Why API integrated OTA solutions are crucial for travel agencies in Middle East and Africa? - www.provab.com

Online reservation software and travel mobility solutions are setting up new paradigms for travel agencies. The top and bottom line of growth is better than expected. A travel business may be small or big, but it can’t survive in the present world without an online travel industry software. You may have hosting a very good travel website design on your domain and it may also be attracting a-lot of visitors as well. But without travel software, you may not be able to realize its full potential. With travel system in place, you can not only connect to potential clients but also achieve the sales online. Integrating a travel agency software will change your website to an online booking system platform.

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API Integration

But how to integrate, is an intriguing issue. There are three basic methods of integration to your existing website:

iFrame Integration

Top travel software provides the white label links, which can be connected in any travel website. Your web designer can simply import these links in iframe. Thus your website will host the search box and will enable the complete online booking software on your website.

Widget integration

You add the code snippet or a widget, from travel software provider, to your website code. Sections of on the online booking UI will be added to the desired places in your website (e.g., search box, hotel room or flights on special offer).

API integration

API integration is one of the most common methods used today. You need a professional travel software development company to achieve this. APIs provide the web services XML, which should be programmed to connect to third party server to bring the data. Its always advisable to hire an experienced travel portal developer to do this for you. Hotel APIs or Flight APIs integration will give you the complete control on look n feel of the system and customization. This is the reason more agencies are setting up their own travel deal distribution platform.

With API integration, travel companies can -

• Have B2C, B2B, corporate and white-label modules

• Manage multiple suppliers including GDS & hotel consolidators

• Manage separate sub-domains / domains for end users and agents

• Update the markup from the backend

• Have IP based currency option

• Have comprehensive reporting system

Regarding Author:

Author is a travel technology expert and has been involved in several travel portal development projects.

Why travel agencies in developed countries are building B2B and B2C travel portals with eCommerce functionalities?

http://www.provab.com - Travel business is growing fast online. Most of travel agencies have their own B2C & B2B travel portal, travel ecommerce website, some even have a travel mobile app just for their customers. But still most of the travel agencies in developing countries have websites, which don’t possess ecommerce functionalities. They just gives you some information on who started the travel agency and when, little bit more about services and packages. But you can’t book a flight ticket or hotel room through it. And the travel agencies think they have a good “online presence”.

For Travel Portal Platform – Get a Project Quote – http://www.provab.com/get_quote.html

Travel Portal Development company

Over the last decade, a lot have changed in the way, people used to search and book travels deals. There is a clear trend in OTA model and usage of travel technology solutions have gone higher. Travel technology companies are working hand in hand with travel agencies to make their processes online almost 100%. Starting from the consultation needed for IATA accreditation, to GDS and APIs access – travel technology companies are sharing their wealth of experience to make the process quicker.

In general, if one is looking for travel technology solutions – its always better to find a professional travel technology company. They analyze each travel agent’s business environment. They do a thorough study of the travel products and services they want to market. Who are their suppliers and what is the nature of their customers? What are their short-term and long-term business ambitions?  

Travel technology companies help them in devising an effective online strategy taking into account all the above. They enhance their digital presence through Twitter, Facebook, email, etc. They develop travel portal using the best of travel technology and web services available. Setting up engines for booking flights, hotels, etc, as per the requirements.  The suppliers are integrated. Then the content management is started.

No travel agency can wish away the negative impacts if they just try to avoid adopting technology to improve its business. More and more people resort to online booking or booking through mobile apps. Agencies improve their office work by automating them. No travel agency can stand apart from this avalanche of travel technology.

Regarding Author:

Author is a senior business analyst and an expert in travel portal development and marketing strategy implementation.

GTA Travel Hotel API Integration for Online Travel Agencies in Ukraine, France, Belgium.

http://www.provab.com - Hotel APIs / Hotel XMLs are web services provided by the leading hotel aggregators like GTA, Hotelbeds, Agoda, Expedia, Hotelspro, DOTW, RoomsXML and several others alike. Hotel APIs provided unrestricted access to huge hotel inventory compiled by hotel consolidators. Online hotel booking system is a term for web application offering the seamless ability to search and book hotels online. It covers a range the entire range of hotel / rental business, connected or non-connected with hotel aggregators. It is currently one of the most important part of online travel industry as online hotel booking systems are generating all the high bookings worldwide. Hotel booking systems are also having advantage because of its absolutely convenient due to its 24-hour availability, global reach and generally efficient customer service.

For B2B Travel Portal Development – Get a Project Quote – http://www.provab.com/get_quote.html

Hotel booking system is basically of two types, B2C – which is focused towards end customers and B2B – which is focussed towards travel agents. Travel industry today operates operates in all four of the major market segments: business to business, business to consumer, business to corporate and white-label. Hotel booking system can be thought of as a more advanced form of global hotel catalog, where in user can search, check images, check pricing and do the booking online.

Setting up an online hotel booking system can be done in following two ways:

1. Hotel Booking System with Hotel APIs
2. Hotel Booking System with Self Contract Inventory (Hotel CRS / Hotel Extranet)

Hotel Booking System with Hotel APIs

Hotel booking systems have expanded rapidly over the past five years and is predicted to continue at this rate, or even accelerate. Carrying out hotel booking transactions electronically provides numerous competitive advantages over primitive methods. More over, the hotel inventory, which is one of the most important components of any hotel booking system, is accessed through hotel APIs, which have global data. When implemented with several hotel APIs, online booking system becomes faster, cheaper and more convenient than the traditional methods of bartering goods and services.

Hotel Booking System with Self Contract Inventory (Hotel CRS / Hotel Extranet)

Hotel booking systems with self contracted inventory are implemented more, for a specific geography. For example any travel company having several hundred hotel contracts in Dubai, will go for this model rather than going for hotel APIs. The commission in this model is more than the API model.

GTA Travel, Hotelbeds, Hotelspro, Tourico, Travco, Expedia, DOTW, Bonotel and several other hotel aggregators are providing the best in class hotel inventory with good rates.  

Author:

Author is a travel technology expert and has been involved in several travel portal development projects.

Resources:

http://www.provab.com/travelportaldevelopment.html

http://www.provab.com/hotelbookingsystemsoftware-onlinebookingsystemsusa.html

http://www.provab.com/hotelapishotelapihotelxmlgtahotelbedsdotw.html