CASE STUDY: Amadeus and St. Raphael Travel & Tours
“It is very surprising that the travel agents in the Philippines are not embracing technology within their operations as much as the rest of Asia Pacific. The Amadeus Agency Internet Engine, for example, is not only an effective marketing tool, but it is also a way to empower customers – giving them the option to make travel bookings themselves, wherever and whenever they want.”
Ida Mapua, General Manager, St. Raphael Travel & Tours
St. Raphael Travel & Tours breaks into new markets and increases online revenues with the Amadeus Agency Internet Engine
About St. Raphael Travel & Tours
St. Raphael Travel & Tours commenced operations in Manila, Philippines in 1995 as a travel service provider for emigrants and contract workers moving to Canada. In 1997, the agency’s business grew overnight when the AIDS Society of Philippines engaged them to coordinate the travel of delegates from over 160 countries for the AIDS Congress in Manila. It facilitated the return airline tickets of congress members from across the globe including Tonga, Vanuatu, North & South America, and Europe.
St. Raphael Travel & Tours has today expanded its services to offer international flight bookings as well as facilitating emigration processes.
In summary
Challenge:
· The agency’s existing website that was set up in-house did not serve its key objective of reaching out to potential travellers, as it was not regularly updated with new content and lacked technical support to keep it well maintained
Solution:
· The Amadeus Agency Internet Engine – A cost-effective solution that enabled St. Raphael Travel & Tours to easily build a user-friendly website, encouraging customers to purchase their travel products online. The agency was able to customise the look and feel of their website to suit their brand, as well as expand their offerings to include services such as hotel booking and car rental to provide their customers with a complete experience
Implementation
St. Raphael Travel & Tours and Amadeus formed a partnership in 2000 when the agency adopted the Amadeus Selling Platform, which allowed them to access real-time flight information and produce tickets and travel itineraries more efficiently. Customers had immediate access to more travel content and were therefore more satisfied with the agency’s service. The agents’ day-to-day processes were also more streamlined, saving them time and eliminating frustration with old, cumbersome systems.
Over the next few years, the agency observed a surge in Internet usage throughout the Philippines. Wishing to capitalise on this trend, St. Raphael Travel & Tours set up its own website. However, it encountered several problems, including a lack of resources needed to update travel information on a daily basis as well as the lack of knowledge to effectively manage the site content. The website was also not fully integrated to the Amadeus Global Distribution System (GDS), so content and other applications such as profiles or mid office functions were not aligned with the real-time system. At the same time, the site failed to position St. Raphael Travel & Tours as a progressive agency due to its poor functionality. The idea was eventually abandoned and the agency returned to its traditional sales methods.
However, St. Raphael Travel & Tours maintained a positive working relationship with Amadeus and decided to revisit the idea of using web-based technologies, convinced that it would provide a high return-on-investment.
In October 2007, the agency made the decision to implement Amadeus Agency Internet Engine and Amadeus commenced a 30-day process of assessment and implementation.
Results
Since adopting the Amadeus Agency Internet Engine, St. Raphael Travel & Tours has achieved overwhelming success with increased staff productivity and a strong online presence. The reservation officers are also now able to refocus their attention to making high-value sales. Today, St. Raphael Travel & Tours has grown to become a prominent travel agency in the Philippines, recognised for effectively leveraging new-generation technology to achieve business success. The agency has widened its customer base from Manila to other major cities in Philippines, and also receives enquiries from overseas regularly.
The functionality of their website is reflective of its brand and reputation as a quality service provider. The agency hopes to continue this innovation, partnering with Amadeus, to remain at the forefront of travel trends as customer demands continue to evolve.
“The Amadeus Agency Internet Engine has been a great help in my job as a travel agent. Instead of the usual quotation and booking via phone or email, our clients can now make their transactions on our website. They can select cheaper fares that suit their budgets, and even check on taxes as well as make hotel reservations on their own.”
Tessa Reyes, Reservation Officer, St. Raphael Travel & Tours
For more information, please contact your Amadeus Sales Representative, or email sales@ph.amadeus.com, or visit: www.amadeus.com/travelagencies.
