel, Indonesia, Thailand and Australia. Most recently he was a GM in Brisbane.

JEFF GARTON has been named as head of online marketing with helloworld.com.au. He joins the online travel company from lifestyle site Living Social, where he held the position of director of digital marketing. Garton has also previously held executive roles with Webjet in Australia and New Zealand.

Aishath Rizuna
Aishath Rizuna

AISHATH RIZUNA has been appointed boat captain at the Kurumba resort in the Maldives, becoming the first female to hold such a role in the country. Ms Rizu, as she is better known, started working at Kurumba as a kids’ club attendant in 2011 and has since been trained in the boat captain’s role.

SUMIT SINHA has been announced as the new executive chef at the Eastin Hotel Ahmedabad. Chef Sumit is an experienced culinary professional with more than 24 years of experience. Previously he helped renovate and restore the kitchens of Jai Mahal Palace, Sawai Madhopur Lodge and Ramgarh Lodge.

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Maryam Banikarim Maryam Banikarim Nicholas Kong Nicholas Kong Ronald van Weezel Ronald van Weezel Aishath Rizuna Aishath Rizuna
Travelport pens long-term deal with Vistara https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-pens-long-term-deal-with-vistara/ Tue, 13 Jan 2015 06:12:46 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=216922 The post Travelport pens long-term deal with Vistara appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a new long-term distribution and merchandising agreement with Vistara, Singapore Airlines‘ new Indian carrier. The deal will see Delhi-based Vistara distribute all of its fares through Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. This means that Travelport-connected agents worldwide will be able to search, compare, and book Vistara fares and ancillary services through their existing […]

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Travelport has signed a new long-term distribution and merchandising agreement with Vistara, Singapore Airlines‘ new Indian carrier.

The deal will see Delhi-based Vistara distribute all of its fares through Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. This means that Travelport-connected agents worldwide will be able to search, compare, and book Vistara fares and ancillary services through their existing desktop workflow.

Vistara will operate a fleet of Airbus A320s
Vistara will operate a fleet of three-class Airbus A320s

As part of the new agreement, Vistara has also signed up to participate in Travelport’s airline merchandising solutions. This will enable Vistara to use Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding technology to improve how its products are displayed on agents’ screens.

“We are very excited to partner with Travelport for distribution and merchandising solutions. Their flexible approach to distributing content means that we will be able to customise the way we communicate our unique offering to travel agents worldwide, enabling the seamless servicing of Vistara customers,” said Giam Ming Toh, Vistara’s chief commercial officer.

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services for Asia Pacific, said the partnership would allow Vistara to “grow their bookings on a global scale”.

Vistara, which launched its inaugural flights in 9 January 2015, becomes the 85th airline worldwide to sign up to Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding technology. It has also signed distribution agreements with Amadeus and Abacus, and uses the Amadeus Altea airline IT system to manage its operations.

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A320-Vistara Vistara will operate a fleet of three-class Airbus A320s
Travelport invests in German distributor https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-invests-in-german-distributor/ Thu, 08 Jan 2015 21:23:33 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=216803 The post Travelport invests in German distributor appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has acquired a majority stake in German tour operator distribution firm travel-IT. The travel technology firm has made the investment to make its mark in the German travel sector, which is worth approximately EUR26 billion and is driven by tour operator content. In the last two years Travelport has invested more than US$475 million […]

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Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport

Travelport has acquired a majority stake in German tour operator distribution firm travel-IT.

The travel technology firm has made the investment to make its mark in the German travel sector, which is worth approximately EUR26 billion and is driven by tour operator content.

In the last two years Travelport has invested more than US$475 million into its Travel Commerce Platform and will be able to boost its connections and inventory with the new deal.

Its equity was part of a wider deal that also included some leading German tour operators.

“This is an exciting investment for Travelport. It will allow us to offer a full range of product and content for the largest economy in Europe, to both traditional and on-line retail travel agencies, supported by several of the leading tour operators in Germany,” said Travelport’s managing director in Germany and Switzerland Juergen Witte, who is also managing director of travel-IT. “travel-IT offers some significant innovations to both travel agencies and tour operators which make the distribution and sale of leisure travel products better than older incumbent offerings.”

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Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport
Travelport enhances visual hotel content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-enhances-the-visual-hotel-content/ Sun, 21 Dec 2014 05:46:11 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=216371 The post Travelport enhances visual hotel content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport will get access to ICE Portal’s collection of high-res images from more than 40,000 hotels and resorts

Travelport has formed a new partnership designed to enhance the way hotels are visually displayed on GDS screens. The new deal will provide travel agents with visual content from ICE Portal’s collection of high-res images from more than 40,000 hotels and resorts, via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. This is intended to enable travel agencies to […]

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Travelport will get access to ICE Portal’s collection of high-res images from more than 40,000 hotels and resorts
Travelport will get access to ICE Portal’s collection of high-res images from more than 40,000 hotels and resorts
Travelport will get access to ICE Portal’s collection of high-res images from more than 40,000 hotels and resorts

Travelport has formed a new partnership designed to enhance the way hotels are visually displayed on GDS screens.

The new deal will provide travel agents with visual content from ICE Portal’s collection of high-res images from more than 40,000 hotels and resorts, via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform.

This is intended to enable travel agencies to improve their customer sales, by being able to present hotels in a more attractive way.

“Access to hotel imagery is extremely important when shopping for hotels and provides travel agents with the tools to assist with recommendations to their customers,” said David Zimmer, Travelport’s vice president of product development.

“We are thrilled to have ICE Portal on board to further strengthen our ability to offer hotel providers a wide range of distribution options for their content.”

Travelport’s integration with ICE Portal is take place in early 2015. Improving hotel content is a key component of Travelport’s ‘Beyond Air’ strategy, which aims to drive more non-airline bookings via the GDS.

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room Travelport will get access to ICE Portal’s collection of high-res images from more than 40,000 hotels and resorts
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-138/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:28:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=216307 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Kathryn Robertson has been promoted to general manager UK & Europe at Air New Zealand. Robertson first joined the team in 2007 as marketing manager UK & Europe and has since held roles in LA and the UK. She takes over the role from Antony Price, who has moved to Air NZ’s Auckland head office […]

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Kathryn Robertson has been promoted to general manager UK & Europe at Air New Zealand. Robertson first joined the team in 2007 as marketing manager UK & Europe and has since held roles in LA and the UK. She takes over the role from Antony Price, who has moved to Air NZ’s Auckland head office s general manager government and corporate sales.

Sally Clayton has joined Feefo
Sally Clayton has joined Feefo

Tracey Spuyman has been announced as the new chief executive officer of Visit USA Association in the UK. Spuyman has joined the association as it develops new programmes and activities for members. She was previously founder and managing director of marketing agency Teamspirit.

Craig Stoehr, chief corporate officer and general counsel of Thomas Cook Group has joined the ABTA board. Stoehr is responsible for the group’s legal, governance, mergers, government affairs and sustainability among other areas, which he will bring to board discussions.

Sally Clayton has been named partnerships manager at Feefo. Clayton joined the team this week to generate new ad maintain existing partnerships. She previously worked at event management company Dellar Davies.

Jenny Hendry has been appointed product development manager at Intrepid Travel. In this newly-created role Hendry will look to expand the operator’s school holidays, private groups and white label business under The School Adventure Company. She joins from Explore and has also previously worked at Chameleon Worldwide.

Claire McCarthy is now at FCm
Claire McCarthy is now at FCm

Claire McCarthy has joined FCm Travel Solutions as business development manager. Based in Aberdeen, McCarthy will focus on growing its client base in the oil and gas sectors in and around the city. She has previously worked at the Malmaison Aberdeen and several Macdonald hotels.

Paul Heery has been named as the new general manager at the Gleneagles Hotel. Heery joins the hotel from The Connaught, London and has also worked at the Merrion Hotel, Dublin and Ritz Carlton in the US. Current GM Bernard Murphy will become managing director in January.

Bruno Delile has been announced as executive vice president long-haul operations at Air France. Delile has more than 25 years of experience in the air industry including several senior vice president roles at the airline.

Maria Chevalier has been appointed global vice president of corporate incubation at Travelport, as the firm looks to develop its corporate and commercial offering. Chevalier will report to chief commercial officer Kurt Ekert and was previously global director of travel and meeting services at HP and Johnson & Johnson, as well as holding several senior roles at BCD Travel and Travel Desk.

 

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SA – Sally Clayton web Sally Clayton has joined Feefo SA – Claire McCarthy web Claire McCarthy is now at FCm
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-137/ Wed, 17 Dec 2014 04:39:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=216212 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gareth Evans

GARETH EVANS has been appointed as chief executive officer of Qantas International and Freight. Currently the group’s chief financial officer, Qantas will be hoping Evans’ financial acumen can return the unit to profit. Having previously worked for accountancy firm KMPG, Evans joined Qantas in 1999. ANDREW DAVID has been announced as the new chief executive […]

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Gareth Evans
Gareth Evans
Gareth Evans

GARETH EVANS has been appointed as chief executive officer of Qantas International and Freight. Currently the group’s chief financial officer, Qantas will be hoping Evans’ financial acumen can return the unit to profit. Having previously worked for accountancy firm KMPG, Evans joined Qantas in 1999.

ANDREW DAVID has been announced as the new chief executive officer of Qantas Domestic. The move marks a promotion for David, who previously served as the Qantas’ chief operating officer. He has also worked for Jetstar Japan, Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways Australia, where he briefly served as CEO.

Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor

STEVEN TAYLOR has been appointed chief marketing officer for Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts. Taylor is the former vice president of marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, where he was responsible for 260 hotels. He spent a total of 16 years with Starwood.

MARIA CHEVALIER has been appointed to the newly-created position of global vice president of corporate incubation with Travelport, helping the company innovate new customer solutions. She joins the company from her own consulting firm, and previously served as global director of travel & meetings services at HP.

Stephan Chaline
Stephan Chaline

STEPHAN CHALINE has been announced as the new general manager at U Sapa, Absolute Hotel Services’ hotel in northern Vietnam. Chaline has more than 12 years of experience in the hotel industry, including spells with the Phoenix Hotels Group and Stein Hotels & Resorts. He has a strong F&B pedigree.

LUCA CASAURA has been appointed vice president of corporate marketing for Italian cruise giant Costa Crociere. Over his 17-year career Casaura has held senior roles with several major companies including Unilever and Danone. He held the position of global vice president of marketing for Activia since 2013.

Raghu Menon
Raghu Menon

RAGHU MENON has been appointed general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Bangalore. An Australian national, his career spans more than 16 years across Australia, Asia, the Middle East and UK. Most recently he was general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Shenzhen and prior to that was hotel manager in Beijing.

LINDA HODGSON has been appointed director of sales & marketing at the InterContinental Hong Kong. Originally from the UK, Ms Hodgson brings more than 20 years’ experience to the role, almost a decade of which has been spent with IHG. She relocates to Hong Kong from the InterContinental Times Square in New York.

Michael Belanger
Michael Belanger

MICHAEL BELANGER has become the new director of revenue at InterContinental Hong Kong. An IHG veteran, Belanger has spent 14 years with the company, including spells in Montreal and Dubai. Most recently he spent three and a half years at InterContinental Singapore as director of rooms and director of revenue.

SONNY ANG has been named as new head of sales & marketing for Marco Polo Hotels in Hong Kong. A seasoned hotelier with more than 25 years’ experience, Ang has worked in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and mainland China. His most recent position was vice president of sales & marketing for China’s Himalayas Hotels.

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Gareth Evans Gareth Evans Steven Taylor Steven Taylor Stephan Chaline Stephan Chaline Raghu Menon Raghu Menon Michael Belanger Michael Belanger
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-135/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 11:44:02 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=215666 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Elyes Mrad

ELYES MRAD has been named as American Express Global Business Travel’s new managing director for Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA), based in London. Mrad joins the company from Hertz, where he most recently served as senior vice president of sales & marketing. He has also worked with Rolex. JASON MONTAGUE has been named […]

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Elyes Mrad
Elyes Mrad
Elyes Mrad

ELYES MRAD has been named as American Express Global Business Travel’s new managing director for Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA), based in London. Mrad joins the company from Hertz, where he most recently served as senior vice president of sales & marketing. He has also worked with Rolex.

JASON MONTAGUE has been named as the new president & chief operating officer of Prestige Cruise Holdings. Montague was instrumental in launching Oceania Cruises in 2002, and most recently held the role of chief financial officer and executive vice president with Prestige.

Kirk Kinsell
Kirk Kinsell

KIRK KINSELL has been appointed as the new president & chief executive officer of Loews Hotels & Resorts. Kinsell joins Loews Hotels after 19 years in senior positions with IHG and more than 35 years in the hospitality business.  Most recently, he served as IHG’s president of the Americas.

MATT MINETOLA has been announced as the new chief information officer for Travelport. With more than 27 years of technology experience in the hardware, software and banking industries, Minetola most recently served as chief information officer for HP Financial Services.

Paul Heery
Paul Heery

PAUL HEERY has been appointed general manager of the Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire. Heery moves to Scotland from London, where he previously served as GM of the Connaught Hotel. This marks the first time in 30 years that the Gleneagles Hotel has externally appointed a new GM.

ADRIAN McNALLY has become the new general manager of the Culloden Estate & Spa in Belfast. A native of Armagh, McNally has more than 20 years of luxury hotel experience, including spells in San Francisco, San Jose, Kansas City and Nairobi. He has previously worked for companies including Fairmont and Ritz-Carlton.

Noel Attard
Noel Attard

NOEL ATTARD has been appointed as chief executive officer of Kempinski Trading JLT – the unit providing corporate purchasing services to Kempinski Hotels. Attard joined Kempinski in 2001 as financial controller at the Kempinski San Lawrenz in Malta, before moving through the ranks to become a GM.

CYRILLE GIRAUDAT has been appointed marketing & clients director of Europcar Group. Having previously worked with international companies including Danone, Thomson and Samsung, Giraudat joined PMU as marketing director. He officially joins Europcar on 8 December 2014.

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Elyes Mrad Elyes Mrad Kirk Kinsell Kirk Kinsell Paul Heery Paul Heery Noel Attard Noel Attard
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-134/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 06:37:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=215638 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Peter Li

PETER LI has been named as Abacus International’s new general manager for China. Li brings more than 17 years of experience to the role, most recently overseeing business development at TripAdvisor. Li also previously directed the China strategy for TravelClick, Travelzoo and Accor. MATT MINETOLA has been announced as the new chief information officer for […]

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Peter Li
Peter Li
Peter Li

PETER LI has been named as Abacus International’s new general manager for China. Li brings more than 17 years of experience to the role, most recently overseeing business development at TripAdvisor. Li also previously directed the China strategy for TravelClick, Travelzoo and Accor.

MATT MINETOLA has been announced as the new chief information officer for Travelport. With more than 27 years of technology experience in the hardware, software and banking industries, Minetola most recently served as chief information officer for HP Financial Services.

Jason Montague
Jason Montague

JASON MONTAGUE has been named as the new president & chief operating officer of Prestige Cruise Holdings. Montague was instrumental in launching Oceania Cruises in 2002, and most recently held the role of chief financial officer and executive vice president with Prestige.

NOEL ATTARD has been appointed as chief executive officer of Kempinski Trading JLT – the unit providing corporate purchasing services to Kempinski Hotels.  Attard joined Kempinski in 2001 as financial controller at the Kempinski San Lawrenz in Malta, before moving through the ranks to become a GM.

Yasser Al Yousuf
Yasser Al Yousuf

YASSER AL YOUSUF has been named managing director of Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways’ loyalty programme. An Emirati national, Al Yousuf has a strong background in the loyalty industry, having worked at Emirates Skywards. He joined Etihad in 2013, serving as head of services & coalition partnerships.

MARCO METGE has been named general manager of the Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok. A German national, Metge has 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, managing hotels including the Park Hyatt Hamburg and Madinat Jumeirah. Most recently he was GM for Lebua at State Tower in Bangkok.

Martin Wuethrich
Martin Wuethrich

MARTIN WUETHRICH has become general manager of the newly-opened Le Méridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa. Prior to joining this new resort, Wuethrich served as general manager of the Sheraton Bangalore at Brigade Gateway. He has also worked in Switzerland and Vietnam.

NIKOLAY STOYANOV has been announced as the general manager of the brand new Mercure Pattaya Ocean Resort. A Bulgarian national, Stoyanov has more than 20 years of hotel industry experience. He moves to Pattaya from another Accor hotel in Thailand – ibis Hua Hin.

Janet Chan
Janet Chan

JANET CHAN has been appointed director of luxury sales for the Conrad Macao. Originally from Australia, Ms Chan has more than 10 years’ experience working in luxury travel and hospitality, including five-star hotels in Fiji, Cambodia and Australia. She has also worked for Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

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Peter Li Peter Li Jason Montague Jason Montague Yasser Al Yousuf Yasser Al Yousuf Martin Wuethrich Martin Wuethrich Janet Chan Janet Chan
Travelport bags Malindo content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-bags-malindo-content/ Wed, 12 Nov 2014 03:22:58 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=214651 The post Travelport bags Malindo content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Malindo Air now operates 800 flights per week

Travelport has signed a new distribution agreement that will enable travel agents to book Malindo Air’s flights and services via the GDS. A new multi-year, full-content agreement with the Malaysia-based airline will enable Travelport-connected agents to search, compare and book fares and other ancillary services offered by Malindo Air for the first time. “We look […]

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Malindo Air now operates 800 flights per week
Malindo Air now operates 800 flights per week
Malindo Air now operates 800 flights per week

Travelport has signed a new distribution agreement that will enable travel agents to book Malindo Air’s flights and services via the GDS.

A new multi-year, full-content agreement with the Malaysia-based airline will enable Travelport-connected agents to search, compare and book fares and other ancillary services offered by Malindo Air for the first time.

“We look forward to experiencing significant growth by broadening our distribution network to Travelport’s 67,000 agency subscribers worldwide, as well as having the ability to offer our ancillary services via their Travelport Merchandising Platform,” said Chandran Rama Muthy, CEO of Malindo Air.

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services for Asia Pacific, added that the agreement would “offer our subscribers more choice – particularly within the Southeast Asia and India regions”.

Established in 2013, Malindo currently offers routes to more than 30 destinations in Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.

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Malindo Malindo Air now operates 800 flights per week
Travelport seals AirAsia India fares https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-airasia-india-fares/ Tue, 04 Nov 2014 05:07:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=214035 The post Travelport seals AirAsia India fares appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a new distribution agreement with AirAsia India. The new Chennai-based low-cost carrier has agreed to sell its fares and ancillary services through Travelport’s ‘Travel Commerce Platform’, more commonly known as the GDS. The move follows the landmark launch of AirAsia’s fares on the GDS systems earlier this year. “We are pleased to […]

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AirAsia India plans to operate a fleet of 10 Airbus A320s in its first year
AirAsia India launched earlier this year

Travelport has signed a new distribution agreement with AirAsia India.

The new Chennai-based low-cost carrier has agreed to sell its fares and ancillary services through Travelport’s ‘Travel Commerce Platform’, more commonly known as the GDS.

The move follows the landmark launch of AirAsia’s fares on the GDS systems earlier this year.

“We are pleased to become the latest carrier within the AirAsia Group to distribute our flights via Travelport, enabling us to expand our network as part of our growth strategy,” said AirAsia India’s CEO, Mittu Chandilya.

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services for Asia Pacific, added; “India is a key region for Travelport and we are delighted to have AirAsia India onboard. I am confident that they will increase their bookings and generate more brand awareness as their offering becomes available on more than 67,000 travel agency desktops worldwide.”

Travelport-connected agents are already able to book flights and ancillaries from AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia, and Thai AirAsia via the GDS. The new agreement means that AirAsia India’s flights and extras will now also be offered alongside those of traditional carriers.

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A320_AirAsia_India_close_up AirAsia India operates a fleet of Airbus A320s
Travelport unveils new agency desktop https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-unveils-new-agency-desktop/ Thu, 23 Oct 2014 04:13:35 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=213583 The post Travelport unveils new agency desktop appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Worldspan Korea distributes Travelport solutions, including Smartpoint

Travelport has unveiled the latest version of Smartpoint, its travel agency desktop solution. The new tool will incorporate Travelport’s new air merchandising solution, ‘Rich Content & Branding’, which is aimed at improving the way airline products and services are presented on the GDS screen. In addition, the new Smartpoint will enable travel agents to sell […]

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Worldspan Korea distributes Travelport solutions, including Smartpoint
The new version of Smartpoint will improve the way airline content is displayed on GDS screens
The new version of Smartpoint will improve the way airline content is displayed on GDS screens

Travelport has unveiled the latest version of Smartpoint, its travel agency desktop solution.

The new tool will incorporate Travelport’s new air merchandising solution, ‘Rich Content & Branding’, which is aimed at improving the way airline products and services are presented on the GDS screen.

In addition, the new Smartpoint will enable travel agents to sell a wider range of air, hotel and car rental content, and is linked to a virtual account number (VAN) payment solution, provided by Travelport’s majority-owned partner, eNett.

Other enhancements to the desktop solution include improved navigation and graphics, airline seat maps and the ability to sell ancillary services such as baggage and lounge access. Agents will also be able to search for and book full-service and low-cost airlines alongside one another.

“We’ve spent a lot of time listening to our customers and assessing their unmet needs when it comes to making and paying for air, hotel and car bookings,” said Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director of global sales.

The new tool will also offer graphic displays alongside the traditional GDS 'green screen'
The new tool will also offer graphic displays alongside the traditional GDS ‘green screen’

“This latest version of Smartpoint is truly ground-breaking in integrating a very sophisticated airline merchandising proposition. This, along with the many other enhancements we have introduced in this latest version, will make booking travel even more efficient and profitable for our agency customers.

“We’ve had excellent feedback from both travel agency and airline customers on our Smartpoint technology and their insights have continued to help us improve our offering.  It very much forms part of our ongoing commitment to provide our customers worldwide with the most relevant travel content, and the very best tools in the industry,” he added.

With the roll-out of Rich Content & Branding, Travelport says the GDS will be able to match “the content and brand experience on the airline’s own website”, while improving the amount of upgrades and ancillaries on offer. Travelport already has more than 70 carriers signed up to Rich Content & Branding.

The new version of Travelport Smartpoint will be rolled out to travel agencies across the world over the next few weeks.

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TP Smartpoint – Delta Worldspan Korea distributes Travelport solutions, including Smartpoint TP Smartpoint – Hotel The new tool will also offer graphic displays alongside the traditional GDS 'green screen'
Pegasus Airlines signs up to Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/212529/ Tue, 23 Sep 2014 22:16:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=212529 The post Pegasus Airlines signs up to Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Budget carrier Pegasus Airlines has signed a multi-year distribution agreement with Travelport. The Turkey-based carrier will distribute its inventory and fares through Travelport’s GDS platforms and will use Sponsored Flights to put its flights above the neutral display. Güliz Öztürk, senior vice president commercial at Pegasus Airlines added: “Travelport’s extensive, world-wide travel agency network complements […]

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Pegasus is aiming for 20% more passengers
Pegasus is aiming for 20% more passengers

Budget carrier Pegasus Airlines has signed a multi-year distribution agreement with Travelport.

The Turkey-based carrier will distribute its inventory and fares through Travelport’s GDS platforms and will use Sponsored Flights to put its flights above the neutral display.

Güliz Öztürk, senior vice president commercial at Pegasus Airlines added: “Travelport’s extensive, world-wide travel agency network complements our ambitious growth plans, making it a valued partner and an important distribution channel. Being a low-cost carrier, our outgoings need to be kept down so that we are able to offer the lowest possible fares to our customers.”

He added: “This partnership will be in-line with both our low cost model and our multi-channel approach and in turn, our ever-expanding network in the Middle East, Caucasus, Russia and Europe will mean that agents can tap into our wide network of 86 destinations in 36 countries, at low cost.”

Simon Ferguson, Travelport managing director, UK & Ireland said: “Turkey remains a key growth country and we’re delighted to be able to support Pegasus in the next stage of its development.”

More than nine million passengers have flown with Pegasus Airlines in the first half of the year.

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Pegasus Airlines web Pegasus
Travelport renews CWT Kenya agreement https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-cwt-kenya-agreement/ Thu, 18 Sep 2014 07:21:43 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=212330 The post Travelport renews CWT Kenya agreement appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently renewed its agreement with Bunson Travel Service LTD, trading as CWT Kenya. Under the multi-year agreement, CWT Kenya will continue to be able to access technology and book travel content offered through Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. “As our business goes from strength to strength in Kenya, it was critical that we chose a […]

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L-R: Rabih Saab from Travelport along with Julie Dabaly Scott from CWT Kenya
L-R: Rabih Saab from Travelport along with Julie Dabaly Scott from CWT Kenya

Travelport recently renewed its agreement with Bunson Travel Service LTD, trading as CWT Kenya. Under the multi-year agreement, CWT Kenya will continue to be able to access technology and book travel content offered through Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform.

“As our business goes from strength to strength in Kenya, it was critical that we chose a technology provider who was able to support us during this period of growth,” said Julie Dabaly Scott, managing director at CWT Kenya.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia at Travelport, further added: “I’m confident that our global travel content will assist them in taking their business to the next level. This latest renewal highlights our growing footprint in Kenya and across Africa more widely.”

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Travelport Kenya L-R: Rabih Saab from Travelport along with Julie Dabaly Scott from CWT Kenya
Alitalia signs up Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/alitalia-signs-up-travelport-deal/ Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:02:09 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=212094 The post Alitalia signs up Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Alitalia has secured several distribution and marketing products with Travelport as the Italian carriers looks for a turnaround thanks to Etihad’s backing. The carrier has renewed its full content agreement meaning travel agents will still be able to have access to fares and inventory including its ancillary products. The airline has also signed up to […]

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Alitalia
Alitalia

Alitalia has secured several distribution and marketing products with Travelport as the Italian carriers looks for a turnaround thanks to Etihad’s backing.

The carrier has renewed its full content agreement meaning travel agents will still be able to have access to fares and inventory including its ancillary products.

The airline has also signed up to Rich Content and Branding which will show its branding to travel agents during the booking process.

Aldo Ponticelli, Alitalia’s vice president distribution said: “We are glad to have extended our ongoing relationship with Travelport. This new long-term agreement, which includes Travelport’s innovative Merchandising Platform and in particular, Rich Content and Branding, allows us to promote our content to travel agents and consumers like never before. It means we can stand out from our competitors and we believe it will deliver real value for our business.”

Simon Ferguson, Travelport managing director UK & Ireland said: “We are very proud of our long-standing relationship with Alitalia and pleased to have extended our agreement to include Rich Content and Branding. Travelport recently celebrated the milestone of signing up its fiftieth airline to this exciting new technology and we are pleased that Alitalia has joined an already impressive list of national and low cost carriers. We believe the agreement will be hugely valuable to Alitalia, our travel agents and consumers alike.”

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alitalia1 Alitalia
Premier Inn signs Travelport distribution deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/premier-inn-signs-travelport-distribution-deal/ Wed, 03 Sep 2014 11:27:16 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=211763 The post Premier Inn signs Travelport distribution deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Budget hotel chain Premier Inn has signed a distribution deal with Travelport to reach travel agents. More than 55,000 rooms in the chain’s 670 hotels have now been added to Travelport’s GDS platforms. Jackie Usher, head of Premier Inn sales said: “We are pleased to announce that our agreement will see Premier Inn content available […]

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Premier Inn is now on GDS
Premier Inn is now on GDS

Budget hotel chain Premier Inn has signed a distribution deal with Travelport to reach travel agents.

More than 55,000 rooms in the chain’s 670 hotels have now been added to Travelport’s GDS platforms.

Jackie Usher, head of Premier Inn sales said: “We are pleased to announce that our agreement will see Premier Inn content available to Travelport connected agents worldwide. We are very much looking forward to working with Travelport as we continue to grow, particularly with the ability to expand our brand awareness across Travelport’s global agency reach.”

Niklas Andreen, GVP hospitality and partner marketing at Travelport added: “Premier Inn is the largest hotel chain in the UK, and one that we are delighted to be bringing to our Travel Agency customers worldwide. We know that our agents are demanding more hotel content than ever before to help maximise revenue opportunities, and the ability to provide Premier Inn through their existing booking process is an exciting development.”

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63577Premier Inn Bed web Premier Inn is now on GDS
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-111/ Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:57:18 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=210825 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Nikki Keeling has been named commercial manager at the Global Travel Group. Keeling will oversee the commercial department covering for Cherie Richards as she goes on maternity leave. She joins from Co-operative Travel Group where he has more than 20 years experience. Mark Davey has been appointed UK & Ireland sales manager at Singapore Airlines. […]

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Nikki Keeling joins Global Travel Group
Nikki Keeling joins Global Travel Group

Nikki Keeling has been named commercial manager at the Global Travel Group. Keeling will oversee the commercial department covering for Cherie Richards as she goes on maternity leave. She joins from Co-operative Travel Group where he has more than 20 years experience.

Mark Davey has been appointed UK & Ireland sales manager at Singapore Airlines. Davey joins the airline from American Airlines where he has held various management roles in the UK, while also spending four years in the US as revenue manager. For SIA he will oversee all trade and corporate sales, pricing and distribution management.

Paul Broughton has joined Travelport as commercial director. Broughton was previously EMEA sales director at Chambers Travel Management and will join Travelport at the end of August to replace Tim Wright. Claire Osborne has also come to Travelport’s UK team as the newly-created role of technical director, having previously been product director for Europe.

Daniel Von Weihe is now at Chambers Travel Group
Daniel Von Weihe is now at Chambers Travel Group

Daniel Von Weihe has been named executive vice president business development at Chambers Travel Group. Antony Elliott has also joined as vice president of sales EMEA, while Matthew Heymans has been promoted to vice president of international sales and Jane Worrow as director of UK sales. The appointments have been made to offer more assistance to UK and overseas clients.

Mark Robinson has been appointed sales and reservations manager at European Waterways. Robinson has had more than 30 years in the travel industry including 13 with Abercrombie & Kent and eight with Caribtours. He will be based at European Waterways’ Berkshire office.

Ryan Inman has joined Cruisingexcursions.com as marketing executive. He joins the company with previous marketing experience from Anatolian Sky, Cruise.co.uk, Cruise & Maritime Voyages and MSC Cruises. Tamhas Woods has also joined Cruisingexcursions.com as PPC & marketing executive from Hazel Group, while Laura Spiteri has joined as junior graphic designer.

Tracey Poggio from the Gibraltar Tourism Board has been re-elected as chairman of ANTOR. Robin Segal from Jersey Tourism remains as treasurer, while the deputy chairman is Oretis Rossides from Cyprus Tourism. Other ANTOR board members include Josephine Wiggall-Lazarus (Quebec), Michael Michael (Korea), Bogdan Becla (Poland), Cherrie Osborne (Antigua and Barbuda) and Omayma El Husseini (Egypt), while Serge Moes has been appointed an honorary fellow for his service to the association.

Ian Tuggey has been named as the new general manager of Tewkesbury Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club. Tuggey has been in the hotel industry for 25 years firstly as Forte’s Heritage Hotels as well as roles with Accor, Queen’s Moat Houses, Rezidor and Ramada.

Jo Harlow has been appointed non-executive director at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). She will join the board from 1 September and is corporate vice president of the phones business unit at Microsoft. Her experience includes senior management roles at Nokia Corporation, Reebok and P&G.

Meg Facey has joined the Bellagio as vice president of sales. Facey joins the Las Vegas hotel with 24 years’ of sales and marketing experience including roles as the vice president of PSAV and vice president of Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

 

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SA – Nikki Keeling web Nikki Keeling joins Global Travel Group SA – Daniel Von Weihe web Daniel Von Weihe is now at Chambers Travel Group
Travelport ‘remains on track’ as Q2 loss improves https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-remains-on-track-as-q2-loss-improves/ Mon, 04 Aug 2014 12:07:45 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=210656 The post Travelport ‘remains on track’ as Q2 loss improves appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has said it is on track to reaching its strategic goals after improving its Q2 losses. The travel technology company saw its EBITDA improve to US$146 million (GBP86m) for the three month-period and improved its loss from –US$15m (GBP8.9m) in Q2 2013 to –US$9m (GBP5.2m) in Q2 2014. The firm also posted a 4% […]

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Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport

Travelport has said it is on track to reaching its strategic goals after improving its Q2 losses.

