This week’s Update features a variety of stories, including updates on CWT and Booking.com. Enjoy.
CWT Tests NDC
(“CWT Launches NDC Initiative,” July 22, 2022 via Travel Weekly)
Corporate travel platform, CWT, recently announced plans to pilot an NDC offering that would allow travel advisors to book NDC content from Air France-KLM and Singapore Airlines. Amadeus and Sabre will power the new content rich offerings. Advisors using the platform will have access not only to traditional corporate discounted rates, but additional unique content like paid seats, excess baggage and carbon offsets. CWT expects to offer additional airlines later in the year. While we’ve written in the past about major airlines’ efforts to make NDC content available to the major GDSs, this is one of the first examples of that content now making its way into the hands of travel advisors.
Tik Tok Gains Traction Among Travel Industry Members
(“Travel Brands Expand TikTok Presence to Reach New Audiences,” July 22, 2022 via Phocus Wire)
For some time now we’ve all been reading and hearing about the global video-sharing app, Tik Tok. For the last two years, Tik Tok has been the most downloaded app. Travel industry members are now waking up to the power of the app and leveraging the platform to reach new audiences and build brand awareness. Booking.com recently launched its first Tik Tok campaign, TikTokMadeMeBookIt. With this initial campaign (and free trips), Booking.com hopes to both build an audience for its Booking.com channel and learn what type of content resonates with the app’s users. Initial content for the channel will be provided by both traditional influencers (with one million or more followers) and content creators (less than 100,000 followers), both of whom will be given wide latitude in creating content specific to their audiences (and not Booking.com’s requirements). Booking.com sister platform, Kayak, is also testing the Tik Tok waters, in an effort to reach new travelers. Kayak’s efforts began earlier this year with a successful Super Bowl campaign.
Expedia Expands Its Advisor Rewards Program
(“Expedia Group Unveils New Rewards Program for U.S. Travel Advisors,” July 22, 2022 via Hospitality Net)
Originally limited to a select few travel advisors, the newly expanded rewards program will now allow all advisors enrolled in Expedia’s Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) to participate. Participants earn rewards points (one reward point for each $1.00 spent on lodging) on each eligible booking made on the TAAP’s website, which can then be redeemed for gift cards or other benefits.
