Technology & Digital Transformation

World Travel Market 2008 focused on global travel trends, responsible tourism, and travel technology.

Travelport, one of the world’s leading global distribution systems providers (Worldspan, Galileo and Apollo) recently teamed up with Microsoft Corp. to develop an integrated set of services targeted for the travel industry to address challenges faced by travelers, suppliers, and travel agents.

Amadeus, the global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, last month signed a 10-year distribution agreement with 13 members of the Arab Air Carriers Organization.

A recent study by Sabre Airline Solutions revealed a new breed of “hybrid” carrier is quickly overtaking traditional low-cost carriers and that more passengers travel on this “hybrid” carrier than on traditional low-cost carriers.

The Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourism Services recently hosted an annual event by members of the board and the association’s air matters committee in honor of the airline industry. Representatives from airline companies and distribution companies (CRS) as well as members of tourism and the travel media attended the event.

Amadeus, a leading provider of solutions to the travel industry for the management of distribution and selling of travel services, recently held an event in Athens where results from research revealed the Internet and new technology hold many opportunities for Greek travel agencies. Hermes Management Consulting conducted the study on behalf of Amadeus.

Amadeus global travel distribution system and Destinations of the World, the sole wholesale travel company dedicated to selling purely to the global travel trade, recently announced a new strategic collaboration that provides mutually beneficial use of information.

Amadeus recently launched an IT solution as a more efficient means of filing private fares in the distribution system. Fares are now filed through the FareXpert Filing Platform and the XML Fare Data Interface.

Amadeus recently published the results of its independent study on travel agent commissions and used the results to provide valuable insight to tour operators worldwide and maximize service fee revenue.

Amadeus has signed over 130 major hotel brands to its Best Available Rate program. Hotels that signed up to the program have seen their bookings through Amadeus grow by between 10% and 30%.