MTN Traveller is a mobi-based MTN Play application, which is only downloadable through MTN Play with further information accessible on www.mtntraveller.com. The new service is designed to bring the world of e-commerce tourism to the cellular market place by providing a marketing and distribution platform through MTN to the global marketplace. The product is a live, integrated, secure and all-inclusive online booking engine providing accommodation, car rental and, in the near future, airline booking services.
MTN Traveller is designed to enable consumers to search, select and pay for their travel selections using their cell phone and irrespective of which mobile network they use. MTN Traveller operates through a secure, 'real time' payment gateway that ensures a seamless transaction process and removes time, language and access restrictions.
The solution interfaces into the eRes software solution, which is developed by HTI (Hospitality Technology International) Systems and is hosted on the MobiRes platform.
Fraser Gregg, managing director of MobiRes (Pty) Ltd, MTN's commercial and development partner on MTN Traveller, has coined the phrase 'hospitality in a handset' to describe the service. "Basically, the URL is a user-friendly, dedicated and dynamic live search and reservation engine that can be accessed anywhere, at anytime and on any network. We have centralised the data from numerous channels and integrated it into a fully-interactive booking engine.
"Using the system is as simple as clicking on the MTN Traveller icon on the cell phone screen, registering for the service, going into the menu to make a choice and uploading credit card details to confirm the booking. The mobilisation of the system ensures that finding and booking accommodation - whether it's a small guesthouse in a remote part of the West Coast or a business hotel in the heart of Sandton - is just a few clicks away, making mobile e-commerce tourism the most efficient and secure channel to the hospitality market place.
The service goes live to the public on 7 November 2010.
