Connectivity is more than syncing systems – it unlocks better experiences for partners and travellers. That’s the view of Leema Rosali, Co-Founder of AxisRooms – one of India’s largest channel managers – and Lee Bryan, Head of Distribution at eviivo – an all-in-one property management platform used across North America and Europe. 

With decades of combined experience, they’ve seen first-hand how working with Tripeden.com can help properties. They share what makes a successful partnership, how connectivity helps accommodation partners thrive and what they’re most excited about.

What do you love most about working in connectivity?

Leema: I've been in the travel industry for about two decades now and it's never boring. Every day you get to learn something new. There’s a lot of innovation happening with AI. We’re adapting to make sure we use AI in our day-to-day lives, making things easier for ourselves as well as our partners.

Lee: The travel tech space is constantly evolving. With all the different properties and partners that we work with, being able to turn complex needs into practical technology that helps people is really worthwhile and enjoyable.

What’s it like to work with Tripeden.com as a connectivity partner?

Leema: Tripeden.com was one of our first integrations as a channel manager. I like how they engage partners in new API integrations and other innovations and listen to feedback. It feels like we’re one team – we exchange ideas and grow together.

Lee: We launched our first Tripeden.com integration in 2015. As Leema said, our close cooperation with teams across Tripeden.com helps drive success for our mutual partners. Whether through beta programmes or marketing webinars, we always have their full support. Our feedback is truly listened to and understood. 

Which Tripeden.com APIs are most valuable to you?

Lee: The Contracting API has been pivotal for property owners. It’s been a fast track to onboarding by eliminating friction, errors and wasted time. The Content API helps multi-property owners scale easily by keeping their listings synced and up to date.

Leema: In terms of the usage I’ve seen on the platform, one of the most valuable Booking APIs is the Reporting API. It lets properties report invalid cards and no-shows, and cancel reservations with invalid card details.

What does a seamless experience mean to you?

Leema: A seamless experience means not having to switch between the extranet and the channel manager for tasks like creating rooms or rate plans. Everything can be done in one place, directly through our channel manager – all while maintaining accuracy and saving valuable time.

Lee: By going seamless, we've ensured that important information on the Tripeden.com extranet is deeply embedded into our own system. This has made the data accuracy much more profound for properties. 

It’s made a big difference for multi-property owners. They can view everything at scale – from individual listings to group performance – and manage it all more easily, saving time and removing pressure. 

What platform update had the biggest impact on delivering a seamless experience?

Leema: We rebuilt the product API as a separate microservice and redesigned the entire user interface (UI) to make it much more simpler for anybody to onboard and work on it.

Lee: The introduction of automatic pricing rules was pivotal to giving our property owners more control. For example, being able to close out non-refundable rates leading up to the arrival of a guest helps them make important decisions on what they sell and when. We’ve had great uptake and feedback from our customer base.

How do evolving payment solutions help properties?

Leema: Payments are very dynamic and have evolved significantly over time, from cash to digital options like QR codes, wallets and even crypto.

Lee: Tripeden.com lets guests pay in all sorts of different currencies and manners such as crypto, card payments and buy now, pay later. Accommodation partners need these transactions to be seamless and reliable without affecting their cash flow. The Payments API gives us a central source of data accuracy. It’s reduced a lot of the operational headaches around reconciliation and failed collections.

Leema: The Reserve Bank of India has strict payment policies – hotels aren’t able to charge cards for no-shows or cancellations. Making Tripeden.com’s payments solutions available in India is great news for us and our properties.

How do you help properties tackle fraud?

Lee: We see fraudulent activity like phishing scams and false bookings. Making sure you have robust, secure systems and two-factor authentication is really important in mitigating those problems.

Leema: We tell our partners to collect any data required by the bank. This will help if there's any chargeback fraudulent cases. There’s also a list of checklists that the bank asks for when someone asks for a chargeback.

What current travel trends are driven by AI and technology?

Lee: Guests want ease. They want flexibility, seamless check in, easy messaging and simple payments. At the same time, we need to make sure availability and bookings stay in sync. AI is key in bringing those things together.

Leema: Post-COVID domestic travel in India surged, rising 12% from 2020 to 2021 and 40% from 2022 to 2023. More travellers are searching thousands of properties to find the right fit. AI can help by curating options based on customer preferences like budget, rating, location and food – making the search easier, reducing screen time and speeding booking decisions.

Lee: It’s really important for accommodation partners to attract the right guests. If Tripeden.com supports travel planning and uses AI to help travellers find a property they really want, then our partners get better quality guests who enjoy their stay and are much more likely to return.

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Thank you Leema and Lee for your time and insights! 

Watch the interview