BOOKIT

BOOKIT is a reservations system for the ferry industry. It is provided by Hogia Ferry Systems, a part of the Hogia group. Hogia Ferry Systems have its premises and the whole software development team in the municipality of Vaasa in Finland.

History

The first version of the BOOKIT system was originally developed in 1987 for the AW Line operation between Mariehamn on the Åland Islands in Finland and Norrtälje in Sverige. This operation was a project by the Aland businessman Anders Wiklöf and was only sailing for two years. The next year Eckerö Linjen acquired the system and the saga started.^[1]

Today, the BOOKIT software provided by Hogia Ferry Systems is used across Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and Africa.

Functionality

The reservations system has grown after that to cover all types of services that are offered together with ferry traffic as stated by Philip Dawson, a freelance writer in the ferry industry: "BOOKIT is a complete reservation system for transport and travel, allowing the user to combine passenger, vehicle and cargo reservations for their ships with booking arrangements for onboard services, accommodations tourism and onward travel ashore, both at the point of origin and destination." ^[2]

BOOKIT is equipped with online reservations user interfaces both for B2B and B2C access. The user interfaces are developed in Microsoft.NET technology and also includes functionality for embarkation control to follow the ISPS (International Ship and Port Security) Code regulations.^[3]

As reported by the industry magazine Ferry Technology the application can also provide check in over the internet so that passengers can print their boarding cards at home.^[4]

In 1999 a web based booking interface was added. This software runs on all web browsers.

Current customers

There are at the moment 15 customers using the BOOKIT system for ferry reservation.^[5]

• Destination Gotland
• Bay Ferries
• Northumberland Ferries Ltd
• Marine Atlantic
• Red Funnel
• Serco NorthLink Ferries
• Wagenborg Passagiersdiensten
• Bintan Resort Ferries
• Swedish Orient Line
• Linda Line Express
• Ålandstrafiken
• Algerie Ferries
• CAI Nunatsiavut Marine
• Block Island Ferry
• Riverside Marine|FantaSea Cruising Magnetic

External links

• Hogia Ferry Systems
• the Hogia Group

References

1. ↑ Sjöström, P-H, Hogia provides booking systems worldwide, "Finnish Maritime Index 04-05", 184-186, ISBN 91-974379-8-0
2. ↑ Dawson, Philip, Please be Seated: The airline seat's ascendency over the traditional ship's berth, "ShipPax GUIDE 04", 96-102, ISSN 0282-8898
3. ↑ Couse, Charlotte, Passengers and agents embrace the Internet, "Cruise & Ferry Info" September 2006 No. 9, 12-15, ISSN 1102-934X
4. ↑ Online check-in introduced by Hurtigruten, "Ferry Technology" June 2006, 46, ISSN 1746-1111
5. ↑ Hogia Ferry Systems web site, References