How to Use the Power of Travel Booking Engines
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 28, 2016 9:32:04 AM
Travel agents in today’s travel industry are in something of a precarious position. To remain competitive with online travel companies, travel review websites, and travel and tourism social media platforms, agents must provide streamlined levels of customer service based on speed and …
Putting the Back Office First: How Travel Companies Should Embrace Automation
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 26, 2016 9:17:53 AM
The back office. It’s a curious space - akin to a No Man’s Land - within the travel industry that doesn’t receive much play or attention either from travel companies or those operating within the tourism sector. In today’s world, an interesting dichotomy of focus has developed within …
Why a Travel Management Company Needs an ERP Solution
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 21, 2016 1:52:54 PM
Reach into your pocket, pull out your smartphone, and this is what you’re likely to find: an MP3 player; a GPS device; a calendar; an internet web browser; a video player; and perhaps even a platform for paying for goods and services at the POS in any given supermarket or megamart. In …
Working Smart: How Travel Agents Benefit from Advanced Booking Systems
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 19, 2016 9:39:35 AM
I was recently flying to Washington, D.C. for a regional travel conference and, to pass the time, tried to download a new online banking app on my smartphone. It was a very frustrating experience because the download would on the surface appear complete, but the app would not open or …
Keep Connected: How Mobile Travel Apps Promote Customer Retention
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 14, 2016 9:34:21 AM
Many of today’s travelers view mobile travel apps as the simply the newest method to quickly and conveniently research, book, and modify destination and bookings - a shortcut or way around working with a traditional brick and mortar travel agency or even an online travel agency or man …
3 Trends in Mobile Travel: A Mid-Year Review
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 12, 2016 9:22:03 AM
As we reach the midway point of 2016, it’s commonplace to review the trends, developments, evolutions, and disruptions that have occurred during the first half of the year in order to attempt predictions on where the second half may be headed. While unexpected geopolitical events like …
The State of Mobile Travel Bookings in 2020
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 7, 2016 10:00:58 AM
True or false: Nearly half of all travel bookings made during 2016 will take place offline via phone or in-person with the assistance of a travel agent or travel management company. True, which is surprising, especially given the highly connected nature of today’s travel industry and …
4 Traits of the Modern Budget Traveler
By Nick Ostdick on Jul 5, 2016 9:24:47 AM
In today’s market, travel and tourism have become less expensive and more accessible for greater percentages of the population than ever before. The internet - through the proliferation of online travel agencies, discount travel websites, travel review websites, and social media - has …