NetSprint IAP Solution in New Travel Search Engine QTravel

27.04.10

Q&Q company launched its new travel service Qtravel.pl based on the NetSprint Information Access Platform eTravel technology. NetSprint was specially adapted to the needs of clients from the travel sector. The search system simultaneously scans 2.5 million current travel offers from over 30 travel agencies.

Qtravel.pl provides a „Quick Travel Search” comprising a full-text travel deal search engine created by the Company Q&Q Sp. z o.o. in cooperation with NetSprint.pl. The aim of the company was to provide an efficient travel search tool for Internet users. NetSprint.pl and Q&Q have created a website which is a simple and effective tool for browsing travel deals of Polish agents. Apart from search options the website also enables booking of selected travel deals.

The implemented NetSprint solution makes it possible to search deals of over 30 travel agencies. All a user needs to do is type a query into the search field and in an instant a list of matching deals will appear. The search module can process hundreds of queries at once.

The search mechanism analyses the content of all available deals. Based on validity and relevance for the query the QTravel.pl search engine displays the most relevant results first. An interesting feature of the system is an option of making a detailed query in one search engine text field. For example by typing “Egypt Hurghada July 2010 pool hotel by the beach” the user will obtain a full list of air travel deals to Egypt/Hurghada beginning in July 2010. In Qtravel.pl there is no need to click through calendars and collapsing lists – the search process has been designed to make it as quick and intuitive as possible.

At the current cooperation stage NetSprint has implemented in the Qtravel.pl search engine features of simple and advanced search with misspelling function (suggestions of correct spelling for misspelled queries) and possibility to limit the results by criteria, for example to see only 14-day trips with flights from Warsaw in August 2010. Filtering, that is the process of limiting results, can be done using 13 different criteria: state, region, city, travel agency, hotel category, promotion type, month of the trip, length of stay, city of outgoing flight, transport type, board type, number of persons per room and price range.

An advanced search engine is available for users who prefer to select the search criteria by clicking at the list of available values. Not only does it enable the selection of several values at once (for example leaving in June, July or August) but also the selection of elements the user does not wish to search for (for example flights from all cities except for Szczecin and Wrocław).

Another interesting functionality of Qtravel.pl is the implementation of so-called date synonyms, which facilitate the use of the simple search engine. With this module the user may type the date in more than ten different formats and the search system will be able to interpret it correctly. The system will process correctly when the user types the name of the month as follows:

• using words (formats: July, July 2010, in July 2010, 25 July, 25 July 2010)
• using Roman numerals (formats: VII, VII 2010, 25 VII 2010, 25.VII.2010)
• using Arabic numerals (formats: 07.2010, 25.07.2010, 07-2010, 25-07-2010, 07/2010, 25/07/2010)