Leading tour operators Seligo, Bridge the World and Travelbag are to offer online leisure hotel bookings for customers to the USA, following deals with MIC to harness its Total Distribution System (TDS).
All three operators will use the system to book accommodation across TDS with leading US inbound wholesaler New World Travel (NWT). NWT is making online real-time reservations for its worldwide customers through TDS with leading hotel groups throughout North America.
TDS is the first b2b system for leisure accommodation bookings. The system incorporates intelligent technology with a simple to use front-end to automate and support sales throughout the supply chain, to connect hotels, wholesalers, tour operators, agents and other b2b participants. Furthermore, TDS is the first system allowing every member of the supply chain to sell rooms right up until departure. Leading North America specialist Bridge the World expects TDS to handle 80% of its American bookings. Said the company`s commercial director Bronwyn Neal: “As a tailor-made specialist, we were looking for a flexible, sophisticated system capable of handling complex travel arrangements. We now expect to see booking times and administration reduced from the minute we start using TDS.”
TDS will also handle bookings for the call centre operations of holiday accommodation specialist Seligo. The operator expects a high proportion of its US bookings to be made across the system in coming months.
Said Seligo`s product manager Diane Mosson: “TDS will enable us to offer our travel agency customers quick, automated bookings, saving them and us time and money. As more of our suppliers sign to TDS, we can widen out inventory even further to offer customers the best possible selection of products.”
Long-haul tailor-made specialist Travelbag will book selected US partners across TDS. The company has already enjoyed a large increase in US business through the use of online reservations systems, and expects TDS to add to this growth.
Said Travelbag`s US product manager Graham Bendelow: “TDS will revolutionise the way we do business. By enabling us to offer instant confirmation of non-allocation bookings, we can deliver a vastly improved customer service and boost productivity at the same time.”
Said MIC`s chief executive Heath Kane: “TDS is designed to benefit all partners in the leisure accommodation supply chain. These three deals confirm the system is proving as popular with tour operators as it is with hotel groups.
“As more and more providers embrace the system, the leisure sector will soon benefit from a truly global leisure distribution system.”
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