Amadeus marks its 20th anniversary with endorsement of future strategy

• 20-day competition offers 20 travel prizes to be won in 20 days

Madrid, Spain, 22 October 2007: Amadeus, a leading global technology and distribution partner for the travel and tourism industry, today celebrates its 20th birthday – Looking back at the last twenty years of success, and more importantly, at what the future holds for the company and the industry during the next twenty years. A six-month programme of special activities and 20/20 events have been organised to celebrate the milestone. To kick off the celebrations, Amadeus is running a twenty-day competition which is running from November 12 through December 7th, with registration open to the public as of 22nd October. Prizes have been kindly donated by Amadeus partners and range from return business-class tickets on international routes and five-day cruises, to a grand-finale prize of EUR 20,000 for the trip of a lifetime.

Jose-Antonio Tazón, President & CEO, Amadeus said: “Today we look back on the past and congratulate everyone involved for the remarkable growth and success of Amadeus over the last twenty years. But we also look at the future for which we are well prepared. Today, our mission is clear -- to be the leading provider of IT solutions that enable success in the travel and tourism industry. We will continue to evolve, assessing the value we bring to our customers, providing them with the sound and sustainable solutions they have come to expect. We’ll ensure our success with continued investment in R&D, a pursuit of thought leadership and the dedication of all of our staff worldwide.”

Officially founded on the 21 October 1987 by the four founding airlines, Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa and SAS, over the last twenty years, Amadeus has established itself as a solid, profitable company, with a track record of strong growth, year after year. Today, Amadeus is not only the world’s leading global travel distributor, but it is also one of the leading providers of IT solutions that enable success to its partners in the travel and tourism industry. Amadeus manages up to 2 million travel reservations every day, processing more than half a billion travel bookings annually.

As it enters the next phase of its history, the company’s focus is firmly set on the future and on providing next generation travel technology. Its innovative solutions, long-term vision and technology leadership combine to enable the success of its customers – and as a consequence, enhance travellers’ travel experiences. According to the European Commission's Top 1000 Ranking of European companies investing in R&D in 2005, Amadeus invests more in this area than any other European company in the travel industry. The company invests EUR 300 million each year in technology.

Amadeus has increased its emphasis on customer-led product and technology development, so that all of its solutions, ranging from airlines and travel agents to rail and hotel companies, will continue to set the standard in meeting the specific challenges facing the travel industry.

For more information on the Amadeus 20/20 Competition including terms and conditions, please visit www.amadeus.com/celebrate

Notes to the editors:

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 & Consulting.

Today, the company is owned by WAM Acquisition, whose shareholders are BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa. Amadeus employs nearly 7,600 employees worldwide, representing 95 nationalities. More information about Amadeus is available at: www.amadeus.com


Press Contact:

Amadeus Corporate & Marketing Communication
Tel: +34 91 582 7809
Fax: +34 91 582 0188
E-mail: mediarelations@amadeus.com