EBITDAR in Travel: Are Rent Costs That Critical?

 Is EBITDA, the go-to metric for assessing profitability, misleading investors in the travel industry? Unlike EBITDAR, it ignores the massive impact of lease obligations—something that can significantly distort the operational efficiency of airlines and hotels. In this post, we compare EBITDA and 

Mid-Office and Back-Office Systems in Travel: What’s Broken and What’s Next

 For decades, m id-office and back-office software has been running business operations for travel management companies (TMCs) , online travel agencies (OTAs) , and other resellers . In this article, we’ll break down how legacy systems work, what’s holding them back, and how modern platforms are 

Aviation Technology Providers Landscape

 In 2018, the team at AltexSoft created the first version of the Travel Technology Providers Landscape. Through the years, this infographic grew to include over 1500 companies in 13 categories from aviation and hospitality technology companies to business travel providers, OTAs, travel payment 

AI For Project Management Use Cases Barriers

AI For Project Management: Use Cases & Barriers

 While AI won’t replace project managers —yet—it can significantly support project management tasks in various ways. When used right, AI tools can help you forecast resource gaps, flag potential risks before they become real problems, and even adjust workloads in real time. The challenge isn’t 

Model Context Protocol MCP Explained With Examples

Model Context Protocol (MCP) Explained With Examples

 Large language models (LLMs) are powerful, but on their own, are limited to generating text, images, and other outputs. To expand their capabilities—whether for searching the web, sending an email, or updating a database —they need to connect with external tools and services. Until now, 

Language Models, Explained: How GPT and Other Models Work

 Since 2020, when GPT-3 took Silicon Valley by storm, large language models (LLMs) have transcended mere computational tools to become digital collaborators, creative partners, and even, at times, surprisingly convincing conversationalists. As the world marvels at their capabilities, it is crucial 

Extended Stay Hotels and Chains: Market Overview

 As travel habits shift toward longer stays, hospitality providers respond with tailored offerings to meet the growing demand. Let’s take a closer look at the global extended stay hotel market, explore how it’s shaping up, and consider whether this trend is here to stay. What is an extended stay 

How to Get IATA Accreditation for Travel Business: Options, Steps, IATA Certification Cost

 Every industry has its own regulator – an authority that sets standards and improves cooperation inside. The air travel industry is no exception. IATA stands for International Air Transport Association . Its main goal is to regulate distribution-related activities for airlines and commercial 

How to Choose and Integrate Travel and Expense Management Software

How to Integrate Travel and Expense Management Software: Product Comparison

 Business travel is back — and so are the headaches that come with managing it. Whether your team is heading to conferences, meeting clients, or visiting satellite offices, keeping track of travel bookings, expenses, and reimbursements can quickly become overwhelming. Even for smaller teams, 

Hotel Guest Experience: The Role of Tech in Modern Hospitality

 Guest experience is everything in hospitality. So hotels and vacation rentals go out of their way to make every moment smoother and more enjoyable – and technology is the magic that makes it possible. Or is it? Let’s discuss whether innovations impact the hotel guest experience – and if so, in 

The Good and Bad of Cursor AI Code Editor

 One of the biggest shifts in software development today is the rise of AI coding tools. These tools are helping developers and non-developers write code and launch prototypes and apps faster. Among these tools, Cursor has quickly gained attention as a leading option in the market. In this article, 

Airline Ticketing: Key Functions, Steps, and Players Involved

 Airline ticketing is not as simple as it may seem to passengers. It is a complex process that involves many systems, interactions, and regulations. This article aims to explain how ticketing works, what a ticket is, which accreditations an agency should have in order to issue tickets, and how to 

Cruise Industry, Explained: Top Cruise Line Brands and Market Share

 The cruise industry is currently setting one record after another. In 2024, it served approximately 34.6 million passengers . Moreover, the fleet of CLIA-member cruise lines exceed ed 300 ocean-going vessels in 2024, increasing to 310 by 2025. Travel agents report that cruising is outpacing all 

