SELECTIVE AND WORLD TRAVEL CENTRE ANNOUNCE INNOVATIVE CONNECTION WITH LUFTHANSA GROUP
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A new partnership with Lufthansa Group is making business travel easier than ever before for customers of Selective Travel Management and World Travel Centre.
The relationship just announced puts the Lufthansa Group’s celebrated New Distribution Capability (NDC) - the interface between the airline and airfare sellers - directly into the hands of Selective Travel Management’s corporate customers via its proprietary booking tool, while professional travel agents can access their tailored service via the Fareteam booking platform.
The initiative provides direct, easy to use and no-fuss access to ticket booking and registering Advance Passenger Information (API) as well as opening the door to the full range of benefits and offers from the entire Lufthansa group of airlines – all without having to go through the Global Distribution System (GDS) which, until now, has been recognised as the established method of booking throughout the airline industry.
Announcing the association, Keith Graham, Managing Director of Selective Travel Management, said, “This latest innovative step is underpinned by a wealth of highly creative technology, yet its intuitive operation makes it incredibly user-friendly.
“The move is all about equipping our corporate and trade customers, as well as our own staff, with instant access to rich and relevant information, enhancing their experience and giving them improved access to the dazzling range of global travel options and services from the immensely business-friendly German flag carrier and its subsidiaries.”
Sven Thaler, Senior Director Sales Northern Europe with Lufthansa Group, said, “We very much welcome World Travel Centre Group joining our NDC solution. Their direct API solution with the Lufthansa Group of airlines ensures that our innovations, content and products are available to their corporate, leisure and trade customers.
“Our positive collaboration with WTC is further proof that NDC solutions are important in the evolution of travel offers. It is inspiring to have a key partner in both the Irish and UK market embracing the solutions.”
About Selective Travel Management and World Travel Centre
World Travel Centre is one of the most successful travel groups in Ireland and the UK, servicing trade, leisure, and corporate customers via its three strong brands.
Selective Travel Management in Corporate and Business Travel is Ireland’s largest and one of the UK’s fastest-growing specialist travel management companies. Currently ranked at 21st in Business Travel News Europe’s Top 50 Leading TMCs it fully manages global travel for a diverse range of companies and organisations using its expertise, buying power and professional connections to save them both time and money and to monitor and enhance travel sustainability. Bespoke IT solutions developed in-house have shifted reliance from standardised bought-in platforms in favour of versatile new systems capable of customisation to meet clients’ specific, continuously changing, needs.
WTC is the market leader supplying flight and hotel content to most travel agents in Ireland. Its retail team specialise in leisure travel, offering a full range of services from flight-only through to the most complicated tailor-made itineraries.
Established in 1997, e-travel has already become Ireland’s largest online travel agent, specialising in flights and worldwide cruises. Now operating across the UK and Ireland, e-travel made a pioneering move by developing an online booking system, allowing substantial cost savings to be passed on to customers.