The travel technology company saw its EBITDA improve to US$146 million (GBP86m) for the three month-period and improved its loss from –US$15m (GBP8.9m) in Q2 2013 to –US$9m (GBP5.2m) in Q2 2014.

The firm also posted a 4% boost in net revenue for the quarter, which saw Travelport develop its Beyond Air offering and reach 50 airlines for its new Rich Content and Branding option.

Before announcing the results Travelport revealed it has taken a 49% stake in corporate travel technology platform Locomote while last week it secured a 73% stake in eNett International. The company also now owns Hotelzon.

“The first half of 2014 has been a significant one for Travelport.  We have not only demonstrated continued financial growth and strong operating performance, but we have also made a number of targeted strategic investments in Beyond Air to extend this growth, specifically in all of the payments, corporate travel and hotel distribution aspects of our Travel Commerce Platform,” said Travelport’s president and CEO Gordon Wilson.

“Additionally, we entered into a new long-term agreement with Delta Air Lines for the provision of hosting services for two of their critical airline operating systems.  From a capital structure perspective, we have concluded deleveraging transactions of almost $1 billion through a series of debt for equity deals and the sale of the majority of our shares in Orbitz Worldwide.  Our business is now even stronger and we remain firmly on track to deliver our strategic goals,” he added.

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Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport
Travelport expands in payment sector https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-expands-in-payment-sector/ Fri, 01 Aug 2014 08:22:02 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=210565 The post Travelport expands in payment sector appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport will now hold a 73% stake in eNett International

Travelport has expanded into the travel payment sector with the acquisition of a greater stake in eNett International. The travel technology company already held a 57% stake in eNett – its joint venture payment services company. And it has now agreed to boost this interest to 73%, following a new US$450 million deal with its […]

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Travelport will now hold a 73% stake in eNett International
Travelport will now hold a 73% stake in eNett International
Travelport will now hold a 73% stake in eNett International

Travelport has expanded into the travel payment sector with the acquisition of a greater stake in eNett International.

The travel technology company already held a 57% stake in eNett – its joint venture payment services company. And it has now agreed to boost this interest to 73%, following a new US$450 million deal with its joint venture partner PSP International. PSP will continue to hold the remaining 27% stake in the business.

Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s president & CEO, said the deal marked the continuation of the company’s ‘Beyond Air’ strategy, which is seeing the company move into new areas outside the airline sector.

“eNett is a significant element in realising Travelport’s goal to redefine travel commerce,” said Wilson. “Travelport felt that the time is right to own more of this growing business and this deal provides the opportunity for the two shareholders in eNett to play to their respective strengths.”

eNett offers travel payment services using MasterCard Virtual Account Numbers (VANs). These are intended offer greater protection from fraud than standard credit card numbers, as well as improving overall payment, reconciliation and tracking processes.

Under the joint venture, PSP offers banking expertise while Travelport provides connections to a global network of travel agency and travel product suppliers.

“Following the signing of a significant multi-year extension of our partnership with MasterCard announced last month, this new agreement allows eNett to further leverage the expertise of its respective shareholders as it continues to expand into other markets and verticals around the world,” said Anthony Hynes, eNett’s managing director & CEO.

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eNett Travelport will now hold a 73% stake in eNett International
Air India signs up for Travelport display solution https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-india-signs-up-for-travelport-display-solution/ Wed, 30 Jul 2014 03:47:40 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=210480 The post Air India signs up for Travelport display solution appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Photo by Robert Sarosiek

Air India has become the 50th carrier to sign up for Travelport’s graphic display solution, Rich Content and Branding. Part of the Travelport Merchandising Platform, Rich Content and Branding will enable Air India to more effectively control how its fares and ancillary services are visually presented and described on travel agency screens, bringing them more […]

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Photo by Robert Sarosiek
Photo by Robert Sarosiek
Photo by Robert Sarosiek

Air India has become the 50th carrier to sign up for Travelport’s graphic display solution, Rich Content and Branding.

Part of the Travelport Merchandising Platform, Rich Content and Branding will enable Air India to more effectively control how its fares and ancillary services are visually presented and described on travel agency screens, bringing them more in line with the airline’s own website display.

Speaking at the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) event in Los Angeles this week, Kurt Ekert, Travelport’s chief commercial officer, said the addition of the 50th carrier marked a major milestone for the company.

“We are extremely pleased with the industry recognition and support we have received on our Merchandising Platform,” Ekert said.

“The signing of 50 airlines for our Rich Content and Branding technology is a testament that our airline partners fully support and share our views on the way forward in how fares and ancillaries are presented to travel agents.

“Being able to leverage graphical content and providing a holistic brand experience will be a key factor for airlines to successfully differentiate themselves. At the same time, access to rich content allows travel agents to be more informative about product features and benefits, enabling them to influence customers’ purchasing decisions and increasing up-sell and cross sell opportunities,” he added.

Air India joins a series of other major carriers in adopting the new product, including Delta Air Lines, Ryanair, British Airways, Iberia, easyJet, SilkAir, Hong Kong Airlines, Hainan Airlines and United Airlines.

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Photo by Robert Sarosiek Photo by Robert Sarosiek
Al Faisaliah takes on Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/al-faisaliah-takes-on-travelport/ Mon, 21 Jul 2014 07:56:56 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=210147 The post Al Faisaliah takes on Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport along with Stargate Cyber Active recently announced a new agreement with Al Faisaliah Travel and Tourism Company in Saudi Arabia. As per the agreement, Al Faisaliah Travel and Tourism Company will be able to access and book travel content offered through Travelport’s travel commerce platform. “It was extremely important for us to choose a […]

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Rabih Saab, Travelport’s managing director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
Rabih Saab, Travelport’s managing director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

Travelport along with Stargate Cyber Active recently announced a new agreement with Al Faisaliah Travel and Tourism Company in Saudi Arabia. As per the agreement, Al Faisaliah Travel and Tourism Company will be able to access and book travel content offered through Travelport’s travel commerce platform.

“It was extremely important for us to choose a provider that can fully deliver on our requirements to support this exciting period of growth,” said Fayyaz Siddiqui, general manager and chief operating officer of Al Faisaliah Travel and Tourism Company.

Rabih Saab, Travelport’s managing director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia said: “I am confident that our global coverage and industry expertise will assist them in growing their business to the next level.”

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Al Faisailah Rabih Saab, Travelport’s managing director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
Travelport pens long-term deal with Hilton https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-pens-long-term-deal-with-hilton/ Mon, 30 Jun 2014 05:40:52 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=209325 The post Travelport pens long-term deal with Hilton appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Hilton's global portfolio of hotels will now be bookable by Travelport-connected agents

Travelport has secured a new long-term content agreement with Hilton Worldwide, giving travel agents access to the hotel group’s global portfolio of more than 4,000 properties. The multi-year, global full-content agreement will see all of Hilton’s hotels made available on Travelport’s Galileo and Worldspan global distribution systems (GDS). “Extending our partnership with Travelport is an […]

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Hilton's global portfolio of hotels will now be bookable by Travelport-connected agents
Hilton's global portfolio of hotels will now be bookable by Travelport-connected agents
Hilton’s global portfolio of hotels will now be bookable by Travelport-connected agents

Travelport has secured a new long-term content agreement with Hilton Worldwide, giving travel agents access to the hotel group’s global portfolio of more than 4,000 properties.

The multi-year, global full-content agreement will see all of Hilton’s hotels made available on Travelport’s Galileo and Worldspan global distribution systems (GDS).

“Extending our partnership with Travelport is an important part of our overall distribution strategy and we very much value their extensive worldwide network of travel agency customers as well as the focus and investment they have clearly made in enabling highly efficient hotel distribution to the travel trade,” said Eduardo Schutte, Hilton’s senior vice president of global sales distribution & services.

“Through this agreement, Travelport-connected travel agents across the globe can readily shop and book from a choice of over 680,100, rooms in 92 countries.”

Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s managing director for UK & Ireland, said the deal formed part of the company’s ‘Beyond Air’ strategy, which aims to boost the amount of non-air content offered to travel agents.

All 4,112 of Hilton’s hotels, resorts and timeshare properties are covered by the deal, encompassing 11 different brands.

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shutterstock_149124833 Hilton's global portfolio of hotels will now be bookable by Travelport-connected agents
United pens new GDS deal with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/united-pens-new-gds-deal-with-travelport/ Wed, 25 Jun 2014 03:20:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=209147 The post United pens new GDS deal with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport-connected agents will be able to book United's 'Economy Plus' seats

United Airlines has signed a new long-term distribution agreement with Travelport that will see the carrier’s fares and inventory sold via the Galileo and Worldspan GDS. And in addition, United has signed up for Travelport’s new Rich Content and Branding programme, which enables airlines’ products and ancillary services to be presented in a clearer graphic […]

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Travelport-connected agents will be able to book United's 'Economy Plus' seats

United Airlines has signed a new long-term distribution agreement with Travelport that will see the carrier’s fares and inventory sold via the Galileo and Worldspan GDS.

Travelport-connected agents will be able to book United's 'Economy Plus' seats
Travelport-connected agents will be able to book United’s ‘Economy Plus’ seats

And in addition, United has signed up for Travelport’s new Rich Content and Branding programme, which enables airlines’ products and ancillary services to be presented in a clearer graphic format on GDS screens.

Travelport-connected agents now have the ability to book United’s ‘Economy Plus’ seats in real-time, including complimentary Economy Plus seats for United’s qualified frequent flyers.

“United is one of the world’s leading airlines and we are delighted to expand our long-standing partnership with them and see them take advantage of the investments we have made in our pioneering merchandising technology, which has been designed to meet the changing needs of the global travel distribution chain,” said Derek Sharp, Travelport’s managing director of global distribution services & sales, Travelport.

“United will be able to leverage Travelport’s leading technology to grow their global reach, promote their brand to travellers all over the world and most importantly maximise the revenues they are able to generate per seat sold.”

United joins more than 40 other airlines to have already signed up to use Travelport Rich Content and Branding, which goes live in the next version of the Travelport Smartpoint agency desktop, due this year.

“United’s array of travel offerings continues to expand and evolve into dynamic products tailored to our customers,” said Tom O’Toole, United’s senior vice president of marketing & loyalty. “United is pleased this agreement enables us to offer the choices our customers value through additional shopping channels. We look forward to continuing to improve the shopping experience for our customers and their agencies through Travelport’s solutions.”

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United B787 interior Travelport-connected agents will be able to book United's 'Economy Plus' seats
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-98/ Wed, 18 Jun 2014 07:15:54 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=208887 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Fred Lam Tin-fuk

FRED LAM TIN-FUK has been named as the new chief executive offer of the Airport Authority Hong Kong. Lam has worked for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) since 1986, where he held a number of roles, most recently as executive director. He will succeed Stanley Hui Hon-chung. MIKE CROUCHER has been appointed as […]

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Fred Lam Tin-fuk
Fred Lam Tin-fuk
Fred Lam Tin-fuk

FRED LAM TIN-FUK has been named as the new chief executive offer of the Airport Authority Hong Kong. Lam has worked for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) since 1986, where he held a number of roles, most recently as executive director. He will succeed Stanley Hui Hon-chung.

MIKE CROUCHER has been appointed as Travelport’s new chief architect, responsible for the overall IT structure of the travel technology company. With a strong background in IT, Croucher arrives from BA where he spend 15 years working in a number of senior roles, including head of IT delivery.

May Pendraat
May Pendraat

MAY PENDRAAT has been announced as the new vice president of sales & marketing for the Rosewood Hotel Group, overseeing Asia Pacific. She arrives with more than 25 years’ experience in the Asia Pacific hospitality industry, most recently as vice president of sales & marketing at Marco Polo Hotels.

ADELINE SANG has been appointed general manager of Dorsett Hospitality International’s Lushan Resort, which is located in China’s Jiangxi province. Ms Sang has 32 years’ experience, including spells in Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and South Africa.

Vernon Lee
Vernon Lee

VERNON LEE has been announced as the new general manager of the Capri by Fraser Changi City in Singapore. Lee joins Frasers Hospitality from Far East Hospitality, where he was the hotel manager for Village Hotel Albert Court. He has also worked for Singapore Airlines in several global locations.

ROLAND SVENSSON has become the new general manager of The Sarojin luxury resort in Khao Lak, southern Thailand. A Swedish national, Svensson has more than 30 years’ hotel experience, including spells in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Myanmar, Australia and the UAE. He arrives from Movenpick.

Taro Tan
Taro Tan

TARO TAN has become the new hotel manager at the Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Kuala Lumpur. A Singaporean national, Tan started his hotel career with Shangri-La in 1989 and has since worked in locations across Asia. Most recently, he served as hotel manager of the Lancaster Bangkok.

COLIN YEOH has returned to the Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa as resident manager. A graduate of Switzerland’s hotel schools, Yeoh previously served the KL hotel as operations manager in charge of F&B between from 2006 to 2008. He has also worked with Shangri-La, Raffles and IHG in China.

Carl Sladen
Carl Sladen

CARL SLADEN has been appointed director of sales & marketing at the Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. He joins the historic hotel from the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, but spent the majority of his career with Four Seasons, including spells in Thailand, Japan and Australia.

NADINE ROUGET has become the new marketing communications manager at the Novotel Bangkok Impact. Fluent in Mandarin, Ms Rouget started her career working in the Shanghai restaurant sector, before moving to Koh Samui to embark on her hospitality career.

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Fred Lam Tin-fuk Fred Lam Tin-fuk May Pendraat May Pendraat Vernon Lee Vernon Lee Taro Tan Taro Tan Carl Sladen Carl Sladen
Travelport upgrades Mobile Agent solution https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-upgrades-mobile-agent-solution/ Mon, 16 Jun 2014 06:21:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=208774 The post Travelport upgrades Mobile Agent solution appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport Mobile Agent

Travelport has launched an upgraded version of its mobile solution for travel agents. The Travelport Mobile Agent product allows agents to make GDS bookings on the Apollo, Galileo and Worldspan platforms from their iOS and Android handheld devices. The latest version of the app offers a range of new features and functionality, including an improved […]

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Travelport Mobile Agent
Travelport Mobile Agent
Travelport Mobile Agent

Travelport has launched an upgraded version of its mobile solution for travel agents.

The Travelport Mobile Agent product allows agents to make GDS bookings on the Apollo, Galileo and Worldspan platforms from their iOS and Android handheld devices.

The latest version of the app offers a range of new features and functionality, including an improved interface and graphics, more detailed information about responses displayed on the screen, faster response times to command entries, customisable quick keys, and the ability for information to be synchronised on multiple devices.

The mobile solution is also integrated with the Travelport ViewTrip itinerary tool, providing access to the customer itineraries.

“We continue to listen and act on the feedback received from our agent network and redefine the offerings we provide helping them to deliver exceptional service to their customers. This further enhances the role Travelport now uniquely plays in the global travel distribution chain,” said Chris Zando, Travelport’s vice president of partnerships & alliances.

Version 3.0 of Travelport Mobile Agent will be available from the Apple App Store and Google Play from 30 July 2014. The original app was first launched in 2011 and has since been downloaded more than 41,500 times.

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Mobile Agent Travelport Mobile Agent
AirAsia embraces GDS to create new demand https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airasia-embraces-gds-to-create-new-demand/ Sat, 14 Jun 2014 07:37:22 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=208737 The post AirAsia embraces GDS to create new demand appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Azran Osman-Rani address the Travelport conference in Bali

AirAsia and AirAsia X are reaching out to the travel trade in an effort to generate new demand for their flights. The low-cost carrier signed its first ever GDS agreements earlier this year, having previously focused on direct customer bookings. And speaking at the Travelport Asia Pacific Customer & Partner Conference in Bali last week, […]

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Azran Osman-Rani address the Travelport conference in Bali

AirAsia and AirAsia X are reaching out to the travel trade in an effort to generate new demand for their flights.

The low-cost carrier signed its first ever GDS agreements earlier this year, having previously focused on direct customer bookings.

And speaking at the Travelport Asia Pacific Customer & Partner Conference in Bali last week, AirAsia X’s CEO, Azran Osman-Rani, told a packed hall of travel agents and other industry figures that AirAsia was not changing its business model by targeting the travel trade, but continuing with its long-running goal of trying to generate new business.

Osman-Rani stated that while full-service airlines had traditionally waited for their customers to come to them, AirAsia is trying to “flip the process” by stimulating its own demand. This need to create demand is the result of a business model that relies on AirAsia flying its aircraft more often and with fewer empty seats, in order to remain profitable.

Azran Osman-Rani address the Travelport conference in Bali
Azran Osman-Rani address the Travelport conference in Bali

“We take out the idle time,” said Osman-Rani. “AirAsia X has the highest aircraft utilisation rate [of any long-haul airline in the world], at 17 hours a day,” he said. This compares to approximately 12 hours a day for traditional carriers.

“This means that every day we fly 30% more seats and every year we offer 30% more flights. So we generate a lot more inventory from the same aircraft.”

And with AirAsia X now adding more aircraft and flights, with double daily services on many routes, Osman-Rani admitted his airline needs to “create new demand” more than ever.

Technological developments in the GDS industry in recent years are now allowing low-cost airlines to sell their ancillary products like seat selection and baggage fees. And this is allowing LCCs to start embracing the travel trade.

Products like the new version of Travelport Smartpoint, Universal Desktop and Universal API are now offering new graphic interfaces for travel agents. And this has allowed Travelport to sign content deals with several major LCCs in recent months, including AirAsia, Ryanair and Tigerair. Thirty-eight carriers have also now signed up for the company’s ‘Rich Content & Branding’, which improves how airline products are displayed on the agents’ screen, with “significantly more” expected to be added in the coming months.

And despite its move into the more mainstream GDS sector, AirAsia says it is staying true to its low-cost roots. “We’re not talking about hybridization,” said Osman-Rani. “We continue to keep the lowest cost structure of any airline.”

But thanks to the new focus on GDS bookings, AirAsia will now be able to pass on these low fares to the travel trade.

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IMG_4999 Azran Osman-Rani address the Travelport conference in Bali
Travelport goes graphic to “redefine travel commerce” https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-goes-graphic-to-redefine-travel-commerce/ Thu, 12 Jun 2014 13:35:19 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=208695 The post Travelport goes graphic to “redefine travel commerce” appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for global sales, addresses delegates in Bali

Travelport is developing a new range of graphic solutions and adding more content in an effort to “redefine travel commerce”, an event in Bali has heard. Addressing the company’s annual Asia Pacific Customer & Partner Conference, which is being held at the Grand Hyatt Bali this week, Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for global sales, […]

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Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for global sales, addresses delegates in Bali

Travelport is developing a new range of graphic solutions and adding more content in an effort to “redefine travel commerce”, an event in Bali has heard.

Addressing the company’s annual Asia Pacific Customer & Partner Conference, which is being held at the Grand Hyatt Bali this week, Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for global sales, told delegates that the company is trying to “redefine the selling experience” by offering more graphic displays and extra content, both in the ‘Air’ and ‘Beyond Air’ sectors.

Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for global sales, addresses delegates in Bali
Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for global sales, addresses delegates in Bali

Clarke revealed that in the last 12 months, Travelport has rolled out 120,000 new desktop solutions. And these new products are, according to Clarke, “moving our customer base to a new selling experience”.

“Green screen served a purpose and allowed transaction to occur, [but] providers want different ways of marketing and merchandising their products,” Clarke said. “[We have now] moved to a more dynamic environment, mixing old commands with a new layout.”

The company said it has spent the last 12 months trying to “unify” the user experience for its two GDS systems, Galileo and Worldspan, while offering more content and ancillary products, as well as more tailored searches that don’t just focus on price.

Products like the new version of Travelport Smartpoint, Universal Desktop and Universal API are now offering new graphic interfaces for travel agents, while content agreements with low-cost carriers such as AirAsia, Ryanair and Tigerair are boosting the amount of content the company is able to provide. Thirty carriers have also signed up for the company’s ‘Rich Content & Branding’, which improves how airline products are displayed on the agents’ screen, with “significantly more” expected to be added in the coming months.

And Clarke said these airline deals were only made possible by Travelport’s new graphic display technology.

“Airlines told us they want us to market their products,” Clarke said, adding that offering the ability to sell ancillary services is now “one of our core investment platforms”.

This focus was highlighted by the fact that one of the keynote speakers at the conference was Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X. Prior to this year, both AirAsia and AirAsia X had always shied away from using GDS companies.

Away from the airline sector, Travelport also recently concluded the acquisition of Hotelzon, which will add 30,000 more hotel rooms to its existing inventory of 580,000. This forms part of a major push into the ‘Beyond Air’ segment for Travelport, and Clarke said it would utilise the same technologies in this area as it has done in the airline arena.

“[We are] taking some capabilities from the air side into hospitality, and then into car [rental],” he said.

In terms of its new display products, Travelport revealed that 89% of its customers in Asia Pacific are now using one or more of its new products – Smartpoint, Universal Desktop and Universal API – which marks the highest uptake of any region. It will also be expanding its mobile app for agents in future.

“We’re getting great feedback from both our agencies and provider customers,” Clarke said.

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IMG_4909 Jason Clarke, Travelport’s managing director for global sales, addresses delegates in Bali
Travelport acquires Hotelzon https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-acquires-hotelzon/ Thu, 12 Jun 2014 07:44:33 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=208663 The post Travelport acquires Hotelzon appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has acquired B2B hotel distribution technology company Hotelzon to boost its ‘Beyond Air’ content.  The Langley-based travel technology firm has taken over Hotelzon from former owner Esa Karppinen for an undisclosed sum and will continue to operate under its current brand. Its CEO Jani Kaskinen will remain in the role and report to Niklas […]

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Travelport is offering more hotel options
Travelport is offering more hotel options

Travelport has acquired B2B hotel distribution technology company Hotelzon to boost its ‘Beyond Air’ content. 

The Langley-based travel technology firm has taken over Hotelzon from former owner Esa Karppinen for an undisclosed sum and will continue to operate under its current brand.

Its CEO Jani Kaskinen will remain in the role and report to Niklas Andreen who heads up Travelport’s global hospitality, car and advertising business.

Travelport aims to help travel agent and travel management companies (TMCs) draw in more business travel bookings with the acquisition by providing more hotel content and a better booking tool. It will also expand booking options to include hotel-only.

In total the deal will add 30,000 hotels to Travelport’s platform particularly many independent and small chain properties in Europe that have not appeared before.

“This acquisition is part of our realising our strategic plan to redefine travel commerce, with a particular focus on growing in both the hotel and corporate travel space.  As part of our Beyond Air vision, Hotelzon is the perfect complement to our existing capabilities with the large, global chain hotels which we are progressively connecting to our system via direct XML capabilities and our aggregation of unmatched retail rates through our Rooms and More offering based on meta search technology,” said Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport. “With Hotelzon, we will now be able to offer special corporate negotiated rates and other offerings from independent hotels to corporations and their travelllers as well as ensure a broader capability in the hotel distribution space for our TMC partners.”

Jani Kaskinen, Hotelzon’s CEO, added: “We firmly believe that with Travelport as our parent, we will benefit from their keen strategic focus and investment in both the hotel and corporate sectors.  This, in turn, will enable us to further enhance our product and service offering as well as extend the range of international hotel content we are able to offer Hotelzon’s clients. It also gives Hotelzon’s independent hotel providers extensive new international reach through Travelport’s unsurpassed global network. ”

Travelport launched its Rooms and More product after acquiring Sprice.com in 2010 and now includes around 600,000 properties.

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hotel sign web Rates are near pre-recession levels
Travelport rebranding steps away from GDS language https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-rebranding-steps-away-from-gds-language/ Mon, 09 Jun 2014 11:20:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=208535 The post Travelport rebranding steps away from GDS language appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has aimed to shed traditional GDS terminology in a rebranding of its products and services. The Langley-based technology company has announced a new brand vision that aims to incorporate its entire portfolio across the travel industry rather than just the airline-heavy GDS arena. As part of the re-launch the company has renamed two of […]

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The post Travelport rebranding steps away from GDS language appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport

Travelport has aimed to shed traditional GDS terminology in a rebranding of its products and services.

The Langley-based technology company has announced a new brand vision that aims to incorporate its entire portfolio across the travel industry rather than just the airline-heavy GDS arena.

As part of the re-launch the company has renamed two of its operational areas.

Travel Commerce Platform will now be used to define its merchandising, reservations, payments and workflow management tools while Technology Services will be used to name its IT services for airlines.

The Travel Commerce Platform, which makes up 95% of Travelport’s revenue, will be further split into Air or Beyond Air as the hotel, advertising and payment side of the business continues to grow.

“We have invested in, and developed our business to address the changing needs of the travel distribution chain, which we are now articulating through our new, and more up to date, brand proposition that clearly explains what we offer our customers. We have encapsulated this as: ‘Redefining travel commerce for our customers’ and we look forward to continuing to deliver on this vision and helping our customers grow their businesses in the months and years ahead,” said Travelport’s president and CEO Gordon Wilson. “We’ve evolved the way we both distribute content for our travel provider customers and made it more easily accessible and bookable by our travel agency customers.”

The company’s products now include the eNett payment solution, air content, hotel reservations and airline merchandising.

 

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Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport
海南航空与美国有方(Travelport)达成新科技协议 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/hainanhangkongyumeiguoyoufangtravelportdachengai/ Wed, 04 Jun 2014 03:27:04 +0000 http://www.traveldailychina.com/?p=4493 The post 海南航空与美国有方(Travelport)达成新科技协议 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

海南航空近日与Travelport签订富产品信息与品牌推广项目协议。作为Travelport营销平台的项目之一,富产品信息和品牌推广项目协议将使航空公司更好地掌控其航班及辅助服务在旅行社电脑屏幕上的可视展现。海南航空市场销售部总经理胡毅(音译)对协议签订决策解释说到:“该科技有助于我们区别产品质量,并在GDS(全球分销系统Global Distribution System)中将整个品牌简单化。

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Hainan Airline
Hainan Airline

海南航空近日与Travelport签订富产品信息与品牌推广项目协议。作为Travelport营销平台的项目之一,富产品信息和品牌推广项目协议将使航空公司更好地掌控其航班及辅助服务在旅行社电脑屏幕上的可视展现。海南航空市场销售部总经理胡毅(音译)对协议签订决策解释说到:“该科技有助于我们区别产品质量,并在GDS(全球分销系统Global Distribution System)中将整个品牌简单化。

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Hainan Airline
Hainan Airlines, Travelport pen new technology deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/hainan-airlines-travelport-pen-new-technology-deal/ Tue, 03 Jun 2014 01:43:28 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=208242 The post Hainan Airlines, Travelport pen new technology deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Hainan Airlines is the fourth biggest airline in China

Hainan Airlines has signed a new agreement that will see it sign up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding merchandising technology. Part of the Travelport Merchandising Platform, Rich Content and Branding will enable airlines to have greater control of how their flights and ancillary products are visually presented and described on travel agency screens. “I […]

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Hainan Airlines is the fourth biggest airline in China
Hainan Airlines is the fourth biggest airline in China
Hainan Airlines is the fourth biggest airline in China

Hainan Airlines has signed a new agreement that will see it sign up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding merchandising technology.

Part of the Travelport Merchandising Platform, Rich Content and Branding will enable airlines to have greater control of how their flights and ancillary products are visually presented and described on travel agency screens.

“I am honoured that Hainan Airlines has signed up to participate in Rich Content and Branding,” said Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services in Asia Pacific.

“This highly progressive solution has gained much interest from the airline community and we look forward to its official launch and implementation in the coming months.”

Explaining the decision to move to the new Travelport system, Hu Yi, Hainan Airlines’ general manger for sales & marketing, said the technology would “help us differentiate our quality products and offerings as well as streamline the entire brand within the GDS”.

Hainan Airlines is the fourth biggest airline in China.

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HNA B787 (2) Hainan Airlines is the fourth biggest airline in China
CityJet signs Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/cityjet-signs-travelport-deal/ Tue, 20 May 2014 10:57:37 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=207620 The post CityJet signs Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

CityJet has signed an agreement with Travelport to distribute its fares on Galileo and Worldspan. The deal will enable travel agents to see the airline’s fares and ancillaries through the GDS, which operates from London City and has more than 700 flights a week across Europe. “As a truly independent European airline, we believe that […]

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CityJet will distribute fares to travel agents
CityJet will distribute fares to travel agents

CityJet has signed an agreement with Travelport to distribute its fares on Galileo and Worldspan.

The deal will enable travel agents to see the airline’s fares and ancillaries through the GDS, which operates from London City and has more than 700 flights a week across Europe.

“As a truly independent European airline, we believe that we can reach new heights by tapping into the valuable travel agency distribution channel,” said CityJet CEO, Christine Ourmières. “Travelport is one of the world’s leading distribution providers. We look forward to strengthening our relationship as well as taking advantage of its strong industry expertise and global reach.”

CityJet was acquired by German company Intro Aviation earlier this month having previously been part of the Air France KLM Group.

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CityJet1 web CityJet used to be part of Air France
Travelport to promote Hangzhou tourism https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-to-promote-hangzhou-tourism/ Tue, 13 May 2014 05:40:18 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=207351 The post Travelport to promote Hangzhou tourism appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Hangzhou is home to the UNESCO-listed West Lake

Travelport has signed a landmark destination marketing agreement in China. The travel technology company has teamed up with the Hangzhou Tourism Commission to promote tourism to the capital of eastern China’s Zhejiang province among the western trade travel. As part of its ‘Beyond Air’ initiatives, to broaden the scope of Travelport’s business outside the airline […]

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Hangzhou is home to the UNESCO-listed West Lake
Hangzhou is home to the UNESCO-listed West Lake
Hangzhou is home to the UNESCO-listed West Lake

Travelport has signed a landmark destination marketing agreement in China.

The travel technology company has teamed up with the Hangzhou Tourism Commission to promote tourism to the capital of eastern China’s Zhejiang province among the western trade travel.

As part of its ‘Beyond Air’ initiatives, to broaden the scope of Travelport’s business outside the airline sector, Travelport Partner Marketing offers targeted sales and promotional messages to the travel trade during and after the booking process.

“We are delighted to be working with Travelport to promote tourism to our city. We plan to leverage their global footprint and industry expertise to increase top of mind awareness when travel agents provide destination recommendations for their customers,” said Zhao Hongzhong, vice director of the Hangzhou Tourism Commission.

The new marketing partnership will focus on driving more arrivals to Hangzhou from France, Germany, the UK and US.

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shutterstock_128832574 Hangzhou is home to the UNESCO-listed West Lake
Travelport sees Q1 profit boost https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-sees-q1-profit-boost/ Thu, 08 May 2014 19:19:07 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=207234 The post Travelport sees Q1 profit boost appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travel technology company Travelport has registered a 7% increase in adjusted EBITDA to US$151 million (GBP89m) for the first quarter of the year. The firm saw its net revenue rise 4% to GBP337m while its net debt was reduced to GBP1.8bn. The quarter marks the first year of Travelport’s merchandising platform which has included new […]

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Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport

Travel technology company Travelport has registered a 7% increase in adjusted EBITDA to US$151 million (GBP89m) for the first quarter of the year.

The firm saw its net revenue rise 4% to GBP337m while its net debt was reduced to GBP1.8bn.

The quarter marks the first year of Travelport’s merchandising platform which has included new agreements with Ryanair, AirAsia and easyJet.

More than 30 airlines are also now signed up for its new Rich Content and Branding function including British Airways, Iberia and Air China.

