Viewdata WILL die, says TTI
The Travel Technology Initiative has published two new electronic standards for the industry that it hopes will see viewdata dead and buried.
The Tour Operator Product Availability Standard (TOPAS) has already been made available to TTI members and will be published next month. It is designed to facilitate the flow of information on holiday availability from tour operators to technology companies and on to agents. The idea is that it is less time-consuming and less expensive than viewdata.
The second is XML message standards for package holiday bookings. It is due to be completed shortly and will be circulated to members early in the summer for review.
The XML message supports a full range of products including packages, flights, hotels, villas and cruises. In a statement, TTI said that as well as taking on a more modern web browser format, XML messaging would bring another key benefit: “It will enable new business to business trading that does not currently use viewdata”.
Two teams of industry representatives have been working on the standards since mid 2003, and TTI hopes the standards will be in regular use by the end of the year. TTI has had top level support for its initiative from companies in the industry including the Big Four, Anite, Comtec, and The Vertical Group.
Commenting on the production of the standards, TTI chairman, Tony Allen said: “Many have predicted that even though viewdata is completely outmoded technology, it will never die. However, under the auspices of the TTI, the industry has now hammered the first nail in its coffin.
“Over the last year, some of the best known names in the industry have been cooperating to mutual benefit, making significant progress towards viewdata’s replacement. I confidently predict that 2004 is the year when we will finally see viewdata being phased out.”
Report by Ginny McGrath
Ginny McGrath
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025