The solution enhances FLT’s ability to access and sell airfares and other travel content globally. It also provides travel consultants with a faster and simpler research and booking tool, thus strengthening their relationship with their customers.

Melanie Waters-Ryan, FLT’s chief operating officer and global product leader, said the application does not simply add a graphical layer to an existing GDS, but has been designed to take travel agents into the next era of travel agency technology.

“Feedback from our agents has been overwhelmingly positive and the Desktop’s superior workflow control and content integration is helping our travel consultants work faster and smarter, which in turn saves time and improves productivity,” she added.

A ground-breaking application the Desktop provides agents access to multi-source travel content and pricing, plus breakthrough travel management tools – all through a single platform. This enable them to deliver the type and level of customer service travellers are demanding today.

Agents also become more productive through enhanced workflow control and content integration. The solution enables business processes to become more efficient, shrink training costs and generate new revenue opportunities.

Underpinned by a re-engineered architectural and technical infrastructure that includesTravelport Universal API™, Universal Profile and Universal Record, the Desktop is the flagship agency point of sale.

“Travelport’s collaboration with Flight Centre to launch Travelport Universal Desktop is a big step forward in delivering the technology tools necessary for the future needs of all of our agency community like Flight Centre, irrespective of their size or orientation,” said Gordon Wilson, CEO and president of Travelport (pictured right).

Travelport is working with a number of beta customers across the globe to complete the next phase of validation and completion of in market testing prior to a broader rollout plan.

During the coming months Travelport will be working closely to support Flight Centre in its forthcoming rollout, as well as ensuring beta customers are prepared for a wider market engagement.