colin carter - effective data distribution and consumption

How Data is consumed andused by a Travel Publisher

Colin CarterTechnical Director

Weather2Travel.com

Introduction to Weather2Travel.com

• Weather2Travel.com launched in 2005

• Now established as leading weather website for travel

• Climate and Weather Guides for EVERY country in the world

• Content driven sites using Affiliate Marketing

• Planning Tool - When is best time? Where is best?

• Provider of ‘Weather’ Content to Travel websites

Working with Affiliate Marketing in Travel

• Started with Affiliate links, logos and banners

• First worked with datafeeds in 2007

• Now have dedicated server for data processing

(Currently loading over 20 million datafeed records daily)

• Data & Tools available for holidays, hotels, flights, hire cars,

adventure holidays, cottages

Which Travel Merchants offer Data and Tools?

118 TravelAccorhotelsAirtoursAlpha RoomsAPHAttractiontixBalkan HolidaysBest Western Blue Chip HolidaysBookable HolidaysBritish AirwaysClub MedCoast & Country CottagesCooperative TravelCosmos HolidaysDirectline HolidaysDisneyland Paris GBDo Something DifferenteasyJet holidays

ebookers.comExpediaFarm and Cottage Holidays First ChoiceFlight + HotelG AdventuresHertz Holiday AutosHoliday NightsHoliday TaxisHolidaylettings.co.ukHoseasons HolidaysHostelbookersHotels.comImagine IrelandIntrepid TravelJet2HolidaysJustYouKLM

Red Letter DaysResponsibletravel.comSeatwave.comSecret EscapesSwiss International Sykes CottagesThe Holiday PlaceThomas CookThomsonTravel IntelligenceTravelsphere.co.ukTUIfly.comUK Theatre TicketsViagogoVirgin Holidays

KuoniLastminute.comLondonTheatreDirect.comloveholidays.comlowcostholidays.comMacdonald HotelsMarriott International Marsdens Cottage HolidaysMyCityDeal, GrouponNorfolk Country CottagesOctopus.comOlympic HolidaysOn the BeachPage and MoyPark InnPO FerriesQatar AirwaysRadisson BluRamada Jarvis

DatafeedSpecialists

TechnologyProviders

Networks, Agenciesand Merchants

Who is providing Travel Data and Tools?

What Types of Data & Tools are available to Publishers?

• Search APIs (Live vs Cached)

• White Label Solutions (Co-branding vs Full Integration)

• Datafeeds (XML vs Text / Availability vs Products + Lead Price)

• Widgets (JavaScript vs iFrame / Fixed code vs Contextual)

• Interactive Search Banners (Branded vs Unbranded)

• Deeplink Generators (Search Form vs Search Results)

• Affiliate Hubs (Merchant vs Network)

Datafeeds

Widgets & Dynamic Banners

Interactive Search Banners

Deeplink Generators

Affiliate Hubs

LiveProduct

Data

DatafeedSpecialists

Merchants

Networks

Agencies

Weather& Climate

Data

DestinationModel

Datafeeds

StaticData

Offline Static Product Data

OtherProviders

Process Data and Output to

Websites

Process Data and Output to

Websites

Weather2Travel.com

Website #3

Website #1

Website #2

Datafeed ProvidersDaily

Update

Working with Data - Key Benefits to Publishers

• Datafeeds enhance publisher content

• Price point and Deeplinks place users on buying page

• Combine publisher content and product data to create unique

content or functionality (e.g. mashups)

• Automate regular product data updates

• Widgets offer ‘non-technical’ publishers interesting and

engaging content

Working with Data - Problems and Issues for Publishers

• Datafeeds / APIs require level of technical ability and hardware

• No datafeed standards adopted across the industry

• Quality and Structure of data varies widely

• Publishers have different requirements

• Building the relationship between data and publisher content

is time consuming and problematic

• Still not enough understanding of publisher requirements

Thank You

Colin Cartercolin@weather2travel.com