How Consolidators & Networks can survive and thrive in the 21st century

The travel industry is taking off. According to the International Air Transport Association, air transport passenger numbers could double to 8.2 billion in 2037.These figures are like music to the ears of travel providers worldwide but, they also imply a massive challenge: everyone needs to step up their game if they want to conquer the 21st century traveler.

The retail experience – often characterized by its personalization component and an excellent shopping journey – matters more than ever and Consolidators and Networksare no exception to this. 

However, delivering on the needs of today’s ever demanding travelers also comes with some challenges. Consolidators, companies which are mostly known for acting as wholesalers of primarily air content, are increasingly looking to integrate new types of content - beyond air – so they can diversify their offering and grow revenue streams. At the same time, they also want to provide their agencies with top notch serviceand expand their footprintpowered by cutting edge technology. 

Networks on the other hand face two main challenges: brand positioning and process standardization. As a reminder, this group is composed by several agencies who decide to get together and form a big ‘alliance’ that allows them to negotiate rates with providers and benefit from a stronger footprint in areas such as technology, content, marketing and more. The fact that they don’t always provide the same service (some are focused on leisure travel, others on corporate business…) means they must agree on a joint strategy which can prove challenging. 

Whilst Consolidators and Networks are a core part of Amadeus ’Retail Travel Channels’ segment, and they both operate within the B2B space, the reality is they also have distinct needs. It’s against this backdrop that Amadeus designed the Amadeus Travel Platform. This versatile and dynamic solution brings together airline, hotel, alternative lodging, rail, and ground transport content all in one place, helping our customers boost their business. This platform aggregates content regardless of source and normalizes it so that it’s usable for travel agencies, ultimately allowing travel providers to shop and book travel the way they want.

To ensure our technology meets our customers’ needs, our platform provides Consolidators and Networks with an end-to-end suite that helps them manage the service they provide to members or sub-agents both from a financial or technological standpoint. They can either choose to build their in-house technology infrastructure from scratch or 'pick and choose' from our core package.

But how can travel providers grow their revenues and invest in high end technology all at the same time? Automationis key to streamline manual and time-consuming processes and that’s where our end to end suite can help: 

• By systematizing their ticketing and post-sale processes, Consolidators can reduce costs and optimize ticketing workflow ultimately improving response time and conversion. 
• For Networks, cost-effective automation can help them adapt their businesses to different types of travellers (business or leisure), ensuring the best service possible. 

Lastly, it’s equally important to capitalize on relevant market insights and trends. Our team seeks to offer the technology and content Consolidators and Networks need to survive and thrive with customers and partners alike. 

This is all part of our Live Travel Space, which combines the Amadeus Travel Platform technology with our people’s expertise, substantial investments and strong customer relationships.