Studiosus, based in Munich, is the European market leader in the cultural tours segment. The group offers study tours to more than 100 countries worldwide. It has maintained this position for many years thanks to its program's superb quality, excellent tour guides, and constant innovation.

Despite challenges from global crises, Studiosus saw significant growth in 2024. The company, which includes the tour operators Marco Polo Reisen and Studiosus Gruppenreisen, increased its turnover to more than 259 million euros, up from 225 million the previous year. The number of tour participants also rose, from 71,500 in 2023 to 74,000 in 2024. In October 2024 the Hiking and Trekking Specialist Hauser Exkursionen joined the Studiosus Group.

To maintain its reputation as a forward-thinking company, Studiosus needed to update and improve its website design, performance, and SEO along with a focus on developing a modern booking system. The goal was a responsive online booking system with a mobile-first design, up-to-date availability, live flight data, and direct flight booking.

This is why they turned to PRODYNA as a trusted partner over the years.

 "PRODYNA’s expertise in project management methods and conceptual work has made a real difference. Their close cooperation with our developers and product owners, combined with their commitment to truly understanding our business and the specific needs of the tourism market, has helped create better solutions for us. This deep understanding builds the vital trust needed in such a complex environment."

- Dr. Frank Miedreich, Head of IT at Studiosus Reisen

Innovating travel through booking & website development

Studiosus Group has been working with PRODYNA for five years, starting with website development for Studiosus and its subsidiaries, Marco Polo Reisen and Studiosus Gruppenreisen.

After several years with the improved websites, new requirements emerged for Studiosus and Marco Polo Reisen.

At the same time, significant issues with the legacy booking application became apparent:

• The system lacked live flight data and direct flight booking
• The system was built on legacy systems (e.g. Framework, Content Management System)
• It was non-responsive and unusable on mobile devices
• It offered poor usability due to limited and unclear information for users
• The application was slow, leading to a high manual workload after every incoming booking
• Even minor changes required considerable maintenance effort, which further hindered efficiency

These challenges made it clear that a comprehensive booking system and website development was essential to improving the overall customer experience and streamlining operations.

Simplifying travel with online booking system development

To address these issues, Studiosus, with the assistance of PRODYNA, implemented a modern online booking system by integrating the legacy on-premises ERP system with a modern technology stack based on spring-boot microservices running in a Kubernetes cluster to provide real-time availability, prices, and other essential tour information.

The objective was a comprehensive booking system - a mobile-first online booking platform that focuses on optimizing user flow to deliver a streamlined and intuitive experience. It aimed to reduce the number of customer inquiries received by the client's customer sales team following online bookings.

The integration with an information system developed simultaneously will facilitate the provision of all tour-related information. This internal portal solution was designed to house and maintain all the client's information and thus ensures comprehensive and up-to-date data for Studiosus customers.

The project digitized numerous paper-based lists and Excel processes, as well as replacing the 40-year-old Cobol terminal ERP system. By creating new interfaces, PRODYNA synchronized this system with the new central ERP system and other services.

Furthermore, an SAP adapter was integrated to enable the real-time synchronization of customer bookings and data between the ERP system and SAP. Through this integration, the ERP system now provides real-time financial information to business intelligence and yield management.

At the same time, this new ERP system was connected to Hitchhiker, a flight consolidator and booking software, allowing real-time booking and reservation maintenance also for the online-booking and website. Thus, the new booking system ensures automated flight bookings when a reservation is confirmed, securing both the price and availability.

"The new online booking system has greatly benefited our business by improving data quality and optimizing conversion rates within the booking funnel. These enhancements have streamlined our operations and improved overall business performance."

-  Thomas Borsch, Head of Direct Marketing & After Sales Service at Studiosus Reisen

The online travel booking platform you will love

The new online booking solution has revolutionized the user experience for Studiosus customers by seamlessly integrating flight options into the booking process. Travelers can now preview live flight options including flight details as they browse available tours, allowing them to choose the perfect itinerary with up-to-date flight availability and pricing information.

Once a booking is made, the system automatically secures the selected flights, ensuring the customer benefits from both the best prices and guaranteed availability. This enhancement reduces the risk of price changes or sold-out flights, making the booking process stress-free. 

"The new online booking system puts our customers first by simplifying the entire process. We've reduced complexity, allowing quick and easy access to all available flight connections, ensuring a smoother and more convenient experience for our travelers."

- Thomas Borsch, Head of Direct Marketing & After Sales Service at Studiosus Reisen

Increased conversions and mobile engagement

Implementing the new booking system has significantly boosted conversion rates by 40% within the new funnel. Additionally, the share of bookings made via mobile devices has increased from 0% to 15% for Studiosus and 26% for Marco Polo Reisen. This transformation underscores the effectiveness of the new funnel in enhancing user experience and accessibility, driving substantial growth in desktop and mobile bookings. This trend is further demonstrated by a 44% increase in direct bookings at Studiosus and Marco Polo Reisen when comparing October-November 2023 with October-November 2024. Travelers now enjoy a more seamless and efficient booking process, increasing their satisfaction and engagement.