TTD: Amadeus plots UK leisure technology drive
Amadeus is poised to unveil technology initiatives for agents and operators in the UK.
The GDS’s multinational customer group director Gillian Gibson declined to divulge details but told TravelMole that technology developments for the leisure sector would be revealed in the next couple of months as part of plans by Amadeus to expand in the area.
This follows a claimed 75% year-on-year rise in cruise bookings through Amadeus after 30 additional agents were signed up in March.
Gibson, responsible for multinational agency customers including business travel, online and leisure, added that the company wanted to build on its momentum in the UK corporate sector, where it now claims 25% market share.
She has just returned from the Guild of Travel Management Companies annual overseas conference in Las Vegas and voiced her ambition to sign up more members. The GDS currently has 11 GMTC members as customers.
Amadeus is also expected to unveil deals to power airline websites in China and support online start-up companies in India.
This follows Expedia becoming the last major online travel company to use Amadeus air content initially in four European countries to be followed by Asia-Pacific in the third quarter of 2006, as previously reported by TravelMole.
The Expedia deal followed Sabre/Travelocity-owned lastminute.com extending an agreement with Amadeus until 2009.
Amadeus figures for last year show that 12% of total bookings came from online agency or airline sources.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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