The next generation of travel commerce

ONE thing is certain;
there is a need for
more information and
discussion around travel
commerce in the ever-changing
landscape of the African travel
industry.
Attendance at this year’s
Travelport e-volve summit,
which was held at the African
Pride Crystal Towers Hotel
& Spa in Cape Town from
March 10-11, far surpassed
previous events, with over 200
delegates – around 40% of
whom were African delegates.
Travelport has a strong focus
on Africa because that is
where the growth potential is,
says Rabih Saab, Travelport
vp and md for the AFMESA
region. “We’re putting our
money where our mouth is
and increasing our investment
in Africa; in people, products
and solutions. In particular,
this means a greater focus on
Travelport Smartpoint, which
enables agents to sell rich
content – the same content
they would find on an airline’s
website – with more ancillaries
and more options in the same
workflow.”
Travelport’s successful
IPO on the New York Stock
Exchange has enabled it to
raise capital and reduce its
debt, freeing up cash flow
to invest in new products
and technology. “We’re
spending twice as much
on development in the
distribution space as our
competitors,” says Rabih.