“As we celebrate the one year anniversary of our merchandising platform, I am pleased we have further strengthened our air proposition with the signing of new ground-breaking agreements with Ryanair and AirAsia, an extended partnership with easyJet, and more than 30 airline agreements for our Rich Content and Branding functionality. Through these unrivalled agreements, we are now uniquely positioned to sell the content of all the world’s top ten airlines,” said Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport. “This milestone builds on our leadership in global hotel content distribution and augments our strong financial performance.”

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Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport
Air China pens merchandising deal with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-china-pens-merchandising-deal-with-travelport/ Thu, 24 Apr 2014 02:45:02 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=206619 The post Air China pens merchandising deal with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air China has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding programme

Air China has signed a new merchandising agreement with Travelport that will see the airline participate in the travel technology company’s new ‘Rich Content and Branding’ programme. Scheduled to be launched globally in the coming months, Rich Content and Branding allows airlines to control how their flights and ancillary services are visually displayed and described […]

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Air China has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding programme
Air China has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding programme
Air China has signed up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding programme

Air China has signed a new merchandising agreement with Travelport that will see the airline participate in the travel technology company’s new ‘Rich Content and Branding’ programme.

Scheduled to be launched globally in the coming months, Rich Content and Branding allows airlines to control how their flights and ancillary services are visually displayed and described on travel agency screens. The technology forms part of the Travelport Merchandising Platform.

“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Travelport by adopting their new Rich Content and Branding technology,” said Air China’s deputy GM of network & revenue management, Na Na.

“The solution offers the ability to differentiate our products and services against other airlines in the GDS, whilst maintaining brand consistency with Air China’s other sales channels, providing a holistic brand experience for both travel agents and travellers.”

Air China joins 26 other airlines, including full service, hybrid and low-cost carriers, to have signed up to use this new technology.

“We are delighted that Air China has signed up for Rich Content and Branding, and look forward to working closely with them to maximise the full capabilities this breakthrough technology has to offer,” said Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services for Asia Pacific.

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Air China B747 Air China has signed up for Travelport's Rich Content and Branding programme
Al Tayyar Travel, Travelport ink partnership https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/al-tayyar-travel-travelport-ink-partnership/ Wed, 23 Apr 2014 05:44:55 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=206567 The post Al Tayyar Travel, Travelport ink partnership appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Al Tayyar Travel Group have signed a new multi-year agreement thereby strengthening their partnership. This partnership will also see both companies significantly enhance their business. Al Tayyar Travel Group will adopt the Travelport Universal API to streamline the booking process. The solution also provides full access to Travelport’s air, hotel and car content, […]

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Travelport strengthen KSA presence
Travelport strengthen KSA presence

Travelport and Al Tayyar Travel Group have signed a new multi-year agreement thereby strengthening their partnership. This partnership will also see both companies significantly enhance their business.

Al Tayyar Travel Group will adopt the Travelport Universal API to streamline the booking process. The solution also provides full access to Travelport’s air, hotel and car content, as well as high speed rail suppliers and low cost carriers.

In addition, the two companies will continue to work closely to develop the expertise of travel professionals in the Kingdom, drive the recruitment of young Saudis in the field of travel and tourism and promote tourism initiatives in the Kingdom on a global level.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Travelport, Africa, Middle East and South Asia said: “Both Travelport and Al Tayyar Travel Group have ambitious growth plans in Saudi Arabia. This new agreement that will continue to significantly benefit our respective businesses as well as the regional travel industry.”

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Al Tayyar Travelport Travelport strengthen KSA presence
Travelport strengthens Kuwait presence https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-strengthens-kuwait-presence/ Sun, 06 Apr 2014 07:09:56 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=205942 The post Travelport strengthens Kuwait presence appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced its intent to partner with Eternity Travels in Kuwait, thereby strengthening its position in the region. The multi-year deal will see Eternity Travels migrate a majority stake of its business to Travelport’s Global Distribution Systems (GDS). Subsequently, Travelport will also provide Eternity Travels with a range of solutions including Travelport Smartpoint and Travelport […]

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Jennifer D’Souza, regional commercial director, Gulf, Levant, Pakistan and Turkey, Travelport
Jennifer D’Souza, regional commercial director, Gulf, Levant, Pakistan and Turkey, Travelport

Travelport announced its intent to partner with Eternity Travels in Kuwait, thereby strengthening its position in the region.

The multi-year deal will see Eternity Travels migrate a majority stake of its business to Travelport’s Global Distribution Systems (GDS). Subsequently, Travelport will also provide Eternity Travels with a range of solutions including Travelport Smartpoint and Travelport Rooms and More.

“Kuwait remains one of our focus regions in the Middle East and signing with Eternity Travels will significantly boost Travelport’s presence in the country. This will also further extend our service and content offering,” said Jennifer D’Souza, regional commercial director, Gulf, Levant, Pakistan and Turkey, Travelport.

The travel agency has strong plans for expansion. The company also has charted out ambitious regional growth plans for 2014 and 2015.

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Trav Kuwait Jennifer D’Souza, regional commercial director, Gulf, Levant, Pakistan and Turkey, Travelport
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-79/ Wed, 26 Mar 2014 05:39:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=205482 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Mark Meehan

MARK MEEHAN has been appointed as Travelport’s new managing director for Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. Meehan has spent 15 years with the travel technology company in a variety of roles, including global commercial operations. He previously served as managing director for Travelport in Africa. CHRISTOPHER NORTON has been appointed to the newly-created role of […]

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Mark Meehan
Mark Meehan
Mark Meehan

MARK MEEHAN has been appointed as Travelport’s new managing director for Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. Meehan has spent 15 years with the travel technology company in a variety of roles, including global commercial operations. He previously served as managing director for Travelport in Africa.

CHRISTOPHER NORTON has been appointed to the newly-created role of executive vice president of global product & operations with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. Norton joined Four Seasons in 1989 and most recently held the position of president of hotel operations for Europe, Middle East & Africa.

Jayne O'Brien
Jayne O’Brien

JAYNE O’BRIEN has become the new senior vice president of global brands for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). An 18-year travel industry career has seen Ms O’Brien work in several sectors, including a long spell with British Airways, where she helped develop the airline’s business class flat-bed.

HING-CHEONG KWOK has been named as Hawaiian Airlines’ first country director for China, ahead of the launch of flights to Beijing next month. Kwok has 50 years’ experience, having started his career with Pan American World Airways in 1964. More recently he worked with United-Continental.

Grainne Kearns
Grainne Kearns

GRAINNE KEARNS has been appointed to the role of group chief information officer with Jetstar, handling the IT for all five of the company’s airlines across the Asia Pacific region. Ms Kearns arrives at Jetstar from Sensis, the advertising and media arm of Telstra, where she also served as CIO.

IAN JONES has become the general manager of the Alila Seminyak Bali, which is due to open in late 2014. A Canadian national, Jones has worked for many major hotel groups, including Starwood, Fairmont, Hilton and Orient Express, where he managed The Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg.

Justin Guo
Justin Guo

JUSTIN GUO has been named as the new general manager of the Pan Pacific Suzhou, and area general manager for Pan Pacific Hotels Group in China. This role will see Guo oversee the four Pan Pacific properties in China, and three in the pipeline. A Chinese national, he has 20 years’ experience.

FRANZ DONHAUSER has returned to the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong for a second spell as general manager. An Austrian national, Donhauser previously managed the 565-room property from 2002 to 2008 and returns to the hotel following a spell as general manager of the Shangri-La Sydney.

Yves Thoma
Yves Thoma

YVES THOMA has been announced as the new resident manager of the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel. A German national, Thoma is a graduate of the Swiss hotel school, Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. Most recently he worked as general manager of the Happy Valley Clubhouse in Hong Kong.

PIUS LUECHINGER has been named as the new general manager of the Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort in Thailand. Luechinger has 20 years’ experience at hotels in Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea, most recently as general manager of the Sareeraya Villas & Suites in Koh Samui.

Ruediger Lurz
Ruediger Lurz

RUEDIGER LURZ has become the new executive chef at the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong. With more than 18 years of experience, Chef Ruediger has worked in numerous restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Weinhau Anker in Germany. Most recently he was executive chef at the Shangri-La Ningbo.

DANIEL JOHNSON has become the new executive chef that the Jumeirah Dhevanafushi in the Maldives. An Australian national, Chef Daniel he has worked as an executive chef at several five-star resorts in Australia and the Maldives, most recently at Huvafen Fushi Resort.

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Mark Meehan Mark Meehan Jayne O’Brien Jayne O'Brien Grainne Kearns Grainne Kearns Justin Guo Justin Guo Yves Thoma Yves Thoma Ruediger Lurz Ruediger Lurz
AirAsia embraces GDS with Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airasia-embraces-gds-with-travelport-deal/ Tue, 25 Mar 2014 07:50:45 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=205454 The post AirAsia embraces GDS with Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Photo by Cesc Assawin

AirAsia has committed to offering its fares to the travel trade with the signing of a landmark agreement with Travelport. The new partnership will see the low-cost carrier distribute all of its fares and ancillary services through Travelport’s Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems. This will mark the first time AirAsia’s fares have been available […]

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Photo by Cesc Assawin
Photo by Cesc Assawin
Photo by Cesc Assawin

AirAsia has committed to offering its fares to the travel trade with the signing of a landmark agreement with Travelport.

The new partnership will see the low-cost carrier distribute all of its fares and ancillary services through Travelport’s Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems. This will mark the first time AirAsia’s fares have been available for GDS bookings.

As part of the agreement, AirAsia has also signed up for Travelport’s new merchandising technology, which allows travel agents to shop, compare and book AirAsia and AirAsia X flights alongside those offered by traditional carriers. As well as standard fares, agents will be able to book ancillary products including checked-in bags, advanced seat selection and in-flight meals.

“I am delighted that one of the world’s highest profile, low-cost airlines has selected Travelport as its partner and is fully embracing what we can uniquely offer through our industry-leading merchandising technology,” said Derek Sharp, Travelport’s managing director of global distribution sales & services.

From left: Derek Sharp, with Rayner Teo, AirAsia's head of sales & distribution, and Damian Hickey, Travelport's VP of GDS
From left: Derek Sharp, with Rayner Teo, AirAsia’s head of sales & distribution, and Damian Hickey, Travelport’s VP of GDS

“We look forward to helping AirAsia extend their distribution channel whilst providing more in-demand, low cost air content to our 67,000 travel agency subscribers worldwide,” he added.

AirAsia’s group CEO, Tony Fernandes, said the Travelport deal “enables us to distribute our low fares to even more travellers”.

The move marks the latest example of LCCs embracing the travel trade. Late last year Tigerair signed its first ever GDS agreement, while Europe’s biggest budget carrier Ryanair recently signed its first GDS deal for 10 years.

The Travelport deal will apply to all of AirAsia’s regional subsidiaries in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and India, plus AirAsia X in Malaysia and Thailand.

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shutterstock_149956976 Photo by Cesc Assawin photo1 (2)
New appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/new-appointments-11/ Mon, 24 Mar 2014 05:08:55 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=205372 The post New appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

MARK MEEHAN has been appointed managing director for Asia Pacific at Travelport. He brings with him over 15 years with the business. In his role as managing director for Africa, Meehan will based in Singapore, in early April and report directly into Jason Clarke, managing director – global sales. SAMER HANNA has been appointed food […]

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MARK MEEHAN
MARK MEEHAN

MARK MEEHAN has been appointed managing director for Asia Pacific at Travelport. He brings with him over 15 years with the business. In his role as managing director for Africa, Meehan will based in Singapore, in early April and report directly into Jason Clarke, managing director – global sales.

SAMER HANNA has been appointed food and beverage manager at Ayla Hotel in Al Ain. He will be in charge of all food and beverage outlets and banquet operation in Ayla Hotel as well as Ayla Bawadi Hotel that is due to open. Hanna brings with him over two decades of experience across the GCC.

JAD BAAKLINI
JAD BAAKLINI

JAD BAAKLINI has been appointed food and beverage manager at Gefinor Rotana. He brings with him a wealth of experience and know-how to Rotana. Baaklini’s experience in the field has been cultivated from a career that began in 1996 in high-end Lebanese hotels and restaurants.

MARK SATTERFIELD
MARK SATTERFIELD

MARK SATTERFIELD, chief operating officer of Marriott International’s Middle East & Africa Continent organization, will be relocating to the Protea Hospitality Group’s head office in Cape Town. He will act as business leader overseeing integration of the two companies once the anticipated sale of the Protea Hotel Group (PHG) is concluded.

HANNY WAHYUNI has been appointed manager of public relations at Six Senses Zighy Bay. In her new role, she will oversee public relations strategies of the resort. Hanny brings with her more than 10 years of hospitality experience.

MAHMOUD EL KEIY
MAHMOUD EL KEIY

MAHMOUD EL KEIY has been appointed general manager at Four Seasons Hotel Cairo. He is a hospitality veteran who has spent more than 12 years as a part of the Four Seasons family. He has extensive leadership skills and managerial insights.

FRANCESCO PICARO has been appointed as the Italian chef at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa. He has over 13 years’ experience in the culinary world gained from luxury hotels in Egypt, Libya, US and Italy.

JAMES MUELLER
JAMES MUELLER

JAMES MUELLER has been appointed senior vice president sales at Etihad Airways, He brings with him more than 20 years’ experience in the aviation industry. Mueller joins Etihad Airways from United Airlines, where he worked for five years in various senior roles, including Vice President Asia Pacific and Vice President Atlantic and Pacific Sales.

IVAN JOVALEKIC
IVAN JOVALEKIC

IVAN JOVALEKIC has been appointed senior business development manager at Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel Dubai. He moved to Dubai and entered the hospitality industry with a post at Jumeirah Hotels looking after global and corporate sales, staying for four years and gaining a grounding in revenue management and reservations.

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Mark MARK MEEHAN Jad JAD BAAKLINI Mark Marriott MARK SATTERFIELD Mahmoud MAHMOUD EL KEIY James JAMES MUELLER Ivan IVAN JOVALEKIC
Ryanair returns to GDS https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ryanair-returns-to-gds/ Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:21:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=204885 The post Ryanair returns to GDS appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Ryanair has announced a return to GDS for the first time in a decade. The low-cost carrier, which has previously been vocal about not wanting to work with travel agents, has signed an agreement to have its content made available to travel agents using Travelport systems. Ryanair fares will first appear on Travelport’s GDS from […]

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Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer at Ryanair with Kurt Ekert, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Travelport
Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer at Ryanair with Kurt Ekert, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Travelport

Ryanair has announced a return to GDS for the first time in a decade.

The low-cost carrier, which has previously been vocal about not wanting to work with travel agents, has signed an agreement to have its content made available to travel agents using Travelport systems.

Ryanair fares will first appear on Travelport’s GDS from 19 March with its products and services to be rolled out in phases, using the Travelport Merchandising Platform to show content through API instead of the traditional methods used by legacy carriers.

The low-cost carrier is also using a branded product offering so its content appears similarly to its website.

“This partnership with Travelport is a significant development for Ryanair and for businesses across Europe and beyond as we continue to evolve our business offering. As Europe’s largest airline, we’ll carry over 81.5m customers this year on the largest route network, connecting 186 airports in 30 countries,” said Ryanair’s chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs. “More than 22% of these customers already choose Ryanair for business travel and we expect that percentage to grow as this partnership allows corporate travel departments, travel management companies and businesses even greater access to Ryanair’s low fares and routes, ensuring they save millions of euro in travel expenses every year.”

Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s regional director, UK & Ireland, said: “This is a hugely important partnership for travel agencies in the UK & Ireland, and we are delighted to be providing them with fares and ancillaries from one of the highest profile low cost carriers in the world and a very important one in this region. Ryanair has fully embraced what we can uniquely offer through our industry-leading technology and we look forward to working exclusively with the Ryanair team over the coming months to help them reach new travellers whilst providing more in-demand, low cost air content to our UK travel agency and tour operator customers.

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RA TP web Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer at Ryanair with Kurt Ekert, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Travelport
Travelport renews IATI partnership https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-iati-partnership/ Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:51:43 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=204873 The post Travelport renews IATI partnership appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently renewed its partnership with IATI in Turkey. The signing of a new multi-year agreement will see IATI significantly increase its business volume with Travelport. As part of agreement, Travelport will continue to provide IATI with its online and technology solutions including the Travelport Smartpoint agency desktop and Travelport Universal API. Travelport Universal API […]

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Travelport, IATI team up
Travelport, IATI team up

Travelport recently renewed its partnership with IATI in Turkey.

The signing of a new multi-year agreement will see IATI significantly increase its business volume with Travelport. As part of agreement, Travelport will continue to provide IATI with its online and technology solutions including the Travelport Smartpoint agency desktop and Travelport Universal API.

Travelport Universal API also enables full access to Travelport’s air, hotel and car content, as well as High Speed Rail suppliers and Low Cost Carriers.

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Travelport IATI Travelport, IATI team up
Travelport renews MEA agreement https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-mea-agreement/ Sun, 02 Mar 2014 07:47:32 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=204402 The post Travelport renews MEA agreement appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently announced renewal of its global full content agreement with Middle East Airlines. Effective immediately, the agreement provides Travelport-connected agents worldwide with access to the carrier’s full content including its web fares.  Middle East Airlines has selected Travelport as its preferred GDS in Lebanon. The new deal reinforces Travelport’s continued investment in Lebanon, where […]

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Travelport renews strategy in Lebanon
Travelport renews strategy in Lebanon

Travelport recently announced renewal of its global full content agreement with Middle East Airlines.

Effective immediately, the agreement provides Travelport-connected agents worldwide with access to the carrier’s full content including its web fares.  Middle East Airlines has selected Travelport as its preferred GDS in Lebanon.

The new deal reinforces Travelport’s continued investment in Lebanon, where Travelport set up an office in 2012 to closely manage and support airlines and distributors in the Levant region

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Travelport MEA Travelport renews strategy in Lebanon
Travelport boosted by non-airline business https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-boosted-by-non-airline-business/ Thu, 27 Feb 2014 12:40:46 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=204335 The post Travelport boosted by non-airline business appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson

Travelport achieved an increase in both revenues and profits last year, boosted by the non-airline sides of the business. The travel technology company generated profit of US$517 million, up 5% compared to 2012, while revenues also climbed 5% to US$2.08 billion. But the company’s non-airline, or ‘Beyond Air’ initiatives, such as advertising, hospitality and payments, […]

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Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson

Travelport achieved an increase in both revenues and profits last year, boosted by the non-airline sides of the business.

The travel technology company generated profit of US$517 million, up 5% compared to 2012, while revenues also climbed 5% to US$2.08 billion. But the company’s non-airline, or ‘Beyond Air’ initiatives, such as advertising, hospitality and payments, experienced double-digit growth in 2013.

“I am delighted to report a successful growth year for Travelport, with key financial performance metrics up 5% with positive innovation and traction across all aspects of the business,” said the company’s president & CEO, Gordon Wilson.

“We maintain forward momentum in transforming our core air business and growing our Beyond Air initiatives of payments, hospitality and advertising. I am also pleased to note that this momentum has continued into the early part of the current year,” he added.

But Travelport did also have considerable success in the airline sector last year. A new airline merchandising platform attracted more low-cost carrier content, and the company has recently extended its contracts with British Airways, Iberia, Iberia Express and easyJet. It is penned its first distribution deal with Tigerair, and signed a new Master Services Agreement with United Airlines.

Travelport operates the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems.

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Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport
IAG renews Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/iag-renews-travelport-deal/ Fri, 14 Feb 2014 15:42:44 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=203722 The post IAG renews Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

International Airlines Group (IAG) has renewed its multi-year, full-content agreements with Travelport. British Airways and Iberia will continue to publish fares and inventory for all flights and will work to include more ancillary content too. Both airlines are trialing Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding technology to allow them to control hotel their content and ancillaries […]

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Iberia and BA will continue on Travelpor
Iberia and BA will continue on Travelpor

International Airlines Group (IAG) has renewed its multi-year, full-content agreements with Travelport.

British Airways and Iberia will continue to publish fares and inventory for all flights and will work to include more ancillary content too.

Both airlines are trialing Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding technology to allow them to control hotel their content and ancillaries are visually represented and described to travel agents.

“We are wholly committed to supporting the travel agency channel and we are pleased to have reached a multi-year agreement with Travelport,” said Silvia Cairo, head of group commercial planning and policy at IAG. “We have a long standing relationship with Travelport and look forward to working with Travelport’s travel agency customers ever more closely together in the coming years.”

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ib ba tailfins web Iberia and BA will continue on Travelpor
Orbitz pens GDS deals in new strategy https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/orbitz-pens-gds-deals-in-new-strategy/ Tue, 11 Feb 2014 06:04:37 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=203536 The post Orbitz pens GDS deals in new strategy appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Orbitz.com will be powered by all three GDS in the future

Orbitz Worldwide has signed new deals with all three major global distribution systems (GDS), as it moves to a new strategy. The online travel company, which is part-owned by Travelport, has now decided to expand its operations with the other major GDS players, Amadeus and Sabre. Under the new strategy, Orbitz has penned a multi-year […]

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Orbitz.com will be powered by all three GDS in the future
Orbitz.com will be powered by all three GDS in the future
Orbitz.com will be powered by all three GDS in the future

Orbitz Worldwide has signed new deals with all three major global distribution systems (GDS), as it moves to a new strategy.

The online travel company, which is part-owned by Travelport, has now decided to expand its operations with the other major GDS players, Amadeus and Sabre.

Under the new strategy, Orbitz has penned a multi-year deals with both Amadeus and Sabre, allowing the two companies to provide their content and technology to Orbitz’s online travel brands in North America. This will include the main orbitz.com OTA, plus cheaptickets.com, ebookers and hotelclub.com.

Amadeus’ president & CEO for North America, Scott Gutz, called the deal “a milestone” for his company.

“This new agreement… supports our unique investment and dedicated focus in the online travel sector and our overall expanding footprint in the region,” he said.

Meanwhile, Orbitz has also penned a new multi-year deal with Travelport, and the company confirmed its commitment to its largest shareholder.

“Travelport has been an important partner for Orbitz and we are pleased that they will continue to play a key role in our technology and travel management needs,” said Chris Orton, Orbitz Worldwide’s chief operating officer.  “As we work to keep our online sites the best places to buy travel, we will use Travelport’s new solutions for the changing airline marketplace,” he added.

The multi-GDS strategy will be rolled out from 1 January 2015.

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Orbitz Orbitz.com is part of the group
Orbitz secures technology partners https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/orbitz-secures-technology-partners/ Mon, 10 Feb 2014 15:42:30 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=203510 The post Orbitz secures technology partners appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Orbitz Worldwide has signed a new long-term technology deal with Travelport and Amadeus as part of a new multi-GDS strategy. The online travel agency has updated its Travelport agreement it has held for more than seven years to fit to current distribution trends. This will see the company upgrade to Travelport Universal API and access […]

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Orbitz has signed two deals
Orbitz has signed two deals

Orbitz Worldwide has signed a new long-term technology deal with Travelport and Amadeus as part of a new multi-GDS strategy.

The online travel agency has updated its Travelport agreement it has held for more than seven years to fit to current distribution trends.

This will see the company upgrade to Travelport Universal API and access more travel content.

Orbitz will work with Amadeus for its North American brands in a multi-year deal.

“The wider range of travel content will include improved descriptive information on the airline products on offer, airline fares families, ancillary products (such as paid seats and other merchandising), as well as a much broader range of hotel content,” explained Travelport’s chief commercial officer Kurt Ekert.

Scott Gutz, president and CEO, Amadeus North America said: “This new agreement is a major milestone for Amadeus in North America. It supports our unique investment and dedicated focus in the online travel sector and our overall expanding footprint in the region.”

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handshake Griffin has 13 offices internationally
easyJet renews Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/easyjet-renews-travelport-deal/ Wed, 05 Feb 2014 13:09:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=203319 The post easyJet renews Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

easyJet has renewed its distribution deal with Travelport to distribute products through GDS. The agreement means the carrier’s fares, including Flexi Fares and Inclusive Fares, will continue to be offered through Galileo, as well as Worldspan and Apollo GDS from later this year. “We are delighted to have renewed our deal with Travelport – its […]

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easyjet
easyJet will operate 58,000 flights in summer 2014

easyJet has renewed its distribution deal with Travelport to distribute products through GDS.

The agreement means the carrier’s fares, including Flexi Fares and Inclusive Fares, will continue to be offered through Galileo, as well as Worldspan and Apollo GDS from later this year.

“We are delighted to have renewed our deal with Travelport – its extensive global footprint provides us with an efficient distribution channel for our popular low-fares including the Inclusive Fare and Flexi Fare, especially to the managed corporate travel market,” said Andy Hodges, easyJet’s director of sales, distribution and business.

The pair have worked together since 2007 with easyJet recently the launch partner of Travelport’s Aggregated Shopping technology allowing agents to search, price and book fares and ancillaries in their usual workflow.

“Both easyJet and Travelport’s sales teams have worked collaboratively over the course of 2013 to ensure that UK agents are fully aware of the availability of easyJet’s content in Travelport. This, combined with our industry-leading aggregated shopping functionality has led to a doubling of easyJet’s volume through Travelport in the UK last year,” said Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s general manager UK & Ireland.

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easyjet1 web easyJet has updated its app
Travelport renews Pakistan agreement https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-pakistan-agreement/ Thu, 23 Jan 2014 06:54:52 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=202828 The post Travelport renews Pakistan agreement appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Travel Solutions Limited (Travel Solutions) recently renewed their distributor agreement in Pakistan. The new multi-year agreement will witness Travel Solutions continue to distribute Travelport’s Galileo & Worldspan products and services in the country. Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, Travelport said: “Travel Solutions has built a […]

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Front row (L-R): Ali Naqi Taqi, CEO, Travel Solutions and Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport; Back row (L-R): Jennifer D’Souza, regional commercial director, Azam Sultan, Travel Solutions, Shaheen Premani, Travel Solutions
Front row (L-R): Ali Naqi Taqi, CEO, Travel Solutions and Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport; Back row (L-R): Jennifer D’Souza, regional commercial director, Azam Sultan, Travel Solutions, Shaheen Premani, Travel Solutions

Travelport and Travel Solutions Limited (Travel Solutions) recently renewed their distributor agreement in Pakistan. The new multi-year agreement will witness Travel Solutions continue to distribute Travelport’s Galileo & Worldspan products and services in the country.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, Travelport said: “Travel Solutions has built a solid track record in Pakistan, effectively delivering our products and services to the travel agent community, and growing our footprint across the country.”

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Travelport Pak Front row (L-R): Ali Naqi Taqi, CEO, Travel Solutions and Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport; Back row (L-R): Jennifer D’Souza, regional commercial director, Azam Sultan, Travel Solutions, Shaheen Premani, Travel Solutions
Ryanair “in talks with GDS” https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/ryanair-in-talks-with-gds/ Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:27:56 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=202507 The post Ryanair “in talks with GDS” appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Ryanair has confirmed to technology website Tnooz it is in talks with Travelport, Amadeus and Sabre to distribute its fares through travel agencies. The carrier has been previously adamant that it did not want travel agent business, but appears to have changed its mind as it looks to become more friendly and open in its […]

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Ryanair is becoming softer
Ryanair is becoming softer

Ryanair has confirmed to technology website Tnooz it is in talks with Travelport, Amadeus and Sabre to distribute its fares through travel agencies.

The carrier has been previously adamant that it did not want travel agent business, but appears to have changed its mind as it looks to become more friendly and open in its approach.

It is not known if the carrier will choose one or several GDS partners.

Tnooz had picked up on the detail after Ryanair announced its ex-head of sales and marketing for Europe Lesley Kane had now been appointed to head of groups and corporate travel.

In a statement on Ryanair’s website Kane said businesses and group organisers have been asking for products, which will see a groups section added to its homepage.

A new business product with flexible tickets, reserved seating and fast-track at selected airports will be available in the coming weeks.

“I look forward to rolling out Ryanair’s new groups and business product offering in early 2014. Ryanair is continually improving our customer service and has received numerous requests from group organisers and corporate businesses to develop and launch these new exciting products,” said Kane. “From early 2014, groups and business customers will be able to enjoy the added benefits of our tailored products, which will support Ryanair’s passenger growth to over 110 million passengers by 2019.”

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said: “[Kane’s] extensive knowledge of sales and marketing, combined with her considerable experience from her time as head of Ryanair direct will ensure the successful implementation of Ryanair’s new service improvements.”

Rival easyJet introduced GDS sales in 2011 targeting business travellers and eased travel agent bookings further in September 2013.

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Ryanair web Ryanair will launch a share buy-back scheme this month
China eases international GDS rules for air bookings https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-eases-international-gds-rules-for-air-bookings/ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 01:33:54 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=201950 The post China eases international GDS rules for air bookings appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

A select number of Chinese agencies will be able to use international GDS systems

Aviation authorities in China have eased the regulations governing the booking of international airlines using non-Chinese GDS systems. For the first time, a selection of Chinese travel agencies will be able to book the flights of certain international airlines using international GDS providers, including Amadeus and Abacus. Air France, KLM and Lufthansa are among the […]

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A select number of Chinese agencies will be able to use international GDS systems

Aviation authorities in China have eased the regulations governing the booking of international airlines using non-Chinese GDS systems.

For the first time, a selection of Chinese travel agencies will be able to book the flights of certain international airlines using international GDS providers, including Amadeus and Abacus.

A select number of Chinese agencies will be able to use international GDS systems
A select number of Chinese agencies will be able to use international GDS systems for air bookings

Air France, KLM and Lufthansa are among the first international airlines to receive approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to use the international GDS, and will now be bookable through a selected group of travel agencies in Beijing.

This preliminary group of agencies will soon be expanded to include other locations like Shanghai and Guangzhou.

“Implementing a new market wide policy is not without its challenges and we appreciate the CAAC’s efforts to progress the airline applications. In addition to the initial list of approved airlines and travel agents, we have several more that have committed to working with us in the market,” said Bart Tompkins, managing director of Amadeus China.

Abacus International also hailed the move, saying it would give China’s travel trade “a wider choice of carriers and content”.

“This is step change in an already rapidly expanding sector,” said Abacus’ president & CEO, Robert Bailey. “Progress is now being made to include guaranteed automated fares from over 90 foreign airlines operating in China today. The vision of the CAAC in approving these licenses will broaden access to travel products for millions of mainland travellers.”

The latest move follows the CAAC’s decision in 2012 to ease its airline distribution regulations, allowing international GDS providers to sell flights in the country. While the opening will be progressive, it potentially opens up a huge new market to such companies as Amadeus, Abacus and Travelport.

According to IATA, routes within or connected to China will account for 24% of all new global air passenger traffic by 2017, with a total of 227 million additional passengers.

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shutterstock_142527928 A select number of Chinese agencies will be able to use international GDS systems for air bookings
Travelport pens major deal in Australia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-pens-major-deal-in-australia/ Mon, 06 Jan 2014 05:35:42 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=201858 The post Travelport pens major deal in Australia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Pic caption: Travelport's Gordon Wilson signs the deal with Pinpoint's Kirsty Rankin

Travelport has signed a major new agreement with Australia’s Pinpoint Travel Group. The Sydney-based company, which specialises in travel rewards and redemption programmes, as well as operating the Australian holiday programmes for several international airlines, will now use Travelport as its main GDS provider in the Asia region. Travelport, which operates the Galileo, Apollo and […]

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Pic caption: Travelport's Gordon Wilson signs the deal with Pinpoint's Kirsty Rankin
Pic caption: Travelport's Gordon Wilson signs the deal with Pinpoint's Kirsty Rankin
Pic caption: Travelport’s Gordon Wilson signs the deal with Pinpoint’s Kirsty Rankin

Travelport has signed a major new agreement with Australia’s Pinpoint Travel Group.

The Sydney-based company, which specialises in travel rewards and redemption programmes, as well as operating the Australian holiday programmes for several international airlines, will now use Travelport as its main GDS provider in the Asia region.

