Disjointed processes, disruptive workflows, and tedious business processes—sound familiar?
If your online travel agency (OTA), destination management company (DMC), tour operator company, or brick-and-mortar agency is still battling with siloed systems and inefficiencies that leave you feeling frustrated, it’s time to invest in a software platform that can serve your business needs, revolutionize your operations, and boost your bottom line.
In this article, we'll walk you through everything you should know about travel agency software—its perks, key features, and how to find the right fit. We’ll then highlight some of the best software for travel agencies, DMCs, and tour operators in 2024.
What is travel agency software and who is it useful for?
Travel agency software is a specialized type of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform designed to help businesses across the travel industry manage various business functions. These include creating vacation packages, booking travel services, managing payment gateways, creating and planning itineraries, keeping track of customers, and streamlining workflows.
Travel agency software plays a crucial role in boosting overall efficiency for many stakeholders across the travel industry, including OTAs, traditional travel agencies, DMCs, tour operators, travel management companies, and travel advisors.
What benefits does travel agent software offer?
Let’s take a look at the main benefits of using travel agency management software to streamline operations:
- Simplified booking processes: Customers can compare and book flights, accommodation, and services from various suppliers via a user-friendly travel booking system.
- Automation of back-office tasks: Automated itinerary creation, invoicing, and payments help businesses save time and boost productivity.
- Real-time inventory management: Centralized inventory data enables businesses to make customized recommendations and prevent overbooking.
- Built-in Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Businesses can better manage customer relationships by tracking interactions and preferences.
- Immediate cost savings: Businesses can access negotiated rates and discounts to provide competitive pricing.
- Enhanced decision-making: Businesses can easily access insights into sales, revenue, and other key metrics to help inform future business strategies.
What features and functionality to look for in travel agency software
No travel agency software platform is created equal—in fact, many are designed with specific business functions in mind. However, there are several features that a comprehensive platform will provide to help businesses save time on manual processes:
Online reservation and booking system
To streamline the process of searching, comparing, and booking flights, accommodation, transportation, and other travel services, a travel agency solution should offer a centralized booking and reservation system for customers.
Quote management
Quote management features help agencies handle a mix of booking preferences from customers and provide quick, real-time price quotes.
CRM tools
Built-in CRM software helps companies track customer contact details, travel records, and purchase history and helps them use this information to make more informed marketing decisions.
Itinerary planning and creation
Businesses can streamline itinerary planning with access to centralized information, personalization tools, and real-time availability updates. Many platforms also automatically generate professional itinerary plans.
Reporting and analytics
To help companies make smarter business decisions based on accurate trends and patterns, reporting and analytics tools automatically collect and analyze data.
The best travel agency software in 2024
1. TravelPerk
TravelPerk
is an all-in-one, end-to-end travel management system with a comprehensive digital platform for businesses and corporate travelers.Unlike many traditional travel agencies and travel booking software, TravelPerk has baked corporate traveler self-management into its centralized platform, enabling travelers to manage their own corporate travel arrangements from start to finish.The platform acts as a complete travel portal that supports everything from automated trip approvals and expense reporting to
travel policy compliance
and traveler safety features.Core strengths:
TravelPerk provides a streamlined, seamless travel experience for business travelers, finance teams, and managers. Users have access to an extensive
inventory for flights
and accommodation
, a VAT recovery solution
, a carbon offsetting program
, and FlexiPerk
which enables businesses to get at least 80% of the cost of the flight refunded when they cancel up to two hours in advance.How customers rate TravelPerk
G2 rating: 4.6/5 (1.498 reviews)
Capterra rating: 4.8/5 (389 reviews)
TravelPerk Pricing
No matter the size of your business, TravelPerk has got you covered—you can even kick things off with a free plan.
Whichever plan you choose, you'll have access to an extensive travel inventory and a 7* customer care support team. You can also add an unlimited amount of travelers or administrators to the platform.
Here’s an overview of TravelPerk’s pricing options:
- Starter: This plan is completely free to use, with no monthly subscription fee. The first 5 bookings each month are completely free too (with a 5% booking fee thereafter). You’ll have access to consolidated invoicing, unlimited cost centers, one policy and approval workflow, and travel restriction information and alerts.
- Premium: For $99/month and a 3% booking fee, you’ll have access to concierge services and savings of up to 25% with VAT-ready invoices.
- Pro: For $299/month and a 3% booking fee, you'll unlock unlimited policy and approval workflows, unlimited budgets by cost center, custom reports and insights, and access to corporate rates.
- Enterprise: This option is designed for enterprise businesses that want to customize their requirements. To find out more about this plan, get in touch with an expert.
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Discover today how to give your execs a top-notch travel experience that will have them smiling every step of the way.
2. Sabre
Sabre is a software and travel technology provider that offers solutions for travel companies across the industry, including OTAs, leisure travel agencies, travel management companies, and tour operators.
The company also operates as one of the world’s largest Global Distribution Systems (GDS) that helps travel suppliers distribute their products. Its centralized platform connects travel agents and booking management platforms with airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and other travel service providers.
Sabre’s customer-centric technology is designed to improve efficiency, enable better decision-making, and help companies manage and streamline end-to-end travel payment processing.
Core strengths:
- A centralized booking platform provides travel agents with access to a range of travel options, including flights, accommodations, car rentals, and more.
- Sabre’s GDS allows travel agents to search, compare, and book travel services for their clients.
- A mobile app enables travel management companies (TMCs), corporate travel managers, and travelers to access, manage and organize their business trips and itineraries.
- CRM tools help travel agencies manage customer information, preferences, and communication history.
- Reporting and analytics features provide insights into booking patterns, sales performance, and other key metrics to help travel agencies make informed business decisions.
