In the third episode of our Impact10 series, we spoke with Joâo Vitor Jardim, the Financial Manager at iTravel.

With hands-on experience in building hotel systems, Joâo shares how the right blend of technology and tech partner can contribute to a seamless experience of building innovative & tech-forward travel solutions.

Here are some insights from our interaction with Joâo Vitor:

Thanks for joining me today, Joao.  

To start off, can you share a bit about the journey iTravel has been on over the past few years? 

Joao Vitor Jardim: Absolutely. When we started evaluating the technology we had, we realized we were dealing with outdated code and an old programming language. It became clear that we needed to update our systems and refresh our brand to stay competitive. 

The initial years were tough. And then, of course, the pandemic hit 2019–2020. Like many in the travel industry, we were hit hard. Operations came to a standstill, no flights, no hotel bookings, so our financials were declining rapidly. We struggled just to stay afloat and avoid bankruptcy. 

That must have been extremely challenging. What changed after that period? 

Joao Vitor Jardim: Things started improving in 2022. We slowly began getting back on our feet. By 2023, we had a clear roadmap to rebuild our hotel system from the ground up. We had an existing one, but it wasn’t suitable for the current market. So, we decided to build a new one using modern technology that would better meet today’s demands. 

At what point did Vervotech come into the picture? 

Joao Vitor Jardim: We initially connected with Vervotech before the pandemic, but everything got delayed. We resumed discussions afterward and worked closely together for about a year before signing the contract. What we liked was that Vervotech didn’t just offer mapping; it felt like a collaborative effort. 

Can you tell us more about how your team is integrating Vervotech’s solution? 

Joao Vitor Jardim: Sure. We’re currently building our hotel system, and we’re integrating it alongside Vervotech’s technology. We’re shaping the system in a way that aligns with Vervotech’s capabilities, and so far, the experience has been very positive. 

Our use case is different, and we needed a few additional things which we requested. Vervotech has been very flexible. It really felt like they were invested in our success. 

That’s great to hear. From your perspective, what were the key factors that led you to choose Vervotech over other mapping solutions? 

Joao Vitor Jardim: A few things stood out. First, because we’re building our own hotel system, we needed more than just a service; we needed a partner who could be hands-on. Vervotech really supported us during the test phase, participating in our solutioning phase and giving us the flexibility others didn’t offer. 

Second, the pricing was very flexible and true usage-based pricing. They don’t have pricing, which is one irrespective of the number of suppliers. Among the options we evaluated, Vervotech offered the best value. And lastly, the combination of hotel mapping, room mapping, and curated content made a compelling offering that will really help us go forward.  

Vervotech has been extremely supportive. They’re quick to respond, open to feedback, and have been a great partner overall.