Travelport GDS and Accor Announce Industry First
Langley, U.K.,
17.04.2009
Travelport GDS, one of the world’s leading global distribution system (GDS) providers operating both the Galileo and Worldspan platforms, has today announced a significant technology development and an industry first with global hotel giant Accor.
The two organisations have worked together to implement a single OTA (Open Travel Alliance) – compliant XML direct connection to both of Travelport’s GDS platforms, improving efficiencies for both companies and enabling a more streamlined approach for future product enhancements.
Significantly for Accor, the hotel company will be in a position to reduce its distribution costs by removing intermediary switch company fees, and realise ongoing savings as a result of only supporting a single connection to both GDS platforms. Travelport GDS-connected travel agents will also benefit from significant improvements in response times and a more efficient purchasing experience.
Accor Hotels has also just upgraded their connectivity on both Galileo and Worldspan to “Seamless Next Generation”. Through this upgraded connectivity, agents will now have the ability to see real-time rates and availability for all hotels coming from Accor’s own central reservation system, right from the initial hotel search request. This means agents are able to provide the most accurate information to their clients, save time with shopping Accor’s inventory and have the greatest confidence when quoting rates and availability. Over 90% of Travelport GDS’s hotel suppliers now participate at this highest level of connectivity.
‘’This single direct connection to both of our GDS systems marks a significant industry milestone in terms of providing a more efficient connection between Travelport and hotel suppliers. This industry first will greatly improve the ability for hoteliers to distribute their content via the GDS and should also result in significant reductions in the cost of distribution,” said Flo Lugli, Senior VP Commercial for Travelport GDS.
He added: “Tests, which were carried out during the implementation phase, indicated a faster message response time and improved stability of the network connection between both parties. We are delighted with the results!”
Travelport plans to implement the new XML direct connection with a number of other leading hospitality organisations later in the year. The initiative forms a key part of the GDS provider’s long term hospitality strategy and its ongoing commitment to enhance the booking process for both hoteliers and travel agents.
Notes to editors
About Travelport GDS
Travelport GDS is one of the world’s leading global distribution system (GDS) providers, operating both the Galileo and Worldspan platforms, providing real-time travel information and booking capabilities to online and offline travel agencies in over 145 countries. It also operates Travelport Business Intelligence which provides marketing and other critical data to the industry; and IT Services & Software, which offers mission critical reservations, related software and services management to the world’s leading airlines. Travelport GDS is a convergence of traditional and online travel distribution services that empower airlines, travel suppliers, travel agencies, Web sites and corporations to provide informed choice to travellers on a global platform. Travelport GDS is a division of Travelport, one of the world's largest travel conglomerates offering broad based business services to companies operating in the global travel industry.
More information about Travelport GDS is available at www.travelport.com
About Accor
Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:
Accor Hospitality
Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries
Accor Services
The world leader in prepaid service media, Accor Services constantly creates new high value-added, increasingly personalized services in such areas as gifts and rewards for employees, government social benefit programs and prepaid services for un- and underbanked employees. From highly secure paper vouchers, to electronic payment cards and Internet and mobile phone solutions, innovation also involves new technologies, as evidenced by the promising future for prepaid electronic services.
For more information about Accor, please visit www.accor.com.
Media Contact:
Kate Aldridge
Director of Communications, EMEA
+44 (0)1753 288720
Kate.Aldridge@travelport.com