Travel agent’s top three technology wish list revealed

Monday, 21 May 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Amadeus has revealed the ‘Top 3’ technology demands from Asia Pacific travel agents in 2012, following its annual Asia Pacific Customer ThinkTank held in Hong Kong this year.

Over 40 C-level travel agency customers from across Asia Pacific joined the event to discuss key issues that the travel industry is facing in 2012, share opinions and ideas, and discuss their top technology demands to meet their evolving business needs.

Amadeus’s ThinkTank revealed that the ‘Top 3’ technology demands from travel agents in Asia Pacific include enabling delivery of more niche content for today’s better informed traveller, offering innovative solutions which will sit at the forefront of consumers increasingly advanced day-to-day technology use, and having a technology partner with personality.

David Brett, President, Amadeus Asia Pacific, said that customers are saying they want ‘technology with personality’.

“This sort of unique feedback makes our Amadeus Asia Pacific ThinkTank so significant to our business growth today. Addressing the needs of our customers in Asia Pacific is an integral part of our success in the region to date, and in the past, has led to solutions being created and rolled out specifically to address the needs of this market, such as Amadeus Travel Office Manager (ATOM) and Amadeus OneClick,” Mr Brett said. “As the APAC region’s travel sector continues to surge, travel professionals are still recognising the importance of investing in technology to boost business performance and drive this growth forward, but they want more than just the technology alone; they want a technology partner who can offer them bespoke solutions and personalised service tailored to ensure the success of their business.”

APAC travel agents ‘Top 3’ technology wishes in detail:

1. Niche content. From cruise products to motels and boutique five-star hotels off the beaten track, travel agents want technology that will allow them to offer more niche content to build unique customised packages for their customers. Today’s traveller is more informed thanks to the internet and social media, so travel agents need to generate a complete travel experience.

2. Investment in innovation. With technology becoming more ingrained in consumer’s day-to-day life, travel agents are recognising that they need to move with this trend to stay one step ahead. Cutting edge technology through innovation is a key differentiator with mobile in particular identified as a key growth area which travel agents need to take advantage of, utilise, especially in Asia Pacific.

3. Technology with personality! Travel agents are increasingly looking for a technology partner that can offer intelligent solutions tailored to their specific customer needs. Ultimately, a technology partner that is more of an adviser, capable of thinking outside the box. For example, integrating more advanced online tools and social media capabilities to solutions.

Brett added, “By taking on feedback directly from our customers, we support our ongoing investment in research and development to ensure that our solutions are being designed with our customer’s future needs in mind.”