Amadeus Redesigns Business Incubator to Discover Next-Generation Travel Tech Products

Amadeus, a Madrid-based firm aims to diversify its revenue streams. According to Skift, the organization has quietly launched Nexwave, a startup incubator that identifies promising projects and nurtures the company's next generation of products.

“The pandemic has shown how Amadeus can help the travel industry by linking the dots and ensuring that our industry can collaborate more effectively and efficiently,” said Marion Mesnage, Nexwave's CEO.

Nexwave, a unit of just more than 100 staff, is in the process of incubating product features and functionalities. The aim is to pursue new companies that can diversify the travel tech giant's revenue streams beyond retail and operating tools.

The team's thematic interests have been intensified as a result of the pandemic. The team is now focusing on brands that keep travelers updated, assist shoppers in traveling safely, and assist travelers in connecting to the most meaningful aspects of local destinations. It also started testing new tools for travelers, such as automating the process of exchanging travelers' health-related details and assisting hoteliers in surfacing relevant events for guests at a destination.

Traveler ID is a service that automates the task of verifying one's identity. Airlines and airports are now unable to keep up with long lines of travelers as agents manually check health status certifications.

Air Europa, a Spanish airline, became the first to test Traveler ID in late April. Passengers may use the technology to confirm they have the required health documents at check-in while being on an airline's website or app. It eliminates manual labor for both the passenger and the airline.

The capability is integrated into the airline's IT scheme, allowing for self-service check-in. During the testing period, Air Europa passengers flying to Spain will use an online form to confirm they hold the required health documentation.

Travelers will be able to search and submit records for automated verification, such as shared QR codes from labs, national health services, and health platform providers, in the future. The aim is to sync with wireless health wallets like CommonPass.

Feasy is another Nexwave project. This is a consumer-facing "digital concierge" that deals with travelers via chat apps like WhatsApp or Messenger.

Mesnage concluded that the digital message would be more important than today's random emails from suppliers. The organization will be aware of a customer's address, the airport terminal from which they will leave, the distance to travel, and traffic updates. It will also have a clear idea of how open a customer will be to thinking about booking any particular add-on, taking into account the stage of a traveler's journey.

Amadeus is now incorporating the ideas into CheckMyTrip, a remote travel assistant mostly used for business travelers.