Innovation

📈 The Advantage Travel Partnership collaborates with Vibe for a new online booking tool platform aimed at TMCs under the AMS model. This empowers agents with advanced tools, leveraging group buying power to compete with larger organizations. Stephen Baxendale emphasizes their commitment to leading technology, enhancing their One-Stop Business Hub for growing market needs. Vibe's Danny Girling highlights the leveling of the playing field, offering TMCs the ability to serve clients innovatively and profitably.

🛫 SITA partners with Saudi Arabia's Red Sea International Airport (RSI) as a Specialised Airport Systems provider for the new Main Terminal Building. RSI, developed by Red Sea Global, aims to serve one million guests annually by 2030 with a peak capacity of 900 passengers per hour. SITA will implement solutions for passenger processing, baggage reconciliation, and airport operations. The solutions include SITA Flex, Maestro departure control system, Bag Manager, and Information Display Systems, ensuring a smooth passenger experience and efficient airport management.

💰 Encore, a global event technology and production services provider with 12,000 team members across 20 countries, launched the ‘Overtime Savings Program’ in the U.S. to improve financial stability for its workforce facing seasonal business fluctuations. Utilizing UKG's payroll technology, the program allows employees to save overtime earnings and receive a company-paid match. Following its post-Labor Day launch, UKG Wallet™ usage surged tenfold. Additionally, the ‘Seasonal Leave of Absence Program’ offers flexible off-season breaks while retaining benefits and career status, with global expansion plans underway.

🏨 Independent hotels enhance guest arrival experiences using technology like property-management systems (PMS) and experience management systems (XMS) to improve communication and offer personal touches. Digital communication enables guests to inform hotels of late arrivals, allowing for staggered room preparation and extended check-in times. Contactless technology provides self-serve mobile check-in options or kiosk check-ins to expedite the process. Modern PMS capabilities also allow guests early access to amenities, increasing revenue and guest satisfaction.

🏡 eDreams, founded in 1999, became Spain's first unicorn with a 2014 IPO valuing the company at €1.6 billion ($2.2 billion). By then, eDreams had reached €4.3 billion ($5.9 billion) in bookings, €430 million ($589 million) in revenue margin, and €118 million ($162 million) in EBITDA. The company, initially without a clear product-market fit, pivoted to a flight booking engine after customer feedback. Innovations included combining low-cost and traditional carriers, introducing service fees, and leveraging Google AdWords early on. Founder-led until 2015, eDreams attracted global talent by overcoming local hiring challenges, creating a merit-based culture, and operating anti-consensus strategies.

📈 In March, the expansion of the partnership between Duetto and Amadeus Hospitality was announced, now the integration of Demand360® data into Advance is complete. This collaboration offers an industry-first feature: a subset of Demand360® data with a 60-day stay date horizon within Advance. Benefits include enhanced data insights, improved efficiency, data-driven decisions, and scalability. The partnership aims to optimize hoteliers' revenue strategies, operational efficiency, guest experience, and provide a competitive edge.