XtraOnline Rolls Out Corporate Booking Product

<I>Dallas</I> - Just in time for the rollout of a new corporate version of its year-old automated booking system, XtraOnline has secured a second round of venture-capital financing.

The infusion of $5 million in new funding should help Xtra market its new corporate version, which allows travel managers to highlight preferred carriers; incorporate negotiated fares by city pair, flat rate or percent off; load corporate per diem rates and force travelers to do a low-fare search and/or get authorization from their supervisors before booking a trip. Also included are a new and friendlier interface, and a summary trip cost.

The launch of the corporate product this month will be followed in July by XtraOnline Home Agent, a package that will allow travel agencies to offer their services to at-home travel agents and to the small-office and home office (SOHO) market. Using Home Agent, at-home workers will be able to easily book travel online through their PCs, with the bookings credited to the agency. "We'll give agencies everything they need to reach that market, including marketing materials and ads to find agents," said chairman Rick Kumpf.

Kumpf noted that the SOHO market of home-based workers and consultants is expected to be a prime base for online travel, as that group tends to travel often and book at odd hours.

While the current Xtra system is client-server based, an Internet version will be avilable by July, Kumpf said. Dubbed Destination Station, it will feature expanded destination coverage and local news. Agency customers of Xtra Online will get a free Web page of their own linked to Destination Station.

Also in the works at Xtra are new CRS connections. The system is currently available only in a version that links to Sabre, but an Apollo link is in final testing. A link to Worldspan is expected by summer, and System One/Amadeus will be offered shortly thereafter.