Introduction
As the travel industry continues its recovery from the pandemic, tour and activity providers are looking for robust and reliable travel agency software to power their booking engines, manage their operations and drive more revenue. With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to determine which solutions are the best fit. In this post, we evaluate and rank 15 top travel agency software options based on key criteria to help providers make an informed decision.
Methods of Evaluation
To rank the travel agency software solutions, we considered the following evaluation methods: features and functionality based on vendor claims and third party reviews; ease of use and customization capabilities; pricing and cost transparency; customer support and satisfaction ratings; number of bookings facilitated and clients supported as a measure of scale and success; and more subjective metrics like backlinks, organic traffic and keyword trend data to gauge market presence and awareness over time. This hybrid approach aimed to establish an objective ranking while also factoring in more qualitative indicators.
1. Salesforce
Salesforce is a leading CRM platform for managing relationships and data on contacts, leads, accounts, opportunities, and more. With its flexibility and third-party integrations, Salesforce can be configured as a travel agency software solution.
Pros: Key advantages of Salesforce for travel agencies include: – Large ecosystem of third party apps for additional functionality like booking and reservations – Flexible platform that can be customized as needed for different agency workflows – Robust CRM and marketing automation capabilities for tracking leads and campaigns – Widely used in the enterprise which makes it familiar to many potential agency clients
Cons: A potential disadvantage is the upfront and ongoing licensing costs which can be higher than some other solutions. Extensive customization may also require hiring developers or consultants.
Pricing: Pricing for Salesforce starts at $25 per user per month for the Professional Edition and scales up based on functionality and user counts. Additional costs apply for specialized apps, custom development work, and implementation services.
Some key stats about Salesforce include: – Used by over 150,000 companies worldwide – Has over 150,000 apps on its AppExchange marketplace – Raised over $6.5 billion in funding – Valued at over $250 billion as a public company
2. Rezdy
Rezdy is an online booking software for tour and experience providers. Founded in 2008, Rezdy provides a complete cloud-based booking platform that allows operators to market, sell and manage their tours, activities and venues online.
Pros: Some key advantages of Rezdy include:
– Booking platform for tours, venues and dates
– Agent facing administration console to manage bookings, customers and reports
– Customizable confirmation emails that can be branded
– Payment processing through plugins for credit cards and alternative payment options
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the pricing can be on the higher side for smaller operators compared to other solutions. However, Rezdy provides more advanced functionality and larger distribution reach through its many channel partners to offset the higher costs.
Pricing: Rezdy offers various pricing plans starting from $49 per month for a basic plan up to an enterprise plan with custom pricing. Their plans include features like online bookings, custom booking forms, mobile booking apps, reporting and more based on the needs of the business.
Some key stats about Rezdy include:
– Over 10,000 customers in 100+ countries globally
– Processes over $3 billion in bookings per year
– Integrations with over 300 OTA partners for expansive distribution
3. TOURRADAR
TourRadar is a leading travel agency software developed by TourRadar, headquartered in Berlin. Since 2011, TourRadar has been helping travel agencies and tour operators globally promote, manage and sell tours and activities online.
Pros: Some key advantages of TourRadar include:
– Large catalog of over 50,000 pre-verified tours and activities that can be easily integrated
– Robust booking and tour/activity management software to help operators manage their business
– Multi-lingual and designed to be used globally out of the box
– Commission tracking and automated invoicing to simplify financial management
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free basic plan only allows listing of 10 activities which may not meet the needs of some larger travel agencies.
Pricing: TourRadar offers various pricing plans starting from a free Basic plan upto an Unlimited Enterprise plan based on yearly subscriptions starting from $49/month.
Some key stats about TourRadar include:
– Over 50,000 verified tours and activities on the platform
– Processed over 2 million tour and activity bookings worldwide
– Available in over 25 languages
– Used by over 5,000 travel sellers globally
4. Sabre Red 360
Sabre Red 360 is a comprehensive travel agency software used by many large travel agencies globally. Developed by Sabre, a leading travel technology company, Sabre Red 360 provides powerful tools to manage all aspects of an agency’s operations.
Pros: Key advantages of Sabre Red 360 include:
– Powerful booking, merchandising and CRM tools
– Wide supplier network for air and hotel
– Excellent for expanding service offerings
– Comprehensive reporting and analytics
Cons: One potential disadvantage is the upfront cost of implementation which can be high for smaller agencies.
