Here’s our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
Kayak, Southwest Airlines
Kayak, a metasearch engine for travel services, has
announced its integration with Southwest Airlines, allowing its users to see Southwest fares in their search
results. They will be able to compare fare attributes, travel credit
transferability, same-day changes, checked bags and flexible seating. In
addition, when ready to book, Kayak will transfer users directly to Southwest’s
website to complete the transaction.
Sabre Hospitality, Protect Group
Sabre Hospitality, a software and technology provider, has
announced a partnership with Protect Group, a provider of trip protection, to integrate
trip guarantee services into Sabre’s SynXis Booking Engine.
This new integration allows hotels using SynXis Booking
Engine to offer Protect Group’s protection guarantee at checkout and give customers
confidence when booking, knowing they can receive a refund for covered events.
“This integration supports our strategic imperative to advance
retailing and travel-centric eCommerce capabilities in the travel industry,” said Ethan Wiseman, head of distribution at Sabre Hospitality. “By
offering trip protection guarantees, we are providing hotel partners and their
guests with the confidence and security they need.”
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Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel, a group adventure travel company, has announced
the appointment of Payton Iheme to the new role of chief impact officer, where
she plans to lead Intrepid’s global sustainability and impact initiatives as
well as its nonprofit, the Intrepid Foundation.
Prior to Intrepid, Iheme served in senior staff positions at the United States
Senate, held senior policy and advocacy roles at Facebook and most recently at
Bumble, where she was vice president and head of public policy.
“I’m honored to join Intrepid at this crucial moment
when we’re seeing too many companies divesting from ESG, DEI and climate and
conservation programming, as well as leaders shying away from advocating for
the critical issues impacting so many communities around the world,” Iheme said. “As part of
Intrepid Travel’s leadership team, I intend to bring my voice, my vision, and
my energy to advocate on these issues and more.”
Justfly.com
Online travel agency justfly.com announced the launch of
its “Pay by Bank” feature, which is powered by Accrue, a fintech company
that enables partners to launch customized banking, loyalty and payment solutions.
The new feature allows users to make payments directly from
their bank accounts, which eliminates the need for traditional payment methods.
In addition, it provides key benefits for customers, which include exclusive
rewards, faster settlement times and wallet integration. For the platform, it allows
lower transaction costs, enhanced acquisition strategy and increased customer retention.
TravelPerk, Emirates
TravelPerk, a global business travel management platform, is expanding
its inventory with new distribution capability (NDC) content and has launched
its 20th NDC integration with Emirates.
Kristina Geier, vice president of supplier partnerships at TravelPerk, said,
“Investing in NDC
technology and optimized connectivity is a top priority for us. NDC fares now
represent 40% of our global airline bookings, and with more airlines in our
integration pipeline, the proportion of bookings coming through this channel
will continue to grow.”
H.I.S, IBS Software
H.I.S, a Japanese travel agency specializing in affordable
package tours, has extended its partnership with IBS Software, a software as a service solutions provider to the global travel industry.
The renewed partnership allows H.I.S to continue to create a
modern customer experience using next-generation digital solutions as well as deliver
an enhanced shopping experience for its customers.
“Our combined expertise and shared vision for innovation
will enable us to provide more robust, scalable and cutting-edge solutions to
H.I.S.’s end users,” said Moizzur Rahman, global head of consulting and digital
transformation at IBS Software.
US-Bangla Airlines
US-Bangla Airlines has announced the appointment of Mir
Tajmul Hossain as the new head of digital marketing.
Tajmul previously served as the
head of digital marketing and communication at ShareTrip, where he led high-impact
digital marketing campaigns.
Bringing 12 years of experience in the digital marketing
sector, Tajmul plans to enhance brand visibility, customer engagement and online
sales by leading the development of digital marketing strategies. He will focus
on leveraging data-driven insights to optimize marketing campaigns and deliver exceptional
customer experiences.