WASHINGTON --- The OpenTravel Alliance, the travel industry’s leading specification development organization, has published its 2006A specifications.

Included in the specifications are XML-based messages for airlines, hotels, car rental companies, cruise lines and travel integrators designed to both efficient operations and enhanced travelers’ experiences. Additionally, OTA continues to publish technical reference guidelines so the travel industry can build interoperability cheaply and easily using web services.

One segment of the OTA’s 2006A specifications is the car rental workgroup. The group has created a new message pair to be used when a supplier would like to push information to a trading partner to add or update rental location information in the trading partner’s system. Another message created by the workgroup is a request for more detailed information on a quoted rate or confirmed booking (i.e. advanced booking requirements, minimum or maximum day rental requirements).

The specifications can be downloaded at http://www.opentravel.org/ota_downloads_form.cfm.

The 2006B publication cycle is underway. Member review will begin Aug. 14, 2006, and public review will begin Sept. 27, 2006. The 2006B specifications will be published Dec. 12, 2006.