In a detailed article by Business Travel News, the emerging trend in managed travel retailing has been discussed, especially in the context of New Distribution Capability (NDC) — a retailing initiative launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard. American Airlines has been at the forefront, shifting many fares from traditional EDIFACT systems to NDC-enabled channels, with United Airlines also expanding its continuous pricing offerings in similar channels.
NDC aims to enable the travel industry to transform how air products are retailed to corporations, leisure, and business travelers by addressing the industry’s current distribution limitations: product differentiation and time-to-market, access to full and rich air content, and transparent shopping experience.
The move toward NDC is significant as it allows for a more dynamic and personalized retailing environment, where airlines directly control pricing and offer tailored bundles. This presents challenges and opportunities for travel management companies (TMCs) and online booking tools, which traditionally relied on GDS systems that do not support the more dynamic NDC content.
This is where Traxo comes into play as a vital asset for travel teams. As suppliers aggressively introduce attribute-based pricing and personalized bundles become more prevalent, travel managers need to ensure they capture all booking data and manage their travel programs effectively. Traxo provides data aggregation and itinerary intelligence solutions that capture and consolidate corporate travel data from all sources.
In a recent article by Business Travel Magazine, Paul Tilstone of Festive Road highlighted the growing significance of travel data tools, including Traxo, in travel management, saying that data capture can no longer be a secondary — instead it must be “front and center.”
“We should have technology in the modern retailing world that services the travelers in an easy and convenient way that gives them what they need.”
By deploying Traxo, travel managers can keep up with the shift towards NDC. For instance, Suzanne Boyan of ZS Associates has utilized United's bundles through the NDC channel on Serko’s Zeno booking tool for more efficient travel retailing. Traxo is already helping companies like ZS Associates by managing direct booking data seamlessly, interfacing with tools like ARC's Traverse for capturing leisure-like booking experiences within a corporate context. This allows corporate benefits to be integrated into the booking process, improving traveler experience while maintaining policy compliance.
Travel managers are now looking for technology solutions that can "future-proof" their programs, with Traxo at the center of these strategies. The shift towards more direct booking strategies means that TMCs and travel buyers must be ready for whatever the industry brings next, and having the right data aggregation tools is critical.
With personalized travel becoming increasingly important, the ability to understand and cater to individual traveler needs and preferences is becoming a key competitive advantage. Traxo's capabilities in capturing and organizing travel data from various sources enable companies to tailor the travel experience more precisely, addressing traveler desires for a more consumer-like, personalized experience.
As loyalty programs and artificial intelligence (AI) become more integrated into corporate travel, understanding the traveler at a deeper level is imperative. Traxo's solutions can contribute significantly to harnessing the power of AI to anticipate traveler needs and preferences, thereby enhancing the travel experience and increasing policy compliance and traveler satisfaction.
Traxo represents a key asset for travel teams adapting to the new landscape of NDC. It enables travel managers to capture comprehensive data, allows for personalization at scale, and ensures preparedness for future industry changes. As NDC reshapes the travel distribution ecosystem, tools like Traxo will be essential for travel managers seeking to navigate this new terrain successfully.