Alberta’s Tisson Travel Group taps new tech that speeds up FIT planning

In today’s fast-paced world, where technology seems to evolve by the second, it’s important that travel agencies keep up with the latest tools that not only enhance the efficiency of trip planning, but also meet the demand for personalized service.

Tisson Travel Group, a community for travel professionals in Alberta, is one company that’s staying ahead of the curve by launching a new trip-planning tool within the North American boutique agency space.

Built in collaboration with a European software developer, the “Tisson Dream Tool,” it’s called, gives Tisson advisors the ability to create a detailed and customized travel itinerary, with real-time pricing, in under an hour.

“We’ve revolutionized the way travel is planned by providing a fast, easy, and highly-personalized way to understand what a dream trip will cost,” said Tannis Dyrland, founder of Tisson Travel Group, which launched in 2023.

Tackling FIT pain points 

No more guessing or sifting through websites to piece together a trip.

The pitch, to clients, is for them to share their travel preferences (whether it be a destination, specific experiences, or budget constraints) and let and the “Dream Tool” work its magic by generating a tailor-made itinerary.

The technology, which went live within Tisson’s network earlier this month, was introduced to overcome the barriers advisors face when booking complex FIT trips.

FITs (an acronym for “foreign independent travel” or “flexible independent travel”), Dyrland said, “are the money maker,” and these detailed itineraries are what Tisson’s clients request the most.

While the task of designing a customized travel experience can be thrilling, it can also be stressful – especially for new-to-industry agents, Dyrland said.

“When a client comes to them and says, ‘We want to go to Italy for 14 days,’ the first thing they do is break out in hives. They don't really know where to begin,” Dyrland said.

Agents may take the request to a tour operator, only to face long turnaround times for an FIT-style itinerary – often between four to seven days, Dyrland said.

By that point, the customer may have a new ask (like a new departure date), or get cold feet altogether.

“That's where we were stuck,” Dyrland said.

Connected to the world

Tisson’s Dream Tool aims to speed up FIT planning, generating itineraries within 20 minutes that are self-branded to the agent (all of Tisson’s advisors are independent owners).

The platform is connected to every travel supplier, every product, every country, and every city, around the world, Dyrland explained.

Once an itinerary is generated, it can be sent to the client as a PDF document or as a workable template that can be further customized, or changed, if required.

“Clients can go in and see the properties we've suggested, and if they don't like the room category, we can change it,” Dyrland said.

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Products are generated in live Canadian pricing and availability, and the platform covers all aspects of travel, from flights to hotels to transfer to ferries to attractions to city tours.

The tool also recognizes nuances. For example: if a client has a day off during their trip, the platform will suggest activities, like self-guided walking tours, to fill the time. Or, if a client arrives in a destination at an odd hour, it will add an extra hotel stay.  

“It’s a game-changer,” Dyrland said. “Whether you want three, four or five-stars…you can narrow itineraries as narrow as they need to be.”

The Tisson Dream Tool, which draws data from an ever-evolving product database, works so well with FIT planning that Dyrland says it has eliminated the need for tour operators.

The products, she said, are booked directly with local suppliers and DMCs.

Turning point for new-to-industry agents?

The new tech, which was suggested by Tisson’s long-time collaborator, Ryan McElroy of Travel Agency Tribes, has helped newer agents up their trip-planning game, said Dyrland. 

She noted one new-to-industry advisor who has so far done well in selling all-inclusive vacations – but she doesn’t want to sell all-inclusive resorts forever.

Using the Dream Tool, the advisor can now qualify clients for more complex trips, like an adventure to Jordan, ensuring they see all the must-see sites, Dyrland said.

“For new-to-industry advisors, or even seasoned veterans who struggle with the FIT creation process, this is the easiest tool,” Dyrland said.

Not another ChatGPT

The independent software developer (which is confidential) that powers the Tisson Dream Tool has been in the travel industry for 30 years, Dyrland said.

It lists Worldia, a tour operator based in Paris, France that specializes in FIT planning, as one of its key partnerships.  

“They’re very well sourced. They specialize in creating platforms and tools that do things exactly like this,” Dyrland said of her developer.

So how, then, does the Tisson Dream Tool differ from generative artificial intelligence chatbots, like the popular software ChatGPT? It, too, can also generate instant travel itineraries.

One differentiator, Dyrland said, is that her software works with live-time inventory.

“This isn't ChatGPT creating an itinerary that's fictional,” she said. “This is an actual system where we can pull live inventory and then communicate directly with the properties.”

Tisson’s advisors, and their clients, also have 24/7 support, she said.  And, unlike many AI-powerful platforms for consumers, Tisson’s tool is agent-centric.

“When you send an itinerary to the client, they cannot book it without you. It has to be booked by the agent,” Dyrland said.

Made for the boutique space

In Dyrland’s view, the tool makes the most sense within the boutique agency space, as opposed to a large host agency, where hundreds of agents may (or may not) use it.

But her prediction is that the technology will take off within the travel industry “once word gets out that you can turn around FITs this quickly.”

That being said, she doesn’t think it will replace tour operators altogether. “I think tour operators will always have a place in this industry, of course,” she said. “Especially if we're talking about larger host agencies that likely won’t pay for the technology if everyone isn’t using it.”

For Dyrland, the biggest advantage of her Dream Tool are the time-saving benefits. In other words, no more waiting for up seven days for customized itineraries from mainstream operators.

“You lose clients to that,” she said. “They get frustrated. When they get an idea in their head that they want to go to Iceland, they want to go to Iceland. Even if the trip is months or years away, they want to know.”

“Our biggest struggle has been turnaround times from suppliers. Now we can give back time and lessen the frustration.”

It also aligns with Dyrland’s own mission to support her network of advisors, who are all women.

“This empowers them to sell any destination, in any city in the world, and feel confident about it,” she said.

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