Travelport, which operates the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS, will also provide Pinpoint with travel technology consultancy services.

“When we were selecting a new GDS partner for Asia, we drew up a list of selection criteria which ranged from technology offered, global reach, industry expertise and commercial value. Travelport stood out amongst other potential solution providers,” explained Kirsty Rankin, CEO of Pinpoint Pty Ltd, the parent company of Pinpoint Travel Group.

“Travel rewards are now a critical component for all types of loyalty programmes,” said Gordon Wilson, president & CEO of Travelport. “It is important for Pinpoint Travel Group to have access to the broadest travel content possible via innovative technology, ensuring their clients’ members enjoy a seamless booking process.

“I am… confident that we can help them deliver on their business goals,” Wilson added.

In addition to operating SIA Holidays and United Vacations in the Australia region, Pinpoint also runs holiday brands such as Freestyle Holidays and Rosie Holidays.

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Gordon and Kirsty Pic caption: Travelport's Gordon Wilson signs the deal with Pinpoint's Kirsty Rankin
Travelport rolls out successful e-volve Middle East ‘13 summit https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-rolls-out-successful-e-volve-middle-east-13-summit/ Wed, 18 Dec 2013 06:11:16 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=201573 The post Travelport rolls out successful e-volve Middle East ‘13 summit appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently concluded its first-ever e-volve Middle East ‘13 summit. The two-day event held at the Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa witnessed attendance from more than 250 travel industry leaders from 21 countries. The summit has discussions and debates on the future direction of the regional travel industry. Other key matters discussed included […]

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An overview of the attendance at the Travelport e-volve Middle East ‘13 summit
An overview of the attendance at the Travelport e-volve Middle East ‘13 summit

Travelport recently concluded its first-ever e-volve Middle East ‘13 summit. The two-day event held at the Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa witnessed attendance from more than 250 travel industry leaders from 21 countries.

The summit has discussions and debates on the future direction of the regional travel industry. Other key matters discussed included the global and regional economic outlook to the future of airline distribution and growing online opportunities.

“The e-volve summit is all about pushing boundaries in order to really think about the future opportunities,” said Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia. “It’s the first time we have brought together so many experts from the Middle East region and beyond, and this event provided the perfect platform to share experiences and best practises, and to be truly innovative.”

Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia for Travelport
Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia for Travelport

Key online players such as Google, cleartrip.com and Gulfstat participated in the event.  As a global event concept, e-volve ’13 has resulted in a dedicated community in the Middle East focussed on sustainable growth of regional travel industry.

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Evolve An overview of the attendance at the Travelport e-volve Middle East ‘13 summit Evolve1 Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Africa, Middle East and South Asia for Travelport
Car rental benefits highlighted by Travelport, Hertz in Saudi Arabia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/car-rental-benefits-highlighted-by-travelport-hertz-in-saudi-arabia/ Wed, 11 Dec 2013 06:45:43 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=201299 The post Car rental benefits highlighted by Travelport, Hertz in Saudi Arabia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has recently tied up with Hertz International in Saudi Arabia. The partnership keeps travel agents updated on latest car rental trends and opportunities. The recent two workshops held in Jeddah and Riyadh witnessed participation from more than 30 travel agencies. The workshops informed agents about ways to maximise their business through the car content […]

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Travel agents attend the Travelport-Hertz International road show
Travel agents attend the Travelport-Hertz International road show

Travelport has recently tied up with Hertz International in Saudi Arabia. The partnership keeps travel agents updated on latest car rental trends and opportunities.

The recent two workshops held in Jeddah and Riyadh witnessed participation from more than 30 travel agencies. The workshops informed agents about ways to maximise their business through the car content available on Travelport’s Global Distribution Systems (GDS).

“Travel content such as car rental is a key part of the Travelport offering, and the workshops help us highlight business opportunities available to travel agents in Saudi Arabia. We are planning to make these events a regular feature in Saudi Arabia – and across the region – in 2014,” said Assita Kone, hospitality business development manager – Middle East, Travelport.

This is the first time both companies have come together to address the travel industry.

Chris Bradley, GSA – Saudi Arabia & Bahrain, Hertz International, said: “Initiatives such as these are designed to boost long-term outbound strategy focusing on key growth channels.”

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Travelport Hertz Travel agents attend the Travelport-Hertz International road show
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-61/ Wed, 11 Dec 2013 04:14:33 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=201279 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Alan Tang

ALAN TANG has been announced as the new chief operating officer of Frasers Hospitality. With 13 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Tang joins the serviced apartment company from GIC Real Estate, where he was senior vice president and head of hospitality. GREG HART has been named as the new executive vice president & chief […]

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Alan Tang
Alan Tang
Alan Tang

ALAN TANG has been announced as the new chief operating officer of Frasers Hospitality. With 13 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Tang joins the serviced apartment company from GIC Real Estate, where he was senior vice president and head of hospitality.

GREG HART has been named as the new executive vice president & chief operations officer for United Airlines. The move marks a promotion for Hart, who was previously the airline’s senior vice president of technical operations. He joined United in 1997.

 

Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson
Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson

PAUL EDGECLIFFE-JOHNSON will take over a chief financial officer of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) on 1 January 2014. He joined the company in August 2004 and has since held a number of senior positions, including CFO of the Europe and Asia, Middle East & Africa regions.

MICHAEL VAN DER ENDE has been appointed as Travelport’s new head of OTAs (online travel agencies) for the Middle East, Africa & India. He joins the company from dnata, where he held the position of B2C manager, and has also worked with lastminute.com and Opodo.

 

Mark Meaney
Mark Meaney

MARK MEANEY has been appointed general manager of the Conrad Centennial Singapore. An Irish national, Meaney has held several management positions in Japan, the US and Ireland in his 17-year hospitality career, most recently as director of operations at the Conrad Tokyo.

SHEIKH MAJID AL MUALLA has been appointed as Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of commercial operations for the airline’s central region, covering the Middle East, Iran and West Asia. He was previously SVP of commercial operations for the Gulf, Middle East & Iran.

 

Alan Glover
Alan Glover

ALAN GLOVER has been named as Etihad Airways’ new sales manager for the Australian states of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. He relocates to Melbourne from his current role as corporate sales manager in Dublin. Glover will start his new role on 1 January 2014.

VIPASIRI NAPAWONGDEE has become the new director of marketing communications for the Okura Prestige Bangkok. Ms Vipasiri began her hospitality career with the Chiva Som International Health Resort in Thailand, and has also worked for Marriott, IHG and Zinc InVision Hospitality.

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Alan Tang Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson Mark Meaney Mark Meaney Alan Glover Alan Glover
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-60/ Mon, 09 Dec 2013 09:22:37 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=201216 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

MICHAEL VAN DER ENDE has been appointed head of OTA (Online Travel Agencies) for the Middle East, Africa and India at Travelport. Michael joins Travelport from dnata Travel (part of the Emirates Group) where he held the position of B2C manager. In his new role, Michael takes on the responsibility of overseeing and driving Travelport’s […]

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MICHAEL VAN DER ENDE
MICHAEL VAN DER ENDE

MICHAEL VAN DER ENDE has been appointed head of OTA (Online Travel Agencies) for the Middle East, Africa and India at Travelport. Michael joins Travelport from dnata Travel (part of the Emirates Group) where he held the position of B2C manager. In his new role, Michael takes on the responsibility of overseeing and driving Travelport’s online business across the region, as the local travel industry increasingly seeks to establish its online presence.

GAVIN GLEESON has been appointed executive chef at Monte-Carlo Beach Club, Saadiyat. He has previously worked at two Michelin-starred restaurants in London and Dublin, and most recently as executive chef at Marco Pierre White’s Wheelers in Dubai.

ASHRAF YASSIN has been appointed group director of human resources and training for Ayla Hotels and Resorts. He brings with him 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Yassin has an extensive background in human resources, training and operations. In his new role, Yassin will provide support and direction for the Ayla’s properties in all aspects of Human Resources and Training.

JONATHAN LAWRENCE has been appointed marketing executive for Reed Travel Exhibitions. Lawrence joins the team from Elsevier in London, where he project managed the launch of a number of new brands. Lawrence’s role within the ATM team will be to focus on website content management, develop and manage social media campaigns, database marketing and managing the photography and videography.

ABBI MODABERI has been appointed marketing executive for Reed Travel Exhibitions. She has worked with Reed Exhibitions since 2009 where her new skills were recognised by the Association of Event Organisers award in 2012 for best use of social media. Modaberi will now take on the added responsibilities of seminar programming, ATM blog-coordination, social media campaign management, developing a travel agents programme and coordinating media and sponsorship relationships.

MONIKA KIRCHER has been appointed to the supervisory board of Austrian Airlines. She is the chief executive officer of Infineon Technologies Austria AG. She succeeds Theresa Jordis, who passed away earlier this year.

KHALID AL ZAROUNI has been appointed country manager for Tanzania at Emirates. He started his career with the airline in 2006 as part of the airline’s successful UAE National Commercial Management Programme. He completed his outstation training in Singapore and was posted as Manager Cyprus in 2009 and Country Manager for Uganda in 2011. Before joining Emirates, Khalid worked in the banking sector for three years.

HUSAIN AL SAFI has been appointed country manager for Zambia at Emirates. In 2007, Al Safi joined Emirates as a commercial trainee and was appointed country manager for Bangladesh in 2009 and a year later for Yemen. Al Safi‘s recent position was country manager for Algeria for nearly a year.

THANI ABDULLA AL ANSARI has been appointed Country Manager for Uganda at Emirates. Thani joined Emirates in 2011 as a commercial trainee where he took on various roles as commercial manager in the UAE, Mumbai and London.

ABDULAZIZ AL HAI has been appointed country manager for Sudan at Emirates.  Abdulaziz started his career with Emirates in 2003 as part of the airline’s UAE national management programme. In 2006, he took on the role of airport manager in various markets: Damascus, Kuwait and three years later in Cairo. Abdulaziz moved from airport services to commercial operations and was appointed as country manager for Tanzania in 2011 for two years.

TARIQ OBAID has been appointed country manager for Algeria at Emirates. Tariq started his career with the Emirates Group in 2007 as a college work placement trainee in flight operations center, where he handled various aircraft and quality audit responsibilities. He progressed to join the Emirates Group’s commercial management program and took on various roles as sales manager in both Libya and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Dammam station, and country manager for Sudan.

AHMED ERSHOOD AL SHEHHI has been appointed general manager for the Republic of Seychelles at Etihad Airways. He replaces Rashed Saif Al Shabi who has taken up the role of general manager in Cyprus. Al Shehhi’s key responsibilities will include driving commercial results and further enhancing strong relationships with the airline’s travel trade and corporate customers in Mahé.

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Micheal MICHAEL VAN DER ENDE
Travelport renews partnership with BCD Winglink Travel https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-partnership-with-bcd-winglink-travel/ Wed, 04 Dec 2013 07:20:09 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=200971 The post Travelport renews partnership with BCD Winglink Travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In an effort to strengthen its market presence, Travelport has renewed relationship with BCD Winglink Travel in Tanzania. The 15-year long partnership coincides with Travelport’s 15th anniversary of its operations in the east African country. As per the new agreement, Travelport will continue to provide BCD Winglink Travel with access to its Galileo distribution platform, […]

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Mark Meehan, Managing Director, Travelport Africa
Mark Meehan, Managing Director, Travelport Africa

In an effort to strengthen its market presence, Travelport has renewed relationship with BCD Winglink Travel in Tanzania. The 15-year long partnership coincides with Travelport’s 15th anniversary of its operations in the east African country.

As per the new agreement, Travelport will continue to provide BCD Winglink Travel with access to its Galileo distribution platform, products and solutions. This includes Travelport Smartpoint search, Agentivity, and Travelport Mobile Agent.

Abeeda Janmohamed, BCD Winglink Travel managing director said: “Over the past 15 years, Travelport has kept us up to date on new developments. I am confident that the current Travelport technology and solutions, as well as those in development, will enable our continued growth.”

Mark Meehan, managing director, Travelport Africa further added: “We look forward to continuing to invest and grow our business in this key east African region.”

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Mark Mark Meehan, Managing Director, Travelport Africa
Tajikistan’s East Air connects to Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tajikistans-east-air-connects-to-travelport/ Fri, 29 Nov 2013 11:32:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=200849 The post Tajikistan’s East Air connects to Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

East Air operates a mix of Boeing and Airbus jets

East Air, the carrier operating out of Tajikistan, has selected Travelport as its first ever GDS partner. A new agreement signed between the two companies will make Dushanbe-based East Air’s content available to Travelport-connect travel agents worldwide. The airline currently operates flights to domestic destinations, as well as services to Kyrgyzstan and Russia. But the […]

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East Air operates a mix of Boeing and Airbus jets
East Air operates a mix of Boeing and Airbus jets
East Air operates a mix of Boeing and Airbus jets

East Air, the carrier operating out of Tajikistan, has selected Travelport as its first ever GDS partner.

A new agreement signed between the two companies will make Dushanbe-based East Air’s content available to Travelport-connect travel agents worldwide.

The airline currently operates flights to domestic destinations, as well as services to Kyrgyzstan and Russia. But the head of East Air, Anatoly Galunov, said the Travelport deal would help drive the airline’s expansion.

“We have ambitious plans to open new routes and increase capacity in the next few years,” Galunov said. “Making our content available to travel agents, through Travelport, is a key part of those plans and will ensure we maximise the investment in our expansion.”

“It is always great to be the first to break new ground, and we are delighted to be part of East Air’s plans for growth,” added Robin Ranken, Travelport’s head of airline relationships for Europe. “2013 has been a great year for our airline relationships as we bring more and more content to our agents, and deliver even greater value to our partners.”

Travelport operates the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems.

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boeing-737-400-east-air-mb-1 East Air operates a mix of Boeing and Airbus jets
Travel Counsellors selects Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travel-counsellors-selects-travelport/ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 07:10:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=200741 The post Travel Counsellors selects Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travel Counsellors has 1,250 agents

Travelport has sealed its first ever global GDS agreement with long-term partner, Travel Counsellors. The multi-year agreement will see Travel Counsellors upgrade to the latest version of the Travelport SmartPoint desktop system, which will be personalised for the company’s 1,250 agents. Travel Counsellors will also use Travelport Mobile Agent, enabling its agents to work from […]

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Travel Counsellors has 1,250 agents
Travel Counsellors has 1,250 agents
Travel Counsellors has 1,250 agents

Travelport has sealed its first ever global GDS agreement with long-term partner, Travel Counsellors.

The multi-year agreement will see Travel Counsellors upgrade to the latest version of the Travelport SmartPoint desktop system, which will be personalised for the company’s 1,250 agents. Travel Counsellors will also use Travelport Mobile Agent, enabling its agents to work from their smartphones.

“This is an exciting proposition for our Travel Counsellors. We are constantly looking at ways to improve and develop our Travel Counsellors’ businesses and Travelport offered technology solutions exactly tailored to our needs,” said Travel Counsellors’ managing director, Steve Byrne.

“The integration of Travelport into our in-house dynamic packaging system has enabled us to offer our Travel Counsellors the most advanced and comprehensive technology in the industry. Importantly, Travelport understands our business and we are delighted to continue our successful collaboration – this time on a global scale,” he added.

Headquartered in the UK, Travel Counsellors has expanded into Australia, South Africa, the Netherlands, Canada, Ireland and the UAE.

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ho_feelingValued Travel Counsellors has 1,250 agents
Tigerair commits to GDS bookings https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tigerair-commits-to-gds-bookings/ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:18:27 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=200492 The post Tigerair commits to GDS bookings appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Tigerair's Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines flights will now be available via the GDS

Tigerair has formed a new partnership with Travelport that will see its fares sold via the GDS for the first time. The two companies have entered into a new distribution partnership that will see Tigerair make its fares and ancillary content available to Travelport-connected travel agents across the world. As part of the agreement, Tigerair […]

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Tigerair's Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines flights will now be available via the GDS
Tigerair's Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines flights will now be available via the GDS
Tigerair’s Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines flights will now be available via the GDS

Tigerair has formed a new partnership with Travelport that will see its fares sold via the GDS for the first time.

The two companies have entered into a new distribution partnership that will see Tigerair make its fares and ancillary content available to

Travelport-connected travel agents across the world. As part of the agreement, Tigerair will also become the first airline from the Asia Pacific region to adopt the GDS provider’s aggregated shopping technology, which forms part of the Travelport Merchandising Platform.

This will allow Tigerair to drive more ancillary product sales through the GDS channel, including checked-in bags, pre-allocated seating and meals.

Speaking to Travel Daily today, Kanesh Avili, Tigerair’s commercial director, said the Travelport tie-up would help the airline boost its travel trade business.

“Currently about 15% of our business comes from travel agents,” Avili said, but he added that the booking process for agents was “cumbersome” as it takes them out of their workflow to book through the Tigerair website.

“In future we expect to about 25% of our business to come through the GDS,” he added. Avili also revealed that the strength of travel agency bookings in Tigerair’s new markets of Indonesia and the Philippines was a major influencing factor in the decision to move on to the GDS platform.

And Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services in Asia Pacific, agreed that the Aggregated Shopping functionality would streamline agent processes when making Tigerair bookings.

“Most solutions out there require travel agents to go outside their workflow. Aggregate Shopping will include [Tigerair’s] fares in the main display, allowing them to be featured alongside full-service carriers,” Hickey told Travel Daily.

He added that the technology would also offer low-cost carriers “more flexibility” in the way they can sell products via the GDS, pulling content directly from the airlines’ website, rather than having them upload fares and inventory.

The Tigerair group currently comprises four separate regional carriers: Tigerair Singapore, Tigerair Mandala (Indonesia), Tigerair Philippines and Tigerair Australia. Through the new agreement, content from the three Asia-based airlines will be bookable by Travelport-connected agents, although Avili said that he expects Tigerair Australia to join at a later date. Travelport operates the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems.

“For fast-growing no-frills carriers like Tigerair, it’s critical that we offer a highly flexible approach, which may be very different to more established approaches, but which allows them to distribute exactly how they chose to,” added Hickey.

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New_DSC_6251 Tigerair's Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines flights will now be available via the GDS
Latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/latest-industry-appointments-2/ Mon, 25 Nov 2013 06:06:59 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=200435 The post Latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

BRUCE HANNA has been appointed country manager for Saudi Arabia at Travelport. Hanna – based in Jeddah – takes over from Ghulam Al Balooshi, who has been acting as interim general manager of Travelport in the Kingdom since September 2012.  He brings with him over 20 years’ experience with Travelport.  In his new role, Hanna […]

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BRUCE HANNA
BRUCE HANNA

BRUCE HANNA has been appointed country manager for Saudi Arabia at Travelport. Hanna – based in Jeddah – takes over from Ghulam Al Balooshi, who has been acting as interim general manager of Travelport in the Kingdom since September 2012.  He brings with him over 20 years’ experience with Travelport.  In his new role, Hanna is responsible for all Galileo-related commercial activity in the Kingdom, which includes managing existing customer relationships and new business opportunities.

SARA ALI
SARA ALI

SARA ALI has been appointed director of human resources at Troon Golf Abu Dhabi.  She will oversee all associates and human resource processes for Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. In her role, Sara will be responsible for all associates resourcing, training and development at two of the golf clubs.

FAROOQ PAYARA has been promoted to director of sales and revenue at Ramada Downtown Dubai. As the hotel’s former revenue and e-commerce manager, Payara is now tasked with planning and execution of sales strategies to maximise revenue, managing sales activities, and analysis of sales and financial data. He is also responsible for ensuring top-quality customer service including interaction with guests, and building relationships with key stakeholders.

GERHARD HECKER
GERHARD HECKER

GERHARD HECKER has been appointed general manager at Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai. In his new capacity, he will oversee all daily operations of the 492 hotel rooms, serviced apartments and private residences. He moved to Dubai from Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta, where he also held the position of general manager.

DAVID EDWARDS
DAVID EDWARDS

DAVID EDWARDS has been appointed executive vice president to lead the growing business of the corporate jet arm – Qatar Executive. He will be responsible for guiding all strategic, commercial and operational aspects of the airline’s private jet division. In his new role, Edwards will focus on strengthening the division’s footprint in existing key markets such as Middle East, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), but also forge ahead in emerging markets of Africa and Asia.

ROBERTO HLACA
ROBERTO HLACA

ROBERTO HLACA has been appointed vice president – sales, marketing & strategy for Qatar Executive. In his new role, Hlaca will re-shape Qatar Executive’s sales and marketing strategies by launching new business initiatives and developing new growth markets to meet the company’s set targets. Prior to his new role at Qatar Executive, Hlaca was vice president, on demand sales at Vistajet and responsible for spearheading the company’s commercial growth.

CAPTAIN PETER RESTING
CAPTAIN PETER RESTING

CAPTAIN PETER RESTING has been appointed vice president – flight operations at Qatar Executive. In his new role Resting’s primary responsibility is to ensure the safe operation of Qatar Executive’s aircraft. This also includes scheduling and recruiting of Flight Deck Crew. Resting’s background includes director of flight operations for Execujet Europe.

RUPERT HOGG
RUPERT HOGG

RUPERT HOGG has been appointed chief operating officer at Cathay Pacific. He will take on the position with effect from March 2014. Hogg will at the same time become a director of Cathay Pacific. He takes over in the role from Ivan Chu, who, as announced in August 2013, will become Cathay Pacific’s chief executive.

SHADI KARAMEH
SHADI KARAMEH

SHADI KARAMEH has been appointed director of sales and marketing at Grand Millennium Dubai. He joins the hotel from the Dubai sales office of the Raffles Praslin – Seychelles where he was the assistant director of sales for two years.

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Bruce BRUCE HANNA Sarah SARA ALI Gerard GERHARD HECKER David DAVID EDWARDS Roberto ROBERTO HLACA Peter CAPTAIN PETER RESTING Rupert RUPERT HOGG Shadi SHADI KARAMEH
Travelport secures HK Airlines content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-secures-hk-airlines-content/ Wed, 13 Nov 2013 01:58:21 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=199966 The post Travelport secures HK Airlines content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

HK Airlines has selected Travelport as its "preferred GDS"

Travelport has signed a new content agreement with Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways. Effective immediately, the agreement provides Travelport-connected agents worldwide with access to the fares of both airlines. The two carriers have also selected Travelport as their preferred GDS in Hong Kong, meaning agents will receive exclusive promotions. “We are extremely […]

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HK Airlines has selected Travelport as its "preferred GDS"
HK Airlines has selected Travelport as its "preferred GDS"
HK Airlines has selected Travelport as its “preferred GDS”

Travelport has signed a new content agreement with Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways.

Effective immediately, the agreement provides Travelport-connected agents worldwide with access to the fares of both airlines. The two carriers have also selected Travelport as their preferred GDS in Hong Kong, meaning agents will receive exclusive promotions.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome both Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways as Travelport’s newest airline partners. These agreements are testament to our commitment to delivering unrivalled travel content to our global travel agency customers, whilst helping to grow bookings on both airlines via Travelport’s GDS platforms,” said Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services in Asia Pacific.

Part of the HNA Group, Hong Kong Airlines operates scheduled passenger services to 10 destinations in China and Vietnam, while Hong Kong Express Airways offers services to nine destinations in China, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand.

“We look forward to working with Travelport to deliver our service offering to more travel agents worldwide and to continue to grow our business in the Asia Pacific,” said Jiang Yu Tao, deputy director of Hong Kong Express and Hong Kong Airlines.

Travelport operates the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems.

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A320 HK Airlines has selected Travelport as its "preferred GDS"
Travelport profits rise in Q3 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-profits-rise-in-q3/ Thu, 07 Nov 2013 00:58:51 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=199728 The post Travelport profits rise in Q3 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport's president & CEO, Gordon Wilson

Travelport has posted a strong set of results for the third quarter of the year, with rising revenues and profits. The technology company, which operates the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS, generated adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) of US$128 million in the three months to 30 September 2013, up 5% compared […]

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Travelport's president & CEO, Gordon Wilson
Travelport's president & CEO, Gordon Wilson
Travelport’s president & CEO, Gordon Wilson

Travelport has posted a strong set of results for the third quarter of the year, with rising revenues and profits.

The technology company, which operates the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS, generated adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) of US$128 million in the three months to 30 September 2013, up 5% compared to the same period in 2012. This was driven by a 5% increase in revenue, which reached US$511m.

“We have delivered 5% growth in both revenue and adjusted EBITDA for the quarter,” said Travelport’s president & CEO, Gordon Wilson. “We look to the future with confidence.”

The quarterly 5% growth was mirrored in the company’s year-to-date results. In the first three quarters of 2013, Travelport’s revenue grew 5% to almost US$1.6 billion, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 5% to US$408m.

An agreement with United Airlines contributed approximately US$27m of the company’s net revenue in the nine-month period, while Travelport said it had also “gained significant momentum” with its air merchandising platform, adding several new low-cost carriers. It also delivered a new Japanese GDS for Japan Airlines.

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Gordon Wilson Travelport's president & CEO, Gordon Wilson
New airline business drives continued Travelport growth https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/new-airline-business-drives-continued-travelport-growth/ Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:24:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=199725 The post New airline business drives continued Travelport growth appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

An increase in low-cost carriers and ancillary products available on Traveport’s GDS has enabled the technology company to see an increase in revenue and EBITDA in its third quarter results. The travel technology company said a greater momentum in its merchandising platform for airlines has driven a 5% increase in net revenue to US$511m and […]

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Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson

An increase in low-cost carriers and ancillary products available on Traveport’s GDS has enabled the technology company to see an increase in revenue and EBITDA in its third quarter results.

The travel technology company said a greater momentum in its merchandising platform for airlines has driven a 5% increase in net revenue to US$511m and adjusted EBITDA up 5% to US$128m.

Gordon Wilson, CEO of Travelport told Travel Daily this is the 10th consecutive quarter of growth in the average transaction value and expects this will continue to grow.

“We’ve been showing steady growth that has been driven by the growth in our ‘Beyond Air’ products such as hospitality, ancillaries and our eNett payment capability,” he explained. “I’m proud of what we are doing what we said we would [and grow]; I am very confident about our future.”

More low-cost carriers are due to join the company’s GDS by the end of the year with Wilson saying more airlines are understanding how product availability can help boost profits.

These ancillary sales will also be introduced into Travelport’s ViewTrip app and expects ancillary sales to soar in the next 12-18 months.

Emerging regions such as Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe are seeing the largest growth, while in the UK there are signs of recovery in both the business and leisure sectors.

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Gordon_Wilson_4_size295049Kb b Gordon Wilson
Travelport expands African footprint https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-expands-african-footprint/ Wed, 06 Nov 2013 07:20:37 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=199697 The post Travelport expands African footprint appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has continued to expand its footprint across Africa with the launch of business operations in Somalia. The company has appointed Euro Africa Services as its distributor in the country.  Travelport is now present in 48 African countries, with more in the pipeline. Under the terms of the new agreement, Euro Africa Services will have […]

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Mark Meehan, managing director for Travelport Africa
Mark Meehan, managing director for Travelport Africa

Travelport has continued to expand its footprint across Africa with the launch of business operations in Somalia. The company has appointed Euro Africa Services as its distributor in the country.  Travelport is now present in 48 African countries, with more in the pipeline.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Euro Africa Services will have exclusive rights to distribute Travelport’s Galileo technology and services in Somalia, providing travel agencies in the region with access to extensive global travel content, technology as well as customer support and training.

“The new operations in Somalia form a key part of our continuing Africa expansion strategy,” said Mark Meehan, managing director for Travelport Africa. “Somalia has a major growth potential and we feel that this is the right time to make a significant investment in this region.”

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Travelport Somalia Mark Meehan, managing director for Travelport Africa
Online travel in Saudi Arabia to exceed US$1.9bn in 2014 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/online-travel-in-saudi-arabia-to-exceed-us1-9bn-in-2014/ Mon, 04 Nov 2013 06:27:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=199589 The post Online travel in Saudi Arabia to exceed US$1.9bn in 2014 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Recent study by Travelport suggests that the online travel industry in Saudi Arabia is developing at a rapid rate with online bookings expected to exceed US$1.9bn in 2014. “The online travel industry across the whole of the Middle East is growing at an unprecedented rate, and significant growth we are witnessing in Saudi Arabia is […]

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Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport
Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport

Recent study by Travelport suggests that the online travel industry in Saudi Arabia is developing at a rapid rate with online bookings expected to exceed US$1.9bn in 2014.

“The online travel industry across the whole of the Middle East is growing at an unprecedented rate, and significant growth we are witnessing in Saudi Arabia is further testament to this,” said Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport.

The research also shows rapid development of Saudi Arabia’s travel industry as a whole, estimating that by 2014 the country’s travel trade will be worth US$11.4bn compared to US$9.8bn in 2011.

To support the continuous development of Saudi Arabia’s online and traditional travel sectors, Travelport has unveiled its key business priorities for 2014. The company will focus on new technology showcase such as the Travelport Smartpoint 3.0. Simultaneously, the company will also continue the roll-out of Travelport Merchandising Platform and the Travelport Universal API.

“This year, we have continued to grow our footprint across Saudi Arabia and through our solid product and business stagey in 2014, we will continue to develop our regional presence and address ever evolving needs of our customers,” added Saab

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Travelport Saudi Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-53/ Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:12:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=199450 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Catherine Lee

CATHERINE LEE has been named as the new vice president of sales & marketing – China, for Dusit Fudu Hotels & Resorts. A Singapore national, Ms Lee has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry with several international hotel groups. Dusit Fudu is Dusit International’s new joint venture in China. DR MARVIN […]

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Catherine Lee
Catherine Lee
Catherine Lee

CATHERINE LEE has been named as the new vice president of sales & marketing – China, for Dusit Fudu Hotels & Resorts. A Singapore national, Ms Lee has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry with several international hotel groups. Dusit Fudu is Dusit International’s new joint venture in China.

DR MARVIN CHEUNG KIN-TUNG has had his tenure as chairman of Hong Kong’s Airport Authority (AA) extended for one more year, until May 2015. Dr Cheung, who has headed up the AA since early 2007, will also step into the role of CEO, following Stanley Hui Hon-chung’s decision to step down from July 2014.

Bret Kidd
Bret Kidd

BRET KIDD has been appointed vice president & general manager of airline IT solutions at Travelport. Kidd joins Travelport from Stratos Management Systems, an IT services firm that he co-founded.  Previously, he held a variety of executive positions at EDS/HP, including projects in the travel sector.

ALLAN YANG has become Destination NSW’s new business development manager for China. Based in Chengdu, Yang brings more than seven years’ experience to the role. The appointment forms part of the ‘NSW China Tourism Strategy 2012-20′, which is aimed at increasing the Australian state’s marketing in China.

MALCOLM WELLS has been named as the new chairman of Business Events Tasmania. A professor in the Faculty of Business at the University of Tasmania, Wells also serves as deputy chairman at Destination Southern Tasmania, chairman of the National Parks Advisory Committee and principal of his own consultancy.

Irra Malik
Irra Malik

IRRA MALIK has become the new general manager of the Alila Villas Soori in Bali. Ms Malik has 17 years’ experience and joined Alila in 2009 as resident manager at Alila Villas Soori. She has now been promoted to general manager. She has also worked for Ritz-Carlton, IHG and Hyatt.

ALASTAIR DAVIDSON has been announced as the new hotel manager of the Alila Ubud in Bali. With more than 20 years of hotel experience, Davidson has worked at properties in the Maldives, India, Australia and Fiji. He joins Alila Ubud from Alila Diwa Goa in India where he served as executive assistant manager.

JOSHUA TORAI has been appointed hotel manager of the Kemang Icon hotel in Jakarta. A new addition to the Alila Hotels & Resorts team, Torai has previously worked at hotels in the Turks & Caicos, Seychelles, Dubai and Europe, including spells with Amanresorts, Atlantis Palm Jumeirah and Shangri-La.

