Flight Booking Software options Can Vary

Travel industry online sales have exploded over the past decade and as a result, choosing the right online booking engine a critical decision for anyone selling travel today. With airline online ticket sales increasing year over year, making sure your travel business has the right flight booking software is even more important than ever. The right flight reservation system can serve as B2B, B2C and B2B2C applications which will automate processes increase your agency’s revenues and reduce the amount of time and effort required to complete an airline reservation. These online applications should be easy to use Easy to Use for Consumers and travel agents alike.

Most flight booking software can provide “live” connectivity with airlines so that the most up to date pricing and availability is used. Some flight reservation systems even have the ability to search multiple content sources simultaneously for the best price, allowing agency owners the ability to combine their own content with content from other sources.

Most travel agents look for a Flight Reservation System that allows them to customize the branding such as headers, footers and style sheets to reflect their agency’s unique brand identity and provide a seamless online experience for their customers shopping online. Complete customized versions are also available for those agency owners who are looking to design a complete customized layout of the flight reservation system to match their own specific requirements. There are even state of the art Air Mobile Apps available that allow any agency to expand the reach of their travel booking engine to hand held devices. The most advanced online airline booking applications utilize innovative responsive technology to provide support of various mobile device screen sizes so customers can easily view and navigate through the booking process regardless of the device they are using.

The business management tools that any application includes is an important factor and something which can vary greatly from system to system. Most applications include the ability to adjust a products selling price up or down, but the level of flexibility defining business rules is where systems can vary tremendously. Most have the ability to adjust a fare by airline, but some go much further and allow for Rules to be defined by itinerary, class of service, travel or booking dates and much more.

The ability to easily run reports to track your business and help you make adjustments along the way is also important. Who are your top customers? What are the top city pairs being shopped by your customers? Are your customers finding what they are looking for on your website? Many applications include reporting tools that track your bookings, but some can even provide search statistics to easily let you know what customers are looking for on your website. This can be valuable information for a business owner to consider when reviewing their negotiated airfare agreements with their preferred airlines.

Finding flight booking software with the right combination of options for your business can be a critical decision. Finding the right technology company to partner with can be just as important.

Are Hotel Booking Engines a Nightmare?

Whether travelling for business or pleasure, one of the most important arrangements for any trip can be the hotel accommodations. A bad seat selection on an airplane can make for a miserable flight, but it is something that you'll only need to endure for few hours. The wrong Hotel room however can ruin your entire trip.

Hotel Reservation Software should be easy to use and provide the information you and your clients need to research and complete a Hotel Booking. It should not make a User feel disappointed or somehow trapped in a Hotel nightmare like described in the 1977 Eagles song “Hotel California”. The album'stitle track “Hotel California” is a rock ballad about a luxury hotel visit that crosses over to the dark side. This iconic Eagles song was inspired by a drive into Los Angeles one evening filled with high expectations that were later shattered. The song has become a metaphor for people anticipating a dreamlike experience only to find themselves trapped in a nightmare.

But with so many different hotel options available and so many different ways to book a hotel room, where does someone start? Do you shop using one of the many online discount hotel sites for the best rate? Do you book directly with the hotel? Contact a professional Travel Agent?

If you are not sure if the hotel is right for you or if you are getting the best price, this is one of those times that booking with a travel agent can really work in your favor. Many experienced Travel Agents know the different hotel properties, have access to special deals and in many cases can get you that VIP treatment that will make your stay more enjoyable. Booking with a travel agent may be the key to getting a special rate on a hotel room, a possible room upgrade or that special V.I.P. treatment during your stay.

Many of today's travel agency websites I even include a Hotel Booking Engine option. This allows travelers to take advantage of all the benefits that booking with a travel agent combined with the ease and accessibility of a using an online B2C booking engine.

