1. What line of business are you in?
Traveltek is one of the leading travel technology providers for the global travel industry. Headquartered in Glasgow, the company has been delivering cutting-edge solutions to travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers for almost two decades. Traveltek is the industry’s leading provider of cruise booking and dynamic packing solutions. It was named the ‘World Leading Dynamic Packaging Solutions Provider’ at the World Travel Awards in 2014 and 2015 and has been nominated for the 2016 accolade too. The technology provider offers its travel partners bespoke solutions that help them work smarter, improve their bottom line and enhance customer experience and retention.
2. Why have you chosen to expand to the UAE?
Traveltek has recognised the huge potential of the UAE’s inbound and outbound travel market. The country’s travel and tourism industry has matured over the past decade and there are now a number of reputable travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers operating in this sector that require advanced technology to help them realise their full growth potential, particularly in the leisure travel arena. We have identified a huge gap in the market for the sophisticated suite of solutions that Traveltek offers, particularly its cruise booking and dynamic packaging platforms, both of which really are world leading.
3. Please describe the process of deciding to expand, and how your company came to choose BCB.
After conducting analysis of some of the world’s fastest-growing travel and tourism markets and looking at what technology was being offered, we recognised that the UAE had the most potential. Not only is it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the world, home to two major aviation hubs that combined, serve almost 100 million passengers annually, but its travel industry is underserved in terms of technology that’s fully customised to suit its unique requirements. As a Glasgow-based company, our first points of contact were the Scottish Development International and UK Trade & Investment, which both provided expert guidance and recommended we use BCB to help us obtain our trade license. All three entities ensured the process of setting up a business in the UAE was as seamless and stress-free as possible.
4. What do you foresee for your industry in the coming twelve months?
The geo-political climate is turbulent, with factors such as the US election and Brexit result, combined with currency fluctuations and sporadic instances of terrorism, as well as ongoing tensions in the Middle East, impacting tourism flows and traveller sentiment. However, the travel and tourism industry is flexible and resilient and despite ongoing challenges, we are optimistic about the outlook for 2017. Our key markets are performing well, experiencing year on year growth, and global tourism and air passenger numbers continue to hit new records. We specialise in solutions for cruise, which is one of the fastest-growing niche tourism sectors, particularly in the UK and Asia, and also, the Middle East. We work with some of the biggest names in travel and they continue to thrive, as do we.
5. Finally, what types of clients do you have, who should be contacting you for business?
Our clients are travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers, plus we work with leading suppliers of travel and tourism products and services, from flights, hotels and cruise, to ancillaries such as car rental, tours, attractions and more. Any travel company that wants to improve efficiency, profitability and customer loyalty and retention should be getting in touch with Traveltek. Our bespoke solutions empower travel agency and tour operator staff to focus on customer service, which is all-important if they are to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market. At the same time we can also transform their web presence, offering mobile-friendly B2B and B2C sites powered by our advanced technology. We work with established firms and start ups of all sizes.
