Business Intelligence for Travel Agencies and Travel Management Companies: What Does it Really Mean?

Summary

"Business intelligence" (BI) means combining actionable information with analytic tools to help management improve profits and performance. BI can be derived from both small and large amounts of structured and unstructured data and provides the basis for operational, tactical and strategic decisions. Companies use BI to identify near-term issues and set the stage for new strategic business opportunities. 

The BI market grew to US$14.1 billion in 2013. Use of BI in travel distribution is growing as travel companies start to ask for comprehensive and integrated views of their current business, the capability to track new growth areas such as social media and mobile, and the ability to forecast future scenarios. BI solutions offer a way to navigate the sheer complexity and multitude of content sources and distribution channels.