Language is the basis of all communication, and communication is essential to understanding. This is why XML integrations have become an essential element in the tourism sector as we know it today, especially for travel agencies that want to be able to offer the best possible service to their customers at all times.
But… what exactly are XML integrations and what do they mean for a travel agency? Below are the 5 keys that will help you understand how they work.
1.- Connect to understand each other
At TravelgateX we like to think about connectivity when we talk about XML integrations for the tourism sector. Why? Because an integration is the piece that makes different programming languages perfectly compatible. It is actually a connector, a kind of interpreter that allows agencies and suppliers to understand each other without having to speak the same language.
On a practical level this means, for example, that a travel agency and a hotel chain with different databases or inventories managed in completely different ways can work perfectly together and benefit from this connection, saving time and money.
2.- Why do you need an integration?
The inventory of a travel agency is the core of its business. The broader, more varied, flexible and up to date it is, the better it will be for business. This is why having an XML integration that allows you to have good suppliers and to be able to offer the best service to your customers is crucial to competing in today’s market.
You can also do this without giving up your brand, adapting and editing contents, offers and prices provided by the integration.
3.- Save time
Integrations connect and act as interpreters between the travel agency and the suppliers (whether they are hotels, airlines or transport companies), guaranteeing fast and efficient communication.
PULL integrations, for example, let agencies launch information requests to suppliers and they respond in real time. This saves a lot of time and allows travel agents to provide their clients with high-quality service at all times.
4.- Save costs
If you would like to benefit from an integration, you have two options. You can hire a programmer to develop your own system – which implies a greater investment in terms of costs and time – or you can hire the services of a company specialising in XML integrations, which is what the vast majority normally opt for since it is cheaper and faster.
5. Improve your offer
At TravelgateX we offer an XML integration service to the main travel agencies on the market, providing connections with all kinds of suppliers: hotels, flights, car rental companies, transfers, ferries, trains and activities. We have the largest number of connections worldwide (400+), including W2M, Zumata, Ctrip and many more DMCs, Bedbanks, Channel Managers, etc.
What makes TravelgateX different?
You have control >> TravelgateX is a completely transparent connection centre where you as a customer always have control over prices you negotiate with the partners you choose. That is, the information you receive from these suppliers comes without any changes made by us.
Simplicity >> Once you integrate with our API, you will have access to all suppliers. Once you are connected, adding a supplier will only require obtaining a contract with them; there is no need to make a new integration.
No costs >> Yes, it is all free: from configuration to maintenance and traffic.
This means that our services provide benefits to travel agencies, allowing them to centralise management of inventories and databases and increase their range of offers, improving their service and features with such a wide range of suppliers to choose from. They also have access to specialised technical support, of course, ensuring that the system is kept permanently updated.
