A panel discusses the implementation of digital identity in travel, exemplified by Aruba's "happy one pass" project, which utilizes blockchain technology. Travelers can authenticate their passports on their phones, streamlining customs and hotel check-ins. Aruba, aiming to lead in travel innovation, swiftly adopted the technology, showcasing the potential for widespread adoption. The decentralized nature of the system ensures privacy and security, with open standards allowing easy replication across various industries. Despite challenges, such as fraud prevention and political consensus, the panel predicts widespread adoption due to its transformative potential in eliminating friction and personalizing travel experiences.  

  Northstar Travel Group today announced an alliance with Organic Spa Media LTD, the leading authority in wellness travel and wellness living, to launch Wellness Travel University. This new education platform is designed to educate the trade community and specifically help Northstar’s travel advisor audience learn how to sell the burgeoning wellness travel segment estimated at US$212.7 billion in 2020. The platform will go live on September 7.   Wellness Travel University is an e-learning platform designed to offer travel advisors education in two formats. One format is branded, sponsored courses and the other, an in-depth six module GOLD course, created by Organic Spa Media LTD’s team of experts including Dr. Melanie Smith, associate professor and researcher from Budapest Metropolitan University’s Institute of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality. The platform will also include a comprehensive wellness travel/tourism glossary, access to updated wellness travel content, e-books focusing on wellness travel destinations and access to Organic Spa Media LTD’s digital edition library.   Northstar Travel Group has partnered with Organic Spa Media to promote the new platform and provide elite access to the travel advisor audience of all the retail travel brands in the Northstar portfolio including Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, Travel Pulse and Agent@Home. The education platform will reside on Northstar’s Travel Agent Academy platform.   “We’re very excited to partner with the leading authority in wellness to help empower and educate our expansive audience of travel advisors,” said Anthony Carnevale, senior vice president & group publisher, Northstar Travel Group. “The wellness travel market is exploding and as the leading B to-B information and marketing solutions company serving the leisure/retail market, we want to ensure our audience has access to the highest level of education and information that will help them grow their businesses.”   Phase two of the launch will include a travel advisor referral program for consumers who, when planning a wellness vacation, will be able to search zip codes and access Wellness Travel University certified advisors.   “We have been in the business of wellness for over 15 years,” said Beverly Maloney-Fischback, CEO, founder & publisher of Organic Spa Media LTD. “It only seemed logical that we be poised to capture this explosive trend in wellness travel and create a platform that offers value to our stakeholders, the traveladvisor community and our audience.”   To learn more about Wellness Travel University, please visit www.wellnesstraveluniversity.com

  Northstar Travel Group announced today that AXUS, its premier itinerary building and collaboration system for travel planners and tour operators, has now integrated the functionality to add luggage shipping details, quotes, and an automated commission workflow for users working with Luggage Free. The service allows travel advisors and their clients to ship their luggage and sporting equipment domestically and internationally with worry-free assurance.   This newest enhancement to the AXUS platform has expanded functionality by partnering with Luggage Free to provide travel advisors a quick way to import information directly onto the AXUS itineraries while also providing the ability for advisors to send automated emails that can be used as an effortless commission revenue stream.   When the advisor secures luggage shipping accommodations, the information can be quickly imported into AXUS using just the order number. This new enhanced functionality makes Luggage Free the top choice for luggage shipping inside of the AXUS platform. In addition to adding booking information and receiving quotes for shipping luggage within AXUS, advisors can now use an automated function that directly emails individual travelers. This enhancement gives travelers the flexibility to purchase while providing travel planners the ability to earn commission on any shipping services booked.   "We are excited to be providing this integration to our subscribers," said Sheila Rice, SVP of Information Products Group at Northstar. "The ability to link Luggage Free directly on the platform and quickly generate a quote continues to make AXUS the premier automated travel workflow platform. Most of all, this partnership allows advisors to earn a commission easily." This integration is in line with the mission of AXUS and Luggage Free to provide swift and high-touch service while ensuring the travel planner is easily able to provide worry-free travel accommodations for their respective travel clients.   "Together, AXUS and Luggage Free give travel advisors an edge in travel planning and continue to provide the white-glove service expected of a luxury travel experience," said Nicholas Coleman, CEO for Luggage Free. "Core to our services is that we work hard so that travel planners and their clients can experience travel in a hassle-free manner."