Pricing: Sabre Red 360 pricing varies depending on agency size and needs. Basic starter packages start around $1000/month while advanced packages for larger agencies with customized requirements are priced on a custom basis.
Some key stats about Sabre Red 360 include:
– Used by over 425,000 travel agents worldwide
– Access to over 400 airlines and 800,000 hotels globally
– Handles bookings for over 26% of global airline seat capacity
5. Checkfront
Checkfront is an all-in-one booking and payments solution for experience providers like activities, tours and attractions. Founded in 2006, Checkfront provides online booking software that allows businesses to manage bookings, inventory, and payments through a single platform. Their platform is well-suited for experience providers looking for a comprehensive solution to manage reservations, customer data, and financial operations.
Pros: Some key advantages of Checkfront include:
– All-in-one solution for booking management, payments and reporting
– Intuitive and customizable booking pages for optimized direct bookings
– Robust calendar and inventory management tools
– Full support for group bookings and custom packages
Cons: One potential disadvantage is the monthly subscription pricing which can get expensive for very large businesses with high booking volumes.
Pricing: Checkfront offers three pricing tiers – Basic, Standard and Premium starting from $49/month with no lengthy contracts. Pricing is based on the number of bookings and includes full support and updates.
Some key stats about Checkfront include:
– Used by over 5,000 experience providers globally
– Supports 45+ payment methods and integrates with all major payment processors
– Real-time reporting and analytics on bookings, cancellations, revenue etc.
6. TRAVELPERK
TRAVELPERK is a travel booking and expense management platform for businesses. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, TRAVELPERK streamlines business travel for thousands of companies worldwide. With the TRAVELPERK platform, companies can manage their travel policy, book and change flights and hotels, generate reports, and handle invoicing and expenses in one integrated solution.
Pros: Some of the key advantages of TRAVELPERK include:
– All-in-one platform for end-to-end travel management including policy enforcement, booking, reporting, and expense management
– Powerful compliance tools to enforce travel policies and save on maverick spending
– Robust reporting capabilities to track spending, trends, savings, and more
– Automated invoicing and expense retrieval for a streamlined financial process
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the platform may not be as customizable as some competitors’ solutions and certain advanced customizations may require working with TRAVELPERK’s professional services team.
Pricing: TRAVELPERK offers transparent usage-based pricing. There are no long-term contracts or commitments. Pricing starts from €2.50 per booking.
Some key stats about TRAVELPERK include:
– Over 5,000 customers worldwide including Siemens, Vodafone, Prezi, and Delivery Hero
– Processes over $2 billion in travel bookings annually
– More than 1.5 million flights and 500,000 hotel nights booked each year
7. SiteMinder
SiteMinder is a hospitality tech company that offers a robust hotel booking and management platform. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, SiteMinder powers over 140,000 properties globally through its cloud-based platform. The platform allows hotels to manage direct bookings, connectivity to global distribution systems (GDS), online travel agencies (OTAs) and metasearch engines to drive revenue.
Pros: Some key advantages of using SiteMinder include:
– Robust hotel booking and management software that allows properties to monitor and optimize performance across all sales channels.
– Good platform for both B2B and B2C partners as it allows hotels to manage relationships with corporate accounts as well as leisure travelers.
– Advanced analytics and business intelligence tools that provide actionable insights to help hotels improve performance and drive incremental revenue.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the platform may have a relatively high total cost of ownership for smaller independent hotels compared to cheaper alternatives. The implementation and setup of the platform also requires technical expertise that may not be available in-house for all hotels.
Pricing: SiteMinder offers flexible pricing plans tailored to properties of different sizes. Basic plans start from $99/month while premium all-inclusive plans tailored for large/enterprise hotels can exceed $1000/month. They also offer a free 30-day trial to explore the platform’s features.
Some key stats about SiteMinder include:
– Over 140,000 properties globally use SiteMinder’s software and platforms.
– Processes over $35 billion in hotel bookings annually through its platform.
– Integrates with over 400 channel partners including Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor.
– Ranks as a market leader in the hotel channel management and distribution space.
8. Travelport Smartpoint
Travelport Smartpoint is a comprehensive travel agency booking and reservation system developed by Travelport. Travelport is a worldwide travel retail platform that provides distribution, technology, payment and other solutions for the travel and tourism industry. As one of the top global distribution systems (GDS), Travelport Smartpoint provides travel agents access to a vast network of travel suppliers and inventory.
