e-Travel
today announced a
90 per cent growth in its customers` online bookings from June 2002 to June
2003 based on increased traffic to airline, online travel agency and
corporate sites.  This strong growth is attributed to e-Travel`s commitment
to customer success through rapid return on investment within a secure
online environment as well as its continuous investments in online
technology.

e-Travel`s surge in online bookings exceeds market research, such as a
recent

Jupiter Research
Online Travel Forecast projecting that the online
travel industry will grow 84 per cent in six years to reach $79 billion in
2009.  This growth is due to a combination of better Web sites, improved
booking solutions and an increase in the online population. 

According to e-Travel Managing Director, Ian Wheeler
, “The increasing
importance of online booking continues to grow rapidly and our corporate and
leisure customers are demanding more and more integration in their online
booking solutions. We are very committed to exceeding our customers` needs,
and our current growth is a result of our customers` satisfaction. These
growth figures are the result of e-Travel`s strategic involvement in all
lines of the travel e-business.”

e-Travel`s commitment to using the latest advances in technology allows its
corporate and leisure customers to enjoy some of the highest adoption and
conversion rates in the industry. Led by flagship solutions Planitgo, a
fully customisable online booking engine, and Aergo, an online booking
solution for the business travel market, e-Travel clients have seen their
own online bookings grow as a result of customised solutions and services
that consolidate internationalisation requirements within one single
architecture.

“Teaming up with e-Travel should eventually give our employees a seamless
travel booking experience which saves them time and us money,” said Oracle
Travel Manager for Europe Middle East and Africa, Marilyn Clifton. “The
e-Travel partnership allows us to address our locations` growing requests
for a travel solution and shows our commitment to our users` needs.”  A
successful start in the US was the basis for expansion to the United Kingdom
with a further 11 countries in EMEA planning to adopt the solution during
2003.
Wideroe, a Norwegian airline that counts itself among Qantas, Air France and
Iberia as one of e-Travel`s 52 airline customers, has been working with
e-Travel since 1998. Over the past year, its online bookings have increased
threefold.

“e-Travel solutions and technological expertise have allowed us to reach
what every airline has as a goal - cut costs and maximise revenues,” said
Odd Langvatn, Wideroe Internet Managing Director. “The steady increase in
our online activity has resulted in a substantial decrease in distribution
costs. By outsourcing the booking engine technology and operations to
e-Travel, Wideroe is able to focus on areas of differentiation, such as
optimising customer support and implementing Web only fares.”

“As a global leader in online travel technology, we will continue to offer
e-Travel customers the most advanced online solutions needed to keep up with
the increasing growth in online travel bookings. We look forward to meeting
and even surpassing our forecast goals on a continual basis,” said Wheeler.

Related stories on ITN:

(25/06/2003)  
e-Travel Introduces e-Travel Reporter
 

(22/07/2003) e-Travel Planitgo Powers Philippine Airlines

(02/07/2003) Finnair Adopts e-Travel Solutions for Leisure Website

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