Amadeus partners with Transhotel to launch new solution for travel agents to book hotel consolidator content

• The new solution, which runs in parallel to Amadeus’ existing Hotel offering, will allow travel agencies to book consolidator hotel content more efficiently
• Transhotel’s 50,000 hotel properties will be available through the new solution when it is launched later this year

Madrid, Spain, 20 of January, 2009 – Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Transhotel, a global consolidator of hotels and services. Under the agreement, both companies will work more closely to improve travel agents’ access to Transhotel content within this new product offered to Amadeus customers.

Amadeus is developing a solution to integrate hotel consolidator content in a new product within the Amadeus Selling Platform, the company’s travel agency point of sale. The solution will provide seamless access to this content, making the booking process easier, faster and more efficient. Transhotel’s inventory of 50,000 hotels will be available through the solution when it is launched later this year. Beyond access to wider hotel content, this solution also ensures upfront payment of commissions for Transhotel bookings. The solution will be piloted in selected markets during the month of March and will be available to travel agencies soon after that.

Unlike North America, about two thirds of the hotels in Europe are independent properties and Amadeus has made significant progress in integrating this crucial content. 30% of the 80,000 properties available in Amadeus Hotels are independent and budget hotels. By adding a sizeable volume of additional hotels, the new solution complements Amadeus Hotels with significant extra choice for travel agencies to offer their customers.

“We are excited to partner with Transhotel to provide travel agents with access to a greater number of hotels and more commissionable content in our new consolidator product,” commented Ian Wheeler, Vice President, Marketing, Amadeus. “By signing agreements with hotel consolidators we are able to make a number of independent hotels available to travel agents with all the efficiency and reliability associated with our distribution system”

Julio de la Cruz, Chief Executive Officer, Grupo Transhotel, said: “Our partnership with Amadeus is a key milestone in Transhotel’s long history of providing travel agents with access to hotels and services worldwide. We are delighted to offer even more travel agents access to our numerous branded and independent properties in all price ranges.”

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Notes to the editors

Amadeus offers a full range of technology and distribution solutions to the hotel industry. Amadeus Revenue Management System can increase a hotel property’s revenue by 4 – 8% and currently has 1,450 customers in 35 countries. 6,700 hotel properties in 75 countries use Amadeus Property Management System and 80,000 hotels distribute their rooms to a global travel-buying market though Amadeus’ distribution solutions.

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.

Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters & marketing), Nice (development) and Erding (Operations – data processing centre) and regional offices in Miami, Buenos Aires and Bangkok. At market level, Amadeus maintains customer operations in 76 countries covering more than 217 markets.

The company is majority owned by WAM Acquisition, whose shareholders are BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa. Amadeus employs over 8,600 employees worldwide, representing 105 nationalities.

More information about Amadeus Hospitality is available at: http://www.amadeus.com/hotels


About Transhotel
Transhotel Global Travel Services Provider is one of the world’s leaders in the sector, with 26 international sales offices. The company’s portfolio comprises over 50,000 hotels, offered to our 75,000 Travel Agency clients located in every continent.

With 15 years’ experience in hotel reservations and over 1,100 employees, Transhotel has become a reference thanks to its quality service and great product offer. Additionally, Transhotel provides transfer Services, tours and excursions in more than 110 countries.

Opting for innovation, made evident through its reservation platform, the TOR System Advanced, has positioned the company at the forefront with regard to new technologies within the Tourism sector.

Transhotel’s customer service has also become one of its hallmarks. The company’s Call Centre provides customer service in six languages, 24 hours a day

For further information, please visit: http://www.transhotel.com

Contact details

Amadeus
Media Relations / Corporate Marketing
tel : +34 91 582 0160
fax : +34 91 582 0188
e-mail: mediarelations@amadeus.com

Grupo Transhotel
Marcos Franco
tel: +34 91 724 24 10
email: communication@transhotel.com