Travelport GDS is offering a secure instant-messaging system, TravelChat, to Worldspan and Galileo travel agents in the Middle East.
Travelport believes the TravelChat service, offered by a Web-hosting provider, will be useful for agents who may want to share tips and best practices in a private, confidential forum.
There are safeguards to keep the dialogue private as the IMs reside on TravelChat servers and not on agents' PCs.
The TravelChat FAQ states: "As well as being easy to use, TravelChat is designed for maximum confidentiality, because when a conversation ends and the parties go off-line, the server deletes the file, so there is no record of what was said, either there on on the users' PCs. Then those who really want particular confidence in the privacy of their conversations can subscribe to the secure version of TravelChat, which encrypts their messages to the same security levels as the banks use when sending credit card details around the Web."
While Travelport is rolling out the product to agents in the Middle East first, it is considering introducing the service to other regions, as well, a spokeswoman says.
Travelport GDS is offering the service to its agents for free, and hopes that it will not only facilitate an information exchange, but that it will also lead to more efficiencies and a streamlined workflow.
In addition to Travelport, TravelChat listsSabre, RoomsXML.com and Balkan Holidays as having their own private, TravelChat forums.