Programs and Updates to Know About in the New Year
A new year is here and with it comes the continuation of technological advancements in the industry. Come along as we explore some industry-leading programs, platforms and the latest updates you'll want to know about in 2025.
GroupCollect—a registration, payment and operational tool for multi-day tour operators—allows operators to launch a trip to a group, confirm registrations, request signatures and take payments, in addition to providing functionality for operators to create lists, communicate with travelers and manage other trip aspects. The company has launched additional tools that provide solutions for operators to quote trips and communicate directly with suppliers.
"Our Supplier Link is free for suppliers and tour operators to use, and is a way for operators to search for products and pricing while building their itineraries," said Bud Geissler, Jr., President, GroupCollect. "Supplier Link allows suppliers to build lists and share a link for that list directly with the tour operator. It's like carrying around 30 different profile sheets, customized to the needs of each tour operator.
"The next step will be to build out additional operational tools that connect our current GroupCollect register platform to our new technology. The goal is to streamline day to day operations; planning, booking, selling, operating and reporting will come together in one system."
Travefy is a trusted platform providing travel professionals the essential tools to stay organized, look professional and run their business like a pro. Travefy supports marketing and group travel planning with customizable websites, landing pages, forms for seamless client information collection, and a powerful itinerary and proposal builder. With Travefy's mobile app (called Trip Plans), travelers can access their trip details on the go, making it easy to stay connected throughout the journey.
"Recent updates to Travefy include the new 'Trips' feature, which consolidates all itinerary elements, proposals, client forms, tasks and activity tracking into a single, organized view," explained Stephanie Gries, Senior Education Manager, Travefy. "This update makes it even easier for group travel professionals to track and manage multiple moving parts without losing sight of individual client needs or group preferences."
Gries added that Travefy's Marketplace also now includes multi-page website and landing page templates, allowing advisors to create branded web pages specifically tailored for group travel marketing and booking.
Specializing in providing group travel professionals with unparalleled airfare solutions tailored for groups of 10 or more, Fly My Group offers benefits such as discounted airline pricing, flexible booking and contract terms and proprietary cost-saving tools, simplifying air booking for both domestic and international travel programs. Their dedicated team is hands-on from start to finish, offering consistent support tailored to each group's unique needs.
"Our Better Fare Finder has recently been enhanced to deliver even greater savings for our groups," said Emily Donovan, VP of Business Development, Fly My Group. "We're continually negotiating new, exclusive airline contracts designed to benefit group travel professionals. Additionally, our ongoing focus on operational efficiencies translates into even more savings for our clients.
"We always prioritize our partnerships with our customers, as well as with airlines around the globe. This approach enables us to offer competitive pricing and flexible contract terms, backed by a dedicated team ready to support every phase of your travel experience."
Learn Tourism (formerly Tourism Academy) is dedicated to advancing the tourism industry through innovative education, training and professional development. The nonprofit's new name signifies a hands-on, learner-centered approach where professionals can actively "Learn Tourism"—not just study it. The nonprofit also shared that the rebrand emphasizes their vision to lead the industry in educational innovation, sustainable business practices, and community-centered training.
Learn Tourism offers a comprehensive suite of services including customized training and certification programs; on-demand courses; ambassador training for destinations; insightful analytics and real-time tracking; and more.
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Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for Groups Today.
This article originally appeared in the Jan/Feb '25 issue of Groups Today.