Hotel Reservation Software should be simple to use and never make the User feel like they are trapped in a Hotel nightmare. A travel agency Hotel Booking Engine needs to contain the information that both the Travel Agent and Consumer need to research and book the right hotel. Many of today's hotel applications include tools that allow Users to search for hotels by geographic locations, including specific neighborhoods and points of interest within a selected city. Specific Hotel information and photos should be up to date and accurately depict the property to avoid disappointment and that “Hotel California” feeling. Hotel Reservation Software should provide quick confirmation of reservations along with any information that the consumer needs in order to properly plan their stay.

Despite this, many online booking engines are difficult to manage and do not provide the flexibility that many travel agents require. Finding a Hotel Booking Engine with the right combination of options for your business can be a critical decision. Finding the right technology company to partner can be just as important.

Online Cruise Booking To Make Your Cruise Ship Experiences Awesome

Are you tired of waiting in the long queues to book the cruise tickets for your vacations? As cruise lines have extended their online reservation options- whether it is via pre-booking shore excursions, spa treatment or restaurant booking on the cruise- the sea travelers now spend less time standing in line on board and more time enjoying the thrills of the sea. Usually all cruise lines embraced online cruise booking solutions several years back, but now, they are expanding their online options which includes pre-reservation for a wide array of onboard actions via cruise booking engine and software.

So how does this system works? Rather than calling up your travel agents or waiting in the queue till you’ve embarked, once you book the cruise via the booking apps or site and get the confirmation number, you can log on to the official site of the cruise and map out the rest of the bookings. Lines such as Princess and Royal Caribbean also offer you the facility of personalized section, where all the info related to the cruise and your travelling is stored.

How has the advancement in online booking helped cruise travellers?

While a lot of travelers are embracing the early booking opportunities, but a lot of pre-planning could serve as a spontaneity killer and make you do something that you really didn’t want to. Thus, make sure to keep a check on the cancellation policies too before making reservation of any shore tours, specialty dinner or spa invites.

The very first stage of pre-booking is the cruise tickets. Cruise booking solutions give you the liberty to book tickets as per your convenience. With live chat assistance and email support, you can get answers to all your queries and questions. Cruise booking software allows quick booking from your smartphones. So, now you can book your cruise tickets while you’re on the go. You no longer need a PC or laptop to go through the different booking schemes. Check out all the dos and don’ts of the booking process, enquire about the refunds and cancellation policy. The booking software has several advantages.

You can easily look at the online program or download the software to track the details of everything, right from the expenses to the time spent on each activity on the cruise to keep a track of your timing. Cruise travelers appreciate the advancement of cruise booking sites where they can easily oversee the complete travel budget, amazing offers and services offered by the cruise owners.So, find out all about your favorite cruise by visiting cruise sites and finding out all about your favorite sea trip. Trust you me, it is the best way to enjoy a trouble –free vacation on sea during peak seasons. Try it out now.

Author is a travel enthusiast and love traveling all around the world. He is thankful to the sites such as odysseussolutions.com which has made it easy for him to book travel and cruise before time. You may check at the site for getting all the benefits.

Travel Software Can Help Your Business Expand

Retailers in any business need to keep up with the constant changes in the way consumer’s research and shop for just about everything. Whether you need to schedule your car to be serviced at the local dealer or you are looking to order your weekly groceries, chances are it can be done online. The travel industry is no exception to this rule and in fact has been a driving force behind this trend.

As online travel technology solutions continue to advance, more and more people are using some type of Travel Booking Engine to research and book just about any of their travel arrangements. Whether looking to just book airline tickets to visit friends -or- planning the annual family vacation on a Cruise, there are online booking engines available that can help guide just about anyone through the entire process.

The consumer trend of purchasing travel online has resulted in a transformation where traditional “brick and mortar” travel agency storefronts are being replaced by new sales channels in both the traditional B2B as well as B2C environments.

Sophisticated Travel Agent Software can provide almost any travel agency new and creative ways to standout in a crowded marketplace and remain competitive. To be successful, today’s Online Travel Agency requires a solution that provides them with the flexibility to adapt their business based on the latest market trends and pressures.

