Understanding travel risk management

whitePaper | June 1, 2022

As travel moves toward recovery, new forces will shape its futureThe COVID-19 pandemic disrupted several industries, but travel fell particularly hard and fast. US air passenger volume plummeted by more than 90% in March 20201and in April 2020 U.S. hotel occupancy dove to 25%.2 Travel showed its resilience when relief arrived in the form of vaccines. Pent-up demand surfaced quickly; Americans’ intent to make bookings doubled across most travel categories from February to September 2021.

whitePaper | July 22, 2022

IATA is also aware of the “scalability challenges in the leisure market”. Many of our Airlines, Online Travel Agencies, MetaSearch Engines and other Leisure Travel partners have called on Amadeus to find solutions to this. Others have devised their own, and we are seeing some very innovative workarounds in the market.

whitePaper | August 3, 2021

The travel industry is finally on its long-awaited road to recovery — U.S. travel restrictions are easing for vaccinated individuals and international travel is resuming in higher numbers. While leisure travel intent for this summer looks promising, less than one-third of travelers have solidified travel plans by booking their full trips. Uncertainty surrounding vaccine coverage, infection rates in various areas, and quarantine mandates continue to keep prospective travelers vigilant. With a slew of trips still not fully booked, hotels and airlines can tailor their strategies to consumers’ preferences to influence their decisions. This white paper explores what recovery looks like for the hotel and airline sectors, analyzes consumer trends and how to increase their comfort in travel, and examines the post-pandemic staffing situation in the travel industry. Readers will also learn about: Consumers’ travel budget plans Why digital nomads are a lucrative market How Salesforce can assist with mitigating staff shortages and scheduling Features travelers appreciate in public and private lodging accommodations

whitePaper | July 8, 2021

This whitepaper explains: Travel is an ultra-high-risk sector for card acquirers because most payments are for future delivery. If merchants fail to fulfill a service for which they have taken payment (often months in advance) customers can recover their money from the acquirer by initiating chargeback. Acquirers traditionally demand substantial cash collateral (holdbacks) or other financial security from travel merchants to mitigate this risk. Holdbacks lock away substantial funds for travel companies and can therefore be highly damaging to liquidity. High-profile collapses and the COVID-19 crisis have driven acquirers to impose harsher terms or quit the travel sector completely.

whitePaper | May 20, 2021

Forecasting is a decision-making tool that helps businesses cope with the impact of the future’s uncertainty by examining historical data and trends. Businesses across every industry need to forecast components of their operations, and that is particularly important, and challenging, in times of uncertainty. Actionable forecasts in the Travel and Hospitality industry bring particular value: how many guests will arrive and when, how to staff accordingly, adjusting inventory positions, modelling the impact of promotions/events on business performance, optimising pricing/revenue management, and projecting revenue/cash flow. Forecast too high and the business will be inefficient with resources: likely buying too much product, facing potential spoilage or waste, while also missing opportunities to invest capital elsewhere.

whitePaper | November 15, 2019

Commissions, rising acquisition costs, price undercutting – it’s hard to be a modern hotelier and it means that the channels they directly control are more vital than ever before. In the right hands, direct channels and strong funnels to them give hoteliers critical breathing room in the cut-throat world of online accommodation. They can generate big savings for a brand, allow ownership of customer data and potentially help to generate long-term loyalty.