HUYNH MY LINH has been announced as IHG’s new area director of human resources for Vietnam. Ms Linh has more than 20 years of hospitality experience, both in HR and hotel management roles. She previously worked for Accor and joined IHG in 2011 as director of HR at InterContinental Hanoi Westlake.

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Catherine Lee Catherine Lee Bret Kidd Irra Malik Irra Malik
Industry snippets https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/industry-snippets-3/ Wed, 23 Oct 2013 06:18:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=199137 The post Industry snippets appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport opens Abu Dhabi office Travelport recently opened its Abu Dhabi office signifying the growth potential of the region. The new office is in Shining Tower, Khalidia. The inauguration witnessed participation from 50 Travelport industry partners. Ghulam Al Balooshi, Travelport’s commercial director for Saudi Arabia and the UAE said: “This new office is an important […]

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Travelport inaugurates new office
Travelport inaugurates new office

Travelport opens Abu Dhabi office

Travelport recently opened its Abu Dhabi office signifying the growth potential of the region. The new office is in Shining Tower, Khalidia. The inauguration witnessed participation from 50 Travelport industry partners.

Ghulam Al Balooshi, Travelport’s commercial director for Saudi Arabia and the UAE said: “This new office is an important investment for us. The travel industry in the UAE capital is continuing to develop at a rapid rate and this brings significant opportunities for the GDS industry.”

Launch of book on ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’
Launch of book on ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’

Dubai Culture unveils book on ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’

The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) recently unveiled a specially-commissioned book on the evolution of the ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’. The book pays tribute to the evolution of UAE’s theatre industry, and the role that Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre has played in the wider performing arts landscape.

Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara goes Pink
Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara goes Pink

Eastern Mangroves goes pink

Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara in a bid to support the Breast Cancer Awareness month has gone pink this month. Anantara has sold out charity events and secured the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Hissa bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan to speak at its Pink Luncheon. In the first week of the month-long charity initiative, Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa raised AED 4,500.

Hong Kong's Wine and Dine Festival
Hong Kong’s Wine and Dine Festival

Gourmet showcase in Hong Kong

The New Central Harbour Front in Hong Kong will play host to the forthcoming annual Wine and Dine Festival. The event is scheduled to be held from 31 October to 3 November and is expected to attract over 150,000 food enthusiasts. The festival will feature 280 wine and food booths.

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Travelport AD Travelport inaugurates new office Dubai Book Launch of book on ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’ Eastern Pink Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara goes Pink Hong Kong Food Hong Kong's Wine and Dine Festival
The latest industry appointments https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/the-latest-industry-appointments-50/ Wed, 16 Oct 2013 09:33:21 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=198888 The post The latest industry appointments appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Ken Freer

KEN FREER has been appointed to the newly-created role of director of global marketing for Tourism Fiji. Freer has more than 15 years of experience in Auckland, Sydney, Los Angeles and London. Most recently he served as Tourism New Zealand’s regional marketing communications manager in the UK. CARSTEN LIMA has been named as Design Hotels’ […]

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Ken Freer
Ken Freer
Ken Freer

KEN FREER has been appointed to the newly-created role of director of global marketing for Tourism Fiji. Freer has more than 15 years of experience in Auckland, Sydney, Los Angeles and London. Most recently he served as Tourism New Zealand’s regional marketing communications manager in the UK.

CARSTEN LIMA has been named as Design Hotels’ new area director for Asia Pacific. With 20 years’ experience, Lima joins the company from at Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), where he served as head of sales worldwide. He has also worked for Thomas Cook, British Airways and Epoque Hotels.

Islahudin Abdullah
Mohamad Islahudin Abdullah

MOHAMAD ISLAHUDIN ABDULLAH has been announced as Travelport’s new general manager for Malaysia. With more than 12 years’ experience in the travel and automotive industries, Islahudin joins from Abacus Malaysia, where he spent 10 years in a range of senior management positions.

BRANDON CHAN has become the new director of sales & marketing – Asia Pacific, for Design Hotels. Chan has considerable experience in the hotel industry, having held sales and marketing positions with companies including Starwood, Hyatt, Raffles, Shangri-La, Meritus and, most recently, Alila.

Roland Steiner
Roland Steiner

ROLAND STEINER has been appointed general manager of the Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace. He moves to the hotel from the Crowne Plaza Beijing Park View Wuzhou, where he was also GM. Steiner will continue in his other role as IHG’s director of operations for central-north China.

JON BOURBAUD has taken over as general manager of the Bagan Lodge in Myanmar. Bourbaud brings almost two decades of hotel experience to the newly-opened resort, including spells with Accor in Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam. Most recently he was GM of La Veranda Resort in Phu Quoc.

CHRISTOPH TROCKER has been named as the new executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin in Thailand. An Austrian national, Chef Christoph has more than 19 years of culinary experience. He joined Hyatt in 2009 firstly with Grand Hyatt Shenzhen and then at Hyatt on the Bund, Shanghai.

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Ken Freer Ken Freer Islahudin Abdullah Mohamad Islahudin Abdullah Roland Steiner Roland Steiner
Jazeera Airways, Travelport ink global content partnership https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/jazeera-airways-travelport-ink-global-content-partnership/ Tue, 08 Oct 2013 06:11:25 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=198579 The post Jazeera Airways, Travelport ink global content partnership appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Jazeera Airways recently renewed their global full content agreement. The new agreement will ensure Travelport GDS users have accessible content from the airline in Kuwait. In addition to the new content deal, Jazeera Airways will also subscribe to Travelport Sponsored Flights Advertising™*, a tool which enables carriers to place flights in a separate […]

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Will Owen Hughes, Travelport’s senior director, supplier services, Middle East and Africa
Will Owen Hughes, Travelport’s senior director, supplier services, Middle East and Africa

Travelport and Jazeera Airways recently renewed their global full content agreement. The new agreement will ensure Travelport GDS users have accessible content from the airline in Kuwait.

In addition to the new content deal, Jazeera Airways will also subscribe to Travelport Sponsored Flights Advertising™*, a tool which enables carriers to place flights in a separate area for optimum visibility. This new initiative can promote new destinations or expanded service on existing routes.

“This new agreement will enable Jazeera Airways to continue building on its strong partnership with the industry across the region. Having a solid distribution strategy is a key element in continuing our strategic growth across the Middle East,” said Rafiq Boghdady, VP sales at Jazeera Airways.

Elaborating further Will Owen Hughes, Travelport’s senior director, supplier services, Middle East and Africa said: “Working with low-cost carriers is a key part of our business strategy and this enhanced agreement will allow Jazeera Airways to take full advantage of Travelport’s global reach.”

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Jaz Trav Will Owen Hughes, Travelport’s senior director, supplier services, Middle East and Africa
Travelport launches Universal API in Asia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-universal-api-in-asia/ Wed, 02 Oct 2013 02:42:49 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=198225 The post Travelport launches Universal API in Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Patrick Andres

Travelport has launched a new tool in Asia, allowing developers to use its content to develop new apps and solutions. The Travelport Universal API (Application Programming Interface) aggregates content from the GDS, accommodation providers, low-cost carriers, rail suppliers and ancillary services through a single connection. This enables developers to gain access to multiple content sources […]

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Patrick Andres
Patrick Andres
Patrick Andres

Travelport has launched a new tool in Asia, allowing developers to use its content to develop new apps and solutions.

The Travelport Universal API (Application Programming Interface) aggregates content from the GDS, accommodation providers, low-cost carriers, rail suppliers and ancillary services through a single connection.

This enables developers to gain access to multiple content sources by writing code for only one solution, reducing the time required to launch new travel apps. Travelport said the API is available to “developers and companies that want to build or expand their commercial business from creating next generation travel applications and tools”.

Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president & regional managing director for Asia Pacific, said; “We are delighted to launch the Travelport Universal API in Asia as developers in this region see the value in this unique technology which helps them develop innovative new travel apps quickly and efficiently.”

Travelport Universal API is part of the Travelport Developer Network – a programme which supports the developer community to build applications using Travelport technology. Following the Asia launch, the API is now available in more than 90 countries.

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Patrick Andres Patrick Andres
Corporate travellers expect visas and vaccinations – study https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/corporate-travellers-expect-visas-and-vaccinations-study/ Wed, 18 Sep 2013 07:39:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=197600 The post Corporate travellers expect visas and vaccinations – study appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

41% of business travellers expect information on vaccinations as part of their corporate travel programmes

Visas and vaccinations top the list of additional information business travellers expect to receive from their corporate travel programmes, a new study has found. A joint report by Travelport and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) found that visa information (59%), immunisations (41%) and weather forecasts (40%) are the most important to business travellers, […]

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41% of business travellers expect information on vaccinations as part of their corporate travel programmes
41% of business travellers expect information on vaccinations as part of their corporate travel programmes
41% of business travellers expect information on vaccinations as part of their corporate travel programme

Visas and vaccinations top the list of additional information business travellers expect to receive from their corporate travel programmes, a new study has found.

A joint report by Travelport and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) found that visa information (59%), immunisations (41%) and weather forecasts (40%) are the most important to business travellers, ahead of city maps (37%), restaurants (25%) and entertainment options (10%).

Extra baggage and hotel Wi-Fi are the most commonly authorised corporate travel ancillary expenses, at 57% each, with advance boarding (45%), hotel breakfast (45%) and flight upgrades (39%) also proving popular. Of those surveyed, 26% of corporations allow no ancillaries to be booked for corporate travel trips.

“We are seeing the range of destination services and ancillary options grow increasingly more complex,” said Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s regional director for the UK & Ireland. “Within the ancillary mix, it becomes further segmented by organisations offering options such as upgrades and lounge access only to select groups of employees.

“Travellers’ needs are evolving and ‘Generation Y’ now expects customised content, intelligent itineraries and easily bookable ancillary content,” he added.

The study also found that while mobile is becoming an increasingly important part of the corporate travel process, three quarters (75%) the corporations surveyed said they still don’t have a mobile policy as part of their corporate travel programme. The majority of these however, said they intend to develop a mobile policy in the future.

Overall, 39% of companies provide employees with a mobile device, with BlackBerrys and iPhones the most approved mobile devices for business travellers.

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shutterstock_153071240 41% of business travellers expect information on vaccinations as part of their corporate travel programme
Industry snippets https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/industry-snippets-2/ Wed, 18 Sep 2013 05:45:59 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=197588 The post Industry snippets appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jet Airways, Travelport renew content agreement Travelport recently announced the renewal of its multi-year renewal content agreement with Jet Airways and Jet Lite. Both airlines operate nearly 550 flights to 72 destinations within India and overseas. Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales and services, APAC, said: “We are excited about regional opportunities […]

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Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales and services, APAC
Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales and services, APAC

Jet Airways, Travelport renew content agreement

Travelport recently announced the renewal of its multi-year renewal content agreement with Jet Airways and Jet Lite. Both airlines operate nearly 550 flights to 72 destinations within India and overseas. Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales and services, APAC, said: “We are excited about regional opportunities in India as the airline industry continues to recover steadily. We look forward to supporting the airline in their evolving distribution needs.”

Gulf Air boosts religious channels
Gulf Air boosts religious channels

Gulf Air adds more religious channels

Gulf Air has added a suite of new religious channels to its in-flight entertainment. This initiative is in line with catering to its passengers travelling for Hajj. The airline has added a new video channel featuring full 30 chapters of the Holy Quran – including all 114 Surahs – in both Arabic and English, a step-by-step ‘how to’ guide for Hajj and Umrah in four different languages and  a special Dua’a channel.

HACCP Certification
HACCP Certification

Two Rotana Dubai properties attain HACCP certification

Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana were recently certified for the HACCP System. This was achieved within six months of the hotel’s opening. HACCP is an internationally recognized system which helps identifying and evaluating potential food safety hazards and associated risks. HACCP principles help to monitor food and beverage operations and focus on critical parts to ensure safety of foods. The certification was handed to Mark McCarthy, general manager, Maric Van Duijvenbode, executive assistant manager, Aamir Rasool, HACCP team leader and the rest of HACCP Committee members.

O Cacti Dubai
O Cacti Dubai

O Cacti opens in Dubai

A new addition to Dubai multi-cuisine arena was the opening of O Cacti. The new Latin-themed restaurant and cocktail bar recently opened at Pier 7, Marina Mall lake view. The fine dining restaurant offers a diversified menu of authentic Mexican cuisine. Signature dishes are served by Chef Marco Abed who is soon to receive his Michelin star. The restaurant has a total capacity of 220 people as well as performances from international DJ’s and Latino bands.

Etihad rolls out new schedule for Sao Paulo Etihad Airways unveiled new timings for its daily service between São Paulo and Abu Dhabi. Starting 27 October to 19 December, flights will depart from Sao Paulo at 7.15 pm (Brazil Local time), and from 20 December onwards, flights will depart at 11.15 pm. The airline offers 3,360 seats per week between Abu Dhabi and São Paulo. The airline will continue to operate ultra-long range Airbus A340-500 aircraft on the route, seating 240 passengers in a three-class cabin – 12 in First Class, 28 in Business Class, and 200 in Economy Class.

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Jet Travel Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales and services, APAC GF Religious Gulf Air boosts religious channels HACCP HACCP Certification O Cacti O Cacti Dubai
transavia signs up to Travelport platform https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/transavia-signs-up-to-travelport-platform/ Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:29:24 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=197542 The post transavia signs up to Travelport platform appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

European low-cost carrier transavia.com has signed up to use Travelport’s Merchandising Platform. The agreement means travel agents using Travelport’s GDS will be able to see the carrier’s information in the same booking flow as traditional carriers and allows for ancillary bookings such as pre-booked baggage. “Signing up for Travelport’s aggregated shopping technology is an important […]

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transavia
transavia is a new European low-cost carrier

European low-cost carrier transavia.com has signed up to use Travelport’s Merchandising Platform.

The agreement means travel agents using Travelport’s GDS will be able to see the carrier’s information in the same booking flow as traditional carriers and allows for ancillary bookings such as pre-booked baggage.

“Signing up for Travelport’s aggregated shopping technology is an important step for us and I’m confident it will enable us to achieve our European growth ambitions.  Quite simply, it makes booking our low fares much easier for travel agents as they’ll be displayed alongside more traditional air content,” said the airline’s chief commercial officer Roy Scheerder.

Jet2.com and Norwegian are also using the Aggregated Shopping tool.

Transavia is a new low-cost airline based in the Netherlands and France.

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Transavia web transavia is Air France KLM's new focus
Travelport renews contract with Jet Airways https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-contract-with-jet-airways/ Fri, 13 Sep 2013 09:43:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=197368 The post Travelport renews contract with Jet Airways appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travel distribution leader Travelport has renewed its contract with Indian carrier Jet Airways. The deal, which covers Jet and its subsidiary Jet Lite, will continue the current arrangement for the next few years. Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services, APAC, said, “We are delighted that the Jet Airways Group has […]

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Jet Airways
Jet has recently signed new codeshare agreements too

Travel distribution leader Travelport has renewed its contract with Indian carrier Jet Airways.

The deal, which covers Jet and its subsidiary Jet Lite, will continue the current arrangement for the next few years.

Damian Hickey, Travelport’s vice president of global distribution sales & services, APAC, said, “We are delighted that the Jet Airways Group has extended its global partnership with Travelport and we’re also excited about the regional opportunities in India as the airline industry continues to recover steadily following some recent instability. We look forward to working collaboratively with both Jet Airways and Jet Lite over the coming years, and supporting their evolving distribution needs as modern airlines operating in a highly competitive environment.”

Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways added: “We are pleased to extend our agreement with Travelport as they have consistently provided us with superior services and innovative technology to efficiently deliver Jet Airways Group’s offerings to travel agents globally.”

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Jet Airways web Jet Airways' home base is in Maharashtra
Travelport and AXESS deliver new GDS https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-and-axess-deliver-new-gds/ Fri, 13 Sep 2013 04:28:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=197338 The post Travelport and AXESS deliver new GDS appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Leading distribution management provider Travelport has announced a milestone in its agreement with Japanese partner AXESS, delivering a new global distribution system (GDS) to the market. AXESS, which is owned by Japan Airlines, is now in the final stages of its schedule to roll out the new GDS in early October. The new system will […]

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Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signs the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network
Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signing the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network in April

Leading distribution management provider Travelport has announced a milestone in its agreement with Japanese partner AXESS, delivering a new global distribution system (GDS) to the market.

AXESS, which is owned by Japan Airlines, is now in the final stages of its schedule to roll out the new GDS in early October.

The new system will be powered by Travelport and is to be available purely to AXESS connected agents.

Richard Roberts vice president emerging markets at Travelport, who headed the project, told Travel Daily Asia that: “We have spent the last two years building an AXESS GDS system in the Travelport hosting environment. AXESS is Japan’s leading GDS and what we are effectively doing is moving and hosting the AXESS GDS and applications to the Travelport data centre.

We are delighted to announce the delivery of our new AXESS host system

We’ve spent the last two years building out and replicating the GDS AXCESS already had and adding functionality and features, thus enhancing their offering and complying with the local ticketing and IATA regulations.”

Japan Airlines, which was in bankruptcy when this deal was originally announced, is now publishing far stronger results – emulating the economic resurgence of Japan itself.

Hoshiko Nakano, president & CEO for AXESS said: “We are delighted to announce the delivery of our new AXESS host system. AXESS understands that the airline and travel industry businesses are changing, and, as the bridge of these industries, this requires the GDS to also transform. Assuring global capability and cutting-edge products is crucial for AXESS to maintain its leading position in the GDS industry.

“https://twitter.com/Travelport/statuses/378315978884780032

“By leveraging Travelport’s innovative technology, AXESS will continue to invest in new products and solutions as well as further enhancing our current offerings to be able to deliver more value to both airlines and travel agencies. It is always our motto to be Japan’s best GDS partner.”

The GDS, which is being demoed at today’s Japan JATA event is a huge step forward for the industry, added Roberts, outlining the new features and the possibilities.

“One of the main features we’ve added is our fares and shopping engine, which is very sophisticated and has obvious appeal. We also have a broader range of content, which means AXESS will be extending its capabilities within that regard.

This is going to give AXESS a strong and competitive position within their marketplace. Considering they have Japan Airlines as a parent, they have huge potential to enter new and exciting parts of the market; there are talks about the corporate customer sphere as well merchandising, which they don’t currently offer. Then there are possibilities for low cost carrier content as well as rail.

“It’s a very positive roadmap of activity.”

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Travelport-JAL Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signing the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network in April
Jet Airways renews Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/jet-airways-renews-travelport-deal/ Thu, 12 Sep 2013 12:05:23 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=197322 The post Jet Airways renews Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jet Airways

Indian carrier Jet Airways has renewed its content agreement with Travelport. The renewal also includes the airline’s subsidiary JetLite and will see their up-to-date route information and fares on the GDS. “We are delighted that the Jet Airways Group has extended its global partnership with Travelport and we’re also excited about the regional opportunities in […]

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Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet has signed new codeshare agreements too

Indian carrier Jet Airways has renewed its content agreement with Travelport.

The renewal also includes the airline’s subsidiary JetLite and will see their up-to-date route information and fares on the GDS.

“We are delighted that the Jet Airways Group has extended its global partnership with Travelport and we’re also excited about the regional opportunities in India as the airline industry continues to recover steadily following some recent instability,” said Travelport’s VP of global distribution sales and services APAC Damian Hickey.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with both Jet Airways and Jet Lite over the coming years, and supporting their evolving distribution needs as modern airlines operating in a highly competitive environment,” he added.

Jet Airways has also announced codeshare agreements with Kenya Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and Vietnam Airlines.

The country’s directorate general of civil aviation gave the move the thumbs up last week, allowing for implementation within the next two months.

 

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Jet Airways web Jet Airways' home base is in Maharashtra
Travelport renews Lebanon partnerships https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-lebanon-partnerships/ Thu, 29 Aug 2013 05:18:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=196662 The post Travelport renews Lebanon partnerships appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has renewed its long-term distribution agreements for Galileo and Worldspan GDS platforms in Lebanon.  Under the new multi-year deals, Gate 7 and Travelport-Lebanon will continue to distribute Travelport products to the Lebanese travel industry.  Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said: “Both companies have continued to build on solid […]

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Travelport has renewed its long-term distribution agreements for Galileo and Worldspan GDS platforms in Lebanon. 

Travelport Lebanon
Travelport Lebanon

Under the new multi-year deals, Gate 7 and Travelport-Lebanon will continue to distribute Travelport products to the Lebanese travel industry.  Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said: “Both companies have continued to build on solid track record in Lebanon, effectively growing our footprint across the region.”

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Lebanon Travelport Lebanon
Travelport expands operations in Iraq https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-expands-operations-in-iraq/ Thu, 22 Aug 2013 06:03:23 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=196359 The post Travelport expands operations in Iraq appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has continued its Middle East expansion with the opening of a new office in Erbil. The new office underlines importance of Iraq as an important investment region for Travelport.  Rabih Saab, president and MD, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said: “This new commercial operation further solidifies our presence in the region and brings a […]

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Travelport has continued its Middle East expansion with the opening of a new office in Erbil. The new office underlines importance of Iraq as an important investment region for Travelport. 

Travelport sets up Iraq office
Travelport sets up Iraq office

Rabih Saab, president and MD, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said: “This new commercial operation further solidifies our presence in the region and brings a higher level of support to our travel agents in Erbil and neighbouring regions.”

In Iraq, Travelport is officially represented by Rawat Al Hajer Co. To mark the new opening, Rawat Al Hajer Co, along with Travelport team organized a product road show in Erbil. The event witnessed Travelport showcase its suite of solutions with an emphasis on Travelport Smartpoint App.

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Erbil 1 Travelport sets up Iraq office
Travelport partners with Let’s Go Travel https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-partners-with-lets-go-travel/ Wed, 14 Aug 2013 06:15:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=195908 The post Travelport partners with Let’s Go Travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has renewed its partnership with Uniglobe Let’s Go Travel in Kenya. The new three-year contract emphasises the confidence of the local industry continues in Travelport’s product offering.  Under the new agreement, Uniglobe Let’s Go Travel will continue to benefit from the products such as Smartpoint search and booking tool, Agentivity – the business intelligence […]

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Travelport has renewed its partnership with Uniglobe Let’s Go Travel in Kenya. The new three-year contract emphasises the confidence of the local industry continues in Travelport’s product offering. 

Mark Meehan, Managing Director, Travelport Africa
Mark Meehan, Managing Director, Travelport Africa

Under the new agreement, Uniglobe Let’s Go Travel will continue to benefit from the products such as Smartpoint search and booking tool, Agentivity – the business intelligence suite and Travelport Mobile Agent.

Allan Dixson, managing director, Uniglobe Let’s Go Travel said: “Travelport understands our business and the technology solutions provide critical, hands-on support.”

The new agreement follows several recent launches of a direct Travelport operation for travel agents in Nairobi.

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Mark Mark Meehan, Managing Director, Travelport Africa
Travelport revenues up 7% https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-revenues-up-7/ Wed, 07 Aug 2013 13:22:46 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=195666 The post Travelport revenues up 7% appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Leading travel industry service provider Travelport has published its figures for the first six months of 2013 revealing its revenue is up 7% year-on-year (y-o-y). The company also revealed its bottom line figure had increased by 5% after renewing contracts with major airlines including Delta Air Lines and signing up new carriers including Jet2.com and […]

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Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson

Leading travel industry service provider Travelport has published its figures for the first six months of 2013 revealing its revenue is up 7% year-on-year (y-o-y).

The company also revealed its bottom line figure had increased by 5% after renewing contracts with major airlines including Delta Air Lines and signing up new carriers including Jet2.com and Norwegian Air.

“We are very satisfied with these results,” Travelport CEO Gordon Wilson told Travel Daily. “This is a mature industry and there is a lot going on within the global economy – both good and bad – so all things considered these are not a bad set of results at all.”

The company’s renewal of Delta Air Lines – the biggest airline in the world by passengers carried – was also a major positive for Travelport, in a year in which the US market shrunk by 1%.

“To be able to tell our customers we’ve got Delta – which includes all of its fares, content and new products like Economy Comfort – is very significant,” explained Wilson.

“The US is our biggest market and the biggest travel market in the world. The region is undergoing a trend of airline consolidation right now where carriers are making their money by making fewer seats available for higher prices and that has an impact. There are fewer seats to sell, so fewer transactions and the outcome has been a decline in the US market.

The company saw gains in other regions including 10% growth in Canada, outperforming market growth by 3%, after making significant investments in the country with the country’s national carrier Air Canada.

There were also significant growth in developing regions including Africa, South America and Eastern Europe Wilson added.

“Africa grew by 16% which is a huge increase,” he continued. “In the last 18 months we’ve expanded into 10 or 12 countries in Africa and although those markets are quite small it’s a burgeoning market place. We grew in South America by 14% too, which is a region where we’ve traditionally underpunched. We’re a small player there but are now starting to take strides.

“Eastern Europe was another huge growth area. Russia has a rapidly expanding middle class and we are benefiting from that. Overall the region grew by 10% however our growth was in the region of 24%.”

“We are coming out of a cycle now where we’ve been investing heavily over the last couple of years in new platforms and we’re really beginning to see the benefits. This is aligned to a geographical investment in people, which is reflecting in our figures. We are very bullish about the future.”

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Gordon_Wilson_4_size295049Kb b Gordon Wilson
Travelport extends deal with Singapore Airlines https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-extends-deal-with-singapore-airlines/ Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:09:44 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=194890 The post Travelport extends deal with Singapore Airlines appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Singapore Airlines has created a stopover hoiliday

Travel industry service provider Travelport has extended its global content agreement with Singapore Airlines. The technology means that Singapore Airline’s rates and availability will be available in real-time to Travelport-connected agents. “Singapore Airlines is a world leading airline carrier and we are delighted to extend our agreement with them in order to maximise their reach […]

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Singapore Airlines has created a stopover hoiliday
Singapore Airlines has extended its agreement
Singapore Airlines has extended its agreement

Travel industry service provider Travelport has extended its global content agreement with Singapore Airlines.

The technology means that Singapore Airline’s rates and availability will be available in real-time to Travelport-connected agents.

“Singapore Airlines is a world leading airline carrier and we are delighted to extend our agreement with them in order to maximise their reach to global travelers by incorporating

Travelport’s leading technology. This new agreement is also a win for our travel agency partners who we are committed to delivering unrivalled content and improving efficiencies wherever possible,” said Simon Ferguson, UK & Ireland Regional Director for Travelport.

Travelport agents have access to the details of over 430 airlines.

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Travelport enhances flight searches https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-enhances-flight-searches/ Tue, 23 Jul 2013 07:14:42 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=194770 The post Travelport enhances flight searches appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced the global launch of its new ‘Search Control Console’, designed to help travel agents search for flights more easily. The new application is a web-based solution enabling travel agents to search for flights in real-time via the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems, while controlling more than 35 rules and parameters to […]

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Travelport Search Control Console
Travelport Search Control Console

Travelport has announced the global launch of its new ‘Search Control Console’, designed to help travel agents search for flights more easily.

The new application is a web-based solution enabling travel agents to search for flights in real-time via the Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan GDS systems, while controlling more than 35 rules and parameters to fine tune the results, according to the needs of the customer.

For example, agents can use the Search Control Console to eliminate particular transit airports that offer a poor customer experience, or prohibit a connection point for a set time period if the area has been affected by a natural disaster, such as a volcanic ash cloud. Agencies can also modify searches within the application in order to meet certain airline sales targets.

Travelport said the application would also “remove the burden of labor-intensive ‘intelligence coding’, or the need to continually send instructions to frontline sales staff”.

“The Search Control Console is testimony to our commitment to intelligent search and investing in technology solutions that are important now and in the future. We are convinced our travel agency customers will see the value in this highly efficient tool as it really does enable them to offer an enhanced customer experience,” said Reginald Warlop, Travelport’s vice president for fares, search & GDS cores.

The Travelport Search Control Console application is now available to all Apollo-, Galileo- and Worldspan-connected travel agencies worldwide.

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5 Travelport Search Control Console
Travelport extends airline agreements https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-extends-airline-agreements/ Mon, 22 Jul 2013 11:06:13 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=194711 The post Travelport extends airline agreements appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

El Al

Travelport has signed new content agreements with two airlines as it continues to boost selling opportunities for travel agents. Israeli airline El Al has added the sale of ancillary services to the company’s GDS in a new multi-year agreement such as excess baggage, unaccompanied minor and sport equipment. Meanwhile Azul Brazilian Airlines has opened up […]

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El Al
El Al
El Al has signed a new contract with Travelport

Travelport has signed new content agreements with two airlines as it continues to boost selling opportunities for travel agents.

Israeli airline El Al has added the sale of ancillary services to the company’s GDS in a new multi-year agreement such as excess baggage, unaccompanied minor and sport equipment.

Meanwhile Azul Brazilian Airlines has opened up its bookings to agents based outside of Brazil. The airline’s content is now directly available through Travelport’s GDS platforms alongside interline and check-in capabilities.

“We are delighted to build on our IT relationship with Travelport by making our content available to Travelport non-Brazilian travel agents. Travelport’s extensive global footprint provides us with an efficient distribution channel for distributing abroad our attractive low fares,” said Marcelo Bento, planning and alliances director at Azul Brazilian Airlines.

“We are focused on the distribution of our fares through distribution channels that provide broad reach on a cost-effective basis for our end travellers,” he added.

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El AL crop El Al has signed a new contract with Travelport
Worldspan goes mobile https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/worldspan-goes-mobile/ Sun, 21 Jul 2013 01:49:55 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=194615 The post Worldspan goes mobile appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport Mobile Agent

Travelport has launched its mobile GDS solution for Worldspan. The new Travelport Mobile Agent tool will enable all travel agents connected to the Worldspan GDS to access and modify bookings via their iPad, iPhone or Android devices. This marks the third and last Travelport GDS now connected to the mobile solution, following the earlier roll-out […]

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Travelport Mobile Agent
Travelport Mobile Agent
Travelport Mobile Agent

Travelport has launched its mobile GDS solution for Worldspan.

The new Travelport Mobile Agent tool will enable all travel agents connected to the Worldspan GDS to access and modify bookings via their iPad, iPhone or Android devices. This marks the third and last Travelport GDS now connected to the mobile solution, following the earlier roll-out of Travelport Mobile Agent for Gailieo and Apollo.

“Travelport Mobile Agent ensures travel agents can be competitive in a 24/7 industry that demands highly responsive customer service,” said said Simon Ferguson, managing director for Travelport UK & Ireland.

“Since its launch in October 2011 the application has been downloaded over 1,700 times in the UK and I have no doubt that this application will be just as successful in the Worldspan regions,” he added.

Travelport Mobile Agent was developed by TTS (Travel Technology & Solutions) and has now been downloaded more than 21,000 times since its launch in 2011.

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Mobile agent Travelport Mobile Agent
Travelport moves to new HK HQ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-moves-to-new-hk-hq/ Fri, 19 Jul 2013 06:11:45 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=194564 The post Travelport moves to new HK HQ appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has moved into its new headquarters in Hong Kong. Located in the Kwun Tung district of the city, the new office sits above the APM shopping centre and Kwun Tung MTR Station. It will provide approximately 30% more space than old office, reflecting the growth of the travel technology company’s Hong Kong team. It […]

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Patrick Andres (centre) celebrates the opening of the new office with Eric Kam (left) and Sunil Nanda (right)
Patrick Andres (centre) celebrates the opening of the new office with Eric Kam (left) and Sunil Nanda (right)

Travelport has moved into its new headquarters in Hong Kong.

Located in the Kwun Tung district of the city, the new office sits above the APM shopping centre and Kwun Tung MTR Station. It will provide approximately 30% more space than old office, reflecting the growth of the travel technology company’s Hong Kong team. It will also feature new training facilities designed for travel agency customers visiting the office to attend Travelport seminars.

