TRAVEL MANAGEMENT COMPANIES that don't keep up with technological developments could end up out of business, according to GDS bosses.
TMCs' relationship with technology was high on the agenda at the recent Guild of Travel Management Companies' conference in Hong Kong. In a keynote speech to GTMC members, Travelport's managing director for Europe and Brasil, Olaf Gueldner, said TMCs had to raise their game when dealing with experienced travellers.
Martin Cowley and Kyle Moore, both senior directors at Sabre, said agencies that had their heads in the sand when it came to technology faced a bleak future. The consensus among the GDS firms, including Amadeus UK and Ireland boss Tim Russell, was that a number of TMCs were not aware of how advanced technology had become. Russell said: "I hear people say: 'Wouldn't it be good if we had a solution for this?' and I tell them it has existed for some time."
Cowley said: "I don't think technology is an opportunity for TMCs as much as a prerequisite. They need to get on the wagon and adopt this technology. He added that the relationship between TMCs and their GDSs should be more "collaborative" in the aftermath of the volcanic ash crisis.