Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, recently hosted a dedicated product forum in Dubai to share best travel technology practices with agents specialising in travel to China and East Asia.

The event provided the global distribution systems (GDS) provider with a platform to reach out to a growing customer segment, as travel between the UAE and China rises rapidly amongst increasing business, trade and cultural links. At the same time, both Chinese and UAE-based carriers continue to expand their route capacity to accommodate growing demand from travellers in the UAE.

“As a GDS partner of the local travel trade, we see a lot of growth potential in travel bookings to China and are keen to support these travel specialists with tools that can help them keep up with increasing volumes and deliver fast and efficient customer service,” explained Ghulam Al Balooshi, Country Director for the Lower GCC. “As such, we are committed to working closely together and equipping them with the technology they require to succeed,” he added.

Showcasing a portfolio of solutions for Galileo and Worldspan-connected agents, Travelport highlighted desktop applications such as Smartpoint App that improve productivity and significantly enhance the overall selling experience. Tools such as Travelport’s e-Learning portal were also emphasized as an important resource for travel agents less familiar with the more advanced functionalities of the systems.

More than 50 travel agents participated in the interactive product session and gala dinner, including representatives from Phoenix Travel, Great Wall Travel, High Way Travel and Tourism and Universal Travel. A raffle draw was held at the end of the evening courtesy of sponsors Air China and China Southern Airlines, who provided a complementary air ticket to Japan and China, respectively.

As part of its strengthening ties with China, Travelport signed an agreement in March that will provide China-based travel distributor TravelSky with access to more than 650,000 hotel offers, building on a joint airline technology collaboration established between the two parties in November last year.