What else is going on in the world of travel tech? A round-up of other stories from across the industry...
- Complete overhaul for road trip planning platform Cost2Drive as it also celebrates passing the one million user mark for the first time. The new site includes a string of new features such as multi-point routing for car users, integration with TripAdvisor for reviews, popular destination information, per-person calculation for each trip and integration with Google Maps Enterprise. NB: [TLabs Showcase - Cost2Drive and TLabs Reprise].
- Transatlantic collaboration with Conferma and US Bank partnering for manual billing and reconciliation of expenses alternative via electronic payments. Using the Conferma system, US Bank will create virtual account numbers to track individual travel bookings for its customers. The single-use accounts can identify and track bookings from reservation through final settlement and auditing.
- Orient Express has made its first foray into the tablet world with the launch of an iPad application. The service includes insider tips, videos and maps to give users a feel for the experience across the luxury brand's hotels, trains and cruises. The app provides ideas according to segments such as family travel, masterclasses and celebrations.
- April's wet weather has boosted online travel bookings according to the latest figures from IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index which show a 20% sales increase year-on-year. Overall £5.7 billion was spent online in April, a 10% increase year-on-year while sales via mobile increased 353% .