Human in the Loop in AI Systems

 This article explains the concept of human in the loop (HITL), how it works in the context of AI systems, and its multi-industry use cases. To deepen the perspective, we spoke with Sergii Shelpuk, an AI technology consultant, and Ismail Aslan, a machine learning engineer at AltexSoft, who both 

Merchant of Record in Travel: OTA's Guide to Owning the Payment Flow

 In this article, we break down everything you need to know to operate as a merchant of record in travel, including payment flows, challenges to address, how to choose the right payment service provider,  and more. If you’re considering the MoR route, this is your blueprint. What is MoR? A merchant 

AI Guardrails in Agentic Systems Explained

AI Guardrails in Agentic Systems Explained

 Have you ever asked an AI chatbot a question and gotten a response like, “I can’t help with that” ? If so, you’ve already seen AI guardrails in action . These are built-in safety checks that control what AI systems can and can’t do. For example, imagine an AI travel agent . It can help you book 

Selling Insurance Online: DTC, Aggregators, Bancassurance, Embedded

 From price comparison sites to embedded insurance at checkout, the digital transformation is not only redefining how insurers reach customers but also expanding the market by making products more accessible and tailored to modern consumer behavior. A J.D. Power study found that customer 

Airline Alliances Explained: Benefits, Major Players, and Other Types of Partnership

 It's highly unlikely that any airline would cover every region and destination on Earth—a good reason for carriers to cooperate with each other to provide their customers with an expanded route network, offering more opportunities. For now, many of the world-famous airlines belong to global 

The Anatomy of Travel and Expense (T&E) Management for Modern Corporate Travel

 In many companies, corporate travel is one of the largest expenses, but it’s also prone to leaks, inefficiencies, and frustrated employees. Successful management of travel expenses isn’t just a policy or a tool – it’s a connected ecosystem of people, systems, workflows, and data. This article 

AI Driven Software Development Integrating AI Tools Throughout the SDLC

AI-Driven Software Development: Integrating AI Tools Throughout the SDLC

 Artificial intelligence is changing the way we design, test, deploy, and maintain software. However, many teams are still unsure where to apply it in their workflows. This article gives a practical overview of how AI fits into each stage of the product development process and which tools are 

Order Management in Airline Retailing: Between Vision and Reality

 An order management system (OMS) is a core technology that enables modern retailing, and many industries have already adopted it. Yet in aviation, OMS is still at the margins of discussion—often misunderstood or seen as too complex to implement. In this post, we take a closer look at the current 

NDC Challenges: What Hinders Travel Resellers in Their Transition to Modern Airline Retailing

 By the end of 2024, the Airline Reporting Corporation ( ARC), the mastermind behind commercial transactions between US-based travel agencies and airlines, reported that 20 percent of air ticket sales were powered by New Distribution Capability or NDC. That’s double the amount from the previous 

Andrii Tarhonii

Kirill Stati

Meet AltexSoft at GBTA Convention 2025 in Denver, CO

Scott Cushman

AltexSoft Participated in HITEC 2025, the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference

Trip.com: Will the Chinese Giant Push Out Expedia and Booking?

Where do you book travel? It turns out that more than half of us use online travel agencies. But which ones? Well, it depends on where you live. In the US, it’s mostly about Expedia. In Europe, Booking.com rules. In Southeast Asia? Agoda's got you covered. 

But how about China – that little-known country in the far East with a modest population of 1.4 billion? That’s where Trip.com is clearly the winner, dominating over half of the market.

Every year, the air travel industry loses around a billion dollars to payment fraud. This results not only in financial losses but also in damaged passenger trust. However, there is a way forward. Learn how to detect fraud earlier by recognizing common scams and discover best practices to protect both your business and your customers.

Fighting Payment Fraud in Air Travel

Quality and Risk Management in TMC Workflow

Kirill Stati, Managing Director of Travel Tech at AltexSoft, explores how Travel Management Companies manage quality and risk. From booking checks and RPA-powered automation to disruption response and travel analytics, discover how modern tech is reshaping corporate travel operations for safety, efficiency, and compliance.

AltexSoft Blog

EBITDAR in Travel: Are Rent Costs That Critical?

Human in the Loop in AI Systems