Microsoft achieves 53% adoption rate increase thanks to Amadeus’ online corporate travel booking tool

Madrid, Spain, 27 June, 2012: Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, partnered with Microsoft for the first major implementation of its online booking tool in Russia. Amadeus e-Travel Management is a comprehensive travel management solution which serves corporations´ travel needs through a single entry point. The multi-GDS solution, used by over 5,200 corporations in 59 markets, helps corporations reduce costs and gain total control of every aspect of the corporate travel process.

Microsoft has had a successful experience with the implementation of Amadeus e-Travel Management within 15 markets across EMEA. The tool is now widely used in Microsoft offices across western and northern Europe, having grown rapidly in the past three years. In Germany, for instance, where the tool is most widely used, Microsoft has achieved 85% adoption rate of the tool in full financial year 2011 from 62% in full financial year 2008. In France, this figure has reached an 82% from zero adoption for the same period.

Microsoft Russia´s objective is to continue building on this success with the implementation of the solution for its 1,400 users across the Russian continent. Since the tool was implemented in November 2011, it has grown to reach 53% in April 2012. This indicates that the market is well underway of achieving its targeted adoption rate of 40% for full year 2012. The expanded relationship means that Microsoft Russia will enjoy a consistent technology and travel programme in alignment with the overall Microsoft EMEA strategy. This is enabled by the expert consulting support facilitated by its Travel Management Company in cooperation with and delivered by Amadeus.

Olive Kavanagh, Travel Category Manager at Microsoft stated: “Thanks to the success of our partnership in EMEA, having achieved over 80% adoption rates of the tool in Germany and France, it made sense for us to expand our established relationship to the Russian market. With our collective industry knowledge, Amadeus were able to adapt the functionality of the online tool where necessary whilst providing an overall consistent offering.”

Albert Pozo, VP Multinational Business & Corporate Travel, Amadeus commented: “As a company dedicated to providing the world´s best travel technology and consultancy to corporations, Amadeus is delighted to expand its relationship with Microsoft to new territories. We have already witnessed the strong adoption of Amadeus e-Travel Management in Germany and France, and are delighted to see very promising results following the first few months of implementation in Russia. Our local market knowledge, experience  and presence, along with our global support structure and business-critical reliability, will provide Microsoft Russia with among other aspects, effective financial reporting and the ability to further boost adoption rates for even greater return on investment.“

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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 947 million billable travel transactions in 2011.

Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters), 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 73 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 December 31, 2011 the company reported like-for-like revenues of €2,712 million and EBITDA of €1,039 million. The Amadeus group employs around 10,000 people worldwide, with 123 nationalities represented at the central offices.

To find out more about Amadeus please visit www.amadeus.com
To visit the Amadeus Investor Relations centre please www.investors.amadeus.com

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ ¨MSFT¨) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

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