The booking tool used by travel agents to make 1 in every 2 airline bookings in the region has been upgraded to boost ancillary revenues for travel agents and increase productivity, said Abacus International, Asia’s leading travel distributor.
 
The new features incorporated in the Abacus Whiz booking solution is available to over 15,000 agency locations across Asia. Agents rely on the solution to gain access to over 1 million records of negotiated market and agency fares, sourced from over 800 airlines and travel wholesalers.

The new version of the popular solution reflects the growing importance of alternative, non-air, revenue sources for travel agents, said the company’s Vice-President, Marketing Mr Brett Henry.

“The upgrade makes it much easier for travel agents to access the comprehensive hotel contents on Abacus Whiz via a more user-friendly Graphic User Interface (GUI) and they are now able to make direct download, email and view the most updated travel insurance products without the need to go to a separate application,” Mr Henry said.

Other new functionality includes enhanced Electronic Ticket Passenger Itinerary Receipt ( ETPIR ) capabilities and direct links to eServices, an online portal for travel agents containing invaluable content, 24/7 business services and Asia specific eCourses to meet agents’ immediate needs.

The improved Abacus Whiz also integrates a wider range of travel agency processes and improves overall productivity for the travel agents, for example, by allowing both the retailer and wholesaler to access the ETPIR and send multiple copies to the customer if necessary.

With electronic tickets now able to display the stopover city and elapsed time, the solution allows agents to preview, edit and create itineraries over a wide range of layout templates so as to create a differentiated experience for their customers.

Mr Henry believes the new functionality of Abacus Whiz will be warmly embraced by travel agents. “In the current environment anything we can do to help travel consultants boost productivity makes a difference such as the improved e-ticket generation, great short-cut keys and ultra-efficient report generation built into Abacus Whiz. Agents will also appreciate the finger-tip access to additional content such as hotels, insurance and car rentals that can help them grow their revenue,” he said.

This new edition of Abacus Whiz is part of Abacus International’s continual investment in innovation to create additional value for the region’s travel agents, many of whom are looking to create new revenue streams and improve margins during a difficult time in the market.