Worldspan to Distribute GTA’s Global Hotel Content Agreement Announced Just Days After The Completion of Travelport’s Acquisition of Worldspan
Langley, UK, September 4, 2007—Global travel technology provider Travelport announced that its newly acquired Worldspan GDS will join its existing Galileo GDS business in making GTA’s hotel inventory bookable by Worldspan users.
Worldspan and Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA), also part of Travelport, announced a new four-year distribution agreement today that will bring GTA’s hotel inventory into the Worldspan global distribution system (GDS). The partnership will add thousands of properties, along with GTA’s retail rates, to the Worldspan Hotel Select® global shopping and booking system in use by travel agencies and corporations.
Worldspan’s industry-leading XML data exchange technology will be used to create a real-time interface between GTA’s internal reservations system and the Worldspan GDS. Later this year, Worldspan Hotel Source® will distribute GTA content through Worldspan to points of sale worldwide, providing travel buyers with real-time property availability, rates, rules and immediate confirmations directly from GTA’s internal system.
“Worldspan is pleased to become the first GDS to integrate GTA content into the GDS primary agent display and to support their business with the most advanced XML solution for global travel distribution,” said Kathy Fitzpatrick, Worldspan vice president – North America Sales and Worldwide Travel Supplier Solutions. “As one of the world’s leading hospitality distribution companies, GTA will materially expand content offerings available to Worldspan subscribers with over 23,000 unique hotel properties globally.”
“Worldspan has taken the industry’s biggest steps with XML technology to offer travel suppliers direct connections and seamless distribution through a GDS. We are pleased to partner with a technology leader as we expand our reach to a substantial new base of travel retailers worldwide,” said Kurt Ekert, executive vice president and general manager, GTA Americas & OctopusTravel.com Worldwide.
Worldspan XML technology is the first and leading end-to-end data exchange solution for direct connections between travel suppliers and a GDS. It supports the exchange of a broad range of transactional, informational and descriptive content between host systems.
Galileo-connected travel agents already have access to GTA hotel content through Galileo Leisure, branded G Destinations in Canada – the industry leading leisure portal first launched in November, 2005. The portal also offers extensive car hire, sightseeing and transfer content from GTA and all bookings made are integrated into a single booking file (PNR) saving on back-office time for agents. Galileo Leisure is now available in 64 languages and 24 countries (for more information visit www.galileoleisure.com). - more - Worldspan to Distribute GTA’s Global Hotel Content—page 2
About Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA) Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA), a Travelport company, is a leading global wholesaler of ground products and services to the travel industry. GTA supplies tour operators, travel agents and public Web sites with one-stop-shopping. Its vast inventory is available in 27 languages and includes more than 80,000 rooms a night at over 23,000 hotels and apartments worldwide, airport transfers, sightseeing tours and even concert tickets and restaurant reservations. GTA books over 16 million hotel bed nights each year.
About Worldspan Worldspan is a leader in travel technology services for airlines, travel suppliers, travel agencies, e-commerce sites and corporations worldwide. Utilizing some of the fastest, most flexible and efficient networks and computing technologies, Worldspan provides comprehensive electronic data services linking thousands of travel suppliers around the world to a global customer base. Worldspan offers industry-leading Fares and Pricing technology such as Worldspan e-Pricing®, Worldspan Rapid Reprice®, hosting solutions and customized travel products. Worldspan enables travel suppliers, distributors and corporations to reduce costs and increase productivity with technology like Worldspan Go!® and Worldspan Trip Manager® XE. Worldspan is a brand of Travelport, one of the largest and most geographically diverse travel companies, dedicated to creating the exceptional travel experiences the world demands. Additional information is available at worldspan.com.
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Worldspan and all other Worldspan marks identified with a ® or SM contained herein are either registered marks or service marks or trademarks of Worldspan, L.P. throughout the world.
CONTACT: Worldspan: Erin Hadaway, 770-563-6545, e-mail: [email protected] Gullivers Travel Associates: Chris Lazarus, A.J. Lazarus Associates, Inc. for GTA, 845- 855-8400, e-mail: [email protected]