Travel Agent Software should be designed to automate the sale of multiple travel products and service multiple selling channels. It should be easily customized to maintain a Client’s brand identity and provide a seamless online experience for the end user, whether a travel agent or consumer. And to keep pace with today’s mobile society, your Travel Booking Engine should use responsive technology to optimize the presentation and display for various devices, screen sizes and resolution.

With the travel industry expanding worldwide and new markets opening up everyday, demand has never been higher for a new flexible, web based solutions. Travel Agent Software should be flexible & fully scalable enough to allow online travel agents to easily grow their business and expand into new markets while maintaining their own unique brand identity. To expand internationally, you’ll want to consider applications that are designed to meet the unique requirements of the global marketplace and can easily handle multiple currencies as well as multiple languages. The unique requirements and supplier constraints that many international markets bring can also be overwhelming. In many markets for example, the product will need to be “localized” and require working closely with Suppliers to “localize” the product as well as integrate local content sources.

The best approach for designing and developing a Travel Booking Engine is to research market requirements and work closely with customers and suppliers to identify each of their specific needs. This process helps reveal new and innovative ways to increase revenues and reduce the cost of making a booking. Finding the travel software that is right for your business can be an important decision, but finding the right technology partner to help your business expand can be even more important.

Hotel Booking Engines Bring Value

The right Hotel Booking Engine can bring additional value to the overall reservation services an agency provides whether for it is for a corporate or leisure customer. It allows agents to provide full service to their customers by making all of the travel arrangements for their trip while providing additional commission revenues for the agent.

Any online travel booking engine should be designed to reduce the time and effort required to research and complete a booking. For a Hotel Booking Engine to truly bring value, it should include access to rich content such as pictures and area maps as well as detailed descriptions of the property and room amenities to assist with selecting the right hotel property during the shopping process. For some online businesses, the need to be able to offer and book the special deals associated with a specific Agency Consortia or Agency Group can be essential. All this content needs to be fully integrated with both B2B and B2C sales channels for a business owner to avoid the headache of managing multiple booking applications to run their business.

Many Clients demand a choice deciding which content source their hotel booking application uses to access content. This allows them to offer their customers the right hotel content at the right price. A flexible online booking application should provide a variety of content sources to choose from or provide the ability to easily add a content sources for the Client.

A Hotel Booking Engine should be designed to make it quick and easy for Agents and customers alike to research and complete a hotel booking. It should include rich content such as detailed hotel descriptions, pictures and area maps to assist with selecting the right hotel property during the shopping process. And to make sure you are reaching those millennial consumers who shop for nearly everything using their smart phone, the application should use responsive technology that automatically adjusts the screen display layout based on the type of device being used.

The hotel booking application should be easily customized to match your brand identity and provide a seamless online experience for your customers. For some applications, this can be as simple as customizing the headers, footers and style sheets to match a Client’s specific branding. For others, a complete private label version may be the better choice where the layout as well as “Look & Feel” are changed to meet a Client’s specific requirements.

If you are planning to reach clients speaking multiple languages, and application with multiple language capability can be especially important in reaching certain demographic markets and essential for those looking to expand into internationally. And an automatic Email confirmation sent to customers from your email address should provide easy access for booking related questions and to add payment. Booking Reminders are also important to alert Customers and Agents that a payment is due.

Identifying the right combination of content and product features for your hotel booking engine can be a critical decision, finding the right technology partner can be just as important.

Online Flight Reservation Systems Can Evolve Your Business

The Air Booking Engines available in the market today are the result of decades of technological improvement. Originally designed to as a Flight Reservation System to automate the booking process for airlines, these applications have evolved over the years and have been a driving force behind the sale of travel products online today.

Airline tickets are a crucial component of most travel plans today and have always been a crucial part of any business selling travel. Once considered the “bread and butter” of a travel agent’s business, recent airline commission cuts have forced travel agents to find new and more cost effective ways to sell airline tickets.

