Travel tech news from Zomato, iXiGo, JourneyMart, Ostrovok, CabForce, Tripomatic, Impulse Flyer, Dimmi, Aeromobile, Austrian Tourist Office, VistaPrint, ArrivalGuides, SilverRail, BlaBlaCar, Burpple makes to the shortlist of news for April 17.
Transport
Shell Oil Products U.S. has agreed to build a network of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) fueling lanes at up to 100 TravelCenters of America locations located on American interstate highways. The project will bring LNG to the interstates of the nation for the first time, allowing commercial trucking companies the viable option to transition their fleets from diesel to LNG. This will reduce emissions and costs, as LNG is a more efficient fuel overall, both in terms of cost and emissions.
Restaurant
India-based Zomato, restaurant review and listing portal has now launched in Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa. This marks Zomato’s first move into Africa.
Travel Portal
iXiGo.com, India's travel search portal has launched an Android app for searching Indian trains. Users can search trains by destinations or train numbers, access train routes & timings, get real time seat availability status for all journey classes, fares and PNR status.
India-based JourneyMart.com, a travel information portal has launched 'Happy Feet', a compilation of over 1,500 travel trivia that can be added to any website or blog as a widget.
Russian online hotel booking service Ostrovok has unveiled a last-minute booking application. The service claims to be a first for Russia and features 45 hotel partners in Moscow, St Petersburg and Kiev offering discounted rates after 8pm each evening. The app is available via Android and iPhone devices.
Car Rental
Cabforce is unveiling an API enabling travel companies to offer a pre-bookable taxis as part of their service. The startup (TLabs here) has created a Taxi Content Hub allowing users to search for and book flat-rate journeys. In February, Cabforce opened its service up to travel management companies via a partnership with Amadeus. The company, which now covers 60 destinations, also has deals with Travelport, CWT, First Great Western and Finnair.
BlaBlaCar, a distance ride sharing portal has launched its service in Germany. BlaBlaCar now operates in more than 10 European countries.
Mobile, Tablet
Singapore’s VIP membership online luxury travel site ImpulseFlyer has launched its native app for iOS platform. The app is free to download.
Dimmi, Australia-based restaurant reservation and review portal has partnered with TripAdvisor. By this partnership, TripAdvisor will offer its travelers real time access to Dimmi restaurant bookings through TripAdvisor’s website and mobile app.
Tripomatic launches native app for Android platform. The app combines tourist attraction database with mobile location services. Suited for ad hoc daily plans for city breaks.
Austrian Tourist Office has launched the newest version of its free iAustria App for iPads, which features inspiring destination magazines, curated recommendations for hotels and restaurants, travel tips, a convenient map feature and downloadable brochures.
Aeromobile, the inflight mobile network, has unveiled a new website. The company joined forces with Tobasgo Creative for the development of the new site which is responsive to mobile and tablet devices. Aerombile hopes the site will help raise awareness of using mobile devices during a flight.
Other
Vistaprint, the sixth largest public-listed printing company in the U.S has launched Vistamobi, simple-to-use website builder for micro business owners in developing countries in Southeast Asia. It's in the likes of Burpple's Pages.
ArrivalGuides has partnered with the national tourism office of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, and the tourism office of New South Wales in Australia, Destination NSW.
SilverRail has appointed Alain van West as VP-Business Development. Mr West was previously the Director of Large Market Sales at American Express.