Travel topics explained in a simple way: Today we take a look at the difference between direct and indirect airline distribution. Also, we talk about the topic “GDS bypass vs. GDS passthrough”.
In many cases NDC is mistakenly used for direct distribution. NDC is a data standard. NDC is explained in details in the following Blogs: “What is NDC?”, “ The reality behind NDC” and “NDC – the next curtain”. Continue reading
If airlines only had one single price, in order to cover operating costs, the price needs to be high. Which would lead to that no one could actually fly. We explore the question of how continuous pricing – enabled by NDC – compares to static dynamic pricing.
Even if airlines only had a single price for each cabin (first, business and economy), the price per cabin would still be high. Continue reading
Travel Topics explained in a simple way: Let’s talk about the data standard New Distribution Capability (NDC).
Dear Readers, during a tough year with a global pandemic which cost the travel industry according to IATA in excess of $118 billion, I was under the impression, no-one would be interested in educational stories about travel technology. Hopefully, we have better times ahead of us. Hence, I decided to continue my series with focus on necessary technology improvements such as NDC and ONE Order.
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic is redefining business travel. One of the changes is the increased importance on Travel Risk Management. This is reflected in studies but also in the work of the International Standards Organization (ISO), which is currently working on a new ISO 31030 (Travel Risk Management – Guidance for Organization).
TMCs and risk management companies can be a great support for the organizations. PASS provides the booking data for preventive and active risk identification.
Many times I am asked: “What are the characteristics of a good, flexible, modern Online Booking Tool (OBT) for travel?” Some of the existing ones carry a lot of baggage, which makes them less flexible. They are and in constant competition with rapidly changing consumer applications. But those ‘legacy’ OBTs provide stability, even though they may not look nice. Manufacturers try to facelift or re-develop them, but I ask the question: Does a business travel online booking tool really need to be fancy and compete with all the consumer apps out there? Continue reading
Political unrest, terror attacks, natural disasters, epidemics – (perceived) insecurity is on the rise among business travelers. This poses new challenges for travel risk management.
Despite all the digital innovations, the number of business trips is increasing year after year: they open doors and drive growth. It is therefore hardly a surprise that in the American Express Global Business Travel (GBT)’s European Business Travel Barometer, around 50 percent of those surveyed said that they classified business trips not as a cost, but as an investment. And costs are also taking a backseat elsewhere: security is increasingly prioritized as the most important aim of travel management. Continue reading
Raise employee satisfaction, reduce costs and optimize processes: Why an online booking tool kills three birds with one stone.
My last blog post focused on business travel in the digital age. The fact is that, despite virtual technologies, face-to-face meetings are indispensable. I also demonstrated the primary objectives of travel management and highlighted the crucial role played by IT in its implementation. Here I primarily referred to the use of an online booking tool (OBT) – often used as a synonym for a travel management system (TMS), an online booking engine (OBE), internet booking engine (IBE) or a self-booking tool (SBT) – as a central management element. Continue reading
According to the GBTA BTI™ Outlook – Annual Global Report & Forecast travelers in Northern America spent $320 billion USD on business travel last year.
Business travel spending has grown at an average rate of 4.8 percent over the past four years. Western Europe and Northern America combined to make up half of the global spend in 2015 ($619 billion according to GBTA). Emerging markets struggled while key developed markets including the U.S., Germany, France and UK were steady. Continue reading
FinTech, InsurTech and HealthTech … the industry is facing a wave of digital disruptions that are starting to reshape the financial, insurance and health service sector. But have you already gotten in touch with the latest buzzword PropTech? And do you know what connects PropTech and business travellers?
Usually in the travel industry, booking travel is considered air, car, hotel, possibly some leisure aspects such as cruise, tour, activities (if it is not for business travel) and ground transportation (if you consider door-to-door). Today I want to draw your attention on the hotel portion – but expand on it as today’s travel environment is not so simple anymore. A better term would probably be accommodation. Continue reading
The last few months made more and more aware of an important topic for travelers – the safety while traveling. IT can be of great support here.
I do not know about you, but when I am at the station and I suddenly hear the announcement “The owner of the suitcase on track 23 is asked to return to his luggage immediately”, my pulse shoots up involuntarily. This increased need for security is confirmed by the recently published Business Travel Report of the German Business Travel Association, VDR (Verband Deutsches Reisemanagement e.V.) – and not only in the private context. Also on the company side this issue is getting more and more attention. Continue reading
If you had a look at my article about Expense Management, you should be aware of my position regarding travel policies. I hold the opinion that the best option for the company and the most efficient option for the traveler can be reached through clever policies paired with a good corporate booking tool. Continue reading
Even though corporate travel is not about the employee’s pleasure and serves a greater purpose, there are still some easy ways to make the most out of your trip and even save your company some money. Continue reading
When I published my book about the developments in travel distribution back in 2010, I took a closer look at the U.S. travel market in one of the first chapters.
Continue reading
Since SAP already had its own expense management tool and Concur hasn’t made profit in years, the question we all had in mind was obvious: What were they thinking?! Continue reading
Interesting, I thought to myself, while I walked back into my office and tried to make a list in my head of all the things I do expect from a good transportation service. It should be safe, reliable and bring me from point A to point B for a reasonable price, that much was clear. Continue reading
So what else can you actually do to be well prepared on your journey?
The more you know about your destination, the safer your trip will be. The following tips will help you to plan your trip better and minimize the typical risks of travelers on the road. Continue reading
AAA predicts that the Thanksgiving travel volume will reach the highest level since 2007 and more than 46 million Americans will travel from Wednesday through Sunday, which is a 4.2 % increase compared to 2013. Continue reading
This deal also means American Express will separate its Global Business Travel division (GBT) operations into a dedicated holding structure in which American Express and the investor group will hold an ownership of 50% each in exchange for a $900 million investment in the joint venture by the investor group. The venture will be led by Bill Glenn, former President of Global Commercial Services at American Express. Continue reading
