Agents gain a competitive edge in the booming online travel business thanks to a partnership announced between truvle Ltd. and SkyLink Travel. Using the new truvle technology, SkyLink is launching a web-empowered email itinerary that gives travelers instant access to destination restaurants, shopping, entertainment, airport information, weather and more. Called Itinerary Plus, SkyLink’s new e-docs let agents provide Expedia-like services in the form of handsome e-itineraries with a bright, contemporary design and links to a gamut of useful trip information.

Itinerary Plus’ Personalized Trip Planner works with scheduling software to keep track of flights, hotel and restaurant reservations, concert tickets, events and more. For added convenience, SkyLink’s new smart docs can be fully integrated into mobile devices, offering SMS (Short Message Service) links and alerts for travelers on the go.

“Traditional agent email itineraries are text-heavy with no agency contact information or destination content,” says Fernando Virgolino, vice president, SkyLink USA. “Itinerary Plus from Skylink makes travel planning easy, giving clients an approach that’s quick, interactive and fun. No more browsing the Web in long, drawn-out searches or spending hours trying to find directions and things to do. All the information passengers need for a productive, enjoyable trip is now accessible immediately, directly from our new e-itineraries.” 

 With a network of more than 80 major airlines, SkyLink is one of North America’s largest airline ticket consolidators, offering fares from 800-plus cities to destinations worldwide. The new partnership will be managed from SkyLink’s headquarters in Toronto, Canada, and from truvle’s North American offices in Miami, Fla.

“SkyLink is known for its rapid growth and technological innovation,” says Alon Zaibert, truvle’s founder and chief executive. “We’re delighted to welcome this industry leader to the truvle family."

• Agent Information – The agent’s name and contact information is at the top of each e-itinerary.
• Instant Access – Travelers don’t have to search multiple sites for things to do in their destination. Itinerary Plus from SkyLink serves up the full spectrum of travel information – restaurants, shopping, entertainment, family attractions, sporting events, tours, nightlife, e-maps, weather, currency exchange rates, sports scores, airport information, photos and more – all available instantly via click-through links in the e-itineraries.
• Personal Trip Planner  - The main idea behind truvle is customization. Working with multiple GDS and other booking systems, the software picks up passenger information, including travel dates, destination, flight class, hotel details and other criteria. Then it tailors information to fit each profile.

Passengers can customize travel even more with the Personal Trip Planner, a Web page accessible through the SkyLink e-itinerary, with sections devoted to Dining, Shopping, Family Travel, Entertainment and Events. Via this personalized page, clients can conduct targeted searches, purchase tickets for shows and sporting events, make dinner reservations, and more, quickly and easily with agent-approved vendors.

“Information is constantly updated and tailored to travel dates,” Zaibert points out. “We partner with numerous global content providers in each category. Agents can provide information for just about any destination in the world where a client would want to go.” 

• Special Features for Travelers On The Go – Some truvle features are especially handy for mobile consumers, offering airline check-in links, SMS flight alerts and easy integration into Microsoft Outlook. Passengers can check in for flights and get travel updates on the go from their laptops and mobile devices.

truvle software has been integrated into SkyLink existing booking systems, with the first upgraded e-tickets issued last week. “Agents book trips as usual, logging onto the SkyLink Web site,” Zaibert explains. “The result is an easy-to-use platform that requires no additional training. Working with SkyLink, agents enhance their service with rich, interactive content in a way that’s efficient, customized and unique.”