TravelChat^® is a free, IT-safe and secure Instant Messaging system, designed specifically for travel professionals. It easy to use, can be accessed from anywhere, is password-protected and contains specialist travel content (news, links, forum, notices, special offers etc).

Any travel professional is entitled to their own password-protected User account, free as of right, and travel businesses and other industry bodies can also request their own “white label” version, to run alongside the industry-wide one.

TravelChat^® runs as an ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) Travel Industry Partnership Initiative. Operating as an editorial joint venture, Users routinely pool ideas for its direction and future development, and the small Registry then gives effect to their plans.

Background

Historically, most people in business and government can’t use normal Instant Messaging systems, because they put programs on their PCs, which can clash with in-house software, and breach firewalls (letting in viruses with incoming messages). Employers also object to the distracting links to leisure websites. Another problem with most Instant Messaging programs is their lack of message security. They were never intended to be hack proof, and they are easily opened and read. Equally, the applications usually store a record of all conversations on a User’s PC, exposing everything ever said to anyone who then gains access to it.

TravelChat^® grew out a 2009 survey of ABTA Travel Agent and Tour Operator Members, and other travel product providers, which revealed growing concern at the way travel institutions were retreating behind emails and call centres. Senior managers within the industry were all agreed about the benefits of a tailored, free, universal, Instant Messaging system to help resolve the resulting communication problem, but were equally adamant that it must avoid the usual weaknesses.

How it works

Launched in late 2010, TravelChat looks like any other messaging system, but when opening the typical-looking frame/window, the User is actually visiting a secure website, on which they can find their contacts and message each other in real time. By putting the technology on the website, and not inside users’ PCs, TravelChat doesn’t need to put any application on User’s PCs. It also avoids any breaches of firewalls, because Users are simply visiting a website and nothing actually enters their PCs.

As well as being very easy to use, because TravelChat^® doesn’t depend on an application on a PC, it can be accessed from any computer linked to the web, anywhere in the world, (internet cafes, public libraries etc). Furthermore, when Users finish messaging each other and close that tab (They can hold several conversations at once.), the server deletes the record of what was said. As a further protection against hackers, people in really sensitive posts can subscribe online to the secure service. This encrypts their messages up to the same standard as is used for transmitting internet credit card transactions. This costs £36 per annum, via PayPal, and is the only thing for which Users can pay, though only a very small minority feel it necessary to do so, and the encryption apart, it adds no extra functionality.)

Hopefully, you will find TravelChat^® useful, but if you can think of ways it can be enhanced, please email your suggestion to info@travelchat.com.