Booking tourism SMEs online.

In order to show the world more of what Canada has to offer, itravelcanada.com, a company parented by itravel2000.com, has been working on a system which will allow people from all over the world to visit unique and otherwise unknown parts of the country.

The Travel Inventory Manager (TIM) system, targeted for medium and small accommodators with Internet underwent a pilot program launch, March 2006.

The TIM system, if proven successful will allow people to book reservations at Canadian resorts, bed and breakfasts and other such venues, online. As well, it will also allow for accommodators to manage their merchandising and bookings directly on the system.

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The system will give business owners their own website where people can book rooms or make reservations. Backed by itravelcanada.com, the businesses will also be available to people on itravelcanada.com.

The TIM system will give even the smallest accommodators in small, remote communities the chance to compete with larger, commercially operated hotels by their own website or through third-party travel agencies like itravelcanada, Expedia or through Travelocity.

"It will allow (people) to access really unique properties that have never been available online before," Janice Ketchen, the director of business development for itravelcanada.com says.

The TIM system gives way for itravelcanada.com to sell smaller accommodations in a manner which is user friendly. People from all over the world will have the opportunity to make reservations in more remote parts of Canada on the World Wide Web.

The most difficult part of getting the system running, which Ketchen hopes will start in the fall, is recruiting the smaller accommodators.

Many suppliers are unsure about the new system. According to Ketchen many seasonal suppliers are hesitant about how much profit they will actually make.

"For independent motels, the challenge is breaking out of the old routine," of doing everything independently, says Ketchen.

"Bed and Breakfasts' think that they have to talk to the person (they are renting a room too), Ketchen says.

"They are used to the personal (interaction with their clients), they seem afraid to have a third party involved in their business."

Ketchen says when a business does become part of this system they will have the training needed to show them how to build and use their websites effectively. As well, they will be trained on how to run their whole business through the TIM system and how to complete transactions.

So what does this mean for small communities in Canada?

Ketchen says it will improve visitations in those communities.

"It will make it a lot easier for people to stay in the community," she says, since "a lot of people don't know where to go."

According to Ketchen, with the TIM system people will be able to see more of what is out there. Instead of driving by a smaller community, people will be aware of what it has to offer and will more likely stay longer.

www.itravelcanada.com

www.expedia.ca

www.travelocity.ca

By ALLISON LORANGER

Northern Ontario Business