Travel & Ticketing sites

navinkurian2002 · May 26th, 2006, 14:17

The online booking system should be a one stop for rail,hotel and airlines .The booking site would really stand out if it would get the tickes esp rail tickets to traveller in their native country before they leave. (no site does that yet).

co-ordination with taxi,bus ,travel guide will make the system unbeatable .

aadil · May 26th, 2006, 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by nadreg

I have been thinking of doing exactly that. I am providing a similar service through the other site I have, but that's more of an affiliate program.

Do you think an online booking engine would be popular with IM users? It seems that most people on the site prefer to book directly with the hotels byt calling them up or emailing them.

Well, I don't know if it will work for those who are backpackers as they may want to stay in cheaper places that usually don't have booking facilities on the internet or even by way of phone or credit card so it would be a bit difficult to find answers to every problem out here!!! But about the travel tickets for airlines or railways, it should not be too difficult to arrange something that every traveller wants before he / she leaves their country. Finding and comparing the prices of tickets and buying them online is something that is a must in these days of competitive selling by airlines and even the railways trying to outsmart the airlines by offering airconditioned travel fares for the same price or less than air travel ticket prices. Hope you are on the right track and hope you can get something moving in this regard soon. It sure will be beneficial to most travellers coming to India.

Cheers,
Aadil.

skinnylizard · May 26th, 2006, 16:15

well i think people are forgetting the sheer resources and bandwidth a site like this will need to be online and reliable consistently.

biggest hurdle -

back end partner who you can log in with for your bookings. how do you get one without any real money.

skinnylizard · May 26th, 2006, 19:29

Indiatimes are also running a travel search. expensive though

aadil · May 26th, 2006, 19:40

Well, if they are going to be there for the money then they have to put in money as well!!! Nothing in life comes for free!!!

Cheers,
Aadil.

skinnylizard · May 26th, 2006, 19:42

yes aadil. nothing comes free. thats for sure.

but your talking a few hundred thousand dollars.

aadil · May 26th, 2006, 19:43

The Indiatimes search site for travel is a lousy one as I did see it yesterday and it does not show up any information for flights to places that have no direct connections by saying that try on some other day or time!!! When it does not even recognise that there is no direct flight from one place to another and it keeps on making the user try another date or time just wasting his efforts at getting information and totally frustrating someone who is trying to get information from the internet thinking that there is something that he must be doing wrong and not the site which is not providing the right information.

Cheers,
Aadil.

skinnylizard · May 26th, 2006, 20:00

most sites are focusing on getting regualr business. usually its flights between major destinations domestic and otherwise.

Shaktipalooza · May 27th, 2006, 01:36

I'd say the majority of travelers to India book hotels that don't have online reservation capability, let alone 24hr internet access. This segment is also typically lower budget and not likely to gain anything from adding a lot of technology overhead.

Here's an idea I'd be interested in...

Put together a site with all the hotels listed in all the guidebooks. Include every range from low budget to high end. Now for a by-the-trip fee you can have 24hr access to an online 'Travel Concierge'. You pick all the hotels you'd like to stay in during your vacation and all the train/bus/air connections. The online service (located in India) will arrange it all for you.

With this model you pay the fees up front, then gain access to the lower budget hotels which don't have internet access. Considering the cost of overseas phone calls and faxes that I sent on my last trip I think this system would be way more cost effective if it cost say, $70 per four weeks of vacation time.

You'd have the added peace of mind in knowing you have this service available if changes occured mid trip. Even if you wing it during your trip you could go online to search for a hotel in your next destination, pick your top three choices, send the 'Concierge' a quick request and get a confirmation emailed back within a couple of hours.

I'd love to hear some feedback...

May 26th, 2006, 14:17	#16
navinkurian2002 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai,India Posts: 782	The online booking system should be a one stop for rail,hotel and airlines .The booking site would really stand out if it would get the tickes esp rail tickets to traveller in their native country before they leave. (no site does that yet). co-ordination with taxi,bus ,travel guide will make the system unbeatable . __________________ It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare dream of meeting your heart's longing. Budget Hotels ]

May 26th, 2006, 16:15	#18
skinnylizard Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 591	well i think people are forgetting the sheer resources and bandwidth a site like this will need to be online and reliable consistently. biggest hurdle - back end partner who you can log in with for your bookings. how do you get one without any real money. __________________ My Eating Out Blog blog

May 27th, 2006, 01:36	#24
Shaktipalooza Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Portland Oregon USA Posts: 896	I'd say the majority of travelers to India book hotels that don't have online reservation capability, let alone 24hr internet access. This segment is also typically lower budget and not likely to gain anything from adding a lot of technology overhead. Here's an idea I'd be interested in... Put together a site with all the hotels listed in all the guidebooks. Include every range from low budget to high end. Now for a by-the-trip fee you can have 24hr access to an online 'Travel Concierge'. You pick all the hotels you'd like to stay in during your vacation and all the train/bus/air connections. The online service (located in India) will arrange it all for you. With this model you pay the fees up front, then gain access to the lower budget hotels which don't have internet access. Considering the cost of overseas phone calls and faxes that I sent on my last trip I think this system would be way more cost effective if it cost say, $70 per four weeks of vacation time. You'd have the added peace of mind in knowing you have this service available if changes occured mid trip. Even if you wing it during your trip you could go online to search for a hotel in your next destination, pick your top three choices, send the 'Concierge' a quick request and get a confirmation emailed back within a couple of hours. I'd love to hear some feedback... __________________ IndiaGroove - Train finder now in beta! Pics from India 2006 Traditional Indian Dance

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May 26th, 2006, 19:29	#19
skinnylizard Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 591	Indiatimes are also running a travel search. expensive though

May 26th, 2006, 19:40	#20
aadil Aircraft Service Engineer, Astronomer & Traveller Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai, India. (Lat 18.967 N, Long 72.833 E, Alt 11 m) Posts: 1,875	Well, if they are going to be there for the money then they have to put in money as well!!! Nothing in life comes for free!!! Cheers, Aadil.

May 26th, 2006, 19:42	#21
skinnylizard Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 591	yes aadil. nothing comes free. thats for sure. but your talking a few hundred thousand dollars.

May 26th, 2006, 19:43	#22
aadil Aircraft Service Engineer, Astronomer & Traveller Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai, India. (Lat 18.967 N, Long 72.833 E, Alt 11 m) Posts: 1,875	The Indiatimes search site for travel is a lousy one as I did see it yesterday and it does not show up any information for flights to places that have no direct connections by saying that try on some other day or time!!! When it does not even recognise that there is no direct flight from one place to another and it keeps on making the user try another date or time just wasting his efforts at getting information and totally frustrating someone who is trying to get information from the internet thinking that there is something that he must be doing wrong and not the site which is not providing the right information. Cheers, Aadil.

May 26th, 2006, 20:00	#23
skinnylizard Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 591	most sites are focusing on getting regualr business. usually its flights between major destinations domestic and otherwise.

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