In 2007 I sold CollegeSkiTrips.com the largest youth-based ski travel agency in the USA that I had run for over 15 years. We built our own proprietary online booking engine and website platform over a span of 5-years. I decided that in my next online travel business that it would be less expensive and quicker to scale up by either buying travel reservation website software or licensing the software to run and operate the business.
In late December 2009 and early January 2010 I set out to find a software platform to run my new online travel business. I spent 30-days searching all over the Internet trying to find the best travel software platform to operate and run my online travel company.
I became frustrated very quickly as there was no website or online community for researching and reviewing the different travel reservation software platforms, online booking engines and technology available. My research was conducted literally through Google by entering in multiple keyword search terms and phrases like “online travel software,” over and over.
I could have outsourced the research but I felt that as the owner of the company my selection of the best software platform for the type of business I wanted to run and operate was the biggest decision I had to make and would ultimately determine the success and outcome of my business. I created a spreadsheet of 20 different software providers and then narrowed my choices down to three. I then communicated with the three companies over several emails and phone calls. I conducted online demos and then made a decision between two providers ultimately choosing one at the very last minute due to a price cut.
The entire process was truly agonizing and fraught with too many obstacles. This article seeks to derive an answer to my question, how do I Find the BEST online travel software to run my Travel and Tourism business, and to solicit comments and feedback from travel software and technology solution providers.
The travel and tourism software and technology industry is fragmented from a consumer or buyer of software solutions point of view. The travel software and technology solution industry needs a consumer oriented community where travel software providers can connect with prospects, provide demo opportunities, provide information on their software products, create a feeling of transparency for their products, list features and benefits, including video demos and real-time chat capabilities, a place where travel software providers and prospective travel software buyers can communicate with one another and build new long lasting relationships.
Ultimately I envision a place where travel solution providers can create a more efficient sales process to reach buyers that leads to more sales and stronger buying relationships between travel businesses and travel software providers.
As an Internet entrepreneur I see an opportunity to fill this gap and help build a more successful online travel industry. I am looking to build a website that brings together travel software and technology solution providers with current travel business owners and prospective travel entrepreneurs.
I’ve included a link to survey that I am currently conducting with travel software and technology solution providers that seeks to help the industry build a successful community that supports the buying and selling of travel software and technology.
If you are a travel software and technology provider go here to complete a 10-minute online survey. If you need more information or are interested in what I am developing please send me an email or give me a call. http://tiny.cc/fhfar
If you are a travel business leave your comments below.