Cabforce success highlights Travelport Developer Network innovation.
LANGLEY, UK – Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform providing distribution, technology, payment and other solutions for the $7 trillion global travel and tourism industry, and Cabforce, the Finland-based provider of taxi and airport booking solutions to the travel industry, celebrated the global launch of Cabforce through the Travelport Marketplace e-commerce platform at the 2014 PhoCusWright conference.
With first year growth in 2014 surging above 200-percent based on travel agency adoption in the United Kingdom and South Africa alone, Cabforce’s plug-in already is creating greater efficiencies, new revenue streams, and increased client satisfaction for travel agencies. Cabforce expects its growth to continue once the plug-in is available worldwide following this month’s commercial launch of Travelport Marketplace.
“The Cabforce plugin has become an immediate success in our office,” said Scott Pawley, managing director of the UK-based Global Travel Management, one of the United Kingdom’s leading travel management companies. “Cabforce gives us the ability to offer more to our clients, with very little additional effort.”
Travelport Marketplace is a key part of Travelport’s Open Platform strategy. Travelport Developer Network (TDN) members can make use of the Travelport Software Development Kit (SDK) and Travelport Universal API (application programming interface) to build new, innovative products and then to promote their products to travel agencies through the Travelport Marketplace. For travel agencies, the Travelport Marketplace provides easy access to a wide range of products covering all aspects of agency operations, products that improve agency productivity, allow for additional services, and create new revenue streams.
“Cabforce gives travel agencies a simple, efficient, and best-of-class user experience to book taxis seamlessly integrated into the agent’s normal workflow,” said Andreas Hansson, chief executive officer of Cabforce. “Thanks to the opportunities provided by the Travelport Developer’s Network, Cabforce is poised to build on our growth in early markets and increase our presence amongst travel agencies in European markets through Travelport Marketplace.”
“Travelport is excited about the success Cabforce already has achieved as a valuable member of our Developer Network,” said Pieter Van der Voort, partnership and alliance director for Travelport’s European Middle East Africa (EMEA) region.
“Working with Cabforce is a great example of Travelport’s belief that one size does not fit all. We partner with innovative partners like Cabforce to ensure we can offer our agency customers the solutions they need to be profitable and efficient. Through TDN and the Travelport Marketplace, Travelport is redefining access to travel solutions around the world.”
Malindo Air to distribute through Travelport for the first time
Travelport also announced a new multi-year, full content agreement with Malaysia-based hybrid carrier, Malindo Air. The agreement takes immediate effect, and enables Travelport-connected agents to search, compare and book fares and other ancillary services offered by Malindo Air via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform for the first time.
Mr. Chandran Rama Muthy, CEO of Malindo Air, said, “We look forward to experiencing significant growth by broadening our distribution network to Travelport’s 67,000 agency subscribers worldwide, as well as having the ability to offer our ancillary services via their Travelport Merchandising Platform.”
Damian Hickey, Vice President, Global Distribution Sales & Services, Asia-Pacific, Travelport, says, “We are delighted to have Malindo Air on board to participate in our Travel Commerce Platform, enabling us to offer our subscribers more choice – particularly within the South East Asia and India regions – as we continue our commitment in providing the widest possible content to our global customers.”
A hybrid airline established in 2013, Malindo Air currently offers both domestic and international routes to over 30 destinations in its network covering Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore with over 800 flights weekly.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
