NEWS – OPEN DESTINATIONS LAUNCHES TRAVEL BUILDER SOFTWARE FOR EMERGING TOUR OPERATORS

Travel technology specialist Open Destinations today launched Travel Builder, their latest software package for the tour operator market. The new solution is designed for specialist and emerging tour operators, who are looking to leave behind their manual processes and quickly take their business to the next level.

‘We have been implementing tour operator systems for over 15 years and we continue to see a gap in the market for small and specialist operators,’ says CEO Kevin O’Sullivan.  ‘There are many amazing companies out there with fantastic product to sell yet they do not have access to the cutting-edge technology that they need to compete in the international marketplace.’

‘The software that is currently available on the market is not designed for these businesses to grow.  We have addressed this issue and taken it to the next level by applying our expertise and experience from working with mature travel businesses.’

O’Sullivan says that his team has extensively researched the market and made sure that the features offered give Travel Builder a clear lead over the competition. Travel Builder is a cloud-hosted (SaaS) solution that has been designed as a set of modules that can be configured for different types of specialist business.  For example, an inbound tour operator can implement integrated supplier relationships by using the Travel Builder Supplier Extranet.  An outbound operator can expand their product range through an extensive collection of 3rd party product interfaces, including GDS providers, low-cost airlines, hotels and wholesalers, such as GTA, Miki, Hotelbeds and Expedia.

Mario Hardy, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to see more technology options opening up in the Asia Pacific market.  ‘There are so many fantastic products in our region that need to be connected to more advanced technology.  They need a simple solution that will give their business a push.  This type of technology opens up possibilities for small tour operators, particularly those DMC-style operators that need to build up their network of agents and suppliers.’

Tom Jenkins, CEO of ETOA – the European Tourism Association also thinks the small tour operator market in Europe has much room for growth.  ‘We see a lot of small tour operators trying to figure out how to increase their sales channels and become more profitable.  A lot of people are looking for the technology expertise to jump to the next level.’

The software comes complete with an ‘out of the box’ B2B and B2C website option, multi-lingual functionality and customisation for individual agents and wholesalers.  It is also backed by the company’s 24/7 support and account management to help operators set up and configure their system.

O’Sullivan says that the software is a growth opportunity for the company and will continue to evolve to meet the growing needs of this specialist market.  Open Destinations will be showcasing the latest updates to Travel Studio at their exhibition stand at the upcoming Travel Technology Europe in London and ITB Berlin.