Lets get personal

FOR travel agents who want
to provide their clients with
more personalised offers,
Travelport is investing in new
technology like TravelKinect
– an online networking
platform – that aims to
connect travellers with travel
providers.
On TravelKinect travellers
will create and manage their
own profiles and decide
which providers they want
to be connected with.
Once connected, agents
and suppliers can offer
personalised experiences
based on a client’s profile.
Travellers will also be able
to access content to help
plan their next trip, including
advice and recommendations
from travel experts.
TravelKinect is not available
yet as it is still under
development.
Use social media data
Travellers are already sharing
their experiences on social
media sites like Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram.
Nicanor Sabul, ceo of the
Kenya Association of
Travel Agents, says that
agents should capture
this data to deliver a more
personalised experience
to their customers.
However, independent
hospitality consultant, Mbali
Mngomezulu, says what
a person shares on their
Facebook profile will be
different to what they share
on LinkedIn.
In order to successfully use
this data, the industry needs
to take into account that
travellers may have two or
three versions of themselves
online, she says. The travel
aspirations of a corporate
traveller, a family member
and an individual vary,
and understanding these
differences is key.