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Elvan Açıkalın

@elvanacikalin

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IT Business Analyst & QA Tester specializing in travel tech integrations and end-to-end API testing.

Thailand

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for remote-first roles in travel or hospitality technology where I can own API integration testing, UAT, and production root-cause analysis—while translating operational needs into clear requirements and scaling AI-driven testing approaches.

I’m an IT Business Analyst & QA Tester with 5+ years in travel tech, blending technical depth with first-hand hospitality operations understanding. I translate complex business workflows into clear requirements for Agile/Scrum teams and focus on end-to-end integration quality.

In hotel technology consulting, I delivered full PMS implementations for multiple properties from requirements gathering through go-live, and I managed OTA calendar sync integrations across major channels. I also completed 20+ LLM & AI annotation projects in travel and hospitality tech, using those insights to strengthen testing and analysis practices.

Previously, I owned the full QA lifecycle for B2B travel platforms—designing test scenarios, executing manual end-to-end runs, validating outputs, and leading production incident investigation with root cause analysis and thorough Confluence documentation. I’m now expanding into AI-driven software testing methodologies and am available for remote-first global roles.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Founder & Lead Consultant

Current

Nest & Grove Co Ltd

Aug 2024 - Present (1 year 10 months)

Delivered end-to-end PMS implementations for 2 hotel properties and managed OTA calendar sync integrations for multiple Airbnb properties across Booking.com and Expedia. Completed 20+ LLM/AI annotation projects and translated hotel owner operational needs into actionable technical project scopes.

Hotel PMS Implementation Requirements Analysis UAT Management Jira Confluence Stakeholder Management

IT Business Analyst & QA Tester

Global Travel Services GmbH

Apr 2020 - Jul 2024 (4 years 3 months)

Owned end-to-end API integration testing and UAT across 6 live travel integrations spanning hotel, car rental, transfers, and hotel content (search, checkout, payment, and booking flows). Led the full QA lifecycle, managed UAT feedback in Jira, and performed production incident root cause analysis with cross-team documentation in Confluence.

End To End Testing UAT Regression Testing Postman SQL MySQL Jira Confluence Root Cause Analysis Agile Scrum

Front Office Supervisor

Swandor Hotels Topkapi Palace

Jun 2017 - Apr 2019 (1 year 10 months)

Supervised front office operations for a 2,018-bed international luxury hotel, leading a team of 30 employees and managing hotel PMS systems to streamline check-in workflows. Maintained luxury service standards to sustain guest satisfaction KPIs.

PMS Team Leadership KPI Management Service standards

Operations Manager

Yildizlar Tourism

Mar 2015 - Jun 2017 (2 years 3 months)

Managed full-cycle operations for world championship events hosting 160+ countries across 60 sports federations, covering accommodation, venues, transport, catering, medical, accreditation, and athlete programs. Coordinated delegations of up to 32 people per country from arrival through departure in a high-pressure, zero-margin-for-error environment.

Event Operations Logistics Management Catering & Medical Coordination Accreditation Management

Receptionist / Front Desk

DoubleTree by Hilton Istanbul Old Town

Sep 2014 - Mar 2015 (6 months)

Provided guest-facing front desk support at a DoubleTree by Hilton property, assisting with daily check-in/out and guest services. Supported smooth front-desk operations in a luxury hospitality environment.

Front Desk Operations Guest Service Check In Check Out Support Customer Service Hotel Systems (PMS Exposure)Communication

Receptionist / Front Desk

RadissonBlu Istanbul Sisli

Dec 2013 - Sep 2014 (9 months)

Worked front desk and guest services at a 5-star international hotel brand, supporting daily reservations and guest support activities. Maintained a service-focused approach to ensure a smooth guest experience.

Front Desk Operations Guest Service Customer Service Service standards Communication

Receptionist / Front Desk

Rixos Pera Istanbul

Jun 2013 - Dec 2013 (6 months)

Handled front desk operations at a luxury boutique hotel, building early exposure to hotel PMS workflows and guest service processes. Supported daily guest-facing service activities and operational coordination at the desk.

Front Desk Operations Guest Service Hotel PMS Exposure Customer Service Check In Support Communication Service Coordination