THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that it will no longer charge travel agencies to use its Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS).
Previously costing $165 per year, the TIDS program provides a unique identification code for agents and other intermediaries such as event planners and meeting organisers who are not IATA-accredited.
“As new booking sources and platforms emerge in the distribution space, industry suppliers face a growing challenge in identifying booking and sales intermediaries,” IATA said in an update overnight.
“In response, IATA with the support of its airline members, has revamped the TIDS program to better address the needs of the industry and make TIDS the standard of identification for non-IATA accredited agencies.”
IATA Head of Travel and Tourism Harsha Krishnan said amid the unprecedented COVID-19 situation “we hope this action helps our TIDS partners to immediately benefit”.
The fee cut comes alongside a platform revamp which now allows agencies to self-manage their profile online, simplifying processes both for themselves and travel suppliers.
Travel intermediaries who have been accepted into the TIDS program have been “properly vetted by IATA, meet all industry requirements and can access a broad supplier network to book travel and receive commissions,” according to the new website.
To sign up for the program, applicants must provide a range of documentation including details of their business entity’s ownership, registration, a bank letter or statement of account in the name of the business and a letter of recommendation from an IATA airline member, GDS or a major industry supplier.
More info at iata.org/tids.
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Source: traveldaily