Amadeus AgentNet captures the best of the web

London – 13 June 2003: Users logging into Amadeus’ market leading AgentNet portal on Tuesday 17 June will automatically be upgraded to the enhanced 2003 version – designed to maximise sales through improved ease of use. This new version of AgentNet features even more comprehensive sources of travel related information in a single site plus all the benefits of Amadeus’ award-winning reservations tools.

In line with extensive customer research, the completely redesigned AgentNet portal now contains a number of innovative enhancements to provide an improved user experience and help travel professionals find information faster. These enhancements include:

Faster Navigation

• Faster and simplified access to navigation tabs for Amadeus reservations tools. For example, users of Amadeus Vista, Amadeus Cruise or Amadeus Pro Web are just one click away from their favourite front office application.

Brand New Features

• Hotels database incorporating hotel pictures and data to assist agents in locating and booking the right accommodation for clients.
• Amadeus knowledge bank ensures agents are making the most of Amadeus products and services and also helps streamline customer interaction.

Latest solutions unveiled

• Because there is nothing worse that doing things the hard way, additional information about Amadeus’ extensive range of products including downloads and online demonstrations will guarantee that AgentNet users keep abreast of evolving technology and how to harness the business benefits.

Powerful Cruise Finder

• As interest in UK cruise bookings continues to grow, AgentNet’s sophisticated Cruise finder functionality enables agents – even those who are new to the cruise market – rapidly find cruises that match their customers’ requirements without the need to thumb through brochures.
• An enhanced cruise booking function also displays prices and availability to help agents turn ‘lookers’ into bookers.

Richard Munday, Operations Manager at Cambridge Business Travel said, “Amadeus AgentNet is the perfect marriage of GDS information and travel related content on the World Wide Web. Our clients look to us to provide them with accurate and update-to-date advice with the minimum delay.

“The additional content available through the AgentNet portal, such as local event information and the new hotel databank with images, ensures that we are equipped to delight our customers by giving them that little bit extra. Rather than wasting time surfing the Internet for information, our busy consultants can look to AgentNet to access the latest travel alerts and FCO advice with ease, before passing relevant information on to our clients in a timely manner.”

Commenting on the enhancements, Peter Cacioppo, Sales Director of Amadeus said, “This latest version of AgentNet has come about through listening closely to what our customers need, combined with Amadeus’ ongoing investment in innovative product development.

“These days, the industry knows how important it is for travel agents to add value in order to attract and retain customers. Amadeus AgentNet provides fast access to a full range of information that will help travel agent’s exceed customer expectations and keep them coming back for more. We are confident that the new version of AgentNet will help our customers do business more profitably”.

Notes to editors

Amadeus Global Travel Distribution (MAD: AMS)

Amadeus is the leading global distribution system (GDS) and technology provider, serving the marketing, sales and distribution needs of the world’s travel and tourism industries.

Its comprehensive GDS data processing centre serves 63,940 travel agency locations and more than 9,900 airline sales offices, which together total more than 272,980 points of sale located in over 200 markets worldwide.

Through the Amadeus GDS, travel agencies and airline offices are able to make bookings with 466 airlines, representing more than 95 per cent of the world’s scheduled airline seats. The system also provides access to 62,520 hotels, 47 car rental companies serving some 24,760 locations, and other provider groups including: ferry; rail; cruise; insurance and tour operators.

Amadeus is a leading application service provider (ASP) to the airline industry.

134 airlines use the Amadeus Sales System in their offices to provide passengers with superior and seamless service at optimal cost.

Amadeus’s new generation of Passenger Service Systems, which include all IT systems associated with inventory management and departure control, will be implemented by British Airways, Qantas and Finnair.

e-Travel, Amadeus’s e-commerce business unit, is global leader in online travel technology and corporate travel management solutions. It powers the Web pages of 887 travel agencies, 255 corporate sites, 18 hotel sites and 139 web sites serving 50 airlines.

Amadeus is headquartered in Madrid, Spain and quoted on the Madrid, Paris and Frankfurt stock exchanges. For the year ended 31 December 2002, the company reported revenues of EUR 1856m and net income of EUR 148.6m. The Amadeus data centre is in Erding (near Munich), Germany and its principal development offices are located in Sophia Antipolis (near Nice), France. The company has some 5,200 employees worldwide.

More information about Amadeus is available at: www.amadeus.com or www.amadeusuk.com

For further information please contact:

Amadeus UK
Rob Golledge
T: 0870 990 7851
F: 0870 990 9299
E: [email protected]
W: www.amadeusuk.com

Amadeus Press
Bridget Agnew / Anya Velzeboer
Financial Dynamics
T: 020 7269 7219/7174
F: 020 7831 8438
E: [email protected]