Travel management company ATPI has launched a new tech-focused investment programme that will provide financial backing and market knowledge to start-ups that are disrupting and driving the sector.
The ‘Endeavour’ programme will kick off with the TMC taking a “significant” investment in online booking tool TapTrip, which earns ATPI a seat on the board.
ATPI says the new strategy is in response to changing trends in corporate travel and booking behaviours.
“The next wave of innovation, increasingly fragmented online content and growing adoption of self-fulfilment are all driving the demand for new technology,” says ATPI.
The partnership with TapTrip will roll out in the UK from March and in Benelux, France, India and Asia later in the year.
ATPI will also act as the fulfilment partner for all travel bookings made via the TapTrip platform.
ATPI’s Regional Managing Director UK, Benelux & France, Adam Knights, says: “We are now set to offer our SME clients access to this new generation online booking tool, delivering them an even higher level of customer experience and travel savings opportunities.
“This partnership will not only make it even easier and more rewarding to book online, but also enable us to access the small and medium enterprises and high growth start-ups using TapTrip.
“Given the volume of unmanaged travel currently within the SME market, this is a great opportunity for ATPI to continue to grow our share and also further realise our own ambitions for the continued development of our technology portfolio.”
Ali Hussain, ATPI’s Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, adds: “The Endeavour programme keeps a watching brief for true disruptors in this space that show promise of scale for us and our clients.
“This is a key factor when deciding which companies will be part of this new strategy. Our approach and investments will enable us to further build our customer offer through new integrations and tailored solutions which will lead the market.”
