Travel distribution

Airline computerized reservation systems (CRS) are the primary form of travel agency computerization in the world. These systems manage the millions of reservation requests and cancellations, fare, and reservation pricing requests that are initiated by travel agencies using these systems—not to mention the thousands of database changes that occur daily. The CRS function as extremely powerful and valuable distribution and marketing tools for their airline owners. Today's travel agency competitive environment is largely defined and controlled by airline CRS.

This report describes:

Airline reservation and distribution systems
CRS processing and communication concepts
Relationships between CRS and other industry components
CRS and airline competitive strategies, as these pertain to reservation technology
Non-reservation systems that interconnect with airline CRS
Profiles of the major international airline CRS

O contexto Darwiniano em que vivem as Agências de Viagens Independentes (AVI) em Portugal, impõe uma estratégia de colaboração em rede entre os diversos players do setor, numa inovadora e interativa filosofia de coopetição interorganizacional. Atualmente as contendas negociais não são mais entre empresas individuais, mas entre alianças de múltiplas empresas e os fornecedores com quem interagem. Os constrangimentos, os conflitos e os obstáculos contextuais e transacionais que as AVI enfrentam, são considerados como um dos principais motivos que as impelem a integrar redes de coopetição Interorganizacionais. Foi dado maior enfoque ao setor das AVI, em Portugal, por possuírem um peso significativo no mercado (69% em 2011), e ao tipo de aliança – Grupo de Gestão de agências de viagens (por representar 44% dessas AVI). Pretende-se nesta tese efetuar um estudo de caso da “Aliança RAVT”, e construir um mosaico de ideias que possam explicar a realidade de criação de valor entre os parceiros dentro da rede. Será apresentado um modelo de negócio designado por “e-Marketplace P2P com Cocriação de valor” para Grupos de Gestão, elencando as premissas que obrigam à reconfiguração das regras de negócio e das relações dentro da constelação de atores, visando mobilizá-los no incremento de novas maneiras de cocriar valor.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine Latin American travel intermediaries' perceptions of New Orléans as a tourism destination. A second purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of a trade show in changing intermediaries' perceptions and intentions to conduct more business with the destination. 360 randomy selected intermediary travel buyers who attended a travel show in New Orleans were surveyed with a pre/post design. Results suggest that a travel trade show can have positive effects not only on the attendees' perceptions of the destination, but also on their intentions to conduct business with that destination in the future. Researching travel buyers' attitudes can help destination marketers identify strengths and weaknesses, position the destination, and better focus their communication stratégies with the buyers' respective markets.

Most advanced market economies have institutional frameworks to safeguard competition and protect consumers against abuse of market power. While competition policy has traditionally focused on heavy industries, the importance of the service sector is now acknowledged. The emergence of large conglomerates in tourism necessitates the study of market structure, business conduct and industry performance and their implications for consumer welfare. The paper challenges the conventional wisdom of backyard capitalism in tourism. It theorizes first on market dominance and merger activity and then focuses on competition issues in major tourism sectors. The implications of air transport deregulation and cruise industry concentration are examined in the transport for tourism section. Subsequently, the role of hotel chains and the vertical integration practices of major tour operators are emphasized in the discussion on hospitality and travel distribution. The conclusions highlight the importance of technology and e-commerce in shaping the future industrial organization of tourism.