SABRE
has unveiled plans to broaden its operations and provide travel agencies with a
wider range of technology.
The
company, primarily known as a global distribution supplier, sees its future in
a marketing role. It wants to help agencies through every aspect of the booking
process, from offering the customer their desired product and taking the
booking, to issuing and amending itineraries and making a note of the
traveller’s booking history so relevant deals can be offered to them in the
future.
Sabre
has decided to make the ambitious move after a long-term study of the travel
industry showed that new technology was being used to differentiate travel
products.
Director
of marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Dan Van Winkle said: “There
is very little room for agents to differentiate on price any more so we’re
going to help them differentiate themselves with their product offering and
adding value to the product by using new technology.”
Sabre’s
‘Virtually There’ product is regarded as a prime example of its new direction.
The system allows customers to check their itinerary and book add-ons with all
commission going back to the agent.
In
addition, Sabre has launched a new system called Corporate.Res aimed at the
corporate market – the first benefit of its $757 million purchase of
business-to-business travel specialist GetThere last October.
The
product gives business travel agents the chance to develop their own bookable
website which can be customised for each of their corporate clients and
tailored to suit individual travel policies.
It
also allows users to book with preferred suppliers so they can make use of any
preferential rates.