There are so many different travel booking solutions available in the market today to research and book travel that it can sometimes be simply overwhelming. The number of online air booking engines alone is staggering, a point perhaps proven by the number of “Meta Search” engines that simultaneously search hundreds of websites to provide the User with the lowest possible airfare. And there are online air booking solutions for just about any size business, whether you are a single location agency looking to extend your reach online or you are looking to extend access to your booking solution to other agency locations or homebased agents. There are even air booking engines that will allow you to simultaneously search multiple GDS IDs for published as well as private airfares for those agencies with multiple locations or perhaps partnering with an air consolidator for private fares.
Online hotel booking engines are also popular, offering consumers the ability to shop for Hotel accommodations quickly and easily just about anywhere in the world. Today's travel booking solutions can access information to research which hotel property meets a customer's particular needs with just a few clicks of a mouse. These state of the art applications allow Users to search for a hotel room by a specific neighborhood within a city, by price range and even star rating. Finding the exact hotel properties that include specific amenities such as free internet or perhaps concierge service may be important. Detailed pictures of guest rooms as well as public spaces can provide the User a good idea of what to expect upon arrival. Hotels offer varying levels of luxury, comfort and service, so matching a guest with the right hotel is important.
The fastest growing sector of the travel industry are cruise vacations. As cruise lines continue to build newer ships and expand into different markets, they are offering exciting new itineraries and onboard activities. Travel booking solutions focused on selling cruises have kept pace and now integrate a vast amount cruise line, cruise ship and cabin descriptions linked to rich content such as cabin photos, ship images and deck plans to assist in the shopping process. Users can view pictures of a particular ship, including sample guest cabins and public areas. Maps with ship itineraries that show all the ports of call for a particular sailing are integrated into the display. Detailed information about ship activities, pictures of public spaces and even videos where available help provide the User a better idea of what to expect onboard.
As customers look for a customized travel experience, the ability to offer dynamic packaging of an individual's specific itinerary has become an increasingly popular component for travel booking solutions. Dynamic Packaging solutions are typically an extension of an existing booking engine designed to allow Users to package and book cruises, flights, hotels and other travel products in real time. A custom packaging tool can allow travel agents to tailor make a travel itinerary to be sold online.
Choosing an online booking solution with the right combination of options for your travel business can be a critical decision. Finding a technology partner that will help set your travel business apart from the competition can be just as important.
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