Around 400 delegates – leisure agents, travel management companies and supplier partners – were given an update on some of the latest developments at the consortium at the event, entitled Powered by People, at the Melia Castilla, Madrid.
Cruise leaders join together for dedicated advisory board
Advantage Travel Partnership has created an invitation-only Cruise Advisory Board to bring together travel agent members, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and some of the sector’s most influential leaders to address the “opportunities and challenges that will define cruising over the next decade”.
With the first meeting scheduled for July, the board will get together twice a year to discuss specific themes, supported by expert insights and guest speakers.
Board members confirmed to date include Judith Alderson, Dawson & Sanderson; Tricia Lester, Ashdown Travel; Claire Stirrup, Celebrity Cruises; Eithne Williamson, Princess Cruises; Vicky Billing, Riviera Travel; Mark Walter, HX Expeditions; Tony Roberts, Imagine Cruising; Victoria Sanders, News UK & Times Holidays; Andy Harmer, CLIA and Jasman Ahmad, Accord Marketing.
Cruise now accounts for around 15% of total annual turnover for Advantage, which said the growth was down to the “value positioning” of cruise holidays.
Two summits planned to focus on travel marketing
Two one-day events will take place this year dedicated to travel marketing. The Advantage Travel Partnership Marketing Summits are organised by Advantage Travel Partnership and co-hosted by Llama Travel Marketing and the newly-formed Travel Marketing Group.
They will be open to Advantage members and also to non-members.
Taking place in London on Tuesday October 20 and in Manchester on October 22, the summits will bring together agents, supplier partners, marketing specialists and other travel-related businesses for a practical, insight-led event focused on helping agencies grow through stronger marketing.
Agents will get access to Edinburgh-based tech innovation hub
Advantage Travel Partnership has formed a strategic partnership with the Traveltech Innovation Hub at the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute.
Based at the University of Edinburgh, the hub brings together travel businesses, startups, investors and academic researchers’ research capabilities in artificial intelligence, data science and informatics. The partnership will give Advantage and its members the chance to engage directly with these emerging technologies, participate in collaborative innovation programmes and explore new applications of AI and data-driven solutions.
Advantage signs partnership with AI and data specialist
Domo, the AI and data products platform, has been appointed as a strategic AI and data partner for the members of Advantage Travel Partnership.
Domo’s platform integrates advanced analytics, intuitive dashboards and AI-powered workflow automation, integrating GDS, OBT, back-office and finance systems into a single environment.
AI agents help automate routine processes such as reporting, data reconciliation and operational workflows, freeing up agents to focus on other areas of their business.
“The opportunity is not just to manage operations more efficiently, but for agents to use trusted data and AI to automate routine processes, improve commercial decision-making, and deliver better outcomes for their clients,” said Claudia Lewis, Travel Sector Lead EMEA and Account Executive at Domo.
