Amadeus Creates Leisure Solution for Travel Agents

Madrid, Spain, 6 June 2006: Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, today announced the launch of the Amadeus Leisure Platform in France to boost Tour package sales. Selectour, the largest French independent travel agency network covering over 550 travel agencies employing 1,600 travel agents, with over 1,800 points-of-sale in France, was chosen as the launch partner. Other well-known agency networks in France are due to pilot with Amadeus this year to further add to the platform’s user base. Additional solutions for the leisure travel market are expected to be launched with local partners across Europe in the near future.

Accessible via the Amadeus France portal, the Amadeus Leisure Platform is a search and booking application, which provides a browser-based graphical user interface, enabling travel agents in France to search and book tour packages across multiple tour operators. It aggregates tour package content from the leading tour operators in the French market. By covering the whole market and presenting the information in a standardised way, it saves time and increases agent productivity. The platform is also multi-channel whereby travel agencies can search and book tour packages online and via the call center.

“The agreement between Amadeus and Selectour is an important development for our customers and our agencies. Thanks to the variety of search criteria – destination, departure date, type of trip – our travel agents can find the best offer corresponding to customer demands. By adopting this platform, Selectour agencies can draw all the benefits from owning and using a high performing tool to increase their productivity and decrease costs. It is also an important tool for setting up and implementing our sales policy,” states, Gérard Letailleur, President, Selectour.

The Amadeus Leisure Platform brings a multitude of benefits for the main players in the leisure travel market:

Leisure travel agency:
· Enhances their productivity by booking high-value packages fast, with direct electronic access to full content from the whole market – no more waiting on the telephone!
· Improves customer service and retention by using rich-media content – photos, videos, destination descriptions, etc – that supports the customer decision-making process.
· Helps the end customer save money as the full market offering allows comparison between offers.
· Increases the quality of their consultancy process: they can access the online channel and are able to propose suitable alternatives.
· Prints customized, comparative offer lists and product details with rich multi-media content.

A Selectour leisure travel agency located in Neuilly-sur-Seine recently stated, “The Amadeus Leisure Platform is exactly what I need. During this season I manage over 12 files a day. It’s a nightmare that can now be resolved.”

Tour operator:
· Their electronic distribution reach is enhanced thanks to the Platform – saving huge costs that are inherent to a largely manual booking process (call centers, faxes, etc.).
· They can swiftly adapt their product offering to the needs and demands of today’s traveler.
· Real-time availability and pricing capability allows them to optimize yield across all products.

“Amadeus has taken the local partnership approach by joining forces with prestigious leisure launch partners such as Selectour in the French market, and with other key players in the near future, to deliver a solution adapted to the specific requirements of both providers and sellers,” explains Albert Pozo, General Manager, Travel Services & Leisure, Amadeus. “Amadeus is committed to help travel agents become efficient retailers for leisure. With its IT skills and experience, Amadeus can deliver solutions to enable the growth and automation of the leisure market in Europe.”

The next step in the Amadeus Leisure Platform’s evolution will be to integrate the dynamic packaging functions, allowing travel agents to sell destinations not necessarily covered by the tour operator offering and satisfying even the most demanding customer.
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About Amadeus

Amadeus is the chosen technology partner for providers, sellers, and buyers of travel. The company provides distribution, IT and point-of-sale solutions to help its customers adapt, grow and succeed in the fast changing travel industry. Customer groups include travel providers (airlines, hotels, car rental companies, railway companies, ferry lines, cruise lines, insurance companies and tour operators), travel sellers (travel agencies) and travel buyers (corporations and travellers). Solutions are grouped in four solution categories – Distribution & Content, Sales & e-Commerce, Business Management and Services & Consultancy.

The company is owned by WAM Acquisition, whose shareholders are BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa. Amadeus employs over 6,700 employees worldwide, representing 95 nationalities. More information about Amadeus is available at: www.amadeus.com

About Selectour

Founded in 1970, Selectour Voyages is the leading network of independent travel agencies with 550 travel agencies in France. It offers all the different products existing on the market, regarding business and leisure.

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