Travel technology specialist Inspiretec has joined the Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers to build closer links with agents and operators in the sector.
Ric Corbett, business development director, said the company has more than 30 years of experience exclusively in travel technology.
“Travel never stands still and it’s important that we keep listening to what businesses actually need, how those needs are changing and the challenges they are dealing with day to day,” he added.
“Atas has a built a fantastic community, so we’re looking forward to getting involved, building relationships with members, learning from the conversations happening across the sector and sharing some of our own experience along the way.”
He said agents are “really important” to Inspiretec “because we genuinely believe in the value they bring to the whole travel experience”.
“There is still no substitute for a great travel consultant who understands their customers, knows the destinations and can navigate all the nuances of the travel industry to give genuinely good advice,” he explained.
“Our role as a technology partner is to enable travel agents to do more of what they do best, while continually evolving our solutions to help them meet the changing expectations of their customers.”
He said Inspiretec knows the touring and adventure travel sector “incredibly well” as it has developed tech to handling the complexities of building and selling tours.
“Touring and adventure holidays can be complex, with multiple components and a huge amount of choice, so customers often need much more advice and expertise than they would with a straightforward booking,” he added.
“That makes the role of the travel agent, and the relationship between the customer, agent and tour operator, incredibly important.
“Our experience has always been about managing that complexity behind the scenes, using technology to keep everything connected while making the experience as simple and seamless as possible.”
He aims to showcase to Atas agents that travel technology “doesn’t need to be complicated”.
“We’ve spent a lot of time looking at how we bring customer information, enquiries, bookings and day-to-day tasks together, so consultants have a much clearer picture of the customer they’re dealing with and the information they need is there when they need it,” he said.
“Our CRM Suite sits at the heart of that, and we’ve embedded AI through a product called Agent Assist, to help summarise conversations, identify actions and follow-ups, and surface useful customer information when they need it.
“Alongside CRM, we have our Tour Operator Suite – Reservations, bringing the booking journey together from enquiry through to departure, and our Travel Agent Suite – Agent, helping consultants manage customers, sales and bookings in one place.”
He said customers have access to more information and choice than ever before – which makes the role of a travel consultant even more valuable.
“What has changed is customer expectation. People expect quicker responses, more personalised service and increasingly want to communicate on their terms, whether that’s over the phone, email or text,” he said.
“Technology can make a real difference. Giving consultants a complete view of the customer, their previous bookings, enquiries, conversations and preferences, means they can start every interaction informed.”
Technology can also help travel firms remove unnecessary admin and make their operations more efficient.
Commenting on the role of AI, he said: “For us, the interesting opportunity isn’t replacing the travel agent; it’s using AI to take away some of that admin, surface useful information and help consultants identify what needs to happen next.
“Ultimately, all of those things come back to the same outcomes: helping travel businesses operate more efficiently, deliver a better customer experience and give their consultants more opportunities to sell.”
Claire Brighton, Atas director, said: “It’s lovely to welcome Inspiretec to the Atas community and find out more about what they can offer agents and operators in our sector.
“It’s great timing too as they will be at our conference later this month to network with delegates and share their expertise.”
