Amadeus, announced further improvements to the bookable content available through…
Amadeus, announced further improvements to the bookable content available through its distribution system.
Low fare airlines:
Two new low fare airlines are now available on Amadeus – Jetstar Asia (Asia Pacific) and GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (Brazil). No other company distributes Jetstar Asia to travel agencies.
This announcement takes the total low fare airlines bookable on Amadeus to 30; eight of these signed on with Amadeus in 2005. As low fare airlines expand into new markets, they see the value of the cost-efficient distribution reach provided by the travel agency channel. Earlier this year, Amadeus also announced deals to secure the low fare content of 60 leading airlines in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The company has similar agreements with the biggest airlines in the US, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines.
Hotels:
Amadeus recently added 2,000 hotels taking the total hotels bookable in Amadeus to 58,000. So far this year, Amadeus has added a total of 4,300 hotels to its system. The acquisition of Optims, completed earlier this year, contributed a large part of this growth by adding independent hotels. A fundamental piece of Amadeus’ hotels strategy is to bring independent hotels, which are increasingly important to leisure and corporate travel agencies alike, into its system with a simple, easy-to-use solution.
Furthermore, Amadeus is the world leader in implementing electronic ticketing: travel agents can now issue electronic tickets in 116 countries – with the addition of Mauritius, Slovenia and Namibia – and for 116 airlines. Earlier in the year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) selected Amadeus as a preferred partner in its endeavour to achieve ticketless travel by 2007.
“Essential content, technology to enable success and partnerhsip are three pillars of Amadeus’ business and we are delighted to report that all three are going from strength to strength,” says Ian Wheeler, Vice President, Marketing, Amadeus, “and that combination makes us the partner of choice for any company hungry for success in the travel industry.”
Other content updates:
- The number of airlines bookable in Amadeus is now 500
- Travel agents can book around 190 tour operators in Amadeus. This remains far more than any other distribution system
- Travel agents can also offer their customers the choice of 18 cruise lines, 14 ferry companies, 43 train operators, 42 car rental companies and travel insurance from 38 providers and packages
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.