Travel Tech – A Key Player In Recovery for Tour Operators

 

We know that COVID-19 has shaken the world up and in doing so, changed the way we live, travel, think and work. As we continue in our fight against this virus, we must try to focus on what we know will be brighter days ahead.

It is fair to say that the last weeks and soon to be months have ravaged our economy and brought international travel to a halt. The travel industry has been crippled by the once mass movement of business travellers, leisure travellers and well, just travellers in general, being confined to their homes.

The tours & activities industry, much like hotels & airlines, have been affected by a fair few life events before but nothing quite like the one we currently face. As we await this all to be over, we can all use the time to look deeper into our business, optimise our processes, automate tasks and improve overall efficiency.

This article will touch on a few key trends that have been accelerated by the coronavirus and explore how they are supported digitally.

 

Reservation Technologies

When travel was booming and days were busier than ever, it may have been hard to decide which Rez tech system to choose or indeed optimise your current setup.

Well, now is the time to ask all those questions to your service provider, utilise the marketplaces, connect with more OTA´s & travel agencies. Be proactive with trying out other systems, be curious and make sure you are happy with the Rez system you are using. In essence, the time is nigh to upgrade your tech stack.

 

Remote Working

In the past, some tour operators may have never considered having the whole team working from home. No matter what your role, most are mastering the skills of sales, development, operations, B2B support, social media etc all from their homes.

During this time, the gratitude we have for our cloud-based software has skyrocketed. The ability to manage elements of our operations remotely has been and is a lifeline.

In addition, this has also placed a spotlight on the gaps in our operations where solutions that assist with areas such as customer communication, mass cancellations and automation could easily be implemented.

 

Automated processes

With mass cancellations, mass communication & mass panic becoming the newest norm. Tour operators must think about ways that these processes can be made more efficient.

When using Rez tech systems, operators can be assured that their inventory, distributions networks and products themselves remain intact. However, with no new bookings, tours to operate or availability to control, the real support that operators need is in the digital transformation of the back office.

We will definitely see this space heat up in the mid-long term, with an awakened awareness of the need for operator management tools, much like the hotel world and PMS systems. Luckily, our space here at PaxFlow is already hot on providing all of these features, automation and more. PaxFlow connects all the systems you use (Rez tech, email, shifts, communication) into one easy to use interface.

 

Evolution of Service

When travel remerges, we know that our level of service will be higher than ever. Revitalised, recharged and ready to offer the experiences that we know and love. With of course, a rather large dose of empathy and sense of community running through each and every one of us.

Whether it is the service that tour & activity operators provide, or receive, we know the emphasis on care and quality will be at the forefront.

For now though, major travel tech companies are investing heavily in the support offered to new and existing customers. Everything from features, onboarding, training, support and even setup is being offered. Now is the perfect time to utilise all the TLC! Here at PaxFlow, we’ve removed all fees from all of our plans for the first 6 months, sign up now to redeem yours.

 

The Future

So, as we await this wave to pass, we must keep our eyes set on the future ahead. We know that when this is over, a surge in creativity, optimisation, innovation & efficiency.

We can all look forward to a more digitised and tech-savvy industry, where inefficiencies are a thing of the past.