The right tech for agents

Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating Officer, InterGlobe Technology Quotient, shares how ITQ and Travelport are keeping abreast of the needs of travel agents across the country and offering just the right technology to help equip them with the best solutions.

InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) as well as the entire avia growth in India, claims Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating fastest growing markets with a double-digit growth of 18-20 per cent on a CAGR basis, and this is being captured by LCCs as well as regional carriers under the UDAN scheme. From a GDS perspective, India became the second largest market across the globe last year after the US, and we expect the same from an aviation outlook too. By 2025, India is going to be the third largest aviation market after USA, we have in the market,” he shared.

ITQ looks forward to close 2019 on a high note. Dwivedi mentioned, “From a Travelport perspective, we aim to provide services to the customer and be relevant in the market. The case in point here is if we are ready for NDC, which is going to be a reality very soon. By 2020, we expect many airlines to be part of it. Unfortunately, not a single carrier from India is a part of NDC yet. In fact, internationally tickets have been issued under NDC and we are going to t see that trend catching up in India as well. All these th airlines are directly direc approaching bigger big aggregators and OTAs for direct APIs. We W hope to address these th challenges through our solutions.”

Apart from Travelport, port, Dwivedi Dwi revealed, revealed ITQ continues continu to innovate innova new products produ including inclu corporate cor booking b tools t and solutions for travel agencies. “For instance, we have a product called VR3 (Void, Reissue, Refund, Revalidation), which can automate everything from re-issue, refund and cancellations of a travel agency. Usually, chances of errors are high in these cases but VR3 can take care of all the challenges,” he said.

Agreeing that there are initial apprehensions amongst travel agents and airlines for NDC, he insisted that it’s human nature to be sceptical about anything new. “The clarity would come once the entire set up of NDC would be completed by 2020. Travel agents will be relevant if they are able to provide all the solutions for what travellers are looking for. An interesting study by Google has suggested that any traveller and any e-commerce site visitor visits to a minimum 29 websites before taking a decision to buy. With NDC, I am sure all the content is going to be available at the same place for the travel agent,” said Dwivedi.

We will continue to enhance our solutions for the market. The entire process is automated for travel agents in Tier II, III cities as well as OTAs

In a dynamic market like India, Dwivedi claims that ITQ will be relevant more from a technology perspective. “We will continue to enhance our technology and solutions for the market. The entire process is automated, especially for travel agents in Tier II, III cities as well as OTAs who have specialised processes. That’s why we rolled out Smartpoint. Travel agents can keep on giving cryptic commands of different GDSs even when they are not aware about Travelport command. He can give Amadeus or Sabre commands there and the system is intelligent enough to convert those into Travelport commands.”