Interglobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) is transforming India’s travel landscape with advanced tools, AI-driven content curation, and expanding NDC partnerships. By prioritising agent empowerment, eco-conscious travel, and seamless booking experiences, ITQ is setting new benchmarks for the industry. Anil Parashar, Executive Director, ITQ outlines their strategy for growth and innovation.
As the official distributors of Travelport in India, what are ITQ’s key strategies for expanding its presence in the Indian market?
At ITQ, our strategy for expanding in the Indian market revolves around innovation, partnerships, and customer-centric solutions to cater to the unique needs of travel agents and travellers in the region. India’s travel industry is growing rapidly, and we aim to deliver solutions that enhance efficiency and meet the specific needs of travel agents.
A key focus area is the expansion of NDC content. We are actively increasing the availability and integration of NDC-enabled content across Travelport+. This initiative ensures that travel agents have access to richer, more flexible offers from a broader range of airlines. By expanding NDC partnerships, agents can view exclusive airline content, ancillary options, and bundled fares alongside traditional distribution channels.
To further streamline content management, we have introduced the AI-Powered Content Curation Layer within Travelport+. This tool uses AI and machine learning to curate the most relevant and personalised travel options from multiple sources, allowing agencies to customise and prioritise search results based on their unique rules. This not only enhances revenue optimisation but also simplifies decision-making for agents.
Additionally, we recently launched our NextGen eTicket Solution. This platform is an evolution of our e-ticketing system, designed to streamline booking management while ensuring full compliance with the latest DGCA e-Ticket Standardisation mandates. We’re proud to be the first GDS in India to meet these mandates. We are continuously working on expanding the depth and breadth of domestic airlines, hotels, and ground transportation options within Travelport+ to ensure that Indian travel agents have access to the best options. This means they can offer tailored solutions to their customers, including the best deals for both domestic and international travel.
We also place a strong focus on supporting smaller travel agencies in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Our tools are scalable, allowing even smaller agencies to manage bookings seamlessly while adhering to industry standards. Moreover, continuous training and development for Indian travel agents are integral to our strategy. We ensure agents are equipped to fully leverage Travelport’s technology, helping them stay competitive in a fast-evolving market.
ITQ has integrated eco-friendly practices like the Travel Impact Model (TIM). Could you elaborate on how this sustainability focus is shaping your overall strategy and what future initiatives are planned to promote eco-conscious travel?
Travelport’s integration of eco-friendly practices, particularly the Travel Impact Model (TIM), has played a key role in advancing our sustainability efforts. Since its activation in 2023, TIM provides transparent CO2 emission estimates for flights, enabling travel agents and travelers to make more informed, eco-conscious decisions. By leveraging TIM, we empower travel providers to compare carbon emissions across various flight options based on factors like aircraft type, seat configuration, and flight distance.
At ITQ, we recognise the growing need for agents, corporate travellers, and leisure travellers to prioritise environmental impact in their travel decisions. Transparency and consistency in displaying travel options based on factors such as carbon emissions, environmental certifications, and waste initiatives are crucial. To meet this need, we are committed to expanding our eco-conscious initiatives across our platform, ensuring that agents and travellers can seamlessly incorporate sustainability into their booking processes.
Our ongoing focus on sustainability is reflected in our efforts to broaden eco-friendly travel options, making it easier for customers to make environmentally responsible choices. By providing reliable data and aligning with global sustainability standards, ITQ is determined to lead the travel industry towards a more sustainable future.
Given the rise of trends like “super commuting” and “bleisure” travel, how is ITQ adapting its travel management solutions to cater to these emerging needs in the corporate travel sector?
Given the rise of trends like “super commuting” and “bleisure” travel, ITQ is adapting its travel management solutions to cater to these emerging needs by leveraging comprehensive comparison tools and multi-source content integration.
For super commuting, our platform, Travelport+ supports real-time booking changes and flexible itinerary management, which is crucial for commuters who frequently need to adjust their plans. By integrating multiple content sources, we ensure that travel options are always up-to-date, which helps streamline the modification process.
In terms of bleisure” travel, the Trip Quote tool stands out. It offers a comparison of travel options across various content sources, including traditional EDIFACT standards and modern NDC formats. This capability provides a comprehensive view of flights, accommodations, and ground transportation, enabling travellers to blend business and leisure elements seamlessly.
Additionally, our Travelport API Suite plays a significant role in supporting personalised itineraries. It integrates diverse content sources, allowing travel providers to offer richer options that cater to both business and leisure needs. The Smartpoint Desktop further enhances this by consolidating various travel services into a single platform, ensuring a cohesive experience.
ITQ’s solutions provide real-time updates and notifications, which are integrated across our platforms. This feature helps keep travellers informed about changes and opportunities, making their overall travel experience more efficient and enjoyable. By leveraging these tools, ITQ supports modern corporate travellers engaging in super commuting and bleisure travel, providing them with the flexibility, personalisation, and integration needed for a seamless and efficient travel experience.
How does ITQ ensure that its technology solutions remain customer-centric, especially in terms of personalisation and providing seamless travel experiences? Could you share examples of how your platforms have improved user satisfaction?
At ITQ, we ensure our technology remains customer-centric by actively listening to our users and responding with solutions that directly address their needs. Our focus on personalisation and seamless travel experiences is reflected in the continual evolution of our platform. For example, Travelport+ integrates multiple content sources, allowing travel agents to access a wide variety of options, from flights to accommodations, which can be tailored to meet specific traveller requirements.
According to our recent customer survey, over 90% of users agreed that Travelport+ helps agents retail better, reflecting the platform’s ease of use and flexibility. Our interaction scores with users described our service as fast, friendly, and reliable. This underscores our commitment to providing real-time assistance and ensuring seamless support throughout the booking process. Additionally, features like Trip Quote offer comparison tools that help agents present customers with the best available options, making it easy to blend business and leisure travel needs into a single itinerary. By enhancing personalisation, we ensure that each trip is uniquely suited to the traveller’s preferences, boosting satisfaction and loyalty.
This constant feedback loop between our users and technology allows us to maintain a strong, customer-focused approach, ensuring our platforms evolve to meet the changing demands of the travel industry.
Under your leadership, what are the main goals ITQ aims to achieve by 2024 and beyond, particularly in terms of setting new industry standards and remaining competitive in the fast-evolving travel technology sector?
At ITQ, our vision for 2024 and beyond is centred around several key goals that we believe will set new industry standards and keep us at the forefront of travel technology.
Firstly, we are committed to modern retailing. This means enhancing the travel retailing experience by equipping agents with advanced tools that not only boost sales but also optimise revenue and improve customer satisfaction. We want to ensure that our agents have everything they need to provide a seamless and personalised experience for travellers.
Secondly, we are focusing on automation and self-service. By increasing automation and self-service options, we aim to save time on manual tasks, allowing agents to dedicate more time to their customers. This shift will enable a more efficient and customer-centric approach to travel booking and management.
Another critical goal is content expansion. We are continuously working to expand the range of travel content available on our platform. This includes more flights, hotels, car rentals, and NDC offers, along with a flight search tool that will allow travel providers to compare NDC offers on a single screen.
Additionally, we are working on bringing AI-powered enhancements to simplify travel offers, improve search speeds, and provide more control and revenue optimisation for agencies. AI will play a crucial role in making our platform smarter and more responsive to the needs of both agents and travellers.
Ultimately, our goal is to set new industry standards by staying ahead of technological advancements and continuously innovating. We believe that by focusing on these areas, we can remain competitive and provide unparalleled value to our customers in the fast-evolving travel technology sector.
