New year, new connections

Happy New Year!

Like many of you, I’ve found it lovely to spend quality time with family over the festive period and I am delighted to be back and getting into the swing of things.

In fact, with so many new connections to activate and updates to share, the whole TXGB team has been bounding back to their desks with fresh energy and inspiration.

The start of a new year presents the opportunity to set goals and identify new opportunities.

But we also wanted to take some time to reflect on the past 12 months and share some of our learnings and significant milestones as a business.

From the boardroom to the pub, there was no shortage of conversation on travel, after two years of restrictions drove new levels of pent-up demand.

And it was great to see so much of that time spent on local shores, due to our collective, renewed appreciation for the hidden gems and beautiful scenery of Great Britain.

Through our collaboration with the ‘National Lottery Days Out’ and ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaigns, we were able to help a massive array of local businesses across the UK tap into this active pool of new customers, with the former driving over £6m worth of bookings alone.

New for 2023

Stimulating demand for tourism across the UK is at the heart of our company culture – and as adoption of TXGB has continued to grow, so too has the volume of trade through the platform.

This was accelerated in 2022 by the connection of key booking system technology partners, new sales channels, tourism businesses and operational suppliers.

Our team’s relentless passion to drive unparalleled collaboration in the sector has seen us grow the network to include connectivity with over 100 destination websites, new distributors and an ever increasing number of tourism product suppliers (accommodation, attractions and experiences).

And our platform now joins the dots with booking systems such as Bookalet, Guestline, Ventrata and Staah, along with key distributors including Lovetovisit, Away With The Kids and Daysout.co.uk.

It is through the power and reach of these connections, that we can unlock the full potential of the complex and vast tourism industry in the UK.

This is why we’re dedicated to widening the range of channels we connect with – making it accessible for any size and type of business.

From strategic partnerships with Google Hotel Ads platform (more to come from Google and a connection to Things to Do in the coming months) and new content such as AA Rated Trips, we are on a mission to make it simpler to connect and diversify your business’ distribution.

Navigating the new and complex challenges of the last few years hasn’t been easy – but we’re all part of the same ecosystem facing the same problems.

As traveller booking behaviour continues to adapt and change, so must we.

This involves using shared experiences and knowledge to collectively drive sustainable, domestic travel and inbound tourism all year round.

What else can you expect from us?

We will continue to build functionality to the core platform, as well as adding more unique distribution channels and partners.

We’re also working with VisitBritain Shop on an exciting new project to integrate bookable transport products in the exchange, opening the door for bus and rail travel to be connected for the first time.

With Visit Wales and Tourism Northern Ireland now working in partnership with TXGB, we will also be looking to strengthen the collaboration between tourism authorities across the UK.

Our new community platform, due to launch in quarter one, will play a pivotal role  – and we can’t wait to tell you more about it.

The TXGB team is already heading into the New Year with fresh energy and passion as the champions of ‘community’ building and engagement.

Creating the opportunity for dialogue and ideas exchange, as well as bookability, will be key over the next 12 months as we continue to connect the dots and break down the industry’s silos.

Cheers to 2023 – let’s make it a great one.

James Berzins Managing Director | TXGB