Travel Technology News - 20/1/10

New York (AirGuide - Travel Technology News)

OAG, the airline information company, has announced that it has signed a long-term contract to provide its consolidated global airline schedule and minimum connect time (MCT) data to Travelport, one of the world's leading providers of global distribution systems (GDS).

This extends and enhances the established partnership between OAG and Travelport. Travelport's Galileo and Worldspan GDS platforms will continue to have full access to OAG data under the terms of the licensing agreement. The information will be used by the GDS provider's network of customers across the globe including on and offline travel agencies, corporations and travel suppliers.

OAG will also provide regular feeds of reference information along with a special data file tailored specifically for Travelport's Business Intelligence Suite. OAG already has a separate agreement to supply data to online travel company Orbitz Worldwide, which is part owned by Travelport. For more information, visit www.ubmaviation.com. 12/22/2009
Universal Weather and Aviation has launched a free web site to help operators understand and comply with the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, which is scheduled to come into force in 2012. Universal says its EU-ETS resource center provides information, updates, tools, how-to videos, sample reporting plans and completed reports, and more - resources useful for operators no matter their level of understanding or experience with EU-ETS.
British Airways and Amadeus today announced a new GDS deal. The three year agreement to 2013 gives the travel IT company access to the UK carrier's full content. It is the second agreement BA has signed with major GDS company in the last two months. In November, it agreed a deal with Travelport, which owns Galileo, the major GDS in the UK, and Worldspan. Under the deal, Amadeus said its agents would have access to the same fares, schedules and inventory as those offered through any direct or indirect channel, distribution provider or website.
PhoCusWright Europe may still be experiencing the effects of the recession, but online travel continues its upward march across the continent's diverse and complex markets, according to PhoCusWright, the online travel consulting company. It said that online travel will account for more than one-third of the total European travel market.

While the total European travel market experiences a double-digit decline, online leisure and unmanaged business travel will in fact grow slightly in 2009. As effects of the recession linger into next year, consumers are increasingly shopping online for better deals. Online penetration will surge from 28 percent in 2008 to 34 percent by 2010.

Priceline could become the largest pan-European online travel agency (OTA). It has gained ground dramatically since the onset of the recession and especially through the success of its main European acquisition, Booking.com.

Metasearch will make it to Europe because the highly fragmented European online travel shopping landscape-among OTAs and suppliers could prove fertile ground for metasearch. Uptake of meta in Europe has lagged behind the U.S., but the growing incidence of online shopping is driving more consumers to visit metasearch sites when they plan their travel.

Germany's strong cultural affinity for travel is helping prop up demand as other European markets falter. Germany's share of the European online travel market will jump from 17 percent in 2008 to 20 percent by 2011. The largest European travel market, the U.K., has over 40 percent online penetration. France and Germany are catching up.

Now that the low-hanging fruit is gone, the online travel industry is looking to opportunities in less penetrated Southern and Eastern European markets. Emerging markets like Poland offer perhaps the most promising opportunities for growth. For more information, visit www.phocuswright.com.
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