Galileo International, Inc., the leading global distribution services (GDS) company and subsidiary of Cendant Travel Distribution Services (TDS), today announced a decade of successful leadership in ticketing technology and solutions in the Asia-Pacific region.
Galileo’s leadership derives from its successful launch and ongoing implementation of e-ticketing since 1996 and more recently, the introduction of Galileo Ticket Stock Manager (GTSM), which allows airlines and IATA/BSP to update ticket quotas of specific airlines for IATA agencies.
Galileo now has over 112 airlines offering e-ticketing in 73 countries, making Galileo capable of providing e-tickets for over 70% of all tickets processed through the GDS. Over the past six months in the Asia-Pacific alone, Galileo’s e-ticketing capabilities have grown from 43 carriers in 12 countries, to 60 carriers in 13 countries, namely Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, India, New Zealand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, Indonesia and Macau, more airlines than any other GDS in the region.
Cendant TDS Airline Services Managing Director Brad Holman said “These airlines and their customers are the latest to benefit from the significant cost savings and efficiency improvements of e-ticketing, as well as being able to meet IATA’s goal for all airlines to offer e-tickets by the end of 2007.”
“Airlines, travel agencies and consumers all benefit from the move to e-ticketing - airlines save an estimated $9 per ticket, travel agents save considerable costs in staff time, ticket delivery and shipping and handling, while consumers have one less piece of paper to take to the airport,” he said.
Brian Wilson, Project Director, E-ticketing, IATA said, “Delivering e-ticketing is a top priority for IATA simplifying the business. Globally, we achieved our 2005 target of 40% e-ticketing and are en route to achieving 70% by the end of 2006. But Asia ended 2005 at 34%. As a result, Asia needs to move faster to gain the US$ 3 billion savings from e-ticketing and to deliver the promise of a simpler travel experience for travellers.”
“These recent deployments further enhance our reputation as a leading e-ticketing provider and delivering real value to our airline and agency partners as well as helping to drive IATA’s industry initiative,” stated Holman
Another Galileo product which is simplifying the ticketing in the Asia Pacific is Galileo Ticket Stock Manager (GTSM), a product that complements the drive efficiency for the industry until 100% e-ticketing implementation has been reached.
GTSM is a simple-to-use web based service that simplifies the way additional ticket stocks are allocated and monitored.
With its launch in November 2005, GTSM delivers increased resource efficiency and cost savings by taking out the need for GDS intervention and manual processing of ticket quotas across Asia. In the past, users would ask Galileo staff to update the ticket quota, but now with the new web interface, they can update the quota themselves any time provided that there is Internet access. In addition, users are able to view the transaction and summary reports for each update carried out.
GTSM has been developed based on participating airlines and Galileo GDS user input and requirements for a more efficient way of managing ticket stock. At present, 43 carriers in Asia have adopted GTSM.
“GTSM and e-ticketing are two examples of our continued drive to listen to our customers and deliver services that aim to improve operation efficiency, as well as open up new revenue streams. We therefore look forward to developing and introducing more innovative services across the Asia-Pacific region in the years to come,” concluded Holman.
For more information regarding Galileo International or Cendant TDS, please access their website at www.cendant.com
Notes to Editors:
E-tickets
Electronic ticketing benefits all parties in the travel process
For airlines, electronic ticketing is a cost-saving tool, an enhanced service to their customers allowing booking and ticketing up to the last few minutes before flight departure. Administrative costs are greatly reduced over paper ticketing, improving the airline's revenue accounting processes.
Travel agencies benefit from increased efficiency, as they no longer have to process or keep track of reams of paper tickets, saving on personnel, processing, mailing and courier costs.
E-tickets enhance travelers’ experience by allowing them to enjoy the freedom, efficiency and ease of ticket-less travel. Passengers carry less paper and enjoy the reassurance that they have no accountable travel document to lose. They can also take advantage of carrier Frequent Flyer e-ticket promotions.
About Galileo International
Galileo International ( http://www.galileo.com ) 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 traveller choice. Part of Cendant’s Travel Distribution Services Group, Galileo is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, and has offices worldwide.
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 9,000 people in approximately 140 countries, includes: a leading (GDS) global distribution system (Galileo), serving more than 50,000 travel agencies and over 60,000 hotels; hotel distribution and services businesses (Neat Group?, THOR?, TRUST and WizCom?); leading online travel agencies (Asia-hotel.com, CheapTickets?, ebookers.com?, HotelClub.com, Lodging.com, Orbitz?, RatesToGo.com, and The Away Network); an airline market intelligence company (Shepherd Systems); an international travel technology and software company (Travelwire); a leading international provider of long-haul air travel and travel product consolidator (Travel 2?/Travel 4?); online global corporate travel management solutions (Orbitz for Business? and Travelport?); and a leading wholesaler and global online provider of hotels, destination services, travel packages and group tours (Gullivers Travel Associates, OctopusTravel.com? and Travel Bound, Inc.).
For further information, please contact:
Mr George Harb
Marketing Director, Asia
Cendant Travel Distribution Services
Direct: +852 2821 2252 Mobile: +852 9309 5504 Fax: +852 2821 2299
Email:
[email protected]
33rd Floor, Vicwood Plaza, 199 Des Voeux Road Central, HK
For media enquiries:
Linda Ho (APAC) Cendant Travel Distribution Services
+852 2821 2388
[email protected]
Steve Lovato/G.E. Mead Incentive Dynamics (S) Pte. Ltd.
+6596253104 / +6618507979
[email protected]
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