Rezgo, JTB, Illusions, Skyscanner, Virgin Australia, SITA, IATA, IHG, and Guoman Hotels all appear in our roundup of the stories making news and driving opinion on 30 October.
DISTRIBUTION
Software house Rezgo has released a mobile booking interface for in-destination operators who use its platform. The booking engine makes 4,600 tours & activities bookable through Apple or Android mobile devices.
Japan's largest travel company, JTB, has signed up for a B2B tool from tech firm Illusions Online. JTB will use the World Travel eXchange system, which lets tour operators, DMCs and travel agents on five continents access and sell one another’s content.
UK metasearch site Skyscanner is booming. "It has opened a new Edinburgh headquarters and plans to open a Glasgow office in 2013, as it looks to recruit an additional 100 staff in Scotland by the end of 2013."
UK comparison site Cruise Compare is re-launching with a fresh product look, cost per call model, and three new cruise travel agents. The site has drawn 1 million unique visitors since its launch in Jan 2011.
IATA unveils the foundation standard for a ‘Dynamic Airline Shopping’ API. Tnooz has discussed the industry reaction to the open standards here and here.
A French petition by hotel managers for European government intervention against OTA abuses has gained more than 4.000 signatures. We covered it recently.
The term "Big Data" has a marketing problem, says AdWeek.
InterContinental now books $20 million a month in mobile bookings.
AIRLINE NEWS
Virgin Australia has cut a few deals. The Aussie airline sold a 10% stake to Singapore Airlines, bought the majority of Asian low-cost carrier Tiger Airways, and said it would bid for Skywest Holdings, too.
"Shares in loss-making airline SAS halted as rumours swirl" reports Reuters.
AIRPORT TECH
SITA, the air transport IT specialist, and NEC Europe (NEC), leaders in biometric technology, have agreed to team up to provide an automated border control (ABC) gate solution and sell the machines. The agreement comes as the European Union is about to issue a lot of contracts.
HOTEL TECH
All five luxury Guoman Hotels in the UK now provide free, unlimited wifi.
THANKS!
Tnooz sends our best wishes to Americans recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
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NB: Disclosure – Stephen Joyce, founder of Rezgo, is also a Tnooz Node.