Here's our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
Sabre, Thai Airways
Sabre has expanded its
relationship with Thai Airways, with a long-term distribution agreement.
Sabre said that by adopting its fares manager and fares optimizer, Thai Airways intends to streamline its fares management
processes, respond more effectively to market dynamics, enhance analyst
productivity and optimize pricing strategies to maintain a competitive edge.
“Thai Airways is committed to delivering the best value
to our passengers while ensuring we maintain our competitive positioning in the
market,” said Nuthaphol Amawatana, head of pricing and revenue management at the carrier.
“By using Sabre’s advanced fares management solutions, we can efficiently
monitor competitor fare activities and quickly adjust our pricing strategies to
capture revenue opportunities. This collaboration with Sabre enables us to
refine our pricing approach, ensuring that we offer the right fares at the
right time to our customers.”
Amadeus partnerships
Travel technology provider Amadeus and Saudia, have extended their distribution agreement.
By using Amadeus
Altéa NDC, Amadeus said the airline will provide travel sellers worldwide with an
end-to-end booking process with better transparency and enhanced servicing.
Amadeus has also partnered with corporate booking tool and expense management provider Serko.
Scheduled to go live in mid-2025, Serko’s corporate travel solution, Zeno, will integrate NDC-enabled content through the Amadeus Travel Platform. Travelers will be able to shop and book NDC offers via Amadeus, including corporate-negotiated fares and personalized ancillary services.
SITA's new partnerships
Aviation technology specialist SITA has
partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport (RSI).
SITA will provide the airport with solutions for passenger processing, baggage reconciliation, airport
operations and more. SITA Flex and SITA’s Maestro departure control system
will automate check-in and departure processes and allow passengers to use
their mobile device as their remote control for the journey.
SITA has also partnered with Cluj Avram lancu International
Airport through a Letter of Intent (LOI). This partnership will enable Cluj Airport
to test SITA’s solutions in real-world environments to validate capabilities to create a seamless experience
for travelers.
“As the aviation industry faces unprecedented demands for
smarter, more sustainable travel solutions, this cooperation with Cluj Avram
Iancu International Airport means we can bring innovation directly to the
forefront of airport operations,” said Sergio Colella, president, Europe at
SITA.
“Together, we are not only envisioning but actively creating the future
of air travel, through projects that will showcase how technology can transform
every step of the passenger journey. From reducing wait times to cutting
environmental impact, our collaboration aims to set new standards that will
serve as a model for airports around the world.”
Expedia Group appoints chief product officer
Travel technology company Expedia Group has appointed Shilpa Ranganathan
as the company’s chief product officer, marking her return to Expedia Group to
lead the product and design teams.
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With over 25 years of experience in building customer-centric
products, Ranganathan will join the travel leadership team in January based in
Seattle and report directly to Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin.
“I have fond memories of Expedia Group and couldn't be more
excited to return to a company whose mission is to make dreams come true for
travelers and partners around the world,” Ranganathan said.
“I strongly believe
in building superior product experiences designed with the customer in mind.
With its iconic brands and leading B2B business, Expedia Group is
well-positioned to deliver valuable travel experiences from pre-trip to post-post
and drive unprecedented growth for partners. I’m looking forward to leading the
product organization and creating experiences that help our customers make
lifelong memories with every journey.”
PKFARE, Stayforlong
PKFare, a global travel product aggregator, has partnered
with Stayforlong, a European hotel booking platform.
With PKFare’s network, Stayforlong will expand its inventory
across global destinations. Leveraging PKFare’s advanced algorithms and search
engine technology, Stayforlong can now offer travelers personalized, best-fit
accommodation options tailored to their unique preferences.
“As the demand for long-stay accommodations grows, we are
excited to enrich our hotel network with abundant, budget-friendly options
through our partnership with PKFare,” said Luis Osorio Solé, founder and CEO of
Stayforlong. “PKFare’s reliable solutions and competitive rates make them an
ideal partner. We look forward to exploring their full suite of services and
growing together.
Avantio appoints strategic sales leader
Avantio, a short-term rental property management software
company, has appointed Shaun McCorry as strategic sales leader for North
America.
McCorry brings over a decade of expertise in vacation rental
and smart home technology, most recently as VP of sales at Ciirus Vacation
Rental Software and previously at automation platform PointCentral.
“It’s tougher than ever before to be a vacation rental
manager, and that means that managers need better tech and smoother operations
to increase profit margin,” McCorry said. “I’m excited to bring Avantio’s
best-in-class software to more property managers across North America, enabling
them to reduce costs, increase guest satisfaction and most importantly,
eliminate stress.”
The Advantage Travel Partnership, Vibe
The Advantage Travel Partnership, a business network
representing travel agents and travel management companies in the United Kingdom, has sealed a partnership to provide members with access to travel technology provider Vibe.
This
collaboration will allow members access to Vibe's booking platform, designed to
empower agents with tools usually accessible only to the largest organizations.
“Members
servicing business travel accounts, who operate under The Advantage Travel
Partnership’s managed services model, can now tap into our world-class platform,”
said Danny Girling, Vibe's business development and head of partnerships.
"By
leveraging their collective strength, Advantage is offering their members
access to the same world-class tools and services as the biggest players in the
industry. It's all about levelling the playing field and empowering these TMCs
to compete on equal terms with the best tech."