A promising young tourism marketing software company has opened a software development centre at Institute of Technology (IT), Sligo. Three software developers from the company will be awarded student status, which will allow them to avail of a tax-free salary.
IT Sligo will host Travel Logic’s software development hub as it seeks to expand its market share in the Irish and European hospitality sectors.
In partnership with IT Sligo, Travel Logic has created three new software developer roles. Successful candidates will also be awarded a master’s degree by IT Sligo after two years.
“The new R&D centre in IT Sligo reinforces our commitment to our ongoing software development programme into which €500,000 has been invested to date,” Conor Daly, founder and managing director of Travel Logic, explained.
“Our product design and development programme is driven by the needs of our hotel customers who are seeking enhanced sales and marketing performance for less cost.”
The Travel Logic Innovation Partnership Research & Development Programme will last two years, and is supported by Enterprise Ireland as part of its high-potential start-up programme.
It follows Travel Logic’s participation in the Commercialising Entrepreneurial Ideas and Management (CEIM) Development Programme, which is designed to support enterprise development and creation in the north west region.
The software developers will enter into a commercial relationship with IT Sligo, where they will be awarded student status that will allow them a tax-free salary.
At the end of the project, the students will be awarded a master’s degree from IT Sligo, without having to attend classes or sit exams. In addition to these roles, Travel Logic is seeking to recruit sales and marketing professionals to support its growth and expansion into the UK market.
“IT Sligo has been a growing force of innovation in education for many years,” explained John Bartlett, head of research, IT Sligo. “The Travel Logic & IT Sligo Innovation Partnership R&D Programme is an excellent example of a hands-on and practice-based approach to achieving higher-level qualifications.
“The Travel Logic initiative allows master’s degree students to work on a professional software development project for two years, receive a tax-free salary and achieve a higher degree by research, which is an excellent passport to the world of work and their career development.”
Travel Logic is an innovative Irish software company that has developed an online sales and e-marketing platform for independent hotels and tourism businesses. Its integrated website marketing and sales solution gives clients in-house control of their website, as well as online sales and marketing functions.
To date, the company has invested €500,000 in developing its platform, which is designed to ‘level the online playing field’ between the global tourism brands and the independently owned local Irish enterprises. The company has offices in Donegal and Sligo.
“The decision by Travel Logic to base its R&D centre in Sligo is a testament to the work done by IT Sligo in building a strong research base,” said Brian O’Malley of Enterprise Ireland’s High-Potential Start-Up Unit.
“We’re committed to accelerating the development of world-class Irish companies and are pleased to support Travel Logic in its plans to expand its product offering into overseas markets,” O’Malley added.
By John Kennedy
Pictured from left: Brian O’Malley of the High-Potential Start-Up Unit, Enterprise Ireland, and Conor Daly, Travel Logic
