Here's our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
This roundup was created with the help of ChatGPT.
Fuji Dream Airlines, IBS Software
Fuji Dream Airlines (FDA) has renewed its long-term partnership with IBS Software, extending over a decade of collaboration. This follows FDA’s 2024 migration of its core passenger service system to IBS Software’s software-as-a-service platform on AWS Cloud.
The move has enhanced operational efficiency, reduced infrastructure overhead and improved resilience, the companies said. FDA credits IBS Software for enabling innovation while maintaining daily stability. The multi-year renewal highlights IBS Software’s
commitment to delivering cloud-native, future-ready aviation solutions in Asia, particularly Japan, and reflects the trust and strategic alignment between the two companies in driving digital transformation.
Open Destinations' funding
Open Destinations, a United Kingdom-based provider of reservation technology and services for the travel industry, has received a strategic growth investment from Insight Partners.
Founded in 1998, Open Destinations serves tour operators and rail companies globally with enterprise resource planning solutions via its Travel Studio and Rail Studio platforms. Clients include Emirates, Belmond and Intrepid. The company also offers back-office
services to brands like Jet2.com. The investment will support continued growth. Insight Partners' Michael Shephard and Peter Segall will join the board, signaling a new chapter for the company’s expansion and innovation efforts.
Hopper, Lotte
Lotte Card has launched "DiGi LOCA Travel," a travel booking portal within its app, powered by Hopper’s B2B division, HTS. Users can book flights, hotels and car rentals, and benefit from features like Best Price Guarantee, Price Prediction, Price Watch and Cancel for Any Reason.
Future features include Price Freeze and disruption support. HTS provides AI-driven fintech tools to enhance flexibility and cost efficiency, helping Lotte Card deliver a user-friendly travel experience through advanced technology and strategic partnership.
Technoheaven’s B2B system
Technoheaven has launched a global bed bank platform offering access to over 1 million hotel properties. Built with plug and play architecture, the system enables real-time integration with more
than 80 suppliers and 15 channel managers. It handles over 600 million daily searches and includes an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered hotel mapping tool to eliminate duplicates and improve booking accuracy.
Travel businesses can manage contracts, set margins and adjust room rates in one dashboard. The platform supports global distribution for online travel companies, travel agents and destination management companies while giving suppliers full control over
pricing and availability with no manual updates, the company said.
BCD, SkyLink
BCD Travel has partnered with SkyLink, an AI-based corporate travel assistant, to offer a chat-based booking tool for large enterprise clients.
Integrated with platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack, SkyLink enables travelers to book, modify or cancel trips and access travel support 24/7. The solution aims to boost efficiency, compliance and cost savings while enhancing the user experience.
SkyLink connects with BCD’s Travel Commerce Platform, allowing for fully autonomous bookings that remain supported by BCD agents. The service is now available in North America, with plans to expand to Europe and other markets.
Casago partnership, expansion
Guesty has been named the certified property management system for Casago and its expanding franchise network following Casago’s acquisition of Vacasa.
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The move brings Guesty’s franchise-focused HQ solution to over 40,000 vacation rentals across North America, the Caribbean, Belize and Costa Rica. The partnership enables franchisees
to streamline operations, boost revenue and enhance guest experience, the comapnies said. Guesty's chief evangelist David Angotti will also serve as a senior advisor to Casago.
Big Bear Vacations, a Casago franchisee, has also acquired former Vacasa-managed properties
in Big Bear, California, expanding its portfolio to more than 340 homes. Led by Big Bear Vacations owner Nick Lanza, this move reflects growing momentum for Casago’s franchise model.The acquisition is part of Casago’s broader strategy to transition
Vacasa markets into its ecosystem.
SITA's SVP
SITA has named Pedro Alves senior vice president of its Borders division, succeeding Jeremy Springall. Alves joined SITA in early 2024 after roles at CGI, Vision-Box and IDEMIA. His appointment comes
as border agencies face growing pressure from rising traveler volumes and security challenges.
Red Roof, FreedomPay
Red Roof has partnered with FreedomPay to implement integrated payment solutions across more than 700 hotels in the United States.
The deal aims to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and enhance the guest experience with secure, omnichannel-ready transactions. FreedomPay, which serves major hospitality clients globally, will deliver its commerce platform to support Red
Roof’s growth and digital transformation in payments.
RateGain, Cloudbeds
RateGain has partnered with Cloudbeds to integrate its UNO Channel Manager with Cloudbeds’ property management system. The collaboration enables
hotels, hostels and vacation rentals to manage rates, inventory and reservations across more than 400 distribution channels.
By combining AI and automation, the integration aims to reduce manual tasks and overbookings while improving real-time accuracy. Cloudbeds’ platform, which includes its AI-driven Cloudbeds Intelligence engine, supports operational efficiency and profitability.
The companies said the partnership reflects their focus on using AI to streamline hotel distribution and drive growth in a competitive hospitality market.
Duetto's RMS
Duetto has launched GameTime, a revenue management system (RMS) built for select- and limited-service hotel brands.
Designed for speed and simplicity, GameTime enables lean teams to simplify and automate pricing, forecast demand and manage portfolios through a mobile-friendly interface. Key features of the RMS include real-time rate updates, flexible automation, centralized
visibility and predefined guest segments.
MMGY Global acquires Think Strawberries
MMGY Global has acquired Think Strawberries (TS), a travel marketing and representation firm based in India with operations across
the Gulf Cooperation Council region. The deal marks MMGY’s official entry into South Asia and the Middle East.
Now operating as MMGY Think Strawberries, the company will work to expand MMGY’s global footprint and enhance its ability to serve high-value outbound markets. TS founder Amit Kishore will serve as managing director and head of strategy, with executives
Munnmunn Marwah and Sanya Zaidi continuing to lead operations in India and the Gulf Cooperation Council, respectively. The acquisition brings MMGY to 16 offices worldwide.
Advantage Travel Partnership, ConnexPay
Advantage Travel Partnership has formed a strategic payment partnership with ConnexPay to offer multi-currency payment solutions to
its members.
ConnexPay’s platform works to connects customer payments with supplier payouts, helping streamline reconciliation, improve cash flow and reduce risk. The integration aims to support Advantage members through the group’s One-Stop Business Hub. ConnexPay,
which issues virtual cards across six continents, claimed businesses that switch can see up to a 10% increase in card rebates.