Travelport expands merchandising tool to more than 250 airlines

More than 250 airlines are now using Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding merchandising tool to market branded fares and ancillaries.

The interface allows airlines to provide images, product descriptions, branding and sales messages to travel agents in the same way they appear on their websites - thus unifying brand image, differentiating their products and driving better service and upselling.

“In an era when agencies and airlines receive and send content over multiple channels, Rich Content and Branding continues to stand out as a highly effective means of selling and upselling products - from branded fares and ancillaries such as paid seats to the recently introduced no bag fares on long-haul services,” says Stephen Shurrock, Travelport’s chief commercial officer.

Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding tool launched in 2014, and the company says it's now serving five times as many airlines as its nearest competitor. 

Clients include British Airways, Air France/KLM, Lufthansa and more, with Delta Air Lines, Etihad Airways, Emirates and others coming on board soon.

“Rich Content and Branding helps TAP Air Portugal stand out against our competitors," says Riccardo Lo Presti, vice president of sales and distribution for TAP, which has used the tool since 2015. "It has helped us improve our ability to sell more than just a seat. Its graphics, just like you’d see on our website, drive significant adoption of ancillaries."

In other areas of innovation, Travelport last month became the first global distribution system to obtain Level 3 status under IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative. The certification put it ahead of fellow distribution platforms Sabre and Amadeus.

See below for a video highlighting Travelport's Rich Content and Branding tool.