“Hong Kong is one of Travelport’s key regions in the Asia Pacific. Our growing team of engaged, motivated and customer-focused individuals will continue to provide exceptional service to our Galileo and Worldspan customers. We will also continue to work closely with and support our valued long-term partner, TicTas, who have been managing Travelport’s Worldspan GDS in Hong Kong since 2003,” said Patrick Andres, the company’s vice president and regional managing director for Asia Pacific.

Travelport has been in Hong Kong for more than 20 years now and currently employs more than 50 people.

The new headquarters was officially launched on Thursday with a grand opening party attended by approximately 100 of the company’s trade partners and customers.

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Travelport Eric Kam_Patrick Andres_Sunil Nanda Patrick Andres (centre) celebrates the opening of the new office with Eric Kam (left) and Sunil Nanda (right)
Will mobile bridge the business travel gap? https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/will-mobile-bridge-the-business-travel-gap/ Wed, 10 Jul 2013 15:07:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=194126 The post Will mobile bridge the business travel gap? appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

It appears that booking and managing travel through mobiles could help encourage business travellers to stick to travel policies, if two recent reports are to go by. As reported by Travel Daily yesterday, 87% of companies have not tried to reign in travel that is booked direct and not compliant to their policy, despite the […]

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More bookings are expected to be made through mobiles
More bookings are expected to be made through mobiles

It appears that booking and managing travel through mobiles could help encourage business travellers to stick to travel policies, if two recent reports are to go by.

As reported by Travel Daily yesterday, 87% of companies have not tried to reign in travel that is booked direct and not compliant to their policy, despite the fact 62% were against the idea.

Now another report by PhoCusWright and Travelport has suggested that continued corporation cut-backs and a demand for more online bookings will change patterns and that mobile could perhaps be the bridge that makes it work.

This will predominantly be driven by the next influx of business travellers who are increasingly using mobiles in all aspects of their lives. Travelport’s mobile application has seen more downloads in the UK than other regions and as such bookings using the method are set to increase.

The ‘consumerisation’ of mobile apps means travellers are still able to book themselves but could come in the form of the travel management company that its employers uses. With the right tools and content, it could help to steer bookings in the right direction while not being seen to push.

“Online booking trends are significantly evolved, as is the use of mobile to ‘consumerise’ the business traveller experience. Travelport Mobile Agent has achieved more downloads in the UK than any other location, and low-cost carriers such as easyJet are now regularly booked alongside traditional scheduled carriers in the GDS, through Travelport Aggregated Shopping,” said Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s UK & Ireland regional director.

Sales in the managed European travel sector has increased 4.4% to EUR38.9 billion (US$49.8bn, GBP33.4bn) with online TMCs expecting to see a 16% rise in online bookings this year. Europe’s total travel sector currently sits at GBP187bn (US$278bn) a year and cold each GBP197bn (US$293bn)in 2014.

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business mobile sml Marriott will allow mobile check-in from next month
Travelport and Al Badie Travel Agency ink deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-and-al-badie-travel-agency-ink-deal/ Tue, 25 Jun 2013 10:53:27 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=193438 The post Travelport and Al Badie Travel Agency ink deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a multi-year global distribution system (GDS) deal with Al Badie Travel Agency in Abu Dhabi. Under the new agreement, Al Badie Travel Agency will gain access to Travelport’s Smartpoint App – a search and booking tool – as well as Rapid Reprice, Travelport’s revenue management tool. To ensure a smooth transition, Travelport […]

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Travelport has signed a multi-year global distribution system (GDS) deal with Al Badie Travel Agency in Abu Dhabi.Travelport

Under the new agreement, Al Badie Travel Agency will gain access to Travelport’s Smartpoint App – a search and booking tool – as well as Rapid Reprice, Travelport’s revenue management tool.

To ensure a smooth transition, Travelport has also carried out training for more than 30 of the travel agency’s staff, the company said.

“We are confident that Travelport has the right technology tools and support structure to meet all of our GDS requirements,” said Hassan El Diasty, general manager, Al Badie Travel Agency. “We have selected them as a partner because we believe that they understand our business and can provide critical, hands-on support. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship over the coming years.”

“Abu Dhabi is an important focus for Travelport in the Middle East, and our hands-on, customer-centric approach is clearly paying off,” said Ghulam Al Balooshi, director, lower Gulf, Travelport. “We appreciate the trust that Al Badie Travel Agency has placed in us and we’re fully committed to meeting all of their current and future travel technology needs, as Travelport continues to grow its presence in the region.”

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Travelport
Travelport renews Vietnam deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-vietnam-deal/ Tue, 25 Jun 2013 00:03:22 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=193413 The post Travelport renews Vietnam deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Pictured (from left): Nguyen Thi My Hau and Luu Thanh Trong of Galileo Vietnam, Allan So, Regional Business Development Director of Travelport, Tran Do Uyen Tram of Galileo Vietnam, Patrick Andres, Vice President & Regional Managing Director Asia Pacific for Travelport, Pham Van Hien, Chairman of Galileo Vietnam, Le Dinh Nghia of Galileo Vietnam, and Nguyen Thanh Long, General Manager Galileo Vietnam.

Travelport has signed a new multi-year distribution partnership with Galileo Vietnam. The agreement, which marks an extension of the previous contract, sees Galileo Vietnam continue as the national distributor of Travelport’s technology in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The renewal was marked by a signing ceremony and gala dinner held at the Legend Hotel in Ho […]

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Pictured (from left): Nguyen Thi My Hau and Luu Thanh Trong of Galileo Vietnam, Allan So, Regional Business Development Director of Travelport, Tran Do Uyen Tram of Galileo Vietnam, Patrick Andres, Vice President & Regional Managing Director Asia Pacific for Travelport, Pham Van Hien, Chairman of Galileo Vietnam, Le Dinh Nghia of Galileo Vietnam, and Nguyen Thanh Long, General Manager Galileo Vietnam.
Pictured (from left): Nguyen Thi My Hau and Luu Thanh Trong of Galileo Vietnam, Allan So, Regional Business Development Director of Travelport, Tran Do Uyen Tram of Galileo Vietnam, Patrick Andres, Vice President & Regional Managing Director Asia Pacific for Travelport, Pham Van Hien, Chairman of Galileo Vietnam, Le Dinh Nghia of Galileo Vietnam, and Nguyen Thanh Long, General Manager Galileo Vietnam.
Pictured (from left): Nguyen Thi My Hau and Luu Thanh Trong of Galileo Vietnam, Allan So, regional business development director of Travelport, Tran Do Uyen Tram of Galileo Vietnam, Patrick Andres, vice president & regional managing director Asia Pacific for Travelport, Pham Van Hien, chairman of Galileo Vietnam, Le Dinh Nghia of Galileo Vietnam, and Nguyen Thanh Long, General Manager Galileo Vietnam.

Travelport has signed a new multi-year distribution partnership with Galileo Vietnam.

The agreement, which marks an extension of the previous contract, sees Galileo Vietnam continue as the national distributor of Travelport’s technology in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

The renewal was marked by a signing ceremony and gala dinner held at the Legend Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, attended by airlines, travel agencies and other dignitaries. It follows 10 years of partnership between Galileo Vietnam and Travelport, during which time it has added 500 travel agencies to Travelport’s network in the region.

“The travel industry in this region is expected to experience stronger growth in the years to come as a result of increased disposable income and improved living standards,” said Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president & regional managing director for Asia Pacific. “Travelport could not be more pleased to continue the successful working relationship we have with Galileo Vietnam during these exciting times of change. Their commitment to outstanding service in delivering our technology and services to the local travel agent community makes them a key partner in the region and an excellent representative of the Travelport group.”

Pham Van Hien, chairman of Galileo Vietnam, added; “Our vision at Galileo Vietnam is to provide our customers with the best solutions in technology and services across aviation, hospitality and tourism. In utilising the Galileo GDS, many of the airlines we have worked with have reduced their distribution costs by 80%. We look forward to continuing our work with Travelport.”

Galileo Vietnam was established in 2002 and is the sole representative of Travelport in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It currently operates six offices in the region.

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Travelport renews agreement with Galileo Vietnam Pictured (from left): Nguyen Thi My Hau and Luu Thanh Trong of Galileo Vietnam, Allan So, Regional Business Development Director of Travelport, Tran Do Uyen Tram of Galileo Vietnam, Patrick Andres, Vice President & Regional Managing Director Asia Pacific for Travelport, Pham Van Hien, Chairman of Galileo Vietnam, Le Dinh Nghia of Galileo Vietnam, and Nguyen Thanh Long, General Manager Galileo Vietnam.
Travelport launches Emirates’ Inspire Me travel application https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-emirates-inspire-me-travel-application/ Fri, 21 Jun 2013 09:08:10 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=193281 The post Travelport launches Emirates’ Inspire Me travel application appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Emirates have launched Emirates’ Inspire Me travel application on the Emirates website, tinyurl.com/Emirates-Inspire-Me. For consumers who want to travel but have no preconceived destinations in mind, the application aims to provide an easy-to-navigate graphical map of the world and an expansive range of inspirational search capabilities to narrow down the ideal destination and […]

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Travelport and Emirates have launched Emirates’ Inspire Me travel application on the Emirates website, tinyurl.com/Emirates-Inspire-Me.

For consumers who want to travel but have no preconceived destinations in mind, the application aims to provide an easy-to-navigate graphical map of the world and an expansive range of inspirational search capabilities to narrow down the ideal destination and desired travel experience.

Selections are based on personal preferences and Emirates’ global route network.

“We’re comTravelportLogomitted to helping Emirates inspire their global travellers,” said Derek Sharp, president and managing director, Global Distribution Sales & Services and Airline IT Solutions for Travelport.

“Travelport’s own initiatives are founded on one guiding principle: choice. Choice ignites the travel supply chain, and it liberates travelers to search, book and enjoy travel in new ways. The new Emirates Inspire Me application epitomizes what Travelport is bringing to the global travel industry through increased search capabilities, customisation and control. This is what we aspire to do for all travel service providers to help them compete and prosper.”

According to Sharp, “Today’s travelers want to engage with travel solutions as they would any other technology or application. They expect to navigate options easily, comparison shop and customise their preferences. They also have a hunger for the latest mobile technology, which is why Travelport-facilitated leisure travel planning integrates with smartphone and tablet devices. With the addition of inspirational search capabilities, and real-time pricing and availability, travel planning and searching morphs to a whole new level that Emirates now offers on their website.”

Fare caching technology in use by many online travel service providers stores data from searches already generated by website visitors, and causes search quality to be highly variable. In contrast, Travelport’s proprietary mapping and search technology for the Emirates Inspire Me application infuses real-time availability and pricing into the process to ensure the best possible experience for both Emirates and its customers.

Travelport engineered the Inspire Me application so that Emirates customers can easily explore the airline’s global destinations in all-new ways, and become inspired by diverse trip ideas presented through a graphical interface that fully complements the look and feel of the emirates.com website.

The application presents a map of the world as a backdrop, and guides consumers through a process that begins with selecting desired travel dates, world regions, continents or countries. Choices also include a desired climate, and a broad selection of destination types, from the beach, to shopping and indulging in the city, safaris, nature and scenery, history and culture, and backpacking.

“This application embraces a full spectrum of online travel search advances that are changing the travel experience,” Sharp added. “The evolution and art of search are reliant on dependable, flexible, accurate and highly relevant choices – all fundamental to Travelport’s strategy. Airline websites, in fact any travel website, must provide a great shopping experience by delivering a range of compelling options to convert lookers into bookers, and drive revenue.”

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Travelport offers Oman Air seat selection https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-offers-oman-air-seat-selection/ Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:04:56 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=193088 The post Travelport offers Oman Air seat selection appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Oman Air have signed a new deal that will offer extra seat selection functionality for travel agents.  Agents using the Galileo and Worldspan GDS will now be able to use Travelport’s new ‘Interactive Seat Assignment’ functionality, which allows agents to request seat maps and assign, change or cancel specific seats in real time. […]

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Travelport and Oman Air have signed a new deal that will offer extra seat selection functionality for travel agents. 

Travelport's seat selection software
Travelport’s seat selection software

Agents using the Galileo and Worldspan GDS will now be able to use Travelport’s new ‘Interactive Seat Assignment’ functionality, which allows agents to request seat maps and assign, change or cancel specific seats in real time.

“Seat maps and advance seat assignments are becoming basic expectations amongst travel agents,” added Will Owen Hughes, senior director, supplier services, Middle East and Africa, Travelport. “Our systems make seat selection easier thereby reducing costs.”

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Travelport Oman Travelport's seat selection software
Travelport launches Document Producer Plus https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-document-producer-plus/ Sun, 16 Jun 2013 08:53:30 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=192962 The post Travelport launches Document Producer Plus appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Dubai

Travelport recently launched its cost efficient solution Travelport Document Producer Plus especially catering to Middle East and Africa agents.  The new solution aids agents to generate professional, fully-branded travel documentation including itineraries, fare quotes, and booking confirmations directly from the Galileo GDS platform. “Producing accurate, professional, and fully branded travel documentation is a key part […]

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Dubai

Travelport recently launched its cost efficient solution Travelport Document Producer Plus especially catering to Middle East and Africa agents. 

Dubai
Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport

The new solution aids agents to generate professional, fully-branded travel documentation including itineraries, fare quotes, and booking confirmations directly from the Galileo GDS platform.

“Producing accurate, professional, and fully branded travel documentation is a key part of any travel agent’s business,” commented Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport. “Our new solution takes the effort and error out of this process, enabling travel agents to deliver comprehensive itineraries within a shorter period.”

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Travelport Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport
Travelport integrates hotel content with TravelSky https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-integrates-hotel-content-with-travelsky/ Thu, 13 Jun 2013 04:51:25 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=192738 The post Travelport integrates hotel content with TravelSky appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Simon Nowroz

Travelport has completed the integration of its ‘Galileo RoomMaster’ hotel content into TravelSky, the Chinese GDS platform. TravelSky-connected agents will now receive access to Travelport’s GDS hotel content via Galileo RoomMaster, which connects to the internal reservations systems of more than 90,000 hotels worldwide. As a result, around 7,000 Chinese travel agents will now have […]

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Simon Nowroz
Simon Nowroz
Simon Nowroz

Travelport has completed the integration of its ‘Galileo RoomMaster’ hotel content into TravelSky, the Chinese GDS platform.

TravelSky-connected agents will now receive access to Travelport’s GDS hotel content via Galileo RoomMaster, which connects to the internal reservations systems of more than 90,000 hotels worldwide. As a result, around 7,000 Chinese travel agents will now have the ability to search for and book this hotel content, and receive instant confirmations.

“We are delighted to have successfully delivered Galileo RoomMaster hotel content into TravelSky’s distribution platform. This marks an important milestone as we continue to work closely together, strengthening our long-term partnership. This is a major step forward in enabling broader access to our travel content in this fast changing travel market,” said Simon Nowroz, Travelport’s president & managing director of emerging markets.

The integration marks a milestone in the partnership between the two companies, which was first announced back in October 2011.

“Through this cooperation, our agents now have both the technology and content capability to increase additional revenue and commission earned through hotel bookings. We expect customers can book hotels in the same way as booking air tickets, and we want to enhance customers’ experience in booking overseas hotels. We anticipate a growth in our hotel revenue and look forward to continue working closely with Travelport in the years to come to provide more choice to both our agents and the end travellers,” said Rong Gang, executive vice president of TravelSky.

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Simon Nowroz – comp Simon Nowroz
Travelport launches mobile solution in Asia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-mobile-solution-in-asia/ Wed, 12 Jun 2013 03:08:54 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=192663 The post Travelport launches mobile solution in Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president and regional managing director for Asia Pacific

Travelport has launched its mobile solution, Travelport Mobile Agent, in several Asian markets. Travel agents in Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan using the Galileo GDS platform are now able to download Travelport Mobile Agent. The new solution allows users to access and modify bookings via their iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch or Android […]

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Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president and regional managing director for Asia Pacific
Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president and regional managing director for Asia Pacific
Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president and regional managing director for Asia Pacific

Travelport has launched its mobile solution, Travelport Mobile Agent, in several Asian markets.

Travel agents in Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan using the Galileo GDS platform are now able to download Travelport Mobile Agent. The new solution allows users to access and modify bookings via their iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch or Android devices. The application will also be launched for Asian Worldspan GDS users on 15 July.

“Travelport Mobile Agent is an incredibly useful tool for travel agencies and their travel agents that want to be competitive in an industry that never sleeps, where immediate response and customer service are a must for business success,” said Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president and regional managing director for Asia Pacific.

“We have had so much success with this solution in other regions and I have no doubt that this application will be just as successful in Asia, where mobile technology adoption is one of the highest in the world,” he added.

The mobile solution has already been deployed in the Americas, Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Pacific region, and has been downloaded more than 19,000 times since July 2012.

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Patrick Andres Patrick Andres, Travelport’s vice president and regional managing director for Asia Pacific
Travelport unveils investment plans in Egypt https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-unveils-investment-plans-in-egypt/ Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:24:49 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=192346 The post Travelport unveils investment plans in Egypt appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Egypt

Travelport recently gathered industry leaders in Cairo to unveil its investment plans, as it pointed to predicted recovery in the country’s tourism sector.  According to a study co-sponsored by Travelport and Pho-CusWright, the travel industry in Egypt is set to start recovering in the near future, with the tourism sector predicted to grow from US$5.1bn […]

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Egypt

Travelport recently gathered industry leaders in Cairo to unveil its investment plans, as it pointed to predicted recovery in the country’s tourism sector. 

Egypt
Travelport unveils investment plans in Egypt

According to a study co-sponsored by Travelport and Pho-CusWright, the travel industry in Egypt is set to start recovering in the near future, with the tourism sector predicted to grow from US$5.1bn in 2012 to US$5.9bn in 2014.

As such, Travelport has emphasised its focus on Egypt as a strategic investment region by unveiling a robust business strategy for the country. Specifically, in the next 18 months Travelport will introduce a range of new products to Egypt’s travel trade such as two new products – Document Producer Plus and Rapid Reprice the revenue management tool. The other aspects will be enhanced customer service and focus on mobile and online technologies. The company will continue to invest in mobile and online technologies to complement existing products such as Travelport Mobile Agent.

Tarek Bassiouny, general manager, Egypt, Travelport said: “In recent years, Travelport has made a significant investment in Egypt in terms of products, services, and our team – and we remain positive about the future of the local travel industry.”

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Travelport Egypt Travelport unveils investment plans in Egypt
Shams Abu Dhabi Travels strengthens Travelport partnership https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/shams-abu-dhabi-travels-strengthens-travelport-partnership/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/shams-abu-dhabi-travels-strengthens-travelport-partnership/#respond Tue, 28 May 2013 07:39:39 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=191904 The post Shams Abu Dhabi Travels strengthens Travelport partnership appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport

Travelport and Shams Abu Dhabi Travels have jointly announced their partnership with the signing of a new multi-year global distribution system (GDS) agreement.  Under the new deal, Shams Abu Dhabi Travels will continue to use the Smartpoint search and booking tool and Travelport e-Tracker. As part of the new agreement, the agency has also chosen […]

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Travelport

Travelport and Shams Abu Dhabi Travels have jointly announced their partnership with the signing of a new multi-year global distribution system (GDS) agreement. 

Travelport
Travelport signs partnership agreement with Shams Abu Dhabi Travels

Under the new deal, Shams Abu Dhabi Travels will continue to use the Smartpoint search and booking tool and Travelport e-Tracker. As part of the new agreement, the agency has also chosen to use Travelport Rooms and More to drive their non-air bookings.

“Having worked with Travelport for several years now, we know that they have the right technology and support to meet all our requirements. Travelport understand our business, their technology solutions provide critical, hands-on support,” said Aris Abdul Azeez, general manager, Shams Abu Dhabi Travels.

Adding further Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said: “Abu Dhabi remains an important focus for Travelport in the Middle East.”

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Travelport profits dip in Q1 https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-profits-dip-in-q1/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-profits-dip-in-q1/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 05:51:21 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=153819 The post Travelport profits dip in Q1 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport experienced a slight drop in profits for the first quarter of 2013. The travel technology company, which operates the Galileo and Worldspan GDS, posted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$121 million for the first three months of the year, 2% less than Q1 2013. This followed a marginal dip in […]

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Gordon Wilson, President & CEO of Travelport
Gordon Wilson, President & CEO of Travelport

Travelport experienced a slight drop in profits for the first quarter of 2013.

The travel technology company, which operates the Galileo and Worldspan GDS, posted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$121 million for the first three months of the year, 2% less than Q1 2013. This followed a marginal dip in revenue to US$548m, although operating profits climbed 5% to US$69m.

Announcing the results, Travelport said the loss of a contract with United Airlines contributed approximately US$25m to the drop in revenue. Were it not for this, Travelport’s revenue would have climbed 4% and its EBITDA would have risen 14%.

RevPas increased 6% year-on-year, including 20% growth in hospitality, payment processing and services revenue.

“We are today reporting… a significantly strengthened Travelport group balance sheet following April’s successful refinancing,” said Gordon Wilson, president & CEO of Travelport. “We continue to deliver on our growth strategy and the successful development of our business with increased hospitality, payment processing and services revenue, as evidenced by the leap in RevPas for the period, which exceeded our expectations. We look forward to the future with growing confidence.”

Travelport’s net debt at the end of Q1 2013 stood at US$3.22 billion.

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Travelport Smartpoint App launches https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-smartpoint-app-launches/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-smartpoint-app-launches/#comments Sun, 31 Mar 2013 08:21:24 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=150262 The post Travelport Smartpoint App launches appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced the launch of Travelport Smartpoint Application for the Worldspan Go! Desktop for Middle East and South Africa travel agents. The new app reduces training needs and improves agents’ productivity and customer service. The application enhances graphical user interfaces to speed up reservation process, reduce call handling time and improve the agent user experience. […]

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Travelport announced the launch of Travelport Smartpoint Application for the Worldspan Go! Desktop for Middle East and South Africa travel agents.

The new app reduces training needs and improves agents’ productivity and customer service. The application enhances graphical user interfaces to speed up reservation process, reduce call handling time and improve the agent user experience.

Rabih Saab, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said: “The Travelport Smartpoint App is easy to install, it becomes operational fast and, provides intelligent system translation capabilities. This technology strengthens agents’ assets, while allowing them to work efficiently.”

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Key Saudi agencies strengthen relationship with Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/key-saudi-agencies-strengthen-relationship-with-travelport/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/key-saudi-agencies-strengthen-relationship-with-travelport/#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:36:06 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=150090 The post Key Saudi agencies strengthen relationship with Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In an effort to establish its footprint further in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Travelport has announced continuation of its long-term relationships with three major travel agencies in the country – Asfar Travel, Transcontinents and Roibek Travel.  The new contract strengthens business relationship between Travelport and the agencies – with Transcontinents and Roibek Travel […]

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In an effort to establish its footprint further in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Travelport has announced continuation of its long-term relationships with three major travel agencies in the country – Asfar Travel, Transcontinents and Roibek Travel. 

Travelport stregthens Saudi relationships

The new contract strengthens business relationship between Travelport and the agencies – with Transcontinents and Roibek Travel renewing their contract for another three years, and Asfar for five.

The renewed agreements will ensure that Asfar Travel, Transcontinents and Roibek Travel continue to benefit from Travelport’s regional expertise and technological solutions.

Rabih Saab, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport, said: “We have been able to build momentum in Saudi Arabia and gain the trust of travel agencies.”

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Travelport extends its reach to Tunisia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-extends-its-reach-to-tunisia/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-extends-its-reach-to-tunisia/#comments Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:45:21 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=149181 The post Travelport extends its reach to Tunisia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport is extending its footprint in Africa with a new distributor operation in Tunisia.  The news follows the appointment of SIR Tunisie SARL as Travelport’s new partner in Tunisia and means that Galileo products and services will become available in the country with immediate effect. SIR Tunisie SARL will distribute the Galileo GDS platform to […]

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The post Travelport extends its reach to Tunisia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport is extending its footprint in Africa with a new distributor operation in Tunisia. 

The news follows the appointment of SIR Tunisie SARL as Travelport’s new partner in Tunisia and means that Galileo products and services will become available in the country with immediate effect.

SIR Tunisie SARL will distribute the Galileo GDS platform to local travel agencies, providing them with technology, access to the airline, hotel and car content as well as its training and support services.

The launch of the Tunisian operation was marked with a special event held in Tunisian capital, Tunis, and attended by more than 200 industry guests including travel agents, airlines and government representatives.

“Africa – and especially North Africa – is a key strategic investment region for Travelport and this official launch of commercial operations in Tunisia serves as a testament to our commitment to this important part of the world,” said Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport, at the launch event.

“With its extensive local market knowledge and technical expertise, our appointed distributor is very well positioned to grow Travelport’s business in region and effectively serve our new travel agency customers here.”

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Travelport focuses on customer service https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-focuses-on-customer-service/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-focuses-on-customer-service/#comments Thu, 28 Feb 2013 04:54:12 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=147961 The post Travelport focuses on customer service appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport is aiming to enhance its presence in Asia with new products and a focus on customer service, the company’s new regional head has revealed. Speaking to Travel Daily, Travelport’s recently-appointed managing director for Asia Pacific, Patrick Andres, said the company’s priorities under his leadership would be to deepen relationships with its clients in the […]

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Travelport is aiming to enhance its presence in Asia with new products and a focus on customer service, the company’s new regional head has revealed.

Speaking to Travel Daily, Travelport’s recently-appointed managing director for Asia Pacific, Patrick Andres, said the company’s priorities under his leadership would be to deepen relationships with its clients in the region and to “develop a culture of service” within the company.

Patrick Andres
Patrick Andres

“First of all, we have a very solid position in several regions. In many of these markets we have big customers so I want to solidify these relationships, develop a culture of service, and have our staff working for our customers. If we do that we will be successful,” said Andres, who joined Travelport in October last year. He added that Travelport’s Asian team would expand “as need be”.

Commenting on his first few months in the job, Andres said his first priority was to meet with customers.

“We visited each customer to have an open conversation with them,” Andres said. “I can’t stress enough how important that level of engagement is. That’s what will be the key to our success.

“Personally that’s what I want to see from our team. I believe in open communication, asking ourselves what we are doing well, what we can do better, exchanging ideas and talking things through.”

And Andres believes that this level of customer service will set Travelport apart from its competitors.

“Where we differ from our competitors is our philosophy is to give customers choice. We don’t think that every agency is the same. They have different needs and we want to create solutions that fit the needs of every one of our customers. We need to piece together the elements and work out what’s best for each of our customers. In every region we provide choice. And we view that as a major advantage,” he said.

In terms of solutions, Andres said Travelport’s main priority was “providing content and offering the ability to search it intelligently”. One new solution being launched this year is the ‘Travelport Merchandising Platform’, which will be able to handle the rapid growth of ancillary products sold by airlines.

“Generally GDSs have not been able to sell these as well as airlines have on their website,” Andres admitted. “Travelport Merchandising Platform will enable [travel agents] to take airline content and rebundle it. We are working with airlines like Air Canada, Air New Zealand and easyJet to get their latest products, but there are no restrictions. For us it’s just code. Technically an airline can send us anything, and we can sell it.”

“We continue to improve the functionality of our products. It’s all about efficiency. We need to engage with our customers and provide tools that will make people as efficient as possible,” Andres concluded.

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Travelport launches Agentivity for MEA agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-agentivity-for-mea-agents/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-agentivity-for-mea-agents/#comments Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:40:29 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=145829 The post Travelport launches Agentivity for MEA agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In an effort to empower agents across the Middle East and Africa, Travelport recently rolled out its new and innovative business intelligence suite for travel agents  – Agentivity.  The new solution better understands an agents activity, client behaviour and booking related issues among others. Other features include automation of corporate reporting using queue forwarding, corporate […]

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The post Travelport launches Agentivity for MEA agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In an effort to empower agents across the Middle East and Africa, Travelport recently rolled out its new and innovative business intelligence suite for travel agents  – Agentivity. 

The new solution better understands an agents activity, client behaviour and booking related issues among others. Other features include automation of corporate reporting using queue forwarding, corporate data mailing, as well as giving corporate clients direct access to their organisation’s booking data. Access to Agentivity is online and instant, with no process changes for agents, and data updates are available.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said: “The new solution can significantly improve agent efficiency by aggregating data from multiple suppliers and sources in one place, as well as providing access to valuable customer data, such as advanced booking patterns. In addition, Agentivity also offers complete transparency over any booking issues, allowing agents to address any problems in a timely manner and avoid potential human errors thanks to the fully automated process.”

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Travelport, BidTravel Group ink strategic partnership https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-bidtravel-group-ink-strategic-partnership/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-bidtravel-group-ink-strategic-partnership/#comments Sun, 04 Nov 2012 06:58:18 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=141453 The post Travelport, BidTravel Group ink strategic partnership appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

In an effort to boost its business opportunities, BidTravel has signed a new, strategic agreement with Travelport to see its franchise businesses in Southern Africa continue to have access to the Galileo GDS platform.  The company is also the first launch partner in Africa for the Travelport Universal Desktop with testing of a bespoke version […]

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In an effort to boost its business opportunities, BidTravel has signed a new, strategic agreement with Travelport to see its franchise businesses in Southern Africa continue to have access to the Galileo GDS platform. 

The company is also the first launch partner in Africa for the Travelport Universal Desktop with testing of a bespoke version of the flagship point of sale product already underway.

Under the long-term agreement, BidTravel travel management company brands in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana will have access to Travelport’s content, including a number of Travelport-exclusive deals signed with African airlines. Travelport’s ePricing technology will also be deployed across the BidTravel network, ensuring travel consultants have peace of mind that they are finding the best possible flight options for their customers.

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American ends Sabre dispute with new deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/american-ends-gds-dispute-with-new-deals/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/american-ends-gds-dispute-with-new-deals/#comments Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:25:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=141234 The post American ends Sabre dispute with new deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

OTAs had previously hidden American's fares

American Airlines has put an end to its long-running dispute with Sabre by ending its court case and signing a new content agreement. In a joint statement, Sabre and American announced that they have “settled their disputes” and have renewed their current distribution agreement for several more years. The statement added that as part of […]

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OTAs had previously hidden American's fares
OTAs had previously hidden American's fares
OTAs had hidden American's fares

American Airlines has put an end to its long-running dispute with Sabre by ending its court case and signing a new content agreement.

In a joint statement, Sabre and American announced that they have “settled their disputes” and have renewed their current distribution agreement for several more years. The statement added that as part of the settlement, “American will receive a monetary payment from Sabre” although no figures were disclosed. American has also agreed to negotiate with Sabre for additional technology services in the future.

The settlement follows a court case in Texas in which American accused Sabre of punishing it for trying to generate more direct bookings. The airline alleged that Sabre had raised its fees for displaying American’s fares. The launch of American’s DirectConnect booking channel in 2010 led to a major dispute between the airline and the online travel community, with OTAs including Expedia and Orbitz ‘hiding’ American fares in retaliation.

What followed was a series of ugly exchanges including American filing lawsuits against both Travelport and Sabre, over what it claimed was the anti-competitive nature of the GDS companies’ role in the travel distribution process.

Travelport, which controls the Galileo, Worldspan and Apollo GDS’, has also signed a new extension agreement with American, which had been due to expire at the end of October and now runs through December. The two companies said they will continue negotiations “in the hope of reaching a new long-term agreement”. American’s anti-trust lawsuit against Travelport and Orbitz continues.

 

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Travelport backs IATA NDC intentions https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-backs-iata-ndc-intentions/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-backs-iata-ndc-intentions/#comments Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:22:54 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=140740 The post Travelport backs IATA NDC intentions appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has backed IATA’s plans to standardise airline booking information but joined travel agent associations in asking for engagement across all sectors before a new system launch. The travel technology firm said IATA’s proposals for its New Distribution Capability (NDC) had appeared “only conceptual in nature” and as yet had not considered what is already […]

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Travelport has backed IATA’s plans to standardise airline booking information but joined travel agent associations in asking for engagement across all sectors before a new system launch.

