TAKE your business online and improve your bottom line, that’s the message from Vodacom Business, which has just launched its service portfolio for the travel and tourism sector.
Vodacom Business’S X-press product for SMMEs provides an end-to-end IT and telecommunications solution for companies, including B&Bs, hotels and other tourism suppliers.
“We are geared up to be a key service provider to the tourism sector and have the right infrastructure in place to help promote this industry,” says Ermano Quartero, managing executive: Vodacom Business Products and Marketing.
According to Ermano, Vodacom Business has adapted its X-press for SMMEs solution to provide everything a tourism business needs to connect and operate its business, including solutions like fixed, wireless or mobile connectivity through ADSL, WiMax or 3G, as well as voice calling plans and email solutions. Also on offer are website-hosting facilities, virtual private networks and WiFi hotspot facilities.
“Our broadband Internet access products, hosting solutions and WiFi hotspots are well suited to the needs of hotels and B&Bs. We have rolled out a generic product but customised it to the travel sector. We are already servicing a large hotel reservations hub and working closely with SA Tourism. We’re also launching online portal infrastructure to allow the tourism industry to take their product to market.”
This new online tourism portal, yet to be named, will be launched later this year. It will offer a real-time booking facility for online and retail customers. Ermano says the tool will provide a service for anyone wanting to facilitate travel bookings without having the outlay of IT or other costs.
“We have had discussions with a number of leading tourism suppliers, but our role is to be a true aggregator across wholesalers, providing the integration, and booking enablement and, in certain cases, the fulfilment arrangement will be between the site/service owner and the fulfilment partner.”
