Cairo-based Spring Tours has opted for travel technology firm Illusions Online’s cutting-edge solution in a move designed to boost sales from clients seeking competitive prices in real time.

Established inbound specialist to Egypt, Spring Tours, has invested in market-leading travel technology it believes will give the company a competitive edge while at the same time, contributing to the revival of the country’s beleaguered tourism market.

The firm, which specialises in classical tours of Egypt and beach holidays, has partnered with Dubai-based Illusions, signing a deal to implement the tech expert’s pioneering off-the-shelf B2B solution within the next few months.

The move comes as Illusions establishes a base in the Egyptian capital, with the technology firm eyeing robust expansion in North Africa in the near future.

Spring Tours managing director, Walid Tarabay, said going online will put the DMC at a distinct advantage over its competitors, providing its key travel partners with instant access to product, prices, availability and booking capabilities in real time, encouraging them to book more travel to Egypt at a time when the tourism industry is suffering the adverse affects of political instability.

“Today travel companies have to be online in order to stay competitive so we needed to make an investment in new technology and Illusions was recommended by both friends and colleagues,” explained Tarabay.

“It is better than other systems because it is the most comprehensive on offer, by far, covering a wide range of front- and back-office functions.

“I have no doubt other travel firms in Egypt would be interested in such a system, but due to the difficult circumstances the country is experiencing, they are not in a position to invest.

“We will therefore have an advantage in the marketplace, offering great prices online in real time, which few others in Egypt can.”

Spring Tours, which was established in 1975, has purchased Illusions’ out-of-the-box Enterprise edition, which will automate, integrate and centralise most aspects of the DMC’s business, including product management, hotel and travel services contracting, client profiles, tariff rules and notifications, client and supplier documentation, accounts receivables and accounts payables, invoicing logistics and planning modules, as well as B2B booking engines.

Spring Tours’ sells to tour operators globally, but its main source markets are the UK, Europe, US, Russia and Australia.

Illusions chief executive, Faisal Memon, said the deal with Spring Tours proves professional and experienced travel firms operating in Egypt are weathering the political storm well, executing sound business strategies designed to safeguard their longevity.

“Egypt is the one of the few countries that in the face of adversity, always bounces back, and Spring Tours is a prime example of the tourism industry’s resilience and determination to not only survive, but thrive,” said Memon.

“The company has had the foresight to invest in market-leading technology that despite difficult market conditions, will provide solid foundations for retaining existing business and achieving growth from current and new source markets.

“Spring Tours has the product, the pricing and destination know-how that when delivered online by Illusions, gives the company a distinct advantage.”

Memon also stresses how as soon as Spring Tours’ Enterprise solution goes live, the DMC’s entire product range will be automatically made available on Illusions’ new travel distribution portal, the World Travel eXchange.

A spin-off of the Illusions system, iWTX, which Memon says has the potential to become the “Amazon of the travel industry”, allows all Illusions clients to access and sell one another’s products and pricing and sell them in real time.

“So Spring Tours’ products and services will be distributed to an enviable list of travel firms across the world, from Europe and the Americas to Asia, Africa and Australasia,” confirmed Memon.