Traveltek, the fast-growing travel technology solutions provider, today unveiled Travelshop in a Box, a complete web solution designed to enable travel agents of all sizes to sell online.
Due for launch on 25 February, Travelshop in a Box offers agents a fully-customisable, bookable website at a fraction of the cost of a bespoke web solution, enabling agents to win customer from outside their normal catchment area and offer an out-of-hours bookings service. The breakthrough features a wealth of functionality from online multiple tour operator searches to a comprehensive CRM tool, all from as little as £2500 plus a monthly service charge.

According to Traveltek, its solution is three-times less expensive than most tailor-made products, in part because Travelshop in a Box is hosted and managed by Traveltek. The new solution is an off the shelf product which can be customised for the agent and ready to use within weeks.

At the heart of the solution`s functionality is Traveltek`s Travelbase multiple search operator system, which enables visitors to the agent`s website to search simultaneously late availability package holidays and charter flights of over 25 top tour operators. Chosen by Advantage Travel Centres as its preferred operator search system, Travelbase polls data from operators every 30 minutes to offer customers a choice of thousands of late deals.

Bookings can be made via email or phone call to the agent who then makes the reservation in the operator`s own bookings system. Alternatively, agents harnessing Traveltek`s newly-launched online customer service solution Chat4Travel can handle customers` text-based enquiries in real-time across the website, without customers losing their internet connection to make a phone call. Travel Shop in a Box can also be harnessed to support call centre operations and agencies operating homeworking schemes, with booking enquiries seamlessly transferred to the most appropriate consultant or homeworker.

Agents with their own allocated inventory from operators can also offer real-time online bookings, by downloading each operator`s content into Travelshop in a Box`s database. Online payments can be processed through Worldpay, the online credit card authorisation solution, which is easily integrated into Travelshop in a Box.

Traveltek believes Travelshop in a Box will also play an important role in agents` emarketing strategies as the solution`s CRM tool LateTracker enables agents to target customers with late holidays taken from Travelbase`s search facility. LateTracker builds up a database of customers` chosen areas of interest and automatically emails the customer with relevant holidays and flights offers on daily or weekly basis. In addition to protecting agents` existing commission-earning opportunities, Travelshop in a Box opens up new revenue streams by allowing agents to add hyperlinks to the websites of travel providers offering commissionable online bookings to agents, including Holiday Autos, Superbreaks, Travelscene, ABC Holiday Extras, or any others of the agent`s choosing.

All content on Travelshop in a Box is fully customisable. For example, agents can add special offers tailored to their agency`s areas of specialisation, such as ski deals or cruise holidays - all complete with destination images - or offer flight searches with their preferred GDS.

The first company to harness the solution will be Prentice Travel, one of Scotland`s leading late availability agents, which has seen the solution during its trial stages. According to Prentice, when the new solution goes live on 25 February it will enable the agency to expand its online operation, which already boasts over 32,000 customers a month.

Based in East Kilbride, Glasgow, Traveltek has offices in London, Manchester and San Jose, USA. Customers range from independent and multiple travel agencies to tour operators and trade associations and include Advantage Travel Centres, Lunn Poly, Bath Travel, St. Andrews Travel, the Travel Company and AITO.

 

www.traveltek.net

——-