http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000 PhoCusWright Research Subscriptions: Technology Edition - releases http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Mobile Update: Adoption, Innovation...Location! The mobile landscape is continuing to shift, with Google’s Android platform in the early stages of what promises to be a long battle to gain share against the iPhone. Mobile travel bookings are in their infancy, and much groundwork remains to be laid before context- and locationawareness is fully exploited. Yet 2009 was a year in which progress was made, not least of all in the travel industry’s collective mobile mindset. The demand for mobile applications has soared, and the industry has responded. This article provides an update on developments in mobile business and technology, surveys the mobile travel innovations that were introduced in 2009 and takes stock of what to expect in the coming year. Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list How Cloud Computing Could Revolutionize the Travel Industry Cloud computing provides computing services at several levels: application, platform and infrastructure. It can be public or private, insourced or outsourced. And cloud computing means different things to different companies. For entrepreneurs, it could be the basis of new business opportunities. For startups, it can reduce or eliminate the capital expense required to establish initial technology capability. And for more established companies, it can be the basis of significant cost savings, as well as a source for competitive advantage. Widely publicized in the technical press, cloud computing has several years to go before it reaches maturity. Yet the current opportunities and benefits, especially for new ventures, overshadow the risks. This article addresses both the business and technical aspects of cloud computing and includes numerous real world examples. Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Travel Technology Innovation Focus: Customization, Mobile, Semantic Technology and Business Models The travel industry may be suffering from the global economic downturn, but more than a recession is needed to bring innovation to a halt. In fact, technology innovation is continuing at a breathtaking pace, and the implications for marketing and distribution are significant. Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list The PhoCusWright Consumer Technology Survey Third Edition, Part Five of Five Despite advanced mobile devices like the iPhone making headlines almost daily, the majority of travelers are not using their phones to visit travel-related mobile Web sites or make travel reservations. Travel companies, however, would do well to pay close attention to the small but enthusiastic minority who are using their mobile devices for advanced travel-related activities. These early adopters tend to be young, arguably hip, and, most importantly, frequent travelers. Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Travel Industry Standards: Fish or Cut Bait A leader in electronic commerce, the travel industry was able to distribute its products and services electronically years before the Internet revolution. Yet the associated technology was expensive and available only to the larger players. The Internet lowered e-commerce barriers with cheap, ubiquitous communications and technology, and created the potential for a global electronic marketplace for travel. However, to make this marketplace a reality, standards must be in place to enable travel learning, shopping and booking across a multitude of suppliers, intermediaries and points-ofsale. The travel industry has established the OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel) and other standards bodies to facilitate travel e-commerce, but to date, efforts are fragmented and still far from enabling a true electronic marketplace. Leaders in the travel industry need to step back and examine alternative approaches to standards, assess the economic trade-offs, and decide collectively how to proceed: either by recommitting to and reforming current standards efforts, or abandoning them and letting the free market determine which standards stick. Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Global Distribution Systems Move into the Future Part Three: GDS-Supplier Connectivity Air travel distribution is undergoing significant changes, including new sources of content and new ways to display and sell it. One of the drivers for these changes is the unbundling of content by the airlines into optional services and subsequent rebundling into branded fares. For an industry used to selling only a single product – an airline seat – this is a substantial amount of change to swallow. In addition to accommodating this new content, industry leaders are taking fresh approaches to content acquisition and point-­ of-­sale user interface tools. The consequences of these developments will reverberate throughout the air travel distribution system, requiring new capabilities at almost every level. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright Online Town Hall Conference Review and Outlook with Philip Wolf Whether you attended The PhoCusWright Conference this year or not, do not miss the opportunity to hear Philip Wolf's interpretation of the big event! To access the recorded Webinar, please go to slide 2 of the PowerPoint presentation to access the links. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list The PhoCusWright Consumer Technology Survey Third Edition, Part Four of Five Travel reviews have a significant impact on booking decisions, and, for now, are cited as influential more often than any other type of social media. But not all reviews have equal sway. Their location and content have an effect on how influential they ultimately are, with reviews offered via online travel agency Web sites ranking highest. And travel companies may want to spend less time fretting over negative reviews and more time figuring out how to inspire positive ones, as travelers are more likely to be influenced by the latter. Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list What is a SuperPNR, and Why is it Important? The passenger name record (PNR) has been the backbone of travel planning ever since automated travel reservations have been in existence. Born on high-­ performance legacy computer systems, the PNR became the core computer file for documenting and provisioning a travel reservation, effectively serving as the purchase and delivery order for travel. Because of its legacy roots when computing and communications were much more expensive than today, the PNR is concise and cryptic. Processes were built around the PNR to ensure the party delivering the travel service (e.g., the airline or hotel) received all needed information. Similarly, processes and business logic were put into place for service providers to advise global distribution systems (GDSs) and travel agents (TAs) when there was a problem delivering a reserved service (e.g., an airline schedule change). Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Historically, airline seats were a commodity, albeit with a number of pricing variables. Travelers would choose their “seat” based on price, schedule and class of service. This allowed most travel agents to function more or less as order processors, and the global distribution systems (GDSs) provided the technology. Now airlines are transforming their product to include optional services and branded fares. To accommodate the sale of these new services and packages, the travel distribution system is implementing major changes. Key to these developments are the existing profile systems of the GDSs and third-party technology companies. This paper does the following: 1. Reviews the changes taking place in travel profile systems 2. Analyzes the relative value of additional customer profile information that a travel agent (online or traditional) might use to close a sale for these new services 3. Details the profile initiatives of all three GDS companies and several travel management companies (TMCs) 4. Assesses the potential implications for all companies that interact with these systems 5. Examines the potential for a traveler-owned “open profile” industry standard Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Global Distribution Systems Move Into the Future Part Two: The User Interface Air travel distribution is undergoing significant changes, including new sources of content and new ways to display and sell it. One of the drivers for these changes is the unbundling of content by the airlines into optional services and subsequent rebundling into branded fares. For an industry used to only selling a single product – an airline seat – this is a substantial amount of change to swallow. In addition to accommodating this new content, industry leaders are taking fresh approaches to content acquisition and point-of-sale user interface tools. The consequences of these developments will reverberate throughout the air travel distribution system, requiring new capabilities at almost every level. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list ANALYST BRIEFING: THE IPHONE AND THE FUTURE OF MOBILE TRAVEL APPLICATIONS This Webinar is the result of a year-long PhoCusWright research study on the impact of mobile technologies on the global travel industry. It will review current trends in mobile technology and their impact on specific travel industry segments (airlines, hotels, car rental, online and traditional travel companies and the corporate travel industry). The research provides insight into the applications used and desired by frequent leisure and business travelers, and spotlights useful travel-oriented applications available on the iPhone. To access the recorded Webinar, please go to slide 2 of the PowerPoint presentation to access the links. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list The PhoCusWright Consumer Technology Survey Third Edition, Part Three of Five The most popular methods for online travelers to share their leisure travel reviews involve two technologies that are rarely mentioned these days. When asked to cite up to three methods they prefer to use when sharing trip experiences or reviews, the largest percentage of travelers opted for spoken conversation in person or via phone, and email, whose death knell was apparently sounded too soon by some online tech prognosticators (e.g., PC Magazine). But while these more established communications methods still reign supreme, don’t dismantle your blog just yet. A significant percentage of online travelers are using social media for travel-related activities, and because social media has a viral quality that three-way calling can’t match, travel reviews shared online, while less frequent, may be exponentially more influential. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Global Distribution Systems Move Into the Future, Part One One of the drivers for these changes is the unbundling of content by the airlines into optional services and subsequent rebundling into branded fares.For an industry used to only selling a single product – an airline seat – this is a substantial amount of change to swallow. In addition to accommodating this new content, industry leaders are taking fresh approaches to content acquisition and point-of-sale user interface tools. The consequences of these developments will reverberate throughout the air travel distribution system, requiring new capabilities at almost every level. Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Travel Content Distribution: Industry Heal Thyself While air and hotel content distribution certainly can be improved, it has evolved with the times and generally remained efficient since its inception. Unfortunately, other segments have not followed suit and still struggle with this issue. This paper will discuss how the air and hotel segments have changed with regard to distribution and why other travel services should strategize to compete on value instead of for control of the distribution channel. Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list The PhoCusWright Consumer Technology Survey Third Edition, Part Two of Five It won’t be long before social media will be as common as mobile phones – and savvy travel companies have already started engaging in this space. But a newer technology seems to have lured some social network users away. Online travelers who have joined/participated in a micro-blog are also slightly more likely than non-users to have stopped using social networks. Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list ANALYST BRIEFING: TRAVEL & FINANCE OUTLOOK 2009-2010 Jake Fuller, PhoCusWright's senior research analyst, finance and analytics, explains the implications of the latest travel agency earnings, identifies signs of recovery (or not), and projects the industry outlook for the next 12 months. To access the recorded Webinar, please go to slide 2 of the PowerPoint presentation to access the links. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list The PhoCusWright Consumer Technology Survey Third Edition, Part One of Five Destination marketers, take note – travelers who have embraced various forms of social media and/or mobile devices are significantly more likely to use the Internet to select their leisure travel destination. Eighty-two percent of social network users selected their leisure travel destination online in the past twelve months, versus just 68% of non-users. The same pattern of online destination selection holds for micro-blog users (83%) and mobile early adopters (91%). Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list The iPhone and Travel When the iPhone was first introduced in January 2007, opinions were split between those who called it a revolutionary new mobile device and those who were convinced it would never gain a significant market. Since then, more than 20 million iPhones have been sold and the device is now available in 81 countries around the globe, with more on the way. The early doubters were proven wrong. With the iPhone Apple introduced what is essentially a totally new mobile device with distinct features that differentiate it from competitors’ products. The major difference is that, despite its name, the iPhone is much more than a phone – it is a mini-computer and the first phone to offer a full Web browsing experience (via Safari). These two factors alone made a significant impact in the market and offered vast improvement over the previous mobile user experience. Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Optional Services: The Coming Sea Change in Air Travel Distribution—ATPCO and ARC This transition – from selling just an airline seat to offering ancillary products like onboard meals, checked bags, toys and T-shirts – will require significant changes in the way airlines display and sell their products. The reverberations will be felt across the entire travel distribution ecosystem as intermediaries and points-of-sale alike scramble to keep up with the airlines. This is the first in a series of papers that will examine the developments in airline optional services and the implications and required changes for distribution companies across the travel industry, including the leisure and corporate markets and both online and offline channels. The article focuses on two companies in the U.S. that serve as essential hubs in air distribution and provide business tools that enable air shopping and booking. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Innovation Profiles: Learning and Shopping The first stages of travel planning are dreaming, learning and shopping. The business model for these activities generally involves advertising, placement fees and referral fees. This article takes a look at the business and technology models of 25 companies in this space. This article also explores the variety of business models, profile techniques, social networking tools, platforms and content aggregation, and manipulation and display approaches these companies use. Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list The Facebook Phenomenon The online social network space is one of the most dynamic areas of business and technical innovation on the Web today. Almost weekly, we come across a new social network and hundreds of new applications and services are launched on existing social networks every day. Over the last three years, two networks in particular have gained enormous mind share and market share: MySpace and Facebook. As consumers have swarmed to these networks, advertisers and businesses have raced to monetize the growing virtual neighborhoods. More recently, software developers have begun to leverage these communities, with their inherent viral and network effects, as launching pads for a vast array of innovative and attractive applications. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Analyst Briefing: PhoCusWright's Mobile: The Next Platform for Travel This analyst briefing covers highlights from PhoCusWright’s Mobile: The Next Platform for Travel report published in March 2009. To access the recorded Webinar, please go to slide 2 of the PowerPoint presentation to access the links. Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright's 2009 Technology Trend Predictions With 2009 in full swing, we again look at the technologies that have the potential to drive change through innovation and create business value in the travel industry in the next several years. These 10 technology trends have been carefully selected by PhoCusWright from the plethora of global business and technology initiatives that dominate the press and the Internet. Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright's Mobile: The Next Platform for Travel As mobile technology has evolved and mobile phone adoption has gradually increased over the last two decades, travel companies have speculated about when mobile will begin to have a significant impact on the travel industry. Recent handset innovations and the introduction of 3G (third-generation) mobile networks indicate that worldwide adoption numbers will continue to soar, creating a marketplace that is ripe for the introduction of mobile travel applications. The mobile platform has the potential to enable innovative personal interactions with travel customers, enhance the travel experience and enable travel companies to reach new levels of operational efficiency. Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Hyperlocal Content Services “All politics is local.” So goes the aphorism attributed to late-Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Thomas “Tip” O’Neill as he attempted to explain how the local issues of neighborhoods and cities around the country shape the response of elected officials at the national level. This focus on local concerns and problems is not new, nor is it particularly surprising. But it is driving an important trend that is gathering speed, fueled in part by mobile technologies and the ubiquitous availability of various modes of communication. Increasing access to local information on places, people, organizations, events and news is transforming a number of established information sources, including local newspapers, listings and directories and classified advertising. It is also proving to be a valuable resource for travelers and a potential growth opportunity for travel marketers, content publishers and aggregators. Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Innovation Profiles: Shopping and Booking Shopping and booking have come a long way since the early days of text-based “dumb” terminal input screens, but there is still considerable scope for innovation. This article examines seven innovations that address different aspects of shopping and booking. These include: talking persona, open source neutral shopping and booking, fare and award availability tracking, around-the-world shopping, attribute-based shopping, and an interactive consolidator and tour operator marketplace. Some of these innovations have significant challenges to overcome, while others are clearly ahead of the curve. Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list Innovation Profiles: The Long Tail Comes of Age in 2008 The Long Tail is a phenomenon associated with the adoption of the Internet that enables large numbers of small suppliers to create a market that may be larger than today’s big business-dominated Internet sites. The travel industry is a perfect example of how technology has enabled small suppliers to have more distribution, providing a new market for travel industry products. While considerable progress has been made since the first online reservation system in the 60s, a substantial amount of opportunity can still be realized. To do this, a number of technical and business issues need to be and will be resolved. New aggregators such as AdventureLink, LiveRez and Escapia are already staking their claim to this new marketplace. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list A Winning Philosophy for Travel-Related Web Site Design Web site design has matured substantially over the years as tools and design concepts have become more sophisticated. Some of the early groundbreaking sites that were considered “leading edge” in their day look primitive in today’s world. Today, complex user interaction and response can be facilitated by the use of broadband with AJAX and Flash technologies – an improvement over the page-based, request-and-reply paradigm that is the signature of HTML-based Web content. Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.phocuswright.com/research_subscriptions_technology_edition_publication_list PhoCusWright