Amadeus adds Opodo to its hotel distribution channels
“Opodo is a major new distribution channel for Amadeus Hospitality, viewed by 12 million visitors a month. Additionally, Amadeus distributes hotels in its system to 360,000 travel agency and airline points of sale in 217 markets around the world,” said Antoine Medawar, Managing Director, Amadeus Hospitality Business Group.
Since it launched in 2001, Opodo has quickly established itself as one of the leading European online travel agencies, with a reputation for delivering good value, quality products. Currently operating in nine European markets, Opodo expects to have sold over €1 billion-worth of travel products and services in 2005.
John Ryan, Director Hotels, Opodo commented, “Opodo is continuing its mission of providing customers with the widest possible choice of good value, quality products. This partnership with Amadeus enables us to offer our discerning travellers a wide range of hotels in range of hotels in the top destinations around the world.”
Amadeus took a controlling stake in Opodo in June 2004 and currently owns 75.4% of the company.
Notes to editors
About Opodo
Opodo addresses the real needs of today’s traveller by offering an unbiased and competitively priced online travel service for world travel. Customers can enjoy excellent offers from 500 airlines, 65,000 hotel properties, 7,000 car hire locations, package holidays, city breaks, lifestyle holidays, ski deals, comprehensive travel insurance and value added services such as airport parking.
Opodo was created by nine of Europe's leading airlines - Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM and Lufthansa. Amadeus, the travel technology company based in Madrid, took a 74% controlling interest in the company in March 2005.
Opodo operates in nine European markets: Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Companies within the Opodo Group: Opodo.co.uk, Opodo.de, Opodo.fr, Opodo.es, Quest Travel, (one of the UK’s leading independent long-haul travel specialists), Karavel, (a leading French online tour operating company) Eviaggi (Italian online travel agency), Vivacances (French online travel agency) and Travellink (Nordic online travel agency).
About Amadeus
Amadeus is the chosen technology partner for providers, sellers, and buyers of travel. The company provides distribution, IT and point-of-sale solutions to help its customers adapt, grow and succeed in the fast changing travel industry. Customer groups include travel providers (airlines, hotels, car rental companies, railway companies, ferry lines, cruise lines, insurance companies and tour operators), travel sellers (travel agencies) and travel buyers (corporations and travellers). Solutions are grouped in four solution categories - Distribution & Content, Sales & e-Commerce, Business Management and Services & Consultancy.
Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters & marketing), Nice (development) and Erding (Operations - data processing centre) and regional offices in Miami, Buenos Aires and Bangkok. At market level, Amadeus maintains customer operations in 75 countries covering more than 215 markets.
The company - jointly owned by BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa-- has over 6,500 employees worldwide, representing 95 nationalities. For the year ended 31 December 2004, the company reported revenues of €2,056.7m and net income of €208.0m.
More information about Amadeus is available at: www.amadeus.com
Media contacts
AMADEUS
Corporate & Marketing Communication
Tel : +34 91 582 0160
Fax : +34 91 582 0188
Email : externalcommunication@amadeus.com
OPODO
Gail Sinden
Opodo Corporate Communications
Tel: + 44 (0) 870 352 5087
Fax: + 44 (0) 870 352 5086
Email: gail.sinden@opodo.com
