Microsoft Surface mash-up heralds death of the travel brochure

by Andrew McCormick, revolutionmagazine.com 05-Oct-09, 09:30

LONDON - A mash-up between Microsoft Surface and Google Maps promises to make visits to the travel agent a whole lot more interesting and threatens to make glossy travel brochures a thing of the past.

TravelTainment, a company that provides technology services to travel agents has created a mash-up of Google Maps and Microsoft Surface technology that enables holidaymakers to check out destinations on an interactive world map.

Hundreds of thousands of photos of resorts around the world are available on the app, which makes booking a holiday a little more interactive than reading a brochure or scanning the internet only to find grainy photos of dodgy villas.

The technology is not yet live in travel agents but TravelTainment is hoping to rollout the app to the travel industry over the coming months.

Comments

Nick Evans, Consultant, JaywingDMG - 06/10/2009

This is an attractive addition to travel agencies; the social media element and interactivity will provide potential holiday makers a rich source of information on the destinations they're interested in. But let's not be too quick to write off the glossy catalogue so soon. Many consumers still hold catalogues in high esteem, whether booking a holiday, purchasing clothing or shopping for all manner of products and services. In the case of travel, a customer may well make their booking online, in-store or over the phone. However, many will have used a brochure as part of their decision making process \(showing family and friends the destinations on offer). What's important for brands is in understanding which customers welcome brochures and catalogues, which are better served by digital and other means, and how a combination of all these methods delivers the greatest and most cost efficient success.