Travel Data Management System Routing via GDS and NDC Connectors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Benefits providers face inefficiencies in seeking out booking rates for their customers, relying on third-party aggregators, which leads to time-consuming bookings and inefficient messaging exchanges, as well as a lack of management across multiple booking sources.
Innovation Solution
A travel data management system that receives user requests and routes them through multiple channels to various travel provider systems, enabling intermediary companies to facilitate travel scheduling and itinerary generation across multiple supplier systems, with connectors to Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), New Distribution Capability (NDC) systems, and other providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a third-party aggregator is used to obtain booking options and pricing, then access to travel options is provided, but the booking process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a travel data management system as an intermediary between the benefits provider and multiple travel supplier systems. This intermediary directly connects to GDS, NDC, and other supplier systems to retrieve booking options and pricing information, eliminating the need for time-consuming third-party aggregators while maintaining comprehensive access to travel options.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the travel booking process into multiple parallel connection points by integrating with multiple travel supplier systems simultaneously (GDS, NDC, and other providers). This segmentation allows the system to retrieve booking information from multiple sources concurrently, reducing overall booking time while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple travel supplier systems are integrated, then more travel options and better pricing are available, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The travel data management system is designed as a universal platform that handles multiple functions: it connects to various travel supplier systems (GDS, NDC, other providers), retrieves booking information, manages itineraries, and provides user interfaces. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single unified platform, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary layer that standardizes interactions with different travel supplier systems. By providing a unified interface and data management layer, it simplifies the complexity of integrating multiple supplier systems while maintaining access to diverse travel options and pricing mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If manual itinerary management is used, then user control is maintained, but efficiency and accuracy decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service itinerary management where the travel data management system automatically retrieves booking information from multiple supplier systems, consolidates it into a unified itinerary, and presents it to the user. This automated self-service process maintains user control over the itinerary while dramatically improving efficiency and accuracy compared to manual management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous feedback to users through automated itinerary updates and booking confirmations. This feedback mechanism ensures that users maintain control over their travel arrangements while the system efficiently manages the complex tasks of retrieving and consolidating booking information from multiple sources.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for providing improved travel searching and data management. Rather than searching through one or more intermediary aggregators, a travel data management system communicates directly with suppliers or other inventory managers. A plurality of routing rules can be applied at the front-end in order to determine particular suppliers to which the request should be routed. This can be based on user preferences, past user behavior, current supplier offers and deals, and other information. Once a supplier has been identified from this information, the request is routed accordingly. A response includes a plurality of search results that can be viewed and selected by the customer. Once a selection is made, and the reservation confirmed, the booking is automatically added to an itinerary data structure associated with the customer that can be updated and/or revised based on future changes.