Sabre unveils raft of developments
Sabre Travel Network is introducing a series of solutions to help hotel suppliers improve their marketing.
The developments emerged as the GDS said travel agents need to end their reliance on air bookings and sell more hotel content.
The global distribution giant plans to launch ‘Up-sell’ within the next three months enabling travel agents and corporate buyers to see upgrade opportunities and what the price difference is.
Sabre is also introducing ‘Cross-sell’ by the end of the year allowing hotel companies to pair up a hotel with an airline ticket to the same city or destination.
In a similar way to paid-for listings on search engines, Cross-sell will highlight up to five hotels when an airline booking is made. Sabre will charge hotel companies a fixed fee for the Cross-sell system, as well as a charge per booking.
At the beginning of next year the GDS will also introduce Recommended Rate, which allows hotels to promote their best rate to a particular group of travellers and a solution called HOD Highlighter, enabling hotels to promote a specific service such as a new restaurant.
Sabre’s European director of airline, car and hotel distribution, Hamish Broom said: “All of these are going to carry a price-tag but they bring additional value to hotels. We think our travel agencies need to sell more hotels. There is too much reliance on air and there is potential out there for selling hotels.”
He claimed hotel bookings on Sabre increased 23% in 2004 and 14% in 2005.
The GDS has already released its Spotlight programme for hotel companies to promote specific properties higher on the booking screen.
All of the enhancements are part of Sabre’s drive to encourage suppliers to regard it as more than just a distribution partner.
Sabre is also working on getting more independent hotels on the system.
Report by Linda Fox
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