Today, a Flight Booking Engine can provide Live access to airline content via direct connections or Global Distribution Systems and provide Users with the most up to date content, availability and pricing. Some Booking Engine even have the ability to simultaneously search multiple content sources for the best price, allowing business owners to combine their own fares with the fares of one or more consolidators.

Many applications allow for the headers, footers and style sheets to be customized to maintain an individual business’ own brand identity and provide a seamless online experience for customers right “out of the box”. Others offer customized private label versions where the complete layout is customized to meet your specific requirements.

Most Flight Reservation Systems include Revenue Management Tools with the ability adjust price and inventory, including marking up or marking down a selling price by airline, itinerary, class of service, dates and more. It should also allow for you to setup special promotions or offers that can be redeemed during the booking process. Reporting capabilities can be a crucial tool when evaluating how any online business is performing and a Flight Booking Engine is no exception. Business Managers need quick and easy access to the information needed for them to properly manage their online travel business.

To reach those customers always on the go, you will want to make sure that your Booking Engine is mobile ready and can support various mobile and tablet screen sizes used today. Customers need to be able to easily view and navigate through the booking process regardless the type of device they are using. You may even want to consider adding a dedicated Mobile app to offer to your regular customers “on the go” and increase your brand awareness.

Or if you are looking to control your own User Interface screens, you may want to consider one of the Booking Engine API products available in the market. These products allow you to develop and host all air booking engine User interfaces on your own servers while using the existing connections, powerful features and robust business tools that an established Flight Booking Engine has to offer for business logic and live Pricing, Availability & Booking.

Identifying the right combination of content and product features for your Flight Reservation System can be a critical decision, finding the right technology partner can be just as important.

Travel Booking Engines Functionality & Content Are Key

There are so many different types of content available and so many different online travel booking engines available today that it is sometimes difficult to know which is the best fit for your company. While one booking engine may have the great functionality and the features you need, it may not have the content your clients are looking for. On the flip side, you may find a travel booking solution with the perfect content source, but find that it is missing the functionality and features you need.

If you are selling multiple travel products, you may want your booking engine to access hotel content using one source, but look to use a totally different connection for your airline bookings or perhaps several other sources when booking a cruise. Finding the all the right travel related content sources in a single online booking solution that has the features and functionality you need can be overwhelming at first and a bit of a challenge at best.

The solution to your problems may be found with an online booking engine with the features and functionality you need to properly manage your business that also has a flexible supplier connection gateway which will allow you to access different content sources for different travel products. Some of the more advanced travel booking engine seven allow you to choose specific content sources by Supplier, providing the ultimate in content source flexibility. Say you want to use your GDS to make most of your cruise bookings, except one or two where you prefer to use a direct connection for faster response time or enhanced functionality. Your booking engine needs to be able to quickly and easily support these different connections and know when to use each.

As preferred supplier relationship become increasingly important to securing the best price and commission levels, display biasing has become a tool for many agencies to promote their preferred suppliers over one that’s not preferred. In many cases, the ability to bias the display towards one supplier over another allows an agency to steer consumers to the Supplier they earn the best commission with, thus increasing their overall profits. Many Suppliers are quick to recognize the benefits of a biased display and some may offer increased commissions and marketing support to those with an online booking solution that has this capability.

Travel Booking Engines also need the ability to quickly and easily define business rules so you can maximize profits and include value add offers or special deals in the availability display. Your online booking engine needs to be able to keep up with all the different specials and promotions that Suppliers make available today. Selling price adjustments and value add offers should be easy to define and have the flexibility to define a rule by a specific market, travel dates, booking dates, supplier uses and more.

Finding a travel booking solution that has the functionality and content you need is an important decision for your business, finding the right technology partner to assist you can be even more important.

In this article author writes about Odysseus Solutions. Some of the more advanced travel booking engine seven allow you to choose specific content sources by Supplier, providing the ultimate in content source flexibility.