More operators sign up for DIY technology
Demand for unpackaged holidays is resulting in a “quiet revolution” in the way operators conduct business, Travelink claims.
The travel technology firm has sold multi-channel flexible booking systems to five operators in the past month – Sunvil Holidays, Alpine Elements, Balkan Tours, Tribes and Thomas Cook’s new online accommodation-only brand roomsandhotels.com.
Sunvil Holidays will use the Travelink system to handle the traditional package market while also catering for the growing Do It Yourself sector. It has signed a five-year deal with Travelink, converting from Anite-owned FSS.
The specialist operator is to use the system to make its packages more flexible, giving travellers a greater choice of travel dates and holiday durations. It also plans to take more online bookings and expand its share of the long-haul leisure market.
Thomas Cook’s roomsandhotels.com covers more than 11,000 properties and claims that more than 90% of all bookings are coming through the trade.
Travelink managing director David Jones said: “There’s a quiet revolution happening in the world of tour operator technology.
“Operators are evolving quickly to cater for the changing tastes and habits of the British traveller. There is growing demand for greater flexibility. People want to travel on dates that suit them, and this doesn’t always fit the traditional package model.
“Smart technology is enabling this evolution and out-of-date legacy systems are getting the push.”
Travelink allows operators to sell via viewdata, through call centres or online. It also lets them sell individual holiday components and vary prices according to the sales channel.
Travellers can choose the duration of their holiday and have a range of flights. No-frills flights became bookable in Travelink last year, and GDS-listed airlines are now included in the system following deals with Amadeus and Galileo.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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