Engine Gains Options Travel to Accelerate Development of Modern Online Booking Platform for Travel Management Companies. The acquisition strengthens Engine’s position as an integrated travel and spend management platform. Additionally Engine Acquires Options Travel to modernize its travel technology while keeping the company’s loyal client relationships. Engine Acquires Options Travel, also enabling the corporate travel management company to continue to operate independently under the existing brand and leadership. All Options Travel employees will also join the Engine team as part of the acquisition.
Options Travel has earned a reputation over 30 years for providing personalized corporate travel services. But many travel management companies are still dependent on old booking platforms that limit operational efficiency. According to polls conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), nearly one-third of corporate travel buyers are looking at their travel management providers this year. Most buyers cite outdated technology as their main concern – not service quality.
Travel and Engine have been collaborating for nine months. During that collaboration, Engine saw firsthand the daily challenges of travel management professionals. The company therefore recognized that productivity was still hampered by the old systems for booking and management. Engine chose to work directly with the operational environment, rather than trying to address these issues from outside the industry.
AI-Native Booking Platform Aims at Travel Management Companies
As such, Engine is building a new AI-native Online Booking Tool for travel management companies as part of the acquisition. It provides a single solution comprising booking, payment processing, reporting, customer management and duty-of-care. Additionally, agents can monitor each client on one dashboard, improving visibility and operational control.
The new booking platform further simplifies workflows across travel operations. Consequently, bookings can be as low as 2.5 minutes. But industry averages are still in the 15-minute range, according to a Forrester study. Engine also customizes travel searches based on negotiated rates, travel preferences and corporate policies for each customer.
The platform also identifies agent client portfolio bookings that need attention without manual reviews. It also brings in automated disruption management, in line with what today’s travel buyers expect. Automated disruption handling on business travel is wanted by 89% of corporate travel buyers, says GBTA.
“Engine is on a mission to power the future of travel, and TMCs are the relationship experts at the center of the industry,” said Elia Wallen, Founder and CEO of Engine. “The technology behind them hasn’t kept up. Working with Options Travel showed us exactly where it falls short. TMCs deserve modern technology behind them, and that’s what we’re here to bring.”
Options Travel will continue serving its customers under its established brand while maintaining its existing leadership structure. This approach allows clients to receive uninterrupted service while benefiting from Engine’s expanding technology capabilities.
“We’ve spent 30 years earning our clients’ trust while the tools available to us lagged behind,” said Brett Buynack, General Manager of Options Travel. “Joining Engine lets us help build what our industry has been waiting for: real technology, for every TMC that’s been underserved by legacy software.”
Together, Engine and Options Travel aim to modernize travel management technology by combining experienced customer service with AI-powered software. The acquisition also reflects Engine’s long-term commitment to delivering faster, more intelligent, and more efficient travel management solutions for the corporate travel industry.
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News Source: Businesswire.com
