Tech firms merge to serve travel industry recovery
Travel retail app and website developer CruiseAppy has expanded less than two years after launching by joining forces with iprogress to form a new travel tech & digital agency, Digital Travel Marketing Group (DTMG).
Launched in 2019, CruiseAppy is a mobile app and video streaming platform which has been working with Liverpool-based iprogress to address the growing need for a travel app that can encompass all elements of a trip into a one-stop-shop while allowing travel agencies to service and manage the post-pandemic traveller more effectively.
Web development and design experts iprogress, formed in 2007, has well established credentials in the cruise and travel sectors having worked with Cruise Britain, Cruise Liverpool, Culture Liverpool, Liverpool International Music Festival as well as Liverpool Film Office, The Cavern Club, HM Government and the NHS.
DTMG will focus on the travel and tourism sector, specialising in app and website development, eLearning, video streaming and channel management platforms.
DTMG, based in Liverpool, has already hit the ground running providing digital travel solutions to more than 50 businesses across the world, from the UK to the USA, from Australia to Mexico.
Established players, including Cruise Britain, Imagine Cruising, Ignite Travel Group, The Cruiseline, ClubSeacret, Sunny Heart Travel, Bolsover Cruise Club, The Travel Village, Captain Cruise and Click&Go among others, have become clients.
Peter Whittle, CEO and co-founder of DTMG, said: “Forming DTMG is a natural evolution of our plans. We have continued to drive growth and develop innovative new services throughout the challenging environment of the pandemic by broadening our product offering.
“We not only have our game-changing integrated app, with website and video streaming services for cruise sellers, but also we are now targeting leisure travel agents with our fast Flight/Hotel cache solution and creative API integrations with established partners such as Traveltek and ArrivalGuides.
“This brings all leisure travel product supply and content into the DTMG app and website CMS environment via innovative new plugins for fast deployment and scalability.”
Peter Aland, CTO and co-founder of DTMG, said: “It makes perfect sense for iprogress to join forces with CruiseAppy to form DTMG. We have seen a massive increase in demand for our digital services in the travel sector since working with CruiseAppy and now as part of DTMG have an ambitious roadmap of product innovation in the cruise, leisure travel and tourism sectors.
“We have always had a strong affinity with the sector working on many tourism projects over the years and now as part DTMG have a plans for global growth from our Liverpool offices.”
DTMG’s mission is to change how travel companies use digital technologies to engage with their customers, focusing on driving customer inspiration, connection, and devotion. A mission that all travel companies now need as they search for new ways to engage with their customers in this changing world.
Peter Whittle added: “The world of travel and tourism has changed irrevocably in the wake of COVID-19. By combining our expertise under one DTMG umbrella we are well placed to help the industry in tourism recovery and we have more innovation on its way.
“Recent data and analysis shows that contactless technology is strongly desired by customers, and travel apps, which also offer travel companies the opportunity to upsell, are clearly the way forward to benefit customer, company and destinations alike.”
