Sabre pulls availability info directly from hotels

Sabre has introduced a new level of connectivity for its hotel customers. Direct Connect SHOP links Sabre ConnectedSM travel agents and online travel sites directly into participating hotels’ reservation systems from the very earliest point in the booking process.

The product moves confirmation of availability right to the front of the booking process, ensuring that the initial availability display on agents’ screens is as accurate as a call to the property’s reservation number. It also gives hotel chains direct control of what data is being displayed across the growing number of distribution channels available to them.

“Direct Connect SHOP is designed to allow hotels to distribute their products seamlessly across multiple channels, ensuring that rate and availability information is current at any given moment”, said Dan Van Winkle, Sabre’s director of marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The development is particularly significant as hotels continue to grow the number of rooms they sell through online travel sites.

“It’s increasingly important to our hotel customers that travellers booking online do not have to wait for the site to confirm that a room or rate is actually available”, Van Winkle said.

“With Direct Connect SHOP, if a room is displayed it’s available. There is no need to check”.

Marriott International is Sabre’s launch customer for Direct Connect SHOP and the global distribution system (GDS) expects other hotel groups to follow shortly.

Sabre Connected travel agents will be able to identify participating hotels by a Cross of Lorraine (‡) in front of the two-letter chain code on the hotel availability screen.

“This product not only makes it easier for hotels to market their product, but it streamlines the hotel booking process for travel agents too”, Van Winkle said.

About Sabre Holdings Corporation

Sabre is the leading provider of technology, distribution and marketing services for the travel industry. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the company has approximately 7,000 employees in 45 countries. Sabre reported 2001 revenues of $2.1 billion. Sabre owns Travelocity.com, the most popular travel site on the Web, and GetThere, the world’s leading provider of Web-based travel reservation systems for corporations and travel suppliers. Sabre is an S&P 500 company, traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TSG). More information about Sabre is available at www.sabre.com.

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