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| Photo by Freeimages.com/Mike Johnson |
Travel wholesaler Tourico Holidays has introduced host-to-host XML connectivity between its cruise line partners and its travel distribution clients, as well as partnered with Viking Cruises to broker more than 2,000 cruises to the company’s 4,900 clients worldwide.
Tourico Holidays’ cruise business now includes 15 cruise lines and more than 10,000 different cruise departures throughout the world – including in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Asia, Australia, and South America. The entire inventory is now available to North American clients through Tourico’s host-to-host XML connectivity.
With the new XML platform, Tourico clients now have real-time availability of products and pricing. As a result, clients that are selling hotels through XML can now also find cruises on the same point of reconciliation, making it even easier to bundle the two products, and allowing clients to diversify their product offering. Cruise lines will have the advantage of gaining brand awareness and incremental revenue through Tourico’s global distribution, Tourico said.
As a result of its partnership with Viking, Tourico’s clients will now have access to the best offers available on over 2,000 destination-centric cruises designed for experienced travelers with interests in geography, history, culture and exploration. Tourico will expand Viking’s distribution footprint by offering the new product to its 4,900 distribution clients worldwide.
To support the rapid growth of Tourico’s cruise business, the company has appointed Lori Sheller as the new vice president of cruise development. Sheller has 14 years of cruise industry experience with proven success at identifying growth opportunities and initiating strong business alliances. Prior to her hire at Tourico, she was the vice president of sales and marketing at Online Vacation Center, one of the largest cruise retailers in the U.S.