CONTENTS
Editorial Director, BTN Group Elizabeth West Editor-In-Chief, BTN Europe Andy Hoskins Contributors Lauren Arena, Michael Baker, Amon Cohen, Rob Gill & Betty Low Art Director, BTN Group James Jarnot Designers, BTN Europe Tony Hunt & Samantha Dilley Want the news delivered to your inbox? Want to know when new podcasts are available? And to receive our monthly round-up? Sign-up to regular BTN Europe e-newsletters: businesstravelnewseurope.com/ newsletters
26 The distribution issue COVER STORY FROM PAGE
CONTENTS THE DISTRIBUTION ISSUE
Group Publisher Louis Magliaro Managing Director EMEA Nick Powell
Marketing Director Jonathan Carter-Chapman Advertising Production Amanda Ludman
26-29 Setting the scene To appreciate today’s intricate business travel distribution landscape it’s helpful to understand its circuitous backstory 30-33 Primed for take-off Few areas of business travel are as divisive as NDC but it is now coming to fruition whether it’s welcomed or not 34-35 Mapping it out Illustrating the complex web of pipes and players that deliver airlines’ fares and offerings to their corporate customers 36-38 Central reservations The distribution landscape’s backbone for decades, legacy GDSs are now grappling with convening content in one place 40-42 In the thick of it As travel content becomes increasingly fragmented, TMCs are facing a battle to knit all parties together 44-47 Beyond the margins The distribution of rail content has its challenges but progress is imminent 48-50 At the coalface The evolution of distribution is manifesting in ways that aren’t all music to buyers’ ears
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REGULARS 6-7 In case you missed it The best of BTN Europe online businesstravelnewseurope.com 8-9 Databank Buyers and TMCs share their respective outlooks and views 10-13 Spotlight Series: TMCs Leaders of four business travel organisations deliver their assessments of the market 14-16 Spotlight Series: TMCs The subscription model’s lukewarm reception 18-23 Spotlight Series: TMCs The reasons for – and implications of – TMCs’ often convoluted roster of fees
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ISSN 2634-3053
25 According to Amon Artificial intelligence is infiltrating the industry
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SPRING 2023 | businesstravelnewseurope.com
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