Carsolize :: Modular booking solutions

B2B/B2C XML Mapping

When we set out to create our travel booking engine, our goal was not to simply replicate existing travel solutions (you know, the standard B2B / B2C XML integration type), but to actually take this technology to the next step, and provide a viable solution to an existing problem – how to manage multiple supplier agreements, and effectively distribute them via several channels. We’ve created an XML API Mapping tool.

It is a matter of fact, that professional travel agencies work simultaneously with several hotel wholesalers, car rent brokers, GDS providers, and low cost carriers. This makes sense, as each supplier will have a price or availability advantage on different products or locations around the globe. Since price as well as features and availability are essential for a travel agent to make a sale – accessing the inventory of several suppliers is the most logical thing to do.

Jumping from one system to another, a significant amount of time is spent, calling for an integration of all suppliers into a single system. This is where XML integration systems come to play. However, what do you do when the same hotel comes from all suppliers (content duplication) – each time under a slightly different name, and description??
- Not much right now. The agent is bound to spend a significant amount of time sorting through the duplicate offerings. By the way, look closely – and you will find it is the case on quite a few B2C travel websites…

Being aware of this situation, and striving to provide a viable B2C / B2C / B2B2C travel booking solution, with multiple XML APIs integrated, we sought to create a mapping tool. This has cost us quite a bit, and took some time to figure out (especially given the fact that information is quite imperfect, and multiple parameters had to be used for accurate data representation). And the result – a fully mapped content of 10+ hotel wholesalers, including all the big names like GTA, Travco, Hotelspro, Hotelbeds, JacTravel, Kuoni, Tourico, GoGlobal, and many others.

The benefits of Mapped XML APIs:

- Advanced comparison (price, features, categories – across multiple suppliers)
- Mark Up control down to the property
- Advanced Data Translation, and control (who sees what and how)
- Essential for B2C – show best available rate for every single class
- Data Quality Assurance – descriptions, geo coordinates, etc’

For a small and mid-size travel agency to be able to compete, a Mapped XML APIs are a fundamental tool, allowing travel agencies to quickly respond to changing markets, easily distribute via B2B, B2C, and B2B2C channels, and assure best content quality – this is the future of travel agents!

Sign up now to view our Hotel B2B / B2C booking engine DEMO.