Top Florida Independently Owned Agency Moves Business from Amadeus Citing
Galileo's Flexible Technology Platform and Cendant-Affiliate Partnership
Opportunities
PARSIPPANY, NJ, August 12, 2004 -- Galileo International, Inc., a leading
global distribution system (GDS) and subsidiary of Cendant Corp. (NYSE: CD),
today announced an agreement to become the GDS provider for Bay Area Travel,
Inc., one of the largest independently owned and operated travel companies in
the Central West Florida region with $85,000,000 in annual sales. With this
agreement, Bay Area Travel moved from Amadeus, their former GDS, to Galileo,
on August 1, 2004.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040519/GALILEOLOGO)
Bay Area Travel will work with Galileo to develop a fully integrated
technology solution that is designed to deliver the greatest value to its
customers by providing tools that maximize efficiency and drive revenue while
at the same time, leveraging partnership opportunities with certain Cendant
affiliates.
Galileo's front office desktop solutions will provide Bay Area Travel with
access to content that is guaranteed and a greater range of solutions
including Optimal Shopping SM, a robust, new, tool that enables agents to
quickly find a substantially greater depth and breadth of itineraries and low-
fare pricing options for customers traveling on wholly North American
itineraries. Galileo's highly flexible mid-office architecture will allow Bay
Area Travel to build their own online booking engine through Galileo Web
Services which provides the ability to link disparate operating platforms and
applications quickly and at a relatively low cost making them critical
technologies for travel. With industry-leading tools such as these, Bay Area
travel and its agents can enhance productivity and reduce time spent on non
value-add tasks.
In addition, Bay Area Travel will utilize Galileo NeatAgent(TM), a dynamic
packaging tool with unrestricted markup capability on highly discounted opaque
type inventory and Galileo Web! Hotels SM which allows agents to offer their
customers the same pricing advantages of the Internet with savings of up to
75% off published standard rates* and access to 6,600 hotel properties.
Utilizing Neat Agent and Galileo Web! Hotels will enable Bay Area Travel to
increase revenue streams and help direct agents to higher profit margin sales.
Galileo will work with Bay Area Travel to develop a strategy to capitalize
on Cendant-affiliate RCI's preferred agent program and enhance their existing
preferred partnership with other Cendant subsidiaries.
Kevin Puma, CEO of Bay Area Travel, said: "The key drivers behind our move
to Galileo was their flexible technology platform, merchant model revenue
opportunities and the added value they are able to bring to the table through
Cendant-affiliates such as THOR, RCI timeshare, among many others. The deal we
have signed with Galileo will both speed up and significantly enhance the
range of content and services we can offer our clients. The only difference
clients will notice during the switchover is that our service gets even
better."
Bridgette Christiansen, vice president of sales and account development
for The Americas, Galileo said: "This is a significant conversion win from
Amadeus and the scale of this agreement is indicative of the way in which
Galileo is leveraging Cendant's overall value proposition to deliver
significant long term benefits to its customers. Galileo is committed to
helping our travel agency customers compete more effectively with tools that
maximize efficiency, content that drives revenue, and marketing solutions that
increase sales. We look forward to partnering closely with Bay Area Travel to
help them meet their business objectives for years to come."
* Savings of up to 75% based upon comparison with published standard
rates. Rates, discounts and conditions are subject to change without
notice. Offer available for a limited time and may be withdrawn at any
time. Blackout dates may apply. Offer has no cash value and may not be
combined with any other promotion, discount or coupon. Rates are
subject to availability and are not guaranteed until confirmed.
Published standard rates exclude negotiated, organization, government,
corporate, special and promotional rates. Offer void where prohibited
by law. Other conditions/rules/restrictions/limitations may apply.
About Galileo International
Galileo International is a global technology leader. Its core business is
providing electronic global distribution services for the travel industry
through its computerized reservation systems, leading-edge products and
innovative, Internet-based solutions. Galileo is a value-added distributor of
travel inventory dedicated to supporting its travel supplier, agency and
corporate customers and, through them, expanding traveler choice. A subsidiary
of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) and part of Cendant's Travel Distribution
Services Division, Galileo is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, and has offices
worldwide. Visit http://www.galileo.com.
About Cendant Travel Distribution Services
Cendant Corporation's (NYSE: CD) Travel Distribution Services Division, is
one of the world's largest and most geographically diverse collections of
travel brands and distribution businesses. The division, employing nearly
5,000 people in more than 116 countries, includes: Galileo, a leading global
distribution system (GDS), serving more than 44,000 travel agencies and over
60,000 hotels; hotel distribution and services businesses (TRUST, THOR, WizCom
and Neat Group); leading travel agencies (CheapTickets.com, Lodging.com,
HotelClub.com and RatesToGo.com); Shepherd Systems, an airline market
intelligence company; Travelwire, an international travel technology and
software company; Travel 2/Travel 4, a leading international provider of long-
haul air travel and travel product consolidator; and Travelport, a provider of
online global corporate travel management solutions.
Media Contact:
Galileo Americas Inquiries
Jill Brenner
Cendant Travel Distribution Services
(973) 496-5870
TDS.CorpComm@cendant.com
SOURCE Galileo International
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