Pros: Some key advantages of Travelport Smartpoint include:
– Comprehensive GDS system for searching and booking air, car and hotel inventory in one platform.
– Access to a large supply of travel content from multiple sources like airlines, hotels, and tour operators.
– Good option for larger and more established travel agencies that need connections to major travel suppliers.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that Travelport Smartpoint may not be the most affordable option for smaller start-up agencies on a budget since it is designed for medium to large agencies.
Pricing: Travelport Smartpoint pricing is not publicly listed and can vary depending on agency size and contract negotiations. However, it typically involves recurring subscription license and transaction fees rather than a one-time purchase.
Some key stats about Travelport Smartpoint include:
– Connects to 500+ airlines, 750,000+ hotels, and 30,000+ car rental, rail, and cruise providers.
– Processes over $110 billion in gross bookings annually.
– Used by 60,000+ travel agencies worldwide.
9. Travefy
Travefy is an all-in-one travel agency software system that offers itinerary management, quote and proposal tools, CRM, forms, and a website builder. Founded in 2015, Travefy is based in San Diego, CA and helps over 7,000 travel professionals grow their business. Their travel agency software aims to streamline operations and provide agencies everything they need to manage clients, book travel, and run their business.
Pros: Key advantages of Travefy include:
– Easy to use interface designed for travel agents
– Large inventory of tours, activities and experiences from top suppliers
– Robust client management tools to track conversations, bookings, and run targeted marketing campaigns
– CRM with contact database, document storage and automated workflows
– Website builder to create and host a professional travel agency website
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the basic plan limits the number of bookings, contacts and other features which may not be suitable for high volume agencies.
Pricing: Travefy offers three pricing tiers:
– Basic: Free forever, limits on bookings, contacts, and features
– Pro: $49/month billed annually, removes basic plan limits
– Elite: Custom quote, prioritized support and additional custom features
Some key stats about Travefy include:
– Over 7,000 travel agencies use Travefy worldwide
– Integrations with over 300 suppliers including airlines, hotels, and tour operators
– Tools to generate and send over 100,000 personalized travel proposals and itineraries each month
10. Base
Base is a travel agency software that helps travel agencies and tour operators manage operations and sell more tours. It has powerful CRM capabilities for tracking customers and sales. Base integrates with common booking engines for flights, hotels and activities to allow travel providers to book and manage reservations through a single platform.
Pros: Some key advantages of Base include:
– Powerful CRM for tracking customers, contacts, leads and sales pipeline
– Integrations with all major booking providers for flights, hotels and activities
– Robust reporting and analytics on bookings, revenues, customer preferences and more
– Intuitive agent dashboard and tools to easily book and manage reservations
Cons: The main disadvantage is the pricing, as the platform is aimed at larger travel agencies and tour operators. The starting plans start at $99/month which may not suit very small travel businesses.
Pricing: Base offers various pricing plans starting from $99 per month for an Individual Agent plan up to $299 per month for an Enterprise plan. Pricing is based on the number of users, bookings per month and additional features required. All plans include integrated CRM, bookings and reservations management along with support and upgrades.
Some key stats about Base include:
– Used by over 5,000 travel businesses worldwide
– Integrates with over 300 booking providers including Amadeus, Travelport and TourRadar
– Processes over $5 billion in travel bookings annually
11. TripActions
TripActions is a leading corporate travel management software. Formerly known as TripActions, it provides travel agencies and corporate clients with a comprehensive travel and expense management solution. With offices globally, TripActions works with thousands of companies to streamline their travel programs.
Pros: Some key advantages of TripActions include:
– Comprehensive corporate travel management tool that allows booking, tracking, approving and reporting travel in one system
– Advanced AI-powered expense and itinerary management that captures receipts automatically
– Intuitive interfaces for travelers, approvers and admins with mobile apps for iOS and Android
– Well integrated supplier connections that ensure low costs and up-to-date rates
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the software may be overkill for very small travel agencies or companies with only occasional travel needs. The pricing could also be higher than simpler solutions for smaller deployments.
Pricing: TripActions pricing is typically based on number of users and travel spend volume. It offers both monthly subscription plans as well as usage-based pricing models. A sales representative can provide a custom quote based on your specific requirements.
