IBM announced an extension of its existing partnership with
Travelport, the B2B travel marketplace. The two companies are already collaborating on AI with IBM’s Watson. Together they’ve completed a proof of concept (PoC) for a blockchain solution that shares hotel content between the Travelport platform, hotels, and travel agencies. Outside of mobility, this is IBM’s first public blockchain announcement about a project in the $7 trillion travel sector.
UK-based Travelport’s marketplace connects “the world’s leading travel providers with online and offline travel buyers”. Last year the platform processed over $83 billion of travel spend and the company had net revenue of $2.4 billion.
After the PoC, the next project is to improve travelers in-trip experiences. Tourists are increasingly looking for unique experiences that they can share on social media. In a
blog post Mike Croucher, Travelport’s Chief Architect, said that 40% of millennials prioritize “Instagramability” when choosing a destination.
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