For quite some time now, travelers have this ability of doing research and do reservations on their flights and hotel accommodations over the internet. Just recently, it’s been the same for travelers to book destination products similar to attraction tickets and sightseeing tours online too.
Don’t be Late to Catch Up
While this is an ongoing trend, it’s ironic that there’s no standardized distribution system.
Meaning to say, travelers will have to visit multiple websites only to make a purchase to their desired destination product. For tour operators on the other hand, it is imperative to make this a top priority. The challenge lies on selling more seats and figuring out what systems to be integrated to handle and manage the sales.
If there’s a Will, there’s a Way
A notable benefit to using standalone solution is the fact that tour operators and travel agencies have total control of the system. Furthermore, they can personalize it to meet their specific requirements.
Another challenge amongst tour operators is to decide whether to implement a commission or flat fee. This could be an even tougher decision since both standalone and hosted systems are charging flat fees as well as commissions. Thus, the moment when the operator has decided on a technology, they have to follow it up with a question whether or not they can support the expenses associated to it.