[edit] Getting Involved!

Take advantage of your membership by getting involved! Joining or monitoring a work group or subcommittee can provide you with advance information that can help you take full advantage of the business opportunities that OpenTravel specification implementation will provide, and be prepared for any operations or technical issues related to implementation. Your participation in specification development will help to increase your company's competitive advantage and speed your time-to-market efforts.

• Join an OpenTravel Workgroup - There are four OpenTravel Workgroups that you can join:
  • The Architecture Workgroup serves all aspects of the OpenTravel specification which are outside the contents of the XML messages themselves and which generally affect all of the other workgroups equally.
  • The Hospitality Workgroup serves the needs of the hotel and cruise verticals.
  • The Transport Workgroup serves the needs of the air, car and rail verticals.
  • The Travel Integration Workgroup serves the needs of the tour & package tour suppliers, travel insurance providers, destination activity suppliers, golf suppliers, travel itinerary consumers, loyalty program managers and customer profile consumers.
• Join or Start an OpenTravel Project Team – Any OpenTravel member has the right to participate in any active project. Check out the current active projects list to see if your company should be involved. If you’re interested in starting a new project, start at our Project Team Proposal page or contact the OpenTravel Specification Manager.
• Use the OpenTravel Specification to Implement Systems Download the OpenTravel Specification. Use it to implement a system which passes OpenTravel messages. Everyone who uses the specification increases the relevance and acceptance of that specification.
• Submit Comments on the Specification - The OpenTravel Specification goes through a release cycle twice a year. Comments can be submitted at any time. However, during a portion of each release cycle, the Specification is in draft stage and public comments are reviewed and discussed. Please submit comments on the specification if you need some small enhancement or if there seems to be a problem with it.
• Ask or Answer Questions in the OpenTravel Forum - OpenTravel has a forum website which is free for anyone to participate in. You can ask questions, answer questions and discuss issues related to the OpenTravel Specification and how to implement systems using it. OpenTravel Members get expert moderator support in the Architecture, Hospitality, Transport, Travel Services and Tours & Activities sections of the forum.
• Attend the Annual Advisory Forum - (registration fee) Every year, OpenTravel holds its annual meeting, the Advisory Forum. This is an invaluable forum to connect with the community of OpenTravel implementers, and is open to non-members as well as members.

[edit] OpenTravel Tools & Resources for Members

[edit] OpenTravel Webinars

• OpenTravel offers pre-recorded and WebEx Webinars. You can access the list of webinars on the OpenTravel Forum.

[edit] WebEx Access for OpenTravel Meetings

• WebEx is used by the OpenTravel for its virtual meetings.

[edit] The OpenTravel Specification and Supporting Artifacts

• The OpenTravel Specification is the core product of OpenTravel and consists of a large library of XML Schema files
• The OpenTravel Code Table is a spreadsheet that is maintained consistently and contains a comprehensive list of all codes referenced within the XML Schema files.
  • Requests for new OpenTravel codes need to follow the procedures for requesting new OpenTravel codes.
• The OpenTravel Forum website
• You can author content for the OpenTravel Message Users Guide which is included with the OpenTravel Specification download.
• The OpenTravel Implementation Guide is a must have and you can get your copy here. The purpose of this guide is to provide, in a single document, information that an implementer of the OpenTravel specification can use to more easily build software systems that are interoperable with other travel systems. The guide also should be useful for analysts who need to understand how to use the OpenTravel specification.

[edit] Online Community & Collaboration Resources

• The OpenTravel Forum
• Mailing Lists - OpenTravel maintains a number of mailing lists that inform members of upcoming conference calls and meetings. Membership of relevant mailing lists is also critical for participating in and staying up to date with OpenTravel's specification development. You can sign up for mailing lists here, or contact Bonnie Lowell with your request.
• You can follow OpenTravel on Twitter
• You can join the OpenTravel Alliance Group on Linked In

[edit] Online Specification Resources

• The OpenTravel Model Viewer provides OpenTravel schema documentation in the form of cross-referenced, hyperlinked HTML pages along with a detailed functional report for each schema component.
• The Online OpenTravel Schema pages on the OpenTravel.org website provide a central location by which each OpenTravel schema can be accessed via its own, unique URL.
• You can download past versions of the OpenTravel Specificationfrom the OpenTravel.org website.

[edit] OpenTravel eTools

• OpenTravel Messages by Business Functionality List
• OpenTravel Message Use Case/ Sample Instance List
• OpenTravel Code List Navigators
• OpenTravel Schema Includes Map

[edit] OpenTravel Message Registration

• The OpenTravel Message Registration Program is a free benefit for OpenTravel member companies that declares your company’s production implementation of OpenTravel messages; shows your support of OpenTravel standards; gives your company exposure on the OpenTravel website; and provides personal notification of major changes to messages you’ve implemented.

[edit] OpenTravel Specification & Artifact Comments

• Submit Comments on the Specification
• Submit Comments on OpenTravel Schema Supporting Artifacts

[edit] OpenTravel Specification Development Documentation

• The OpenTravel Schema Design Best Practices document is included with the OpenTravel Specification download.

[edit] Marketing

• Marketing - As a member, you have the right to use the OpenTravel logo in print and online.

[edit] Miscellaneous

• The Worldclock is a good tool for scheduling meetings across multiple time zones.

[edit] Additional Assistance

• Should you require any assistance, you are welcome to contact Bonnie Lowell with your questions.