The travel technology firm said IATA’s proposals for its New Distribution Capability (NDC) had appeared “only conceptual in nature” and as yet had not considered what is already available and what travel agents need. Travelport suggested that GDS firms have already made progress in helping agents to comparison shop more efficiently, with many systems now incorporating various ancillary services into price comparison.

It highlighted its own work with Air Canada; KLM’s Economy Comfort seat sales and its partnership with easyJet as examples of how the industry has worked towards helping airlines differentiate themselves from others through booking channels.

“To that end, Travelport already delivers many of the proposed capabilities and, along with the rest of the industry, remains committed to engaging to turn these principles into deliverable, practical standards that meet the needs of all participants in the end-to-end travel supply chain.  We hope that IATA intends this as the beginning of an engagement with all key stakeholders, which would clearly drive a better result for all parties,” a statement from Travelport said.

It called on IATA to address the concerns raised by ASTA, BTC and other trade bodies over their inclusion in the decision process.

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Industry hits out against IATA’s new distribution standards https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/industry-hits-out-against-iatas-new-distribution-standards/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/industry-hits-out-against-iatas-new-distribution-standards/#comments Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:01:07 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=140679 The post Industry hits out against IATA’s new distribution standards appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The travel industry has hit out at IATA in the wake of its New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards, with one operator calling them the “biggest threat to travel agents since commission cuts”. Travel agencies and associations have come out in fierce opposition to the NDC, which on the surface seek to provide airlines with greater […]

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The post Industry hits out against IATA’s new distribution standards appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The travel industry has hit out at IATA in the wake of its New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards, with one operator calling them the “biggest threat to travel agents since commission cuts”.

Travel agencies and associations have come out in fierce opposition to the NDC, which on the surface seek to provide airlines with greater opportunities and transparency for selling their products via global distribution systems (GDS), but which agents fear will further undermine their position as third parties in the travel booking process.

One of the biggest objections to the IATA announcement was that the NDC has been developed following “intense coordination… with participation from airlines, global distribution systems [and] the travel agency community”.

But in a strongly-worded statement, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and Business Travel Coalition (BTC) rejected that assertion.

“The claim of participation by ‘the travel agency community’ and its ‘trade organisations’ is an illusion, plain and simple,” said Nina Meyer, President & CEO of ASTA. “We and fellow travel agency organisations around the world have been denied transparent participation in the development process.”

BTC Chairman Kevin Mitchell added; “The likely reason organisations representing travel agencies and corporate travel departments were excluded from the process… is because decisions about direction and business models have already been taken.”

Meanwhile, Australia-based Mobile Travel Agents’ (MTA) Managing Director, Roy Merricks, called on travel agents and associations to band together “before it is too late”.

“The concern is that IATA is developing the NDC… with the airlines before releasing the details. No doubt the devil will be in the detail,” Merricks said.

“Currently as agents, we build travel proposals in the best interests of our clients who are effectively unknown to individual carriers until the transaction is completed. It is the ability to work closely with clients regarding their plans, along with our experience, destination knowledge, connections on the ground and a highly developed client relationship that sets us apart as travel agents. This also enables us to add further value to the client experience and keep them coming back to us.

“If the airlines succeed with the NDC in its current form, that position may very well be compromised,” he added.

On the technology side, Travelport it welcomed “open engagement” with IATA on the NDC, but that the new standards “need to fairly and equally represent the needs of all participants in the end-to-end travel supply chain”. 

“For these standards to be effective, more work needs to be done and open dialogue will be paramount to its success,” the GDS company said in a statement. “We call on IATA to address the concerns raised by trade bodies” in light of NDC’s apparent preclusion of full price transparency and comparison.”

“We are all aware that on occasion airline websites undercut fares offered to agents through the GDS – we also know that the airlines’ goal of airlines is to reduce or eliminate segment costs they currently pay to the GDS,” MTA’s Merrick said. “If the NDC succeeds along those lines, it is clear where the cost burden will move.”

An estimated 60% of all airline tickets are currently being sold by travel agents using the GDS. The NDC is expected to be rolled out in 2013.

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Travelport launches GalileoTerminal in Asia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-galileoterminal-in-asia/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-galileoterminal-in-asia/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:13:52 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=140280 The post Travelport launches GalileoTerminal in Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has launched a new mobile solution for travel agents in the Asia Pacific region. Known as GalileoTerminal, the web-based solution offers agents full access to both the Galileo and Apollo GDS platforms via their PC, laptop or tablet devices. This includes the ability to make flight bookings, reservations, fare quoting and the re-issuing or […]

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The post Travelport launches GalileoTerminal in Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has launched a new mobile solution for travel agents in the Asia Pacific region.

Known as GalileoTerminal, the web-based solution offers agents full access to both the Galileo and Apollo GDS platforms via their PC, laptop or tablet devices. This includes the ability to make flight bookings, reservations, fare quoting and the re-issuing or refunding of tickets.

GalileoTerminal will initially be available to customers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia from November 2012 with further deployment across the region planned in 2013.

“Travelport recognises that as technology evolves, travel agents need the flexibility to operate from multiple devices. GalileoTerminal delivers the tools necessary for agents to service their clients efficiently via the internet from their desktop, laptop or tablet device using a standard internet browser,” said Chua Hui-Wan, Travelport’s Senior Regional Director for Asia Pacific.

“Whether agents are ‘on the road’ or working from home, they can now log in to search and book flights, quote fares, issue tickets and perform many other business-critical functions which they previously needed to be in the office to handle.  In turn, this enables them to offer superior customer service,” Chua added.

GalileoTerminal operates on most internet browsers, the iPad, and will soon support Android and Galaxy devices soon. The new solution is being showcased at this week’s ITB Asia in Singapore.

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Gulf Air renews Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gulf-air-renews-travelport-deal/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gulf-air-renews-travelport-deal/#respond Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:42:50 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=138317 The post Gulf Air renews Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gulf Air has renewed its full content agreement with Travelport. The deal will see the carrier’s fares and inventory available through Galileo, Worldspan and Apollo, with Gulf Air saying GDS is a key part of its distribution strategy. “The renewed agreement provides travel agents with greater and wider accessibility to Gulf Air’s full range of […]

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Gulf Air has renewed its full content agreement with Travelport.

The deal will see the carrier’s fares and inventory available through Galileo, Worldspan and Apollo, with Gulf Air saying GDS is a key part of its distribution strategy.

“The renewed agreement provides travel agents with greater and wider accessibility to Gulf Air’s full range of published fares and inventory, which means customers have a better choice when planning their travel with Gulf Air,” said Karim Maklouf, chief commercial officer at the airline. “It also suits well with our expansion plans, especially as we resume our operations to eight destinations in Iran and Iraq.”

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Travelport boosts hotel rate availability https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-boosts-hotel-rate-availability/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-boosts-hotel-rate-availability/#respond Mon, 10 Sep 2012 05:55:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=137197 The post Travelport boosts hotel rate availability appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

25% of hotel negotiated rates are incorrectly uploaded

Travelport has taken steps to increase the availability of negotiated hotel rates in its system. The travel technology company, which operates the Galileo and Worldspan GDSs, cited external research from Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) as revealing that up to 25% of hotel negotiated rates are incorrectly uploaded, or not loaded at all. According to CWT, […]

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25% of hotel negotiated rates are incorrectly uploaded

Travelport has taken steps to increase the availability of negotiated hotel rates in its system.

The travel technology company, which operates the Galileo and Worldspan GDSs, cited external research from Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) as revealing that up to 25% of hotel negotiated rates are incorrectly uploaded, or not loaded at all. According to CWT, this is due to a number of factors including the hotels’ failure to load the data into the Property Management System (PMS) or Central Reservation System (CRS), the rate not being set up correctly or missing code information, or inaccurate code information being entered.

25% of hotel negotiated rates are incorrectly uploaded
25% of hotel negotiated rates are incorrectly uploaded

In an effort to solve this problem Travelport said it is working with hotels to streamline and simplify rate-loading processes. According to the company, this includes conducting rate audits with hotels, designing and implementing new processes and removing the availability of outdated and duplicated codes.

 “Travelport’s holistic approach is an industry-first – no other GDS has made concrete progress in efforts to tackle this challenge to date,” said Keith Harrison, Travelport’s Global Head of Hospitality Suppliers. “Some of the positive changes we’ve introduced include building a feedback process, asking hotel chains to put service level agreements in place with local properties and increasing the frequency of updates in the Travelport GDS channel.  As a result, agents using Travelport will have more confidence in serving their customers as per their negotiated contracts, compared with other channels and GDSs.”  

Following the implementation of these processes, Travelport noted that it has seen compliance rise from less than 80% to more than 97%. The scheme, which kicked off in the US and Canada, will be rolled out globally later in the year.

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Travelport supports GTTP https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-supports-gttp/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-supports-gttp/#comments Fri, 07 Sep 2012 01:54:46 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=137071 The post Travelport supports GTTP appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson

Travelport has signed a new partnership with the Global Travel & Tourism Partnership (GTTP), an educational programme designed to introduce students to careers in the travel and tourism industry. The partnership sees Gordon Wilson, Traveport’s President & CEO, and Dirk Vande Beek, the company’s Senior Vice President of Corporate & Government Affairs, join the GTTP […]

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Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson

Travelport has signed a new partnership with the Global Travel & Tourism Partnership (GTTP), an educational programme designed to introduce students to careers in the travel and tourism industry.

The partnership sees Gordon Wilson, Traveport’s President & CEO, and Dirk Vande Beek, the company’s Senior Vice President of Corporate & Government Affairs, join the GTTP advisory board.

“Travelport is delighted to partner with GTTP to introduce students to career opportunities within the travel and tourism industry,” said Wilson. “We recognise that in order to support the continued growth of the travel sector and its critical role in the global economy, it is vital to expose students, their parents and their teachers to the industry. Through this partnership, we can encourage students to look at the industry as a source of worthwhile and rewarding careers.”

To date, more than 1.5 million students in 12 countries have joined the GTTP programme.

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Travelport equips industry for uncertain future https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-equips-industry-for-uncertain-future/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-equips-industry-for-uncertain-future/#comments Tue, 04 Sep 2012 07:24:15 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=136651 The post Travelport equips industry for uncertain future appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travel technology company Travelport is providing the solutions and services to help the industry cope with seismic changes in the way the world books travel. Travel Daily Asia caught up with some of the company’s key executives at the Travelport Airline & Agency Conference in Kuala Lumpur last week… Travel industry must prepare for “10 […]

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The post Travelport equips industry for uncertain future appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travel technology company Travelport is providing the solutions and services to help the industry cope with seismic changes in the way the world books travel. Travel Daily Asia caught up with some of the company’s key executives at the Travelport Airline & Agency Conference in Kuala Lumpur last week…

Simon Nowroz
Simon Nowroz

Travel industry must prepare for “10 years of change”

The travel and tourism industry is undergoing an unprecedented period of structural change that will last at least 10 years, according to Travelport.

Speaking to Travel Daily at last week’s Travelport Airline & Agency Conference, the technology company’s President & Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Simon Nowroz said the rise of Asia as an economic world power and a rapid advancement in technology are driving innovation and change.

“We’re seeing several aspects of change,” Nowroz told Travel Daily in Kuala Lumpur. “Firstly there is a profound change in behaviours and attitudes, and secondly there’s an economic change. This economic change is about the shift of power back to Asia. Look at the investment dollars going in to the region, look at the number of Chinese banks now in the world’s top 20, look at the aircraft orders coming into the region. All these will have long-term impacts, and will throw up huge implications for everyone.

Nowroz also commented on Asia’s “favourable demographics”, with many countries having young populations. “These guys are more adventurous, have more disposable income, they’re travelling more and booking differently.”

Emerging from these major shifts, according to Nowroz, will be “a very different industry with very different infrastructure and different booking practices”.

“These aren’t temporary of cyclic changes, they are permanent changes. As an industry we need to work out how to deal with that,” he said. Nowroz also admitted that such rapid change can be “a little bit frightening”, but said that Travelport was working with its customers to develop a new range of solutions that can cater for the major changes predicted. “Technology is the solution,” Nowroz concluded.

Gillian Gibson
Gillian Gibson

Airlines still need GDSs

Global distribution systems (GDS) are developing fast, and are now able to sell virtually all airline products, according to Travelport’s Chief Marketing Officer Gillian Gibson.

Speaking to Travel Daily, Ms Gibson countered suggestions by IATA that limited GDS technology is holding back airlines.

“If you listen to IATA, they say we can’t sell airlines in the way they want to be sold. Well we can – we have the capability. We need our customers to embrace it, but our customers would say the airline content isn’t there. So we’re in the phase where we need to bring it all together,” Ms Gibson said.

When asked if Travelport had the capability to sell the entire range of airline fares and ancillary products, Ms Gibson said it could cover pretty much every available product.

“[We can sell] everything we’ve seen so far,” she said. “The only thing we can’t sell is the SkyCouch, although we’re working with Air New Zealand to do that.”

And according to Ms Gibson, airlines still want and need GDSs in order to maximise their sales.

“The reality is that the [GDS] channel still represents 50% of the world’s airline bookings, and about 60% of revenue, so it wouldn’t be logical for airlines to ignore it. Direct selling is becoming saturated. Beyond the 40-50% mark (of total bookings) it begins to slow down. The indirect channel is still here and needs to be embraced,” Ms Gibson concluded.

Linda Kelly-Smith
Linda Kelly-Smith

Strong demand for Travelport solutions in Asia

The Asia Pacific region is seeing some of the strongest demand for Travelport solutions, according to Linda Kelly-Smith, the company’s Head of Solutions and Support in Asia Pacific.

Speaking to Travel Daily in KL, Ms Kelly-Smith revealed that Asia was the higher adoption rate for its hotel booking solution, Rooms & More, with Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand leading the way.

“Having Agoda onboard makes it very popular in Asia and it’s very satisfying to see Asia leading the way,” she said, adding that Travelport was now recruiting extra personnel for its Asia’s hospitality division.

With reference to Travelport’s new agent platform, Universal Desktop (UD), Ms Kelly-Smith revealed that the product has now launched in seven countries, four of which are in Asia Pacific.

“Seven Beta customers already using it in Australia, a couple in New Zealand, while another four ready to go live. We also have customers that have gone live in HK and one in Singapore,” she revealed.

Ms Kelly-Smith also revealed that several new advancements have been made since the product was introduced last year. “People who saw UD last year and have seen it again say it’s come on leaps and bounds,” she said, adding that new additions have included streamlining workflow, queue systems and aesthetics.

Acting as a bridge between traditional technologies and the advanced, web-based Universal Desktop, Travelport is also rolling out SmartPoint App. Having been fully deployed in February 2012, Travelport said the solution has now been adopted by 40% of its existing customers in Australia and New Zealand and by 25% in Asia. The company is also planning to launch an Asian language version in Q1 2013 at the latest.

Helping agents leverage technology

Jason Nash
Jason Nash

While technological innovation is driving and changing the industry, the role of travel agents remains crucial, according to Travelport.

Speaking to Travel Daily in KL, Jason Nash, the company’s Vice President of Product Innovation Technology, said that while technological progress will continue at pace, it has the potential to help agents connect with their customers, rather than replacing them altogether.

“If you use the example of the ash cloud crisis in Europe, it was the travel agents who got people home. People will always pay for good service,” Nash said. “It’s not about turning every travel agent into an OTA; it’s about allowing traditional agents use the right technology that’s relevant to Gen Y and to offer value-added services.”

While Nash admitted that “nobody’s quite got it yet”, he revealed several examples that Travelport is undertaking to facilitate this connection.

“We aren’t a B-to-C company but we have to put ourselves in the seat of the end traveller. We need to understand that the customer wants, and to enable the agents to serve them better. We need to facilitate better pre- and post-trip dialogue between the agent and the traveller,” Nash said.

Nash revealed that through Travelport’s Software Development Kit (SDK) it is encouraging third parties to build software extensions into its Universal Desktop. So far approximately 25 companies have signed up, but the concept would allow popular sites such as FlightStats or SeatGuru to build connections into the agent’s desktop. “The potential for this is fairly limitless,” Nash said.

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MasterCard and eNett partner up https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/mastercard-and-enett-partner-up/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/mastercard-and-enett-partner-up/#comments Thu, 30 Aug 2012 04:57:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=136342 The post MasterCard and eNett partner up appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

MasterCard Worldwide and eNett International have signed a partnership agreement to offer payment and reconciliation tools for the travel industry. The deal pushes further use of eNett’s Virtual Account Numbers (VANs) and will last five years. “Our businesses are well aligned.The innovation borne out of eNett’s agility and technical capabilities, combined with MasterCard’s network and […]

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MasterCard Worldwide and eNett International have signed a partnership agreement to offer payment and reconciliation tools for the travel industry.

The deal pushes further use of eNett’s Virtual Account Numbers (VANs) and will last five years.

“Our businesses are well aligned.The innovation borne out of eNett’s agility and technical capabilities, combined with MasterCard’s network and enablement functions, will provide substantial benefits for the global travel industry,” said Hany Fam, president of strategic alliances at MasterCard. 

“At a time when the pressure is on to cut costs and increase revenue, new and innovative payment technology like eNett VANs will not only enable agents to focus on revenue generation rather than admin, they will reduce risk and help businesses to get much more out of the valuable data that is in their possession,” he added. 

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Travelport trials GDS airport transfer bookings https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-trials-gds-airport-transfer-bookings/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-trials-gds-airport-transfer-bookings/#comments Tue, 28 Aug 2012 07:05:55 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=136134 The post Travelport trials GDS airport transfer bookings appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport is trialling a new service which will allow travel agents to book private car transfers via the GDS. Targeting selected Galileo-connected travel agents in Asia, the new ‘Travelport Drive Me’ solution works with two car rental companies to provide access to 21 airports in China, India, the Philippines and Singapore. Pending the completion of […]

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The post Travelport trials GDS airport transfer bookings appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport is trialling a new service which will allow travel agents to book private car transfers via the GDS.

Targeting selected Galileo-connected travel agents in Asia, the new ‘Travelport Drive Me’ solution works with two car rental companies to provide access to 21 airports in China, India, the Philippines and Singapore. Pending the completion of a successful trial, Travelport plans to make this service available to all Galileo-connected travel agents worldwide.

“There is a huge demand for chauffeur-driven car transfers in Asia, particularly in cities where there are language and security issues or where public transport is not widely available,” explained Joe Lim, Travelport’s Regional Director of Car & Hospitality for the Asia Pacific region. “Travelport Drive Me provides greater peace of mind to travellers and delivers real value to both corporate and leisure customers travelling through China, India and beyond.”

Booking a car transfer in Asian countries has long been a complex manual process for travel agents, who often rely on third party suppliers and hotels. By booking with Travelport via the GDS, agents are able to automate the process and bookings are integrated back into the passenger name record (PNR). The tool uses the functionality of the Galileo CarMaster system and transmits flight and destination details to the transfer provider. All bookings through Travelport Drive Me will be commissionable at between five and 10%.

The scheme will initially be available at 12 airports in China (Shanghai Hongqiao, Shanghai Pudong, Beijing Capital, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Xi’an, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Wuhan) and seven in India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata), as well as Singapore and Manila airports.

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Travelport renews deal with Digital Travel https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-deal-with-digital-travel/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-renews-deal-with-digital-travel/#comments Mon, 27 Aug 2012 02:37:53 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=136001 The post Travelport renews deal with Digital Travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a new long-term agreement to provide exclusive GDS services to Australia-based Asian VFR agency group, Digital Travel. The company has used the Galileo GDS for the past 20 years, during which time it has expanded to four branches in Queensland and New South Wales, with further branches in the pipeline. Digital Travel […]

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The post Travelport renews deal with Digital Travel appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a new long-term agreement to provide exclusive GDS services to Australia-based Asian VFR agency group, Digital Travel.

The company has used the Galileo GDS for the past 20 years, during which time it has expanded to four branches in Queensland and New South Wales, with further branches in the pipeline. Digital Travel also uses a range of Travelport solutions, including Smartpoint App, Fareshopping Viewtrip Mobile and Travelport Rooms and More.

“Travelport has been an important partner in Digital Travel’s growth over the past 20 years. Their vision and product innovation are second to none, and have generated productivity enhancements and efficiencies across our branches. We enjoy strong relationships with the Travelport team, who not only support the technical side of our business but have also assisted us in improving other areas such as workflow and CRM,” said James Lin, General Manager of Digital Travel.

Digital Travel specialises in the Asian VFR market, helping customers in sourcing airfares and accommodation, as well as providing visa information, insurance and holiday packages,  particularly for customers visiting Asia and others countries.

“It is pleasing to see our technology furthering their business into the future,” said Alex Fitzpatrick, Travelport’s General Manager for the Pacific.

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Lost United deal dents Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/lost-united-deal-dents-travelport/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/lost-united-deal-dents-travelport/#respond Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:42:09 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=134593 The post Lost United deal dents Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has seen its net revenue drop US$22 million (£15.3m) in its Q2 results following the loss of its Master Services Agreement with United Airlines. The travel technology company attributed the bulk of a £14m revenue loss to the deal, while it saw air volume growth soften 3.3% in Western Europe and the US. Its […]

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Travelport Rooms and More
Travelport Rooms and More

Travelport has seen its net revenue drop US$22 million (£15.3m) in its Q2 results following the loss of its Master Services Agreement with United Airlines.

The travel technology company attributed the bulk of a £14m revenue loss to the deal, while it saw air volume growth soften 3.3% in Western Europe and the US. Its low-cost carrier business gathered in pace, with the sector taking 7% of its GDS air system.

Meanwhile as independent travel agents asked for more smaller properties available through its system, the company’s hotel content has more than trebled since July 2011. There are said to be 170 new users on its Travelport Rooms and More system each week, with content secured from Hotelzon and Tourico Holidays earlier this week.

Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport reported that its Universal Desktop has been deployed across all regions, with app downloads up 54% in Q2.

“Our first half performance is in line with management expectations despite the continued macroeconomic uncertainty which resulted in softer Q2 year on year segment volume as compared to Q1 across both the USA and Europe, the largest travel geographies,” he added. 

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Travelport secures Air China content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-secures-air-china-content/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-secures-air-china-content/#respond Tue, 07 Aug 2012 05:25:03 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=134387 The post Travelport secures Air China content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a new multi-year global full content agreement with Air China. The deal commences this month and ensures that Galileo-, Apollo- and Worldspan-connected travel agencies worldwide will continue to have full access to the Air China’s fares and inventory. As part of the agreement, Air China has also adopted the highest level of […]

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Air China offers 268 global routes
Air China offers 268 global routes

Travelport has signed a new multi-year global full content agreement with Air China.

The deal commences this month and ensures that Galileo-, Apollo- and Worldspan-connected travel agencies worldwide will continue to have full access to the Air China’s fares and inventory.

As part of the agreement, Air China has also adopted the highest level of Travelport’s GDS functionality, and will offer online check-in on Travelport’s ViewTrip website.

“We are impressed by Travelport’s commitment to innovation in the global distribution chain and very pleased to sign an agreement that will expand access and sales of Air China’s nearly 300 flight routes around the world,” said Li Dong, Air China’s Deputy General Manager of Network & Revenue Management.

“As the national carrier for The People’s Republic of China, Air China represents an important airline partner to Travelport both in the Asia Pacific region and globally. We are pleased they have also signed up for online check-in via our ViewTrip tool – we are keen to continually enhance the booking process throughout the travel distribution chain,” commented Andrew Middleton, Travelport’s Vice President of Supplier Services for Asia Pacific.

Air China currently operates more than 268 routes; 197 domestic and 71 international.

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Travelport triples hotel content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-triples-hotel-content/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-triples-hotel-content/#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:28:19 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=134274 The post Travelport triples hotel content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport Rooms and More

Travelport has tripled the number of hotel properties available via its ‘Travelport Rooms and More’ hotel booking engine since the tool launched last summer. The travel technology provider recently added content from hotel aggregators Hotelzon and Tourico Holidays, taking the total ‘Rooms and More’ content to more than 340,000 properties with a combined total of […]

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Travelport Rooms and More

Travelport has tripled the number of hotel properties available via its ‘Travelport Rooms and More’ hotel booking engine since the tool launched last summer.

The travel technology provider recently added content from hotel aggregators Hotelzon and Tourico Holidays, taking the total ‘Rooms and More’ content to more than 340,000 properties with a combined total of around 700,000 supplier offers. Between them, Hotelzon and Tourico added around 74,000 hotels to the booking engine.

Travelport Rooms and More
Travelport Rooms and More

Launched just over a year ago, Travelport Rooms and More was developed following Travelport’s acquisition of Sprice.com, the travel meta-search site.  This was combined with Travelport’s core GDS hotel booking connectivity to deliver a complete hotel booking platform.

“The case for developing Travelport Rooms and More was a strong one as it complements our GDS hotel offering and benefits everyone in the supply chain. Importantly, it negates the need for leisure travel agents to search for hotel offers on multiple websites, instead allowing them to access and book commissionable accommodation offers through one quick and easy process. With agents in over 70 countries now using it, we are also offering leisure hotel suppliers an additional platform through which to market their content,” said Niklas Andreen, Travelport’s Global Vice President of Hospitality & Partner Marketing.

Hotelzon and Tourico join 14 other hotel content suppliers on the portal, including Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com and LateRooms. The tool also contains Travelport’s GDS hotel content.

“Rooms and More makes hotel bookings much easier for travel agents, eliminating the need for them to visit multiple booking sites, so this partnership is beneficial for all parties. We look forward to adding our extensive portfolio to the booking tool and helping Travelport to provide an even better service for its customers,” said Jason Soss, Tourico’s President of Global Business Development.

Travelport Rooms and More is now available in more than 70 countries and six languages – English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish.

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Travelport seals China Southern content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-china-southern-content/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-china-southern-content/#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2012 01:01:58 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=133810 The post Travelport seals China Southern content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has sealed a new multi-year global content agreement with China Southern Airlines.  Effective immediately, the new agreement ensures that all Galileo- and Worldspan-connected travel agencies worldwide will continue to have full access to the airline’s fares and inventories. As part of the agreement, China Southern Airlines will also enhance its connectivity with Travelport to […]

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Travelport has sealed a new multi-year global content agreement with China Southern Airlines. 

Effective immediately, the new agreement ensures that all Galileo- and Worldspan-connected travel agencies worldwide will continue to have full access to the airline’s fares and inventories.

As part of the agreement, China Southern Airlines will also enhance its connectivity with Travelport to the highest level, offering real-time inventory information to agents.

“China Southern Airlines is a highly valued airline partner for Travelport, and we are excited to have signed this agreement and secure this valuable content for our travel agency network both in the region and worldwide,” said Andrew Middleton, Travelport’s Vice President of Supplier Services for Asia Pacific.

Guangzhou-based China Southern is one of the largest airlines in the world.

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Travelport launches mobile GDS app https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-mobile-gds-app/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-mobile-gds-app/#respond Wed, 25 Jul 2012 06:16:10 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=133260 The post Travelport launches mobile GDS app appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The new app will enable agents to use Galileo via their smartphones

Travelport has announced the launch of Travelport Mobile Agent – a new mobile app enabling Travelport-connected agencies to gain full access to the Galileo platform directly on their mobile device. Developed by Travel Technology & Solutions (TTS) and available via Apple’s App Store, the product is one of the first products to be made available […]

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The new app will enable agents to use Galileo via their smartphones
The new app will enable agents to use Galileo via their smartphones
The new app will enable agents to use Galileo via their smartphones

Travelport has announced the launch of Travelport Mobile Agent – a new mobile app enabling Travelport-connected agencies to gain full access to the Galileo platform directly on their mobile device.

Developed by Travel Technology & Solutions (TTS) and available via Apple’s App Store, the product is one of the first products to be made available globally as a result of the Travelport Developer Network, which launched last November. The product was piloted in Portugal, Spain and Brazil when it was downloaded by more than 3,000 agents.

Commenting on the launch, Jason Nash, Vice President Product Innovation at Travelport said; “We are delighted to be able to bring this product to the industry through our Developer Network. By enabling talented third parties to build products using Travelport technology we are delivering on our strategy to launch new, innovative solutions for our customers worldwide.”

This launch of Travelport Mobile Agent comes shortly after the global launch of Travelport ViewTrip Mobile, Travelport’s mobile traveller itinerary application.

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Enhanced version of Travelport Agencia released https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/enhanced-version-of-travelport-agencia-released/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/enhanced-version-of-travelport-agencia-released/#comments Thu, 19 Jul 2012 05:03:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=132701 The post Enhanced version of Travelport Agencia released appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport announced the launch of an enhanced version of Travelport Agencia in Canada today.  An advanced, web-based application, Travelport Agencia is the only travel agency desktop tool that allows agents to shop, book and modify Air Canada’s full content and travel options along with global airline content from the Apollo GDS.  The new release offers […]

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Air Canada will make full use of the new Agencia app

Travelport announced the launch of an enhanced version of Travelport Agencia in Canada today. 

An advanced, web-based application, Travelport Agencia is the only travel agency desktop tool that allows agents to shop, book and modify Air Canada’s full content and travel options along with global airline content from the Apollo GDS. 

The new release offers many new capabilities, including automatic PNR creation with enhanced finishing in the Apollo system, the ability to do multi-city PNRs, modify bookings and offers full parity with Air Canada’s fares and ancillary services.

The Agencia app offers a full range of options for booking domestic and international fares, including Tango, Tango Plus, Latitude, Executive Class fares, Corporate fares and Private fares as well as Flight Passes much more. The app also means there’s no need for agents to move between different systems to secure the best flight options for customers while it also supports the agency’s Air Canada commission, discount and payment agreements.

“Travelport’s collaboration with Air Canada and the investment we’ve made in delivering Agencia, a tool that enables Canadian agents to book all Air Canada content in an efficient and streamlined manner, demonstrates our ability to develop next generation distribution and shopping solutions that are capable of merchandising an airlines’ full line of products and optional services. Integration of Air Canada’s content into a single screen is an industry first and allows Canadian agents to offer the traveller fully informed travel choice,” said Travelport’s President – The Americas, Derek Sharp. 

“This agreement is completely consistent with the way Travelport is looking to partner with all airlines on merchandising, optional ancillary sales and product differentiation. We have the capability to achieve full content for all subscribers, merchandizing Air Canada’s full line of products and services through APIs and there is no bypass of either the GDS or of our travel agency partners,” added Sharp.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Travelport to bring an enhanced booking tool to our mutual travel agency customers. All of Air Canada’s product features, fares and a la carte options are now seamlessly and efficiently accessible through Travelport Agencia,” said Air Canada’s Senior Director Graham Wareham.

 

 

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Travelport launches free travel planning app https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-free-travel-planning-app/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-free-travel-planning-app/#comments Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:35:49 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=130446 The post Travelport launches free travel planning app appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has announced the launch of Travelport ViewTrip Mobile, a new travel application for users of smartphones in the Asia Pacific region. Following a launch in the UK earlier this year, ViewTrip Mobile is one of the first fully integrated GDS powered travel itinerary apps available. ViewTrip Mobile aims to deliver information and other tools […]

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ViewTrip Mobile will be available free of charge for all smartphones

Travelport has announced the launch of Travelport ViewTrip Mobile, a new travel application for users of smartphones in the Asia Pacific region.

Following a launch in the UK earlier this year, ViewTrip Mobile is one of the first fully integrated GDS powered travel itinerary apps available.

ViewTrip Mobile aims to deliver information and other tools to give travellers control of their travel arrangements at any time. The new app will features simple registration with future trips automatically synced, flight status updates with live flight alerts, weather forecasts and currency conversion facilities as well as detailed airport and city guides.

Travelport, through their development partner ManticPoint, are also offering a ‘white label’ version of ViewTrip Mobile to enable travel agents to brand the app and itineraries to use their own logo and colours, control content and decide which affiliate content appears. The white label version enables agents to manage and target communications with their customer via the app during periods of disruption or the travel environment changes.

