Travel Weekly Group Ltd

🚢 Traveltek partners with Aurora Expeditions, enhancing agent access to expedition cruises, a sector with a 71% passenger increase from 2019 to 2023 according to CLIA. The new collaboration allows for integration of pricing, itineraries, and ship content on Traveltek's platform, catering to the growing demand for educational and sustainable travel adventures. This partnership expands Traveltek's comprehensive cruise supplier network, which already includes various travel options.

🏖️ In 2024, global tourism recovered by 98% according to the UN's World Tourism barometer. Virtual card transactions are projected to reach a volume of 175 billion, amounting to $13.8 trillion by 2028. Online travel agents (OTAs) have benefited from virtual cards through instant payments and reduced fraud. However, 91% of European OTAs and travel intermediaries don't see improvements with current payment methods. The future of virtual cards in travel may involve more flexible fee structures and deeper integration with payment platforms for enhanced efficiency.

📍 TPConnects, majority-owned by Flight Centre Travel Group, integrates FlySafair's low-cost content on Iris platform, enhancing travel options for agencies. Kirby Gordon, CMO of FlySafair, and Eric Dumas, CEO of TPConnects, emphasize expanded reach and distribution, particularly in the South African market, facilitating seamless access for corporate and leisure travel sectors. Sue Garrett of Flight Centre highlights the strengthened travel solutions offering.

📌 Shaun Shirazian, former chief product officer of Pipedrive and experienced leader in SaaS and technology, has been appointed CEO of Lodgify, aiming to expand the market presence and enhance product offerings for hosts worldwide. Lechá, with a background in scaling SaaS companies, joins as chairman of the board. They target empowering small to mid-sized vacation rental hosts with advanced property management tools, fostering growth and innovation in the evolving short-term rental industry.

🏨 Personalised travel experiences, a growing demand, are hindered by challenges like real-time decision-making, data privacy, and scalability, with AI playing a pivotal role in refining recommendations. Travel agencies face inefficiencies due to varying workflows from different content sources, including traditional GDS, NDC, and low-cost carriers. Sabre aims to solve fragmentation with a multi-source marketplace for a consistent and scalable delivery of content. Effective personalisation in the travel industry also requires understanding customer data and intelligent technology, with AI used to predict traveller interests and bridge the gap between airlines and intermediaries. Industry collaboration is crucial for achieving seamless personalisation.

✈ Air France-KLM partners with Amadeus to adopt Nevio, a retailing solution supporting IATA ONE Order standard. This move, part of the MOON programme, aims to modernize system infrastructure, providing customers a unified travel record for easier modifications and personalized offers. The multi-year transformation seeks to enhance user experience and simplify IT systems by phasing out legacy applications. No specific dates or financial details were provided regarding the deal or timeline for the transformation.

✈ SITA launched a new global messaging solution for ATC communications; it enables secure, quick sharing of flight information worldwide. The platform integrates seamlessly, transitioning from AFTN to AMHS systems. SITA ATC Connect offers interoperability, large file sharing, and direct access to ICAO AMHS ATC for flight plans and meteorological data. It features a back-up connection, automated traffic rerouting, and supports ICAO and IATA protocols. Martin Smillie, SVP for SITA CDE, highlights the efficiency and reliability enhancements for the industry.

💸 Alex Platts, former Expedia executive and CMO at Lokalise, joins travel platform journaway as Chief Commercial Officer. With experience in brand growth and digital marketing, Platts is set to drive innovation and development for journaway. CEO Marco Behrends emphasizes Platts' valuable global travel, marketing, and finance expertise for the company's growth targets.