TTE 2020: Nezasa targets UK with turnkey version of tour operating tech

Partners can integrate lite version more quickly

Swiss travel technology supplier Nesaza has developed an entry-level turnkey version of its tour operating technology as it looks to break into new overseas markets like the UK.

The lite version of its bespoke trip building platform will allow new partners to integrate it more quickly and test it without having to take the risk of a full enterprise level deployment.

Manuel Hilty, chief executive and co-founder of the Zurich-based software specialist, said he hopes to reduce barriers for firms wanting to work with Nesaza.

“It will allow us to deploy quicker,” he said. “It’s a way for the industry to try Nesaza out risk free. Now we can quickly deploy a pilot and set them up in one or two days.”

Hilty said Nazasa is not intended to replace firm’s core system but integrate with existing tech to allow firms to create packages that are more personalised and dynamic.

Having started targeting the UK last year, Hilty said Nesaza is in the process of establishing its first major pilot studies.

“It’s not about switching tech. We are trying to complement what people already have with something that allows them to automate processes which are extremely manual today.

“What we are providing is something to make business much more interactive, more efficient and more enjoyable for everyone involved.

“We very much believe we should do what we do best while others do what they do best and what we do best is to allow the combination of products in flexible and personalised packages.

“With us you can take all products available to you and seamlessly put them together in one experience.

“We manage all that complexity and make sure the end consumers and agents can not only plan but book and modify those trips as part of one frictionless experience.”

Nesaza is targeting large and small of travel agents in the UK who are increasingly becoming tour operators as clients demand more bespoke, tailored travel options of them.

He said this will help smaller firms avoid being disrupted by large global competitors as they strive to bundle more products together in what leading OTA booking.com calls the “connected trip”.

Partners who agree to try Nezasa’s entry-level platform can trade up to its more premium and enterprise solution that allow them to input their own supply contracts.

Hilty said this approach reflects a general move to tech investment becoming more an opex (operating expense) decision than capex (capital expense) as more software is offered as a service.

“We realise in more turbulent times companies will be looking at commercial models that are more opex-driven than capex-driven and we think that allows more flexibility in the business,” Hilty said.

“Previously everyone has to own their own servers and then the likes of Amazon came along with a completely utility-based model to pay for what you use.

“I think in travel we will see more players trying to do less investment in IT and using more utility-based models. It just makes sense, especially in a more unpredictable world.

“For travel it’s about being able to react to global developments, sizing up and sizing down and switching destinations.

“If you can build up these capabilities you are in a better position to react to whatever is going to happen.

“It not about travel going down, it’s about the modern world requiring more flexibility for everyone.

“Technology can do that behind the scenes not only functionally but also commercially because it’s a service and completely utility driven.”