Inside Travelport’s Tech Revamp
Skift Take
Travelport has been running a slick marketing campaign about its innovations that showcases dancers and snowboarders. But we wanted the nerdy details about what's technologically changing. So here's the first in-depth interview with the company's new tech chief.
Travel Tech Briefing
Editor’s Note: Exclusive reporting on technology’s impact on the travel industry, delivered every Thursday. The briefing will guide executives as they decide if their companies should “build, buy, or partner” to stay ahead.Travelport is best known for helping travel agencies sell airline tickets. It joins rivals Amadeus and Sabre in processing nearly half the world's air bookings.
In 2019, Travelport went private. Since then, owners private equity firm Siris Capital and a unit of Elliott Management have been making changes. Turnaround artist and CEO Greg Webb has been overhauling operations.In June 2021, Webb appointed Tom Kershaw chief product and technology officer. Kershaw is leading an effort to reinvigorate the company's technology. I checked in with Kershaw for an update."(This year) is going to be a watershed year for Travelport," Kershaw said.
For years, the UK-based travel technology company has run three global distribution systems — Worldspan, Galileo, and Apollo. It now aspires to run on one platform, Travelport+, with Galileo as the main framework. I've heard a rumor of an October 1 goal.But Kershaw said he hasn't decided on a "sunset date" for Worldspan and Apoll
