Tour operator solution specialist, BlueSky Travel Systems, working in conjunction with IBM and Thomas Cook has delivered the first major enhancement to its flagship product itour as part of Project GLOBE. BTS, announced the first stage of the implementation of its itour Travel Distribution Suite into Project GLOBE.

The GLOBE project is one year into a three year plan to develop a system which will enable Thomas Cook to distribute traditional package holidays, dynamically packaged and priced holidays and trips made up of individual components. The solution will allow any combination of Thomas Cook and third party inventory via links to external systems. It will also enable all of the Group’s tour operating brands to sell and distribute via multiple channels including websites, television, call-centres and travel agents.

The innovative system design and high degree of functionality of BlueSky’s itour Travel Distribution Suite is critically important to the success of the GLOBE Project. Crucially, itour is flexible enough to enable enhancements to be made in accordance with today’s trends across different geographic markets. The on-going development and introduction of the reservation system will be phased in brand by brand over the next two years.

BlueSky Travel Systems’ Managing Director, Mark Fallon, said: “This initial delivery is the culmination of a great deal of hard work and commitment from BlueSky, IBM and Thomas Cook and we are delighted to have achieved this first milestone.”

Thomas Cook AG Chief Information Officer Reinhard Eschbach: “We are extremely pleased to have achieved the first stage of the development of our new pan European reservation system, Project GLOBE.”

He continues: “As BlueSky’s itour solution is enhanced further it will enable us to align our production processes more closely to our customers` evolving booking behaviour. The implementation of itour will allow us to distribute our product how and where we want to and through as many channels as we choose bringing our business into the next generation.”