“We are delighted with the addition of ViewTrip Mobile to the services we can provide for our travellers,” said Caroline Mongey, Operations Manager for FCm Travel Solutions Ireland. “We have already received a number of comments explaining how powerful the app is and it is clearly enhancing the travel experience while increasing our value as a travel partner.”

“Mobile technology is playing an increasingly important part of a traveller’s overall experience and our mobile strategy continues to result in new, innovative solutions for our customers,” commented Matthew Jones, Product Manager at Travelport. “ViewTrip Mobile is an exciting step forward for travellers as it provides them with rich trip information along with a wide array of destination content and tools, all in the palm of their hand. We are constantly developing new products that satisfy the needs of the travel community and are thrilled with the positive impact ViewTrip Mobile is making.”

Travelport ViewTrip Mobile will be available to customers in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India and Thailand initially, with other Asia-Pacific countries to follow. ViewTrip Mobile is available free of charge to all Travelport travel agency customers currently using the Travelport ViewTrip itinerary solution.

 

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GDS news snippets https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gds-news-snippets/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gds-news-snippets/#comments Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:16:36 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=130399 The post GDS news snippets appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

A few bits of news from GDS suppliers.    Amadeus gains Trenitalia content Amadeus has signed an agreement to distribute Trenitalia’s content through its GDS and sales channels. Initially its high-speed products Frecce Alta Velocità (Frecciarossa and Frecciargento), and Frecciabianca will be available, with medium and long-distance routes to follow. Agents using the Amadeus Selling […]

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A few bits of news from GDS suppliers. 

 

Amadeus gains Trenitalia content

Amadeus has signed an agreement to distribute Trenitalia’s content through its GDS and sales channels. Initially its high-speed products Frecce Alta Velocità (Frecciarossa and Frecciargento), and Frecciabianca will be available, with medium and long-distance routes to follow. Agents using the Amadeus Selling Platform will be able to make bookings through either an air/rail or rail-only based search solution, known as FlyByRail Track and Rail Agent Track. This is expected to be operational by the end of summer or early autumn. Speaking about increased rail content, Thomas Drexler, head of Amadeus Rail said: “It is a very exciting time for the European rail industry as it extends its network, and looks to attract new travellers to the benefits of rail travel. Key to growth is delivering the type of access and availability that is common in the airline sector which is why international distribution is critical for railways today”.

 

FCm signs up to Travelport Universal

FCm Travel Solutions Ireland has signed up to use Travelport’s Universal Desktop from as early as next month. The TMC is the first Irish customer to use the platform, which brings all its tools under one space. “Travelport’s Universal Desktop will enable us to take our client service to a new realm, bringing a vast range of products into a single platform, increasing our productivity, maintaining accuracy and supporting the high standards for which we are renowned,” said Valerie Metcalfe, managing director at FCm. Pictured here for the announcement is Sinead Reilly, country manager for Travelport in Ireland and Metcalfe.

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Travelport launches ViewTrip Mobile https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-viewtrip-mobile/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-viewtrip-mobile/#comments Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:23:04 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=130246 The post Travelport launches ViewTrip Mobile appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has launched a new travel application for users of smartphones in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Following a successful launch in the UK earlier this year, the new app is now offers fully integrated GDS powered travel itinerary apps available in these countries. ViewTrip Mobile offers timely information and other tools to enable travellers […]

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Travelport has launched a new travel application for users of smartphones in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Following a successful launch in the UK earlier this year, the new app is now offers fully integrated GDS powered travel itinerary apps available in these countries.

ViewTrip Mobile offers timely information and other tools to enable travellers to be fully aware and in control of their travel arrangements at any time. Among the useful features simple, one-time registration with future trips automatically synced to the mobile, flight status with live flight alerts, detailed airport and city guides among others.

Travelport, through their development partner ManticPoint, are also offering a white label version of ViewTrip Mobile. The white label version will enable travel agents to brand the app and itineraries using their own logo and colours, content control including agency specific help and advice and decide which affiliate content appears and manage and target communications with the traveller via the app when disruption or the travel environment changes.

“Mobile technology is playing an increasingly important part of a traveller’s overall experience and our mobile strategy addresses this issue,” commented Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa at Travelport.

Travelport ViewTrip Mobile is available free of charge to all Travelport travel agency customers currently using the Travelport ViewTrip itinerary solution.

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African Briefs https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/african-briefs/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/african-briefs/#comments Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:11:12 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=129915 The post African Briefs appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air France launches Abuja flights   Air France has continued its expansion in West Africa with the launch of a new service to Nigeria’s capital Abuja. The new direct daily service from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport builds on Air France’s existing Nigerian flights to Lagos and Port Harcourt. Like the other two destinations, Abuja will […]

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Air France launches Abuja flights  

Air France has continued its expansion in West Africa with the launch of a new service to Nigeria’s capital Abuja. The new direct daily service from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport builds on Air France’s existing Nigerian flights to Lagos and Port Harcourt. Like the other two destinations, Abuja will be served using Air France’s three-class Airbus A330-200 with 208 seats – 40 in business class,  21 in premium economy and 147 in economy. 

Travelport seals South African LCC content 

Travelport has signed a new full content agreement with South African low-cost carrier, kulula.com. Through the new global agreement, Galileo-connected travel agencies in Southern Africa will have full access to all kulula’s fares an inventory, including promotional fares. The airline has also opted for enhanced functionality, including IATA ticketing which will also become available to Travelport-connected travel agents. 

Air Nigeria to offer iPad 3 to passengers

Air Nigeria has signed a new deal with IFE Services that will see the airline offer the new iPad 3 to passengers. Available on the carrier’s fleet of Airbus A330s, passengers in business class will be offered a complimentary iPad 3 on which to watch movies and TV shows. Economy class passengers will continue to be offered main screen entertainment. Air Nigeria is the first African carrier to offer the iPad 3 to passengers as an in-flight entertainment option. 

South Africa to host IATA events 

South African Airways (SAA) will be the host airline for the 2013 IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit. The event will be held at Cape Town’s International Convention Centre from 2-4 June 2013, gathering leaders from the global aviation industry. This will mark only the third time that events have been held in Africa following Cairo in 1946 and Nairobi in 1991. This year’s event in Beijing attracted 750 industry leaders representing IATA’s 242 member airlines. 

Coastal Aviation adds Mozambique flights  

Tanzania’s Coastal Aviation has launched a new service to Mozambique. The company now operates three weekly flights between Tanzania’s largest city Dar es Salaam and Mocimboa da Praia, the coastal town in northern Mozambique. Flight will operate every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The company said the flights would offer fast connections with British Airways’ London-Dar es Salaam flights.

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Travelport, Nakhal and Cie re-affirm partnership https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-nakhal-and-cie-re-affirm-partnership/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-nakhal-and-cie-re-affirm-partnership/#comments Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:58:41 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=129694 The post Travelport, Nakhal and Cie re-affirm partnership appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has strengthened its partnership Nakhal and Cie in Lebanon. The renewed agreement will see the Beirut-headquartered agency deploying Travelport’s Galileo system for another three years. Both companies have been working closely for several years and now have extended their relationship into the online space, with Travelport also powering Nakhal’s web portal hoojoozat.com. As a […]

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Travelport has strengthened its partnership Nakhal and Cie in Lebanon. The renewed agreement will see the Beirut-headquartered agency deploying Travelport’s Galileo system for another three years.

Both companies have been working closely for several years and now have extended their relationship into the online space, with Travelport also powering Nakhal’s web portal hoojoozat.com. As a specialist hotel aggregator and ground transportation provider, Hoojoozat.com content is also available through Travelport’s own non-air portal Rooms and More.

Jean El Zailaa, ticketing and airlines director, Nakhal & Cie said: “In addition to extending our retail distribution relationship, we are working with Travelport in building our respective online hotel offerings and exciting projects.”

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Travelport, Egypt Air reach new content agreement https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-egypt-air-reach-new-content-agreement/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-egypt-air-reach-new-content-agreement/#comments Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:15:13 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=128584 The post Travelport, Egypt Air reach new content agreement appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently signed a new global full content airline agreement with EgyptAir that will give all of Travelport’s Galileo, Worldspan and Apollo-connected travel agents worldwide access to the carrier’s full range of published fares and inventory. The new multi-year agreement aims to actively promote Egypt to the travel trade, whilst leveraging Travelport’s extensive worldwide travel […]

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Travelport recently signed a new global full content airline agreement with EgyptAir that will give all of Travelport’s Galileo, Worldspan and Apollo-connected travel agents worldwide access to the carrier’s full range of published fares and inventory.

The new multi-year agreement aims to actively promote Egypt to the travel trade, whilst leveraging Travelport’s extensive worldwide travel agency network to support long-term growth.

Additionally, EgyptAir has enhanced its connectivity to the global distribution system, upgrading to the highest level of GDS functionality. As a result, bookings between EGYPTAIR and Travelport retailers are seamless and delivered in real-time.

Captain Hossam Kamal, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company said: “We aim to offer products and services via global travel trade that encourage travellers to fly with us.“

Adding further Rabih Saab, president and managing director for Travelport Middle East and Africa said: “We look forward to working with Travelport maximize their exposure to travel agents and increase accessibility of their fares.”

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Travelport seals Egyptair content https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-egyptair-content/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-egyptair-content/#comments Mon, 11 Jun 2012 06:00:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=128551 The post Travelport seals Egyptair content appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has confirmed the signing of a new global full content airline agreement with Egyptair. The deal will give all Galileo-, Worldspan- and Apollo-connected travel agents across the world access to the carrier’s full range of published fares and inventory. The new multi-year agreement is effective today (Monday 11 June). In addition, Egyptair has enhanced […]

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Travelport has confirmed the signing of a new global full content airline agreement with Egyptair.

The deal will give all Galileo-, Worldspan- and Apollo-connected travel agents across the world access to the carrier’s full range of published fares and inventory. The new multi-year agreement is effective today (Monday 11 June).

In addition, Egyptair has enhanced its connectivity to the GDS, upgrading to the highest level of functionality. As a result, bookings between Egyptair and Travelport retailers will now be delivered in real-time.

Captain Hossam Kamal, Chairman & CEO of Egyptair commented; “By dovetailing our long-term growth strategy with Egypt’s tourism goals, we aim to offer products and services via the global travel trade that encourage travellers to fly with us and discover a truly magical destination. With an impressive global network of loyal travel agency users, Travelport is ideally positioned to help us nurture this ever-important relationship.”

Rabih Saab, President & Managing Director for Travelport Middle East & Africa added; “As a respected national carrier and one of the most experienced airlines in the Middle East and Africa, Egyptair is a valued airline partner of Travelport and we look forward to working with them closely over the next several years to maximise their exposure to travel agents and increase the accessibility of their fares.” 

In 2009 Travelport set-up direct operations in Egypt, with an office in Cairo that includes a full-service helpdesk and training centre to support both Galileo- and Worldspan-connected travel agents. The company also maintains a presence in Alexandria.

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GDS latest news https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gds-latest-news/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gds-latest-news/#comments Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:29:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=127903 The post GDS latest news appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Amadeus launches new booking tool with AirAsia Amadeus has joined forces with AirAsia’s new Philippines-based subsidiary to launch Amadeus LCC Smart – a new booking tool specifically designed for low-cost airlines.  The tool offers airline content using a web-like interface within the Amadeus GDS, rather than the traditional ‘green screen’ booking platform. Amadeus said the […]

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Marianne Hontiveros, CEO of AirAsia Philippines, and David Brett, President of Amadeus Asia Pacific
Marianne Hontiveros, CEO of AirAsia Philippines, and David Brett, President of Amadeus Asia Pacific

Amadeus launches new booking tool with AirAsia

Amadeus has joined forces with AirAsia’s new Philippines-based subsidiary to launch Amadeus LCC Smart – a new booking tool specifically designed for low-cost airlines. 

The tool offers airline content using a web-like interface within the Amadeus GDS, rather than the traditional ‘green screen’ booking platform. Amadeus said the solution has been designed to “reduce the complexity of the booking process by simplifying the number of key strokes required to finalise a booking”. As well as flights, agents will also be able to book AirAsia’s ancillary services such as baggage, meals and pre-allocated seats.

Amadeus LCC Smart was developed to run alongside Amadeus Ticketless Access, a solution that displays real-time fares and flight information from LCCs.

“Amadeus LCC Smart optimises workflow for travel agents with the familiar AirAsia website interface, but without the need to learn different commands or leave the Amadeus Selling Platform,” said David Brett, president of Amadeus Asia Pacific. “It will enable travel agents to find flight options to suit a broader range of needs, especially for travellers who are particularly budget-conscious”.

 

Delta to sell premium economy seats via Travelport

Delta Air Lines and Travelport have reached agreement to sell the airline’s premium economy seats, Economy Comfort, through Travelport’s Galileo, Worldspan or Apollo global distribution systems (GDS). 

“Partnering with Travelport broadens the availability of this popular product to Travelport-affiliated travel agents. We are always willing to work with partners like Travelport who bring value to the distribution chain and can deliver our product on a cost-effective basis,” said Wayne Aaron, Delta’s Vice President of Marketing Programs & Distribution Strategy.

Delta’s Economy Comfort features three-four inches (7.6-10.2cm) of additional legroom and, on long-haul international flights, up to 50% more recline than standard economy class seats. Economy Comfort is available on all Delta mainline aircraft.

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https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/gds-latest-news/feed/ 14 Amadeus AirAsia Marianne Hontiveros, CEO of AirAsia Philippines, and David Brett, President of Amadeus Asia Pacific
Delta to sell premium economy seats via Travelport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/delta-to-sell-premium-economy-seats-via-travelport/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/delta-to-sell-premium-economy-seats-via-travelport/#comments Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:23:49 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=127802 The post Delta to sell premium economy seats via Travelport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Economy Comfort features 3-4 inches more legroom than standard economy

Delta Air Lines and Travelport have reached agreement to sell the airline’s premium economy seats, Economy Comfort, through Travelport’s global distribution system (GDS). The agreement will create Economy Comfort booking access later this year for travel agents connected to the Galileo, Worldspan or Apollo GDS. “Customers today can purchase Economy Comfort directly with Delta at […]

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Economy Comfort features 3-4 inches more legroom than standard economy

Delta Air Lines and Travelport have reached agreement to sell the airline’s premium economy seats, Economy Comfort, through Travelport’s global distribution system (GDS).

The agreement will create Economy Comfort booking access later this year for travel agents connected to the Galileo, Worldspan or Apollo GDS.

Economy Comfort features 3-4 inches more legroom than standard economy
Economy Comfort features 3-4 inches more legroom than standard economy

“Customers today can purchase Economy Comfort directly with Delta at delta.com, through a reservations agent or at the airport via a kiosk or ticket agent,” said Wayne Aaron, Vice President of Marketing Programs & Distribution Strategy at Delta. “Partnering with Travelport broadens the availability of this popular product to Travelport-affiliated travel agents. We are always willing to work with partners like Travelport who bring value to the distribution chain and can deliver our product on a cost-effective basis.”

Delta’s agreement with Travelport marks the airline’s largest ancillary service partnership to-date and enables Travelport to integrate these merchandising capabilities into the standard travel agency desktop.

“We’re delighted to provide Travelport-connected travel agents globally with the ability to offer their customers Delta Air Lines’ Economy Comfort seating later this year,” said Derek Sharp, Travelport’s President for the Americas. “This agreement with Delta Air Lines underscores that Travelport is ready, willing and able to deliver technology to merchandise ancillary products and services through the travel agency channel to provide travelers with additional options and added convenience.”

Economy Comfort features 3-4 inches (7.6-10.2cm) of additional legroom on Delta’s fleet of two-class aircraft, as well as offering priority boarding. On long-haul international flights, the seats also have up to 50% more recline than standard economy class seats and customers receive complimentary beer, wine and cocktails. Economy Comfort is available on all Delta mainline aircraft.

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Travelport inaugurates new regional office in Dubai https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-inaugurates-new-regional-office-in-dubai/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-inaugurates-new-regional-office-in-dubai/#comments Sat, 02 Jun 2012 20:16:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=127643 The post Travelport inaugurates new regional office in Dubai appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has amalgamated its operations in the UAE and established a new regional hub office in Dubai that will function as the company’s corporate headquarters for the Middle East and Africa. The new location underscores the company’s continued expansion drive since it established direct Galileo global distribution system (GDS) operations in the Middle East in […]

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Travelport has amalgamated its operations in the UAE and established a new regional hub office in Dubai that will function as the company’s corporate headquarters for the Middle East and Africa.

The new location underscores the company’s continued expansion drive since it established direct Galileo global distribution system (GDS) operations in the Middle East in 2009. The move also brings the company’s training facilities – previously housed in Al Barsha – and its full-service helpdesk – formerly located at Silicon Oasis – all under one roof. As well as providing continued support to Galileo travel agents, the GDS provider is also now fully equipped to serve local Worldspan-connected travel agents.

Additionally, Travelport’s corporate hub office in Dubai acts as an extension of its operations in Africa, where the GDS provider recently set-up a direct distribution network for travel agents in South Africa.

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Travelport reaches out to China travel specialists in UAE https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-reaches-out-to-china-travel-specialists-in-uae/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-reaches-out-to-china-travel-specialists-in-uae/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 12:06:19 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=126045 The post Travelport reaches out to China travel specialists in UAE appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport recently hosted a dedicated product forum in Dubai to share travel technology practices with agents specialising in travel to China and East Asia. The event provided Travelport with a platform to reach out to a growing customer segment, as travel between the UAE and China rises rapidly amongst increasing business, trade and cultural links.  […]

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Travelport recently hosted a dedicated product forum in Dubai to share travel technology practices with agents specialising in travel to China and East Asia.

The event provided Travelport with a platform to reach out to a growing customer segment, as travel between the UAE and China rises rapidly amongst increasing business, trade and cultural links.  Both China and UAE-based carriers continue to expand their route capacity to accommodate growing demand from travellers in the UAE.

The event witnessed the showcase of a portfolio of solutions for Galileo and Worldspan-connected agents, Travelport highlighted desktop applications such as Smartpoint App that improve productivity and overall selling experience.  The e-Learning portal were also emphasized as an important resource for travel agents less familiar with the more advanced functionalities of the systems.

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Travelport seals new hotel partnership https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-new-hotel-partnership/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-seals-new-hotel-partnership/#respond Thu, 17 May 2012 01:38:05 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=125563 The post Travelport seals new hotel partnership appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has signed a new deal with Nor1, the hotel technology provider. Under the agreement, hotels using Nor1’s up-selling solutions, such as its signature eStandby Upgrade, will be able to reach more guests through Travelport’s Worldspan and Gallileo global distribution systems (GDS).   eStandby Upgrade will now be available via itinerary emails and Travelport ViewTrip, […]

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Travelport has signed a new deal with Nor1, the hotel technology provider.

Under the agreement, hotels using Nor1’s up-selling solutions, such as its signature eStandby Upgrade, will be able to reach more guests through Travelport’s Worldspan and Gallileo global distribution systems (GDS).  

eStandby Upgrade will now be available via itinerary emails and Travelport ViewTrip, Travelport’s itinerary tool for travellers, which is available free of charge to Travelport-connected agencies. Participating properties confirm the upgrade requests guests make at check-in, adding more opportunities for extra revenue streams.

“By Partnering with Travelport, we are enabling more guests to take advantage of eStandby Upgrade to enhance their stay with leading properties around the globe. Our solution also benefits the properties as they earn more revenue from every reservation,” said Jason Bryant, president & COO of Nor1. “We share Travelport’s vision of delivering industry-leading solutions to the hospitality industry. Together we are able to drive the industry forward through innovation that boosts earnings and overall guest satisfaction.”

“Nor1 provides a true benefit to every audience we reach – our agents, hotels, even the end-user by offering the right offer to the right guest at the right time,” said Niklas Andreen, Gloval Vice President Hospitality & Partner Marketing for Travelport. “This partnership is very much aligned with our global drive to boost revenues for hotel customers and provide additional value to our travel agents clients.”

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Travelport, Nor1 team to increase RevPar for hotels https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-nor1-team-to-increase-revpar-for-hotels/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-nor1-team-to-increase-revpar-for-hotels/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 17:58:35 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=125513 The post Travelport, Nor1 team to increase RevPar for hotels appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport and Nor1, the technology company in upsell solutions announced a strategic partnership to broaden distribution and increase revenue opportunities for hotels.  Under the agreement, hotels leveraging Nor1’s upsell solutions, such as its signature eStandby Upgrade®, will be able to reach more guests through Travelport which operates both the Worldspan and Gallileo global distribution systems […]

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Travelport and Nor1, the technology company in upsell solutions announced a strategic partnership to broaden distribution and increase revenue opportunities for hotels. 

Under the agreement, hotels leveraging Nor1’s upsell solutions, such as its signature eStandby Upgrade®, will be able to reach more guests through Travelport which operates both the Worldspan and Gallileo global distribution systems (GDS). 

eStandby Upgrade offers, currently used by thousands of worldwide hotels, will now be available via itinerary emails and Travelport ViewTrip™, which is available free of charge to Travelport connected agencies. Participating properties confirm the pay-for-upgrade requests guests make at check-in and are able to instantly boost their bottom line revenue on top of their existing reservations.

“By Partnering with Travelport, we are enabling more guests to take advantage of eStandby Upgrade to enhance their stay with properties around the globe. Our solution also benefits the properties as they earn more revenue from every reservation,” said Jason Bryant, president and COO of Nor1, Inc.

Adding further Niklas Andreen, GVP hospitality and partner marketing for Travelport said: “This partnership is very much aligned with our global drive to boost revenues for hotel customers and provide additional value to our travel agents clients.”

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Kuoni extends Travelport deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/kuoni-extends-travelport-deal/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/kuoni-extends-travelport-deal/#respond Thu, 03 May 2012 07:42:58 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=124013 The post Kuoni extends Travelport deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Kuoni and Travelport have renewed their long-term agreement, continuing Travelport’s position as Kuoni’s approved GDS provider. As part of the agreement, Kuoni will integrate the Travelport Universal API into areas of its business, as well as adopting Travelport Smartpoint App, the upgrade to the Galileo Desktop. The deal covers a number of countries in Europe […]

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Kuoni and Travelport have renewed their long-term agreement, continuing Travelport’s position as Kuoni’s approved GDS provider.

As part of the agreement, Kuoni will integrate the Travelport Universal API into areas of its business, as well as adopting Travelport Smartpoint App, the upgrade to the Galileo Desktop. The deal covers a number of countries in Europe and Asia, and as part of the agreement, the technology will be tailored for local requirements.

Stuart Walters, Kuoni’s Chief Information Officer, commented; “The fact that we have been working with Travelport for over 15 years is a clear sign of the huge value we see in them as a partner. We have been encouraged even further by the recent investment made by Travelport in its technology and it is these advancements, coupled with the continued strength in global content, that make them the right partner for us and our customers.”

Sandra McLeod, Travelport’s Senior Vice President of Global Accounts & Strategic Corporate Development, added; “Renewing our agreement with such an important tour operator is great news for Travelport and an endorsement of the crucial role we play in travel distribution. Kuoni has a long and impressive history, and we are pleased to continue to be their approved GDS provider and to support their ongoing business needs.”

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Travelport introduces developer network programme https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-introduces-developer-network-programme/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-introduces-developer-network-programme/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:17:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=123733 The post Travelport introduces developer network programme appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has recently introduced the Travelport Developer Network to independent software developers in the Middle East, with the aim of co-developing new and innovative solutions for travel agency customers in the region. Designed for third party developers, the Developer Network provides members with full access to key software resources, dedicated help and support and an […]

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The post Travelport introduces developer network programme appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport has recently introduced the Travelport Developer Network to independent software developers in the Middle East, with the aim of co-developing new and innovative solutions for travel agency customers in the region.

Designed for third party developers, the Developer Network provides members with full access to key software resources, dedicated help and support and an entry in the new Travelport Developer Directory.

Created to facilitate faster introduction of innovative new applications to its 67,000 travel agency customers worldwide, the new dedicated developer programme will offer extensive commercial, technical and support benefits to approved developer members.

As part of the new programme, Travelport developer tools will continue to be built on open standards technology, so developers can program in the environment of their choice and build applications that easily integrate with existing Travelport databases and technologies.

Membership includes access to the Travelport Universal API, which provides access to extensive content and functionality through a single API connection.

“By providing local developers with a single access point to our content and agency network, along with technical support, we will be able to foster even greater innovation within the Middle East’s travel industry,” said Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport.

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Travelport to host Asian industry roadshows https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-to-host-asian-industry-roadshows/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-to-host-asian-industry-roadshows/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:16:21 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=123486 The post Travelport to host Asian industry roadshows appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport is hosting a series of industry roadshows around the Asia Pacific region in May. Themed ‘Creating a More Profitable Business’, the events will aim to showcase the latest trends in travel, their impact on the industry, and how agents can adapt their businesses in times of change. “Travelport has made multi-million dollar investments in […]

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The post Travelport to host Asian industry roadshows appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport is hosting a series of industry roadshows around the Asia Pacific region in May.

Themed ‘Creating a More Profitable Business’, the events will aim to showcase the latest trends in travel, their impact on the industry, and how agents can adapt their businesses in times of change.

“Travelport has made multi-million dollar investments in new technology to help agents grow and thrive into the future. Through a series of roadshows, we would like to take the opportunity to show you how we can help future proof your success in this fast changing world by creating a more profitable business,” said Hui-Wan Chua, Travelport’s Senior Regional Director for Asia.

The events will feature headline speaker Tony Hopwood, who has more than 30 years’ experience within the travel and IT sectors, most recently as Vice President of Operations for Carlson Wagonlit.

Travelport will also showcase its technologies at the event, including the new Travelport Universal Desktop, and invite agents to ‘meet the experts’ at six break-out sessions to discuss topics including mobile solutions, ways to increasing and new revenue opportunities.

The events will kick-off in Perth on 30 April, before travelling to Adelaide (1 May), Melbourne (2 May), Hong Kong (7 May), Kuala Lumpur (8 May), Manila (9 May), Jakarta (10 May), Singapore (11 May), Sydney (16 May) and Brisbane (18 May).

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Travelport signs major new Japanese GDS deal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-signs-major-new-japanese-gds-deal/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-signs-major-new-japanese-gds-deal/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:13:53 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=123006 The post Travelport signs major new Japanese GDS deal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signs the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network

Travelport has sealed a new agreement with AXESS International Network, the GDS owned by Japan Airlines (JAL). Under the deal, AXESS will be hosted by Travelport at its Atlanta data centre as a partition of the Travelport GDS. The new upgraded AXESS GDS system will be implemented by 2013. By adopting Travelport’s technology infrastructure, the […]

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Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signs the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network
Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signs the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network
Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signs the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network

Travelport has sealed a new agreement with AXESS International Network, the GDS owned by Japan Airlines (JAL).

Under the deal, AXESS will be hosted by Travelport at its Atlanta data centre as a partition of the Travelport GDS. The new upgraded AXESS GDS system will be implemented by 2013.

By adopting Travelport’s technology infrastructure, the AXESS GDS system will be feature improved connectivity to airlines and a significant increase in the range of fares, shopping, hotel and car rental capabilities available for use by Japanese travel agencies and corporations. When fully implemented, the agreement will also allow for AXESS bookings to be retrieved and modified worldwide by any travel agent using a Travelport GDS terminal. 

“We are delighted to be announcing such an important agreement which will enable AXESS to provide an enhanced travel agency customer experience and offer its customers a more seamless service on a global basis,” said Gordon Wilson, President & CEO of Travelport.

“The relationship forged between Travelport and AXESS is designed around putting the Japanese customer first and delivering Japanese solutions for his or her needs while harnessing the best that a fully global system can bring to the table. We are truly thrilled to be given this opportunity to work in such close co-operation with the leading player in the large and resurgent Japanese travel industry.”

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https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-signs-major-new-japanese-gds-deal/feed/ 13 Travelport-JAL Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport, signing the deal with Ms Nakano, CEO of AXESS International Network in April
Travelport expands its horizons in Abu Dhabi https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-expands-its-horizons-in-abu-dhabi/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-expands-its-horizons-in-abu-dhabi/#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2012 07:38:17 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=122591 The post Travelport expands its horizons in Abu Dhabi appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Strengthening its presence across the UAE, Travelport has recently inked a multi-year global distribution system (GDS) deal with three major travel agencies in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain – Irena Travel, Skyline Travels and Al Jaraf Travel and Tourism. The new contracts include an exclusive agreement with Al Jaraf Travel and Tourism that will see […]

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The post Travelport expands its horizons in Abu Dhabi appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Strengthening its presence across the UAE, Travelport has recently inked a multi-year global distribution system (GDS) deal with three major travel agencies in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain – Irena Travel, Skyline Travels and Al Jaraf Travel and Tourism.

The new contracts include an exclusive agreement with Al Jaraf Travel and Tourism that will see a full migration to Travelport’s Galileo platform across its agency network in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, Al Ain-based Skyline Travels has signed an exclusive agreement to establish Galileo as its exclusive GDS, while Irena Travel has inked a deal that will integrate the GDS for the first time into the agency’s Abu Dhabi operations.

All the travel and tourism companies have multiple retail outlets and plans to support their growth efforts by leveraging the GDS provider’s offering, which includes a local office that provides Abu Dhabi and Al Ain travel agency customers with fully-equipped sales, training and helpdesk support. A comprehensive training programme has already been launched to bring each agency’s employees up to speed on the latest Galileo products and functionalities.

The partnership agreements were signed by Rabih Saab, Travelport’s president and managing director for the Middle East and Africa along with Ghulam Balooshi, Travelport director for the Lower GCC; Amir Thayyil, general manager of Irena Travel; Mahmood Butt, general manager of Al Jaraf Travel and Tourism; and Hamsa K.M, general manager of Skyline Travels.

“Travelport has been able to build great momentum in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain,” said Ghulam Al Balooshi, Travelport’s Director for the Lower Gulf Region. “We look forward to supporting their businesses with our innovative GDS offering in the UAE.”

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Travelport launches leisure portal for travel agents https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/travelport-launches-leisure-portal-for-travel-agents/ Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:09:29 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=623 The post Travelport launches leisure portal for travel agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, operating both the Galileo and Worldspan global distribution systems (GDS), today announces details of its new, one stop leisure portal for travel agents.  Known as Travelport Leisure, the new travel trade portal is an upgraded version of its former Galileo Leisure portal which was first […]

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The post Travelport launches leisure portal for travel agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

travelport-leisureTravelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, operating both the Galileo and Worldspan global distribution systems (GDS), today announces details of its new, one stop leisure portal for travel agents.  Known as Travelport Leisure, the new travel trade portal is an upgraded version of its former Galileo Leisure portal which was first launched in 2005.  The GDS provider took the decision to invest further in its Galileo Leisure offering in response to the ongoing growth potential of global leisure travel spend which is expected to reach around $700bn by 2014*.

The Travelport Leisure portal, which now includes extensive new hotel, hostel, B&B and car options as well as new functionality to add localized content at a country level, will be rolled out globally from June 2010.  Like its predecessor, it will continue to be free of charge to use for all travel agents, even if they do not subscribe to a Travelport GDS.

Jane Lewis, Vice President, Land and Sea, for Travelport, explained: “The new and improved Travelport Leisure portal not only has a great new look, but also dramatically increases agents’ earning potential through the availability of new, easily bookable leisure content. Our partners in the travel trade told us they liked using Galileo Leisure but wanted an even greater choice of content and we have responded to their feedback. This new leisure portal very much complements Travelport’s core GDS platforms and we are confident it will attract even more users from the travel trade.”

Incorporating all of Galileo Leisure’s existing hotel content, which includes GTA’s 35,000 hotels, Travelport Leisure will also give agents access to new content from a range of well-known, market leading leisure suppliers.

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