Updates from Abacus, FoodPanda, Google Maps for iOS, Tourism Australia, Routes Asia, RateTiger, SiteMinder, FlightView, CouponCabin survey results, TourWrist, TripShock and MyDestination makes to the travel technology news shortlist for March 6.
- Abacus International has launched the industry's first and only automated exchange solution for net fares in their Abacus FareX product. This automated solution will save time and reduce errors. According to Abacus, Net fares are an increasing component of Asian airlines distribution strategies where key Asian travel markets issue between 40 and 60% of all tickets via net (non-published via ATPCO) fares.
- FoodPanda, a Rocket Internet online food delivery company, has launched a new mobile app for iOS and Android platform. The app is available for download in 14 countries: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal and Russia.
FoodPanda was launched in 2012, in such a short span, the company has expanded to 25 countries with a database of 10,000 restaurants.
- TourWrist, the company that provides virtual tour platform empowering consumers to record, view and share 360-degree panoramic (pano) images via smartphones, tablets and computers has announced that its Software Development Kit (SDK) is licensed to nearly 40 travel companies. This agreement will enable the travel companies to integrate TourWrist technology into their apps and websites.
The 40 travel companies include - 529:App Solutions; Barefoot Technologies Corporation; Blynk; Contac Services, Cruise Critic; DataArt Solutions; Family Vacation Critic; HotelMe; IndependentTraveler.com; LookBermuda; Runtriz.com; Spark; @TravelDeals; TribalTourism.com and WorldVentures.
- Google has launched an updated version of its Maps app for iPhone. This new app features new search icons that make finding local places faster and easier, integration with Google Contacts to make it simple to find friends.
Similar to the "Near by" feature in Facebook, refreshed Google Maps has new icons for restaurants, coffee shops, bars and other types of places to quickly see nearby haunts.
-LobbyFriend, the social network for hotels, has announced that Novotel will test the system in five of their hotel properties around Europe: Novotel London Tower Bridge, Novotel Amsterdam City, Novotel Rotterdam Schiedam, Novotel Rotterdam Brainpark and Novotel Den Haag.
- Tourism Australia launched a new global campaign directed at the international youth market to promote tourism opportunities provided by Australia's Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program. This is Tourism Australia's very own "Best Job In The World" campaign.
The competition was unveiled in Cairns by the Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, alongside Ben Southall who was the winner of Tourism Queensland's highly successful "Best Job in the World" campaign in 2009.
- The 11th Routes Asia event will take place on March 17 to 19 in Mumbai, India. Routes Asia is the key event for airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policy leaders and exhibitors to meet, do business and plan for the future.
This year's event will be attended by 600 delegates representing 300 airlines and airports from across the region. Almost 220 airport delegates representing 210 airports have also registered to attend the event to date.
- JJW Hotels set to increase online bookings with RateTiger by eRevMax as its channel manager. RateTiger’s automated inventory distribution is implemented across 23 JJW properties in Europe.
- Hetras, a German hotel software specialist, has selected SiteMinder's Room Distribution Exchange technology to power its new channel management offering. The distribution partnership means hetras will be able to link accommodation providers to online travel agencies.
- FlightView, the app that provides real-time flight information solutions has refreshed its iPhone app with version 2.2. In the new app, travelers will be able to customize the flight and airport information they receive and manage travel plans accordingly.
Travelers can now create user profiles, specify their home airport and preferred airline. These preferences will be considered to display a new custom view of critical day-of-travel information for the traveler's home airport and next trip.
- Short-term car-sharing/rental services are quickly becoming a reliable option in the U.S. A survey conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from February 27th – March 1st, 2013 among 2,111 adults reveal following information:
- 15% of U.S. adults have used a service like ZipCar, Car2Go or Scoot in the past or plan to in the future
- 35% of those who don't have a short-term rental service in their city or town wish they did
- 32% said that the top reason for using a car-sharing/rental service is to save money on gas
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TripShock has launched their travel deal and events app (for both iOS and Android) for the Gulf Coast.
And finally....
-Online travel guide MyDestination has unleashed its own Royal Family version of the Harlem Shuffle.