Thomas Cook, the world”s second largest tour operator, is investing ”100m in updating its IT software and creating a uniform production platform for all company brands. During the next three years the project, known as Globe, involves replacing, modernising and integrating the 11 separate reservations systems the company currently operates.
Bremen-based Partners Software and Manchester-based BlueSky Travel Systems are to provide the new technology ” the former with its premium Low.Fare system and the latter with its tour operator software iTour.
Between the two integrated software packages, Thomas Cook agents will have access to one central platform through which every type of airfare ” from global distribution systems (GDS), to net, consolidator, low-cost and web fares ” will be available and bookable alongside other package components such as accommodation, car hire and rail tickets.
Thomas Cook chief information officer Reinhard Eschbach explained the need for modernisation: ”Consumer booking behaviour is forcing tour operators to change and offer more flexible holiday arrangements. With the Globe project we are at the forefront of that change and with Partners Software”s technology we are able to handle the complex air products required in this field.”
Partners Software managing director Kai Hannemann added: ”Thomas Cook is a conglomerate company, now the second largest tour operator in the world. What this means is a number of different systems, many of which are 20 years old, all operating separately from one another and lacking flexibility. This modernised system will make all the possibilities available to all the agents, with Partners Software providing a single interface for all airfares, both GDS and non-GDS.”