| | SEPTEMBER 20159CIOReviewespecially due to many APIs having few similarities between them. Even airlines have different APIs, based on their business models. Coding to multiple APIs requires additional technical and financial resources for each API release to ensure that the newest version does not break their existing application. Solving the problem of how to connect to disparate APIs while reducing the cost and effort to upgrade API versions in order to get the most recent and accurate data is where companies like Travelport come in. Travel companies expanding their business or companies moving into the travel space frequently look to APIs to provide content for their own end user application. In a survey of approximately 150 OTAs at Travelport events, the average number of APIs managed by an OTA was seven, with 18% of OTAs managing more than 15 APIs. The prevailing view among OTAs was that utilizing multiple APIs and integrating the content is a challenge, which holds true for any travel company.Travelport, for example, has developed a Travel Commerce Platform that enables travel providers, travel agencies, corporations, and developers to connect with our data. Our Universal API bridges the gap for companies that want to sell travel, but want more of a "one-stop-shop" rather than a solution that requires coding to many APIs to get the same amount of data for their customers.By creating a universal API to aggregate content from multiple sources worldwide, including 400+ airlines, low cost airlines, airline ancillaries, 650,000 hotel properties, and over 35,000 car rental locations, we give businesses the opportunity to step into the travel space and access business logic that includes search, pricing, and profiling functionality on one platform, in a shared environment.In the travel industry, an aggregated API goes a long way towards easing development costs and ensures customers don't have to limit the number of APIs they consume, based on the time and financial burdens of development. Now, travel companies can code once and get access to data from many airlines, hotels, and car rental providers, which they can use to build their own vacation solutions.By making it easier for companies to make use of our data through our Universal API, Travelport has made the journey from origin to destination, less turbulent and less expensive. Our universal API bridges the gap for companies that want to sell travel, but want more of a "one-stop shopMatt Minetola
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