Technology, vacancies, specialization and diversification
RR | Bogotá | August 30, 2024
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RELATED TOPICS: Anato, Avianca, Bogota, GDS, NDC, Paula Cortés
Colombian Travel agencies face four major challenges, including new technologies to improve response and operation times, according to REPORTUR.co Paula Cortés, president of Anato, also indicated that there are difficulties in finding qualified personnel, as well as in diversifying and specializing their offer.
“It will always be a challenge for agencies to adapt to new technologies and make them part of the key tools within their company. There are very advanced platforms that minimize processes and improve response and operation times,” Cortés told this newspaper.
However, he indicated that there is still a good percentage of agencies that have not implemented tools in their company, working in a traditional way, but “from the association we are generating important technological alliances so that our agencies can implement them easily and with excellent rates,” added Cortés.
On the other hand, she commented that another of the challenges is the qualified human resource. “Although the academy does a good job in the training of professional, technological and technical careers in positions that the industry requires, the agencies have difficulties in obtaining personnel trained in the role of the agencies and with experience, many times the agencies play the role of trainers,” said the leader of the association. REPORTUR.co.
He emphasized that Anato is leading an important initiative so that agencies can provide a quick and introductory training process to the tourism industry, which is “Anato Capacita with short capsules that will give agency employees a context of what they need to know to work in a Travel agency,” he said.
As reported by REPORTUR.coCortés explained how agencies have dealt with changes in airlines to connect directly with content. This is the case of Avianca, which has implemented NDC or GDS, forcing them to assume technology costs. (Agencies raise costs to access airlines like Avianca).
“Travel agencies continue to receive incentives depending on the volume of their sales. Something that has changed is that today there is an increase in the costs that they have had to pay technology companies for the implementation of the NDC and thus connect directly to the airline, or through the GDS with the airline,” Cortés told REPORTUR.co.
