LONDON, 28 September 2023:
In 2023, intuitive marks a significant milestone – our 20th anniversary. As we celebrate this achievement, we take a moment to look back on our journey, spanning from our early beginnings to establishing ourselves as a reliable technology partner within the travel sector.
Founders with a vision
intuitive was born from the vision of our founders who came from traditional tour operating technology backgrounds, well-versed in fixed and committed charter holidays that were the mainstay of the industry in the 80s’ and 90s’. We were quick to recognise the shift in the industry towards dynamic packaging and connectivity. What set intuitive apart right from the start was our aspiration to be early adopters of web-based technology, running a full online reservation and back office system – a groundbreaking move in 2003!
In our early years, we dedicated ourselves to building a robust direct contracting and inventory management system, along with some early reservation technology.
The birth of iVector
By 2006, intuitive had reached a significant milestone with the delivery of the first version of iVector, a full end-to-end dynamic packaging system catering to tour operators and online travel agencies (OTAs). We had our first customers: four small to medium-sized companies, setting the stage for growth.
intuitive’s journey was marked by continuous expansion and evolution. We seamlessly integrated our first external suppliers, Multicom for flights and Hotelbeds for accommodation, (paving the way for the development of over 300 additional connections in the years that followed), and had a growing solution for all key parts of a travel business.
Accelerated growth
Significant growth was achieved in 2007 when Lowcostholidays, which were already doing the accommodation-only part of their business with us, moved their full OTA onto iVector. This partnership saw rapid investment in the platform, enabling Lowcostholidays to grow their business to a staggering £500m TTV on iVector.
From 2007 to 2011, we secured prominent clients, including Thomas Cook in Belgium, Webjet in Australia (a substantial deal on the other side of the world), and delivered easyJet Holidays via Lowcostholidays, Hotels4u (a part of Thomas Cook), and Youtravel. We expanded the network of suppliers, GDSs, ancillaries, and introduced new features such as a charter flight contract module, pre-packaging, caching and a sophisticated MI reporting tool, among many other improvements.
In 2012, intuitive underwent a significant private equity management buyout, affirming our place in the industry as a resilient and adaptable player.
Innovation and expansion
Throughout our journey, intuitive’s core strength remained our expertise in accommodation contracting and connectivity. While customers appreciated the full system’s look, flexibility, and speed, it was the accommodation sourcing capability that truly set us apart.
intuitive’s growth continued relentlessly. In 2009 we were a team of twelve, by 2010 that had grown to seventeen, and in 2011, there were twenty-six of employees, managing to achieve a great deal despite being a small team.
In 2012-2017, we secured deals with TotalStay, which later sold to JacTravel and Webeds and absorbed the technology. Additionally, intuitive procured numerous other big enterprises, primarily but not solely in the UK.
The company consistently invested thousands of days into system development and connectivity, and regularly delivered around 500 new features into the core platform.
Winning more businesses
iVector’s versatility expanded to power various types of businesses, including charter operators (like Sunway Ireland), river cruise companies (eWaterways), high-volume bedbanks (BookABed, TotalStay, getabed), and in 2017, a tailored-made and groups system for Discover the World.
From 2014-2020, we continued to win over mid-sized UK operators eager to embrace dynamic solutions, increase connectivity, and move away from legacy technology. Clients like Kenwood Travel, Classic Collections, Mercury Holidays, and If Only joined the intuitive portfolio.
In a strategic move to further respond to the industry’s demands, we decided to shift our focus from the delivery of websites and CRM solutions, where specialised providers were available for integration, to offering select technology modules as standalone products, such as DealFinder, iVectorRooms, and the more recent iVectorOne.
Present and future
Since 2018-2019, intuitive has celebrated significant milestones with deals like Thomas Cook and Goway, alongside substantial hotel-only projects, powering many of the top 10-20 businesses in the UK, including On the Beach, Youtravel, and Loveholidays.
All of these accomplishments were achieved despite the significant challenges posed by the pandemic. It was a period during which the relationship between intuitive and our customers experienced a higher level of collaboration and mutual support, amplifying the significance of our shared achievements.
Now, intuitive has made substantial progress in building a strong international presence, serving more than 50 iVectorOne customers worldwide. This expansion enhances our commitment to catering to a diverse range of enterprises seeking comprehensive hotel sourcing solutions. We continue to prioritise helping organisations streamline their travel operations, and we look forward to further strengthening our global partnerships by delivering innovative solutions to support our clients’ growth and success.
