Distribution

Scroll down to review The Company Dime‘s coverage of travel distribution.

The travel industry thrives on a complex network of channels connecting travelers with desired experiences. The Company Dime‘s travel distribution category delves into this intricate system, offering subscribers invaluable knowledge and insights. Our in-depth articles explore the various channels that constitute corporate travel distribution, both traditional and emerging.

Getting all the relevant, bookable inventory in front of business travelers is a never-ending challenge. Airlines, hotels and other suppliers constantly tinker with their products and pricing, and often favor direct distribution over third-party channels. That creates complexity in business travel technology.

Readers can expect thorough coverage of the relationships and dynamics between airlines, hotels, travel management companies, global distribution systems and other suppliers and intermediaries. We closely examine developments associated with the New Distribution Capability (NDC), direct booking initiatives and the rise of new entrants looking to disrupt legacy models.

Subscribers benefit from our scrutiny of the often-opaque world of distribution costs and revenue streams, including incentive payments, agency commissions and booking fees. We shed light on these essential commercial arrangements.

We also track the technological forces reshaping distribution, from the positioning of online booking tools to the potential of emerging solutions like artificial intelligence, blockchain and virtual payment. Readers stay informed on innovations that could unlock efficiencies and improve the traveler experience.

Our coverage clarifies major industry debates, such as the relative merits of GDS and NDC content, and our Op Eds deliver provocative thought leadership from all corners of the industry. Contributor insights on timely issues — like rethinking travel management company commercial models — make for essential reading.

With a critical eye and a healthy dose of skepticism, The Company Dime delivers must-have intelligence for anyone seeking to understand the present and future of travel distribution.

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You get what you pay for, and most travel industry business news is free. We sell insight. Our mission is quality journalism for those interested in business travel services, expense management practices and travel industry change. Our features, exclusives and analysis equip business travel professionals with vital info for top performance.

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American Express Global Business Travel Execs: Global Corporate Clients Are Increasingly Concerned About Lufthansa’s Intransigence

Jay Campbell

Chicago — The largest travel management company is not acquiescing to Lufthansa Group’s distribution strategy. According to American Express Global Business Travel executives, the airline company refuses to support what corporate customers need, particularly comparison shopping. That sets it apart from other airlines which, while pushing forward on new means of distribution, took actions to…

BCD Travel Buys Adelman Travel Group

David Jonas

BCD Travel acquired Milwaukee-based travel management company Adelman Travel Group, a member of the BCD Travel Affiliates program. Terms were not disclosed. BCD Travel in 2015 acquired World Travel Service and in 2017 raised its position in Acendas Travel. Last month it bought a majority stake in Japan-based partner Hitachi Travel Bureau. That followed investments…

Startups Beat Varied Paths On ‘Balancing Act’ Of Travel Management Company Partnerships

Jay Campbell

Business travel startups face tough choices as they mature. TripActions and TravelPerk remain independent as their investors raise stakes in what is not a get-rich-quick industry. Others could be acquired by existing travel management companies. Then there is a middle ground. Some new entrants are attempting to leverage TMC partnerships even though that means sharing…

Op Ed: Tony O’Connor On Earth-Shifting Moves For Qantas That Could Make The Big Bigger

Tony O'Connor

On Thursday, Qantas will go live with a new distribution strategy that surcharges bookings using channels the Sydney-based carrier disfavors. Like other big airlines, in a stated effort to personalize shopping it’s pushing direct channels and those that use XML connectivity based on the NDC standard. Qantas in February said “a majority” of key agency…

Op Ed: John Harvey On The Vision Of A New Channel Model

John Harvey

TMC industry veteran John Harvey in January asked whether changing market forces and increased demand for greater value and transparency in the channel would bring about a next-generation travel management company model. Since then he’s been considering what the new model could be. Should a TMC’s core intention be to make money from the travel…

IBM, Travelport Ready Blockchain Service For Commission Processing As Smaller Firms Also Make Progress

Jay Campbell

Travelport has agreements with “major” hotel and travel management company partners to pilot a hotel commission tracking and collection system using blockchain technology from IBM. Travelport chief architect Mike Croucher said during a Monday interview that he would be disappointed if the initiative did not produce a working solution this year. Other industry efforts to…

Corporate Travel Executives Struggle To Make Sense Of Latest Investments In TripActions, And Its $4 Billion Value

Jay Campbell

Corporate travel executives are thoroughly baffled by what a quartet of venture capitalists see in TripActions. Determining the literally unbelievable $4 billion valuation that TripActions claimed last month must have been way more “art” than “science.” A June 27 TripActions announcement included the also shocking statement that Andreessen Horowitz, Group 11, Lightspeed Venture Partners and…

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