How customers rate Sabre
Sabre is not currently listed on third-party review sites G2 or Capterra.
Sabre Pricing
Sabre does not provide public pricing information. Contact the company directly for accurate pricing information.
3. Ezus
Ezus is a cloud-based travel planning software platform designed for agencies, DMCs, and inbound and outbound tour operators. Specializing in creating customized trips and budgets for individual and group travel, as well as for meetings, incentives, conferencing, and exhibitions, Ezus helps businesses save time when designing tailor-made offers and itineraries.
The platform also aims to provide clients with the best price for their trip with the tool’s dynamic pricing and automated costing features.
Core strengths:
- Businesses can publish mini websites for each project to help their clients visualize the whole trip in one go.
- Businesses can consolidate suppliers within a personal catalog for easy management.
- Budgets can be adjusted flexibly using dynamic pricing to align with each client's requirements.
- Ezus automates trip costing to help agencies stay within each client's budget.
- Travel proposal documents and quotes can be customized and tailored to an agency’s unique branding.
How customers rate Ezus
G2 rating: 5/5 (10 reviews)
Capterra rating: 4.4/5 (29 reviews)
Pricing information
Ezus has a range of pricing options, and if you choose to pay monthly, here's what each plan costs:
- Starter: $139 per month.
- Professional: $399 per month.
- Premium: $849 per month.
- Enterprise: Customized subscription prices are available for larger enterprises.
4. Dolphin Dynamics
Dolphin Dynamics is a travel technology company that provides a suite of software modules for TMCs, leisure agents, travel agencies, tour operators, and other travel businesses. The product range includes booking, customer, and reservation management tools as well as accounting and reporting features.
The company aims to reduce the burden of daily admin and back-office tasks with flexible and modern platforms tailored to each business. Dolphin Dynamics also helps companies connect their offline and online businesses, boost sales, and ensure consistent, high-quality customer service across all touchpoints and channels.
Core strengths:
- Tools to help manage and book travel services, including flights, accommodations, tours, car rentals, and cruises.
- A travel CRM helps agencies manage customer information, preferences, communication history, and interactions to boost targeted marketing efforts.
- Integrations with suppliers, including airlines, hotels, and car rental companies help agents access real-time product availability and accurate pricing information.
- Reporting and analytics features enable travel agencies to gain insights into sales, revenue, booking trends, and other key performance metrics.
- Each platform and its workflows and processes are customizable to meet the unique needs of each business.
How customers rate Dolphin Dynamics
G2 rating: 4.2/5 (7 reviews)
Capterra rating: 3.8/5 (20 reviews)
Pricing information
Dolphin Dynamics does not provide public pricing information. Contact the company directly for accurate pricing information.
5. Travelport
Travelport is a web-based GDS and retail travel platform that acts as a hub to connect travel agencies with travel service providers. The platform aggregates information from airlines, hotels, and car rental companies, enabling agents to compare and choose travel options.
The platform is designed for OTAs, leisure agencies, TMCs, and travel suppliers, and aims to streamline the distribution, booking, and management of travel services and transactions.
Core strengths:
- Travel agents can access booking platforms where they can search, compare, and book flights, accommodation, car rentals, and other travel services from multiple suppliers.
- Travelport provides APIs that enable travel agencies to integrate Travelport's data and booking capabilities into their own systems and websites.
- The platform’s “Productivity Automator” feature streamlines workflows and reduces the number of manual back-office tasks.
- Businesses can process payments, manage commissions, and handle financial transactions within the platform.
- Travel agencies can access reporting and analytics tools to gain insights into sales, revenue, booking trends, and other important performance metrics.
How customers rate Travelport
G2 rating: 4.5/5 (1 review)
Capterra rating: 4.5/5 (4 reviews)
Travelport Pricing
Travelport does not provide public pricing information. Contact the company directly for accurate pricing information.
6. Lemax
Lemax is a travel agency and tour operator software solution designed to help businesses streamline their operations, manage bookings, and maximize customer experiences.
Overall, the platform enhances productivity by automating sales, operations, and finances, and enables businesses to better manage travel products and use third-party integrations.
Core strengths:
- Businesses can improve efficiency and reduce costs with completely automated sales workflows.
- A reporting engine helps businesses access accurate profitability reports for each tour and package product.
- Reports on supplier performance help companies understand the revenue generated for each supplier, aiding in renegotiations for better commissions.
- Businesses can access multilingual quotes, invoices, and travel itineraries.
- Automated payment reminders enable quicker reconciliation.
How customers rate Lemax
G2 rating: 2.5/5 (1 review)
Capterra rating: 4.3/5 (14 reviews)
Lemax Pricing
Lemax does not provide public pricing information. Contact the company directly for accurate pricing information.
7. Juniper
Juniper is a travel technology company for the tourism sector and is aimed at OTAs, DMCs, and wholesale tour operators.
At its core, the company’s software suite is designed to help businesses accelerate their global expansion with booking engines and a distribution network hub.
Core strengths:
- Juniper’s booking engine enables businesses to create personalized vacation packages for their customers.
- Businesses can access yield management tools and adjust prices and offers according to market conditions.
- A flexible booking system enables customers, travel agencies, and affiliates to offer products at discounted or commission-based rates.
- Wholesale tour operators can easily offer a wide range of products from a single platform to reach thousands of clients.
- Businesses can manage their product portfolios and update availability, change prices, and sell complementary products directly from the platform.
How customers rate Juniper
G2 rating: Juniper is not currently listed on G2
Capterra rating: 5/5 (1 review)
Juniper Pricing
Juniper does not provide public pricing information. Contact the company directly for accurate pricing information.
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