Amadeus set to transform hospitality industry with launch of groundbreaking ‘Amadeus Hotel Platform’

• Major new global report ‘Hotels 2020: Beyond Segmentation’ also launches today. Conducted by Fast Future Research the report outlines radical changes shaping the guest of the future and what hotels must do to succeed in an era of change

Madrid, Spain, 10 November 2010: Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, today announces the launch of Amadeus Hotel Platform, a centralised above-property solution that is set to transform the way hotels do business.

Built around one comprehensive database, and available as a ‘Software as a Service model’ (SaaS), it combines central reservation, property management and global distribution systems into one fully integrated platform. Offering a single and real-time view of the entire business, Amadeus Hotel Platform enables hoteliers to deliver innovative and new guest services, generate additional revenues and also quickly react to market changes as new trends, behaviours and demands emerge.

Amadeus Hotel Platform represents a revolution in hospitality IT and distribution which will enable hotel companies to evolve and adapt to continuing changes in the sector. Based on unique open technology architecture, Amadeus Hotel Platform allows hoteliers to concentrate on their business, and not the supporting technology, by bringing operational improvements at all levels whilst removing technical barriers to global expansion. Furthermore, with Amadeus’ proven track record of successful migrations and implementation of mission critical applications, hoteliers can rely on a best in class partner to support their business.

Philippe Chérèque, EVP, Commercial at Amadeus said: “We have built the Amadeus Hotel Platform in order to most effectively support hotel chains in addressing their key strategic challenges. In today’s market, it is vital that their IT infrastructure can support global business growth and expansion whilst guaranteeing operational efficiencies on a global scale. With a thorough understanding of the current and future shape of the hotels sector, we are 100% committed to helping our customers remove technology barriers by offering them a central solution, allowing them to benefit fully from the power of new technology whilst transforming their fixed cost into a variable one. With this in mind hoteliers can focus on transforming their business making the most of emerging opportunities in a way that is right for them.”

In conjunction with the launch, Amadeus today also reveals the findings from a major new industry report entitled ‘Hotels 2020: Beyond Segmentation’ http://www.amadeus.com/hotelit/beyond-segmentation.html, which identifies the characteristics of the future guest and explores how hotel companies can respond accordingly. Developed by independent research firm Fast Future Research, this breakthrough report outlines how traditional customer segmentation in the hospitality sector is dead and will be replaced by service spectrums. This radical shift means that hotel companies will need to target, tailor and relate to guests based on their individual preferences and behaviors if they are to succeed.

Rohit Talwar, Chief Executive of Fast Future Research says: “What we see is a shift from neatly defined customer segments to a more fragmented set of service spectrums that will demand hotels act in a way that is guest-focused personal, connected and informed. The right technology will be an increasingly important weapon in delivering on guest expectations and securing brand differentiation.”

The study contains both quantitative and qualitative data and draws on desk research, expert interviews and a global survey on future strategies and business models for the sector. The survey was conducted with 600 respondents from around the world, of whom 42 per cent work in the travel industry.

All Amadeus Hotel IT solutions are based on open technology and industry standards, allowing hotel companies to benefit from continual technology evolution and securing competitive advantage. The launch of Amadeus Hotel Platform, together with reinforced Hotel IT teams based in Europe and in the U.S., demonstrates Amadeus’ commitment to the global hospitality industry.

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Notes to the editors

Amadeus is a leading transaction processor and provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel and tourism industry.

Customer groups include travel providers (e.g airlines, hotels, rail, ferries, etc.), travel sellers (travel agencies and websites), and travel buyers (corporations and individual travellers).

The group operates a transaction-based business model and processed more than 670 million billable travel transactions in 2009.

Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters and marketing), Nice (development) and Erding (Operations – data processing centre) and regional offices in Miami, Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Dubai. At a market level, Amadeus maintains customer operations through 72 local Amadeus Commercial Organisations covering 195 countries.

Amadeus is listed on the Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia stock exchanges and trades under the symbol “AMS.MC”. For the year ended 31 December 2009, the company reported revenues of EUR 2,461 million and EBITDA of EUR 894 million. The Amadeus group employs over 10,100 employees worldwide, with 123 nationalities represented at the central offices.

To find out more about Amadeus please go to www.amadeus.com.

To visit the Amadeus Investor Relations centre please go to www.investors.amadeus.com.

Contact details

Amadeus
Corporate Communication Department
tel: +34 91 582 0160
fax : +34 91 582 0188
e-mail : mediarelations@amadeus.com