Managing a travel business is lots of work. It does not end with convincing clients for the packages and collecting money from them. There are several operations that need to be completed without an error, especially in today’s competitive world.
Before covid affected the travel industry pre-2019 companies understood that technology is the key that will bring profits to their account. Many DMCs and travel businesses invested in building software to have full control over the operations. On paper this might sound effective– having full control, customization and cost saving. But the reality turned out to be totally opposite and Covid-19 made it worse.
Lets find out how things turned around to be negative in this scenario for travel businesses.
Rush during 2019 for In-House Travel Software
There was a noticeable shift in the travel industry before Covid when a lot of travel businesses understood that– tools like excel, Canva, WhatsApp and more are not effective in handling their business operations. All of these tools only narrowed the scope of growth for them. Therefore, they took a bold step of developing in house- Travel Operations software.
They made: The Investment– Started the process- But then COVID happened.
Borders were shut- people were locked in their house- bookings vanished and all of this resulted in No Cashflow for the travel companies. They were left with no cash flows that can be further invested in continuing development of the software. But this was not the only reason why in-house CRMs failed.
Lets talk about what actually happened behind the scenes in detail.
Top Reasons In-House Travel CRMs Failed– COVID effect and more
Most of the travel businesses didn’t have knowledge about the software development process due to which they had a fall. Travel businesses and DMCs predicted that- Hiring a tech team and investing money will do wonders for them. But what actually happened was:
- Business got Distracted from Core Operations
Most of the travel companies understood that developing software is not a part time job but it requires full time investment and attention to details. Their teams became stretched. Key decision-makers were consumed due to software calls, testing bugs, discussion and managing of tech teams instead of focusing on leads, operations, consumers and service quality.
As a result, core business performance took a backseat. Trying to “build and run” at the same time– was chaotic, like trying to fly a plane while it’s still being built.
- Being a Good operator and a Good product developer– 2 Different things
Even in the situations where the development process continued another challenge was that “Most of the Travel Business owners aren’t software developers.” They understand destinations, pricing, margins, and customer satisfaction — not code, UX design, or scalability.
This created a huge disconnect between the business goals and the developer’s execution. Important features were either missed or misunderstood. Due to this, the output often looked nothing like what the business needed.
- Wrong practices of business were coded in system
A software that was meant to improve operations ended up repeating the same mistakes already present in the business. Instead of rethinking and improving their workflow, they simply asked developers to digitize the same steps they followed manually. The result? A software that didn’t transform — it just automated inefficiencies.
The software was not a fit for the actual world travel business it was competing with. It had zero relevance to the Industry Standards of Travel Software.
Launching Is Easy — Maintaining Is Not
Lets say some of the travel businesses were able to build the software but soon they realized that it is a continuous job to maintain it. The journey does not end after building a software but it starts from there:
- Who would fix bugs?
- Who would handle server updates?
- Who’s adding new features when market trends change?
- Who ensures that it stays mobile-friendly, secure, and fast?
For every small change the travel businesses needed a whole team at the “Back End-Front End-and QA” plus managing the payroll of a tech team is financially difficult.
Due to these issues the travel business started looking out for an alternative solution which was actually effective.
What’s Working in 2025 for the travel businesses searching for a CRM travel software?
Trusting External software: Now all of the travel businesses prefer to outsource their software needs as it gives More Outcome in Less Investment. Main reasons of outsourcing software services:
- Low investment- With the help of B2B SaaS model, travel businesses are able to fulfil their Software need in less capital in comparison to the amount they were spending in development.
- Tech expertise: Using pre-built software helped travel businesses easily get the tech support they needed.
- Access to market fit tools– In outsourcing the DMCs or tour operators get a platform designed for the real world. That provides end-to-end support, from lead management to final payment.
- Real-Time Analytics and Insights– In outsourcing the travel business gets access to dashboards, reports, and live data tools that improve visibility of performance.
In short, to escape the problems of maintaining, fixing and scaling, companies find it easy to purchase software and focus on sales & marketing. Instead of being trapped in scaling software, they are scaling sales & marketing.
Once the engine is running, real founders won’t get distracted by noise—they can now lock in on what no one else can do: driving leads and building powerful networks. That’s the battlefield only they can dominate.
How 810+ Travel Businesses Found the Right Fit
SEMBARK is one of the fastest growing Travel Tech Solutions being adapted by business easily in the domestic and international market. With more than 10,000+ active users everyday, 7+ years of on-hand experience SEMBARK is capable of making your daily travel business management easy and fast.
SEMBARK has worked exactly for the problems faced by Travel businesses–
- Built by Travel & Tech Experts: Back in 2014, SEMBARK’s founders weren’t just IITians— they were tour operators who struggled with manual work and errors. Instead of waiting for a fix, they have built one. That’s why SEMBARK is packed with real, tested solutions — not guesswork. It’s what travel businesses actually need.
- Industry Best Practices- SEMBARK brings you the best practices trusted by top travel businesses — all streamlined into one powerful platform. By adopting SEMBARK, you’re aligning with what works at scale.
- Regular Updates, No Extra Effort- Sembark handles everything — from regular feature updates, security patches to mobile responsiveness and ongoing bug fixes — so you never have to worry about tech maintenance again. With SEMBARK, stay agile without the cost or chaos of an in-house team.
- Smooth Tour Operations, Start to End: Sembark didn’t just copy-paste manual processes into software — it reengineered them. From real-time cost engines to auto-markups, smart follow-ups to drag-drop itinerary builders — every SEMBARK feature solves an inefficiency.
- Seamless Onboarding Process: Sembark is a ready-to-use, professionally built CRM that lets DMCs and travel businesses stay focused on their main operations— selling tours, delighting customers, and growing bookings. All you need to do is connect— SEMBARK gives facilities like 24/7 Support and onboarding support that makes the journey of adaptation easy.
Conclusion
It’s time to make the right decision for your business and its future. There is a valid reason most of the travel businesses are outsourcing their software needs. Focus on your mainstream operations and let SEMBARK help you fulfil the online booking chores.
810+ DMCs trust this solution and have been achieving success like never before. It is easy, fast, and reliable. All of your problems get solved under one dashboard.
Connect with us Book a FREE Demo today– Let SEMBARK do the hard work for your business to be on new heights of success and profits.
