Travalco: Core B2B Booking Platform Modernization
Travalco, a prominent inbound tour operator and destination management company (DMC) located in North America, collaborated with GP Solutions to update its primary B2B booking platform, TravelNet. This platform, which is essential for travel agents to search, book, and manage services, had not undergone significant updates for years and was burdened by outdated technology and feature debt. The company required a tech partner that could modernize their legacy system without disrupting daily business activities. GP Solutions accepted this challenge by implementing a phased modernization strategy that provided immediate benefits and long-term scalability. In the initial phase, we made critical enhancements to alleviate common frustrations faced by agents, including an advanced product search with multi-filter capabilities, calendar-based tour selection, optimized tour updates, automated replacement of outdated products, improved itinerary management featuring templates and date shifting, and refined quote management for better efficiency and accuracy. Subsequently, our team completely overhauled the platform’s user interface and transitioned it to a contemporary Angular front end, backed by a robust C#/.NET + SQL Server back end, significantly enhancing its performance and scalability. A notable new feature, Flexible Packages, was introduced, allowing agents to customize package tours by modifying hotels, routes, pricing, and services to create unique client experiences. Consequently, Travalco's upgraded platform now functions more swiftly, boasts a modern appearance, and enables agents to develop and tailor itineraries much more efficiently. The revamped system serves as a future-proof platform capable of integrating AI and analytics modules, further boosting performance. This project exemplifies how GP Solutions assists tour operators and DMCs in modernizing legacy travel platforms, automating processes, and scaling through technology tailored specifically for the travel industry.