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Travellers Choice today revealed one of the most significant developments in its 42-year history – a new industry-leading, multi-functional booking platform with the potential to transform the way the award-winning group and its members operate.

Addressing the network’s 2019 Conference today in Adelaide, Managing Director Christian Hunter told Travellers Choice members the booking platform – known as TC One – would revolutionise the retail group.

“Those of you who know me well would know that I am generally quite conservative and don’t overplay things,” said Hunter. “So when I say ‘revolutionise’ you know that this is something potentially very big, in fact huge.”

Developed in partnership with Vancouver-based software company Snowstorm Technologies and available to all Travellers Choice agencies at no cost, TC One provides the group’s members with a single, easy-to-use, highly-intuitive interface from which to book preferred products.

“TC One will initially launch with hotels and activities, however, in 2020 we will be progressively bringing on to the platform our other preferred suppliers – including air, FIT, accommodation, cruise and touring products – delivering our members with unrivalled efficiency gains,” said Hunter. “No more jumping from system to system and no more remembering of multiple log-ins.

“At the same time, it will help our group re-capture business that currently leaks outside of preferred channels, while providing real-time insight into sales performance and enhancing our ability to track marketing activities.

“Ultimately it will allow Travellers Choice to optimise our preferred arrangements and drive financial benefits that flow directly back to our member shareholders.”

Officially launched at the 2019 Conference, TC One is now ‘live’ for activities and accommodation bookings, with more than 1.5 million properties offering an extensive range of room types and rate combinations.

“The rates offered through TC One are directly comparable to those available through online travel aggregators such as Expedia and Booking.com, and in most instances our members will find that the pricing is cheaper, sometimes significantly cheaper,” said Hunter. “There is also a specific channel for luxury accommodation, again with significant pricing advantages, providing members with attractive margin opportunities.

TC One also offers a B2C capability, enabling any Travellers Choice member to install an online booking tool on their agency website.

“Again, this is just scratching the surface,” says Hunter. “The system will enable our members to have an online/offline presence – a platform where customers can start a booking online and finish it off in-store, or vice versa.

“Customers can access their own bookings and add elements at their own leisure, again with all elements tracking back to the agency’s business and of course, fully commissionable.

“This is game changing technology for Travellers Choice members and no other independent group has anything like it. The scope is simply immense.”