The online travel space in Canada is very different then the U.S. In Canada, for example, vacation packages are readily available for distribution through travel agencies thanks to companies like Softvoyage and Accovia. These packages are supplied by large tour operators like Sunquest, Air Canada Vacations, Contiki, and others who use the Softvoyage or Accovia [...]
Further to my comments about Adcenter, relying on MSN and Live profile information for the purposes of targeting advertising seems unreliable to me. Perhaps Microsoft is hoping that the majority of users who sign up for online systems like MSN, Hotmail, and Live will enter their true profile information when signing up. If the majority [...]
With the release of Microsoft’s Digital Advertising Solution and their less than subtle focus on online travel, the question is… how will the long tail of travel affect how travel products are sold online and will traditional pay per click work? Conversation with consumers ad from Microsoft Travel Case study for Microsoft AdCenter It appears [...]
Here is an excerpt from a Wikipedia entry about Sabre Holdings which clearly illustrates the inherent problems with a closed distribution system such as the GDSs. The original is available on Wikipedia. In 1981 a study[1] by American Airlines found that travel agents selected the flight appearing on the first line more than half the [...]
As a research exercise for our sales and business development team, I asked the questions: 1. What are the currently available GDS companies? 2. Where did they come from? 3. What websites do they own? The resulting answers, for many us who are familiar to the travel industry, are not altogether surprising. To a general [...]
PhoCusWright, the travel industry research authority released their five predictions about the future of the long tail in travel. The article is excellent and is a clear acknowledgment that technologies such as online booking systems and tour operator software specifically designed for sme tour operators are where the industry is going. Bob Offutt states: “There [...]
As a technologist with a focus on tourism and travel technologies I have had the opportunity to work with SME tour operators for some time. For most savvy operators, the opportunity to use new technologies to increase their exposure and bookings is ever present. For some, however, the perceived reality of implementing such a solution [...]
For a long time now, prospective travelers have had the ability to search, find and make their basic flight and hotel reservations on-line. Only recently has it been possible for these same travelers to book their destination products, such as sightseeing tours and attraction tickets on line as well. Despite this trend, however, there is [...]
It seems that the Internet is full of applications that allow tour operators, independent hotel and motel owners and packaged vacation providers with online booking capabilities. Many of these booking engines are extremely expensive and many are not. Some are hosted and some are stand-a-lone. So how do you choose one that is right for [...]
I finally found a site that mentions both travel and web 2.0 in the same article: “In the world of travel, disparate data from direct sources, travel agents and intermediaries made it nearly impossible to find the best price or options for an itinerary. Sites like Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz transformed that forever (and sites [...]
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