Some key stats about TripActions include:
– Over 5000 customers globally including large Fortune 500 companies
– Processes over $30 billion in travel spend annually
– Covers 700,000 travelers worldwide
– Integrates with 300+ airline, hotel and car rental suppliers
12. TravelMassive
TravelMassive is a travel agency software platform launched in 2015 by TravelMassive. As the name suggests, TravelMassive aims to connect the global travel industry on a single network. The platform provides travel agencies and suppliers collaborative tools to streamline operations and expand business opportunities.
Pros: Key advantages of using TravelMassive include: – Excellent back-office productivity tools like booking, CRM, accounting make day-to-day operations more efficient. – Large supplier and product database allowing access to wide range of travel services. – Customizable workflows and booking forms to suit individual agency needs and processes.
Cons: As a relatively new platform, TravelMassive may lack some features available on more established competitors. The free version also has limited functionality compared to paid tiers. Travel agents need to be comfortable collaborating via a cloud-based system.
Pricing: TravelMassive offers 3 pricing tiers – Free, Pro, and Premier. Pricing starts from $49/month for the Pro plan which unlocks more features. The Premier plan caters to larger agencies with customized enterprise pricing.
Some key stats about TravelMassive include: – Over 3,000 travel brands and suppliers on the network. – Processes over $3 billion in travel sales annually. – Available in 9 languages with customers in over 120 countries.
13. ViaHero
ViaHero is travel agency software based in San Francisco that allows users to build custom tours and activities for travelers. Founded in 2015, ViaHero has helped over 150K travelers plan trips across 50 countries. Their software provides travel agencies and local guides an easy to use platform to showcase unique experiences and connect with customers online.
Pros: Some key advantages of ViaHero include:
– Tour builder for creating customized sightseeing activities and itineraries
– Online reservation system and CRM to manage customer communications and bookings
– Website builder to create a professional online presence with booking forms
– Data aggregation from major tour and activity suppliers to fill catalog quickly
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the pricing can be higher for smaller travel agencies compared to other travel agency software options.
Pricing: ViaHero offers 4 pricing tiers from $49-199 per month based on the number of guides, bookings and features needed. Additional transaction and commission fees also apply. A 14-day free trial is available.
Some key stats about ViaHero include:
– Used by over 500 travel companies worldwide
– Average monthly bookings of $150K per agency
– 95% customer satisfaction rate
– Integrations with 50+ suppliers including AirBnB, Booking.com, GetYourGuide, Klook and Viator
14. Planhub
Planhub is a leading construction bidding and project management software used by construction companies worldwide. Founded in 2011 and based in Toronto, Canada, Planhub helps construction businesses manage projects, connect with contractors, and grow their business.
Pros: Some key advantages of Planhub include:
– Online booking tools and CRM for activities
– Inventory management and pricing configuration capabilities
– Detailed reporting, billing and operational insights
– Highly customizable platform that can be tailored for any construction business model
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the full capabilities of Planhub require a paid subscription, so there is an ongoing cost to using the platform.
Pricing: Planhub offers several paid subscription plans starting from $49/month for basic capabilities up to $199/month for advanced features and unlimited users. All plans include 24/7 support.
Some key stats about Planhub include:
– Used by over 5,000 construction companies globally
– Manage over $50 billion worth of construction projects annually
– Integrations with 30+ accounting and ERP software for seamless data sharing
15. TripSpark
TripSpark is travel agency software developed by TripSpark Technologies. They provide scheduling and management software solutions for both commercial and non-emergency medical transport service providers. Their platform aims to simplify transportation logistics through an all-in-one solution.
Pros: Key advantages of TripSpark include:
– Simple and intuitive booking tool for customers
– Travel planning and booking made easy through a single platform
– Strong focus on optimizing the customer experience from start to finish
Cons: Potential disadvantages could include the upfront costs of implementation and any ongoing subscription fees for access to the full platform and support.
Pricing: TripSpark offers both perpetual and subscription-based software licensing models. Pricing depends on factors like number of vehicles, trips managed annually, desired features and level of customization needed. Contact them directly for a customized quote.
Some key stats about TripSpark include:
– Over 300 transit agency customers in North America
– Manage over 50 million rides annually
– Integrations with over 50 dispatch/AVL systems
– Available as a mobile app or web platform
Conclusion
With the travel industry primed for continued recovery and growth, selecting the right travel agency software partner has never been more critical for tour and experience providers. By evaluating products based on robust metrics and real-world usage patterns, we hope this article provides a transparent overview of the top solutions to help businesses choose the option best equipped to power their operations and support expansion in the year ahead.