Board gives go-ahead to viewdata upgrade

Board gives go-ahead to viewdata upgrade

JMC is spending several million pounds updating its viewdata system to make it easier for travel agents to work with.

The operator has received board approval to spend £2 million on a new viewdata search engine, which will help to improve the tracking of accommodation.

In addition, JMC is planning viewdata enhancements which will enable agents to make name and title changes on screen; cancel passengers from a booking; amend booking arrangements and add or delete pre-bookable seats. The viewdata enhancements will take 384 days and may not be ready before August next year.

Airsavers head of sales Phil Norris said: “We still see life in viewdata because nothing else is really coming to take its place.”

John Wells of Travel Universal Worldchoice in London agreed. “Unfortunately I see viewdata carrying on for quite some time,” he said. “Agents have a hardwire link and have paid upfront for many years.”

Meanwhile, JMC director of sales Ian Derbyshire said progress on its Web site, www.jmc.com, had been deliberately low key and he stressed the company would work with agents to take bookings.

“We are going to organise a series of roadshows to tell agents how they can work with us on the Web site.”

John Wells,

Travel Universal Worldchoice