COMMERCIAL TRAVEL
Travelport | March 13, 2023
Travelport, a global technology company for travel, has recently acquired Deem for further investment in innovation to modernize the retailing and corporate travel sector. This acquisition would improve Deem's speed to market and allow seamless integration of multi-source content.
Deem is a modern technology solutions provider for the corporate travel industry and previously worked under Enterprise Holdings, a mobility solutions provider. It has a suite of online booking and travel technology products designed especially for business travelers, travel managers, travel-management companies and suppliers. It is making the corporate travel experience more efficient for all. It is entitled as one of the 'Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2022'. It aims to continue growth in its share of the corporate travel business, and the Travelport's investment is further increasing that growth at a global level.
Travelport is an established NDC leader and launched the end-to-end solution for American Airlines' NDC content. It plans to enhance its position with the swift technical integration of Deem company. It will avail Deem of the NDC offers, products and services. The NDC content is important for travel agencies, corporations and travelers, particularly those in North America. Currently, North American airlines are shifting some content exclusively to NDC.
CEO of Travelport, Greg Webb said, "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." He added, "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+."
(Source – Cision PR Newswire)
About Travelport
Headquartered in Langley, Berkshire, Travelport, an information technology and services provider for travel, offers solutions for technology, travel commerce, travel, distribution, payment, airlines, travel agents, online travel agencies, travel management companies, corporate travel, B2B, cloud, search, business intelligence, data, and travel industry. It has been working as a worldwide travel retail platform since 1971. Its huge marketplace, Travelport+, connects buyers to sellers for exceptional travel experience and modern digital retailing. It is an independent platform providing solutions for complex travel ecosystems through innovation. It supports bookings of travel suppliers worldwide.
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DESTINATION AND TOURISM, INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Outdoorsy | February 16, 2023
On February 15, 2023, UJET, Inc., an innovative contact center platform, announced that Outdoorsy has chosen UJET as the core of its customer service operations. Outdoorsy is the world's most reliable marketplace for on-demand RV rentals and outdoor travel. Therefore, it required a contact center solution to match its stellar reputation for excellent service and prompt response, keep up with its rapid expansion, and provide the necessary data insights to anticipate shifting consumer trends.
Outdoorsy selected UJET because of its usability, rapid scalability, and cloud platform's dependability, which is backed by CX Intercloud's 100% uptime guarantee. The company recently surpassed $2 billion in total transactions, making it one of the fastest-growing and biggest marketplace startups and private companies on the a16z Marketplace 100 List.
Due to its success and the seasonal nature of an outdoor hospitality business, such as RV rentals, Outdoorsy's customer service experiences significant spikes in demand. Therefore, the organization required a contact center solution adaptable to adjust and maintain optimal service levels rapidly. Additionally, the COVID pandemic increased the demand for novel travel options during the summer of 2021. Outdoorsy utilized the scalability of UJET's cloud platform to add several new agents as the summer rush started smoothly and to scale operations back to normal as the travel surge subsided.
Accurate, real-time reporting became crucial as it expanded rapidly with new agents and customers. Advanced reporting and analytics from UJET provide Outdoorsy with a clear view of customer satisfaction, team performance, and the overall quality of its customer experience, allowing the company to make necessary adjustments in real-time and continuously improve its operations. In addition, UJET delivers Outdoorsy the vital business intelligence it needs to optimize contact center performance and put customers first through its comprehensive reporting and custom dashboards.
About Outdoorsy
Headquartered in Austin, Texas,Outdoorsy revolutionized outdoor access by introducing its RV rental marketplace in 2015. By working together, the company and its hosts have contributed to over 5 million days of booked travel through RV rentals in 4,800 cities across the United States and Canada. Its hospitality ecosystem offers RV owners life-changing financial benefits and gives guests the trust and guidance they need to create unforgettable travel experiences. The company's team is motivated by a mission to restore the connection to the outdoors and each other by assisting guests to 'Bring The Outside In.'
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DESTINATION AND TOURISM, COMMERCIAL TRAVEL
KAYAK | January 27, 2023
KAYAK, the leading search engine for travel, recently announced that it has partnered with Affirm, a payment network, to make its payment operations flexible and to empower its travelers in the United States.
According to KAYAK search data, flight prices are rising by about 40% per year. Despite increased flight prices, travelers are still searching for flight bookings in 2023. With Affirm, KAYAK is making it easier for travelers to plan and pay for their trips this year. Now, approved KAYAK travelers can split the cost of flights, hotels, car rentals, and car sharing over $150 into monthly payments by choosing Affirm when they check out. Thus, KAYAK can reach 15 million of Affirm's consumers and 245,000 merchants, including American Airlines, Priceline, Vrbo, Vacasa, and more thereby, enhancing its new reach, overall sales, repurchase rates, and average order value.
Paul Jacobs, General Manager and Vice President of KAYAK North America, says, "It's good to have choices, especially in this economy. In addition to showing travelers all their options on KAYAK, Affirm gives travelers the ability to plan how they pay."
(Source – Business Wire)
Geoffrey Kott, Chief Revenue Officer at Affirm, remarks, "This past fall, Affirm's consumers increased purchases at airlines over seven times compared to the prior year, demonstrating higher consumer demand for payment flexibility when booking travel." He adds, "By partnering with KAYAK, we are able to bring consumers a flexible and transparent way to pay for travel, especially at a time when many are looking for ways to regain financial control and spending power amidst rising costs."
(Source – Business Wire)
About KAYAK:
KAYAK is part of Booking Holdings Inc, one of the world's most prominent search engines for travel. It helps people find the vacation package, hotel, rental or shared car, and flights they want. The company enables travelers to search for the best flight deals and book with flexibility, as it's pretty reliable and completely free to use. With trip planning tools like a flight tracker, trip planner, and bag measure, KAYAK ensures that travelers' overall experience is more than just a flight search site!
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