Innovative Amadeus Extreme Search Developments Will Serve the Needs of the Next Generation Traveler
Amadeus Extreme Search investments continue to evolve the travel shopping experience through online and leisure travel agencies. In an industry first, Amadeus presents Affinity Shopper, reinventing the travel shopping experience on airline Web sites
Orlando, November 18, 2009: Amadeus, a global leader in technology for the travel and tourism market, continues to push the boundaries of online shopping technology for the travel sector.
The Amadeus Extreme Search concept (live for Traveltainment customers across Europe) allows consumers of packaged travel to ask, in real-time, open questions such as “where can I go and what can I do for the amount I want to spend?” They instantly receive clear, precise alternatives to make their selection on the same search page, without the need to insert a destination city or a date of travel, unless they already know where they want to go.
In an industry first, Amadeus Affinity Shopper now brings this new concept to airline Web sites. Amadeus Affinity Shopper enables travellers to shop on airline Web sites by their desired travel experience. The new solution was presented yesterday at the PhoCusWright Conference in Orlando.
In the first quarter of 2010, Amadeus will continue to roll out enhanced Extreme Search solutions for online and leisure travel agents, leading the industry and revolutionizing the online travel shopper’s experience.
Amadeus Vice President Sales & e-Commerce Platforms, Denis Lacroix, said: “With our Extreme Search concept, which also drives Amadeus Affinity Shopper, consumers can search by budget, type of activity or geography – all on a single page – and receive relevant responses instantly. This completely overthrows the established practice on airline Web sites, which requires that research is done based on known destinations and specific travel dates. In addition, with Amadeus Extreme Search, the shopping process is then seamlessly integrated into the booking flow, allowing the traveller to purchase the chosen trip on the same Web site.
The innovative approach improves significantly the shopping experience for travellers by giving them the power to conduct highly intuitive and personalized travel search, quickly find their ideal travel options and reduce the time to plan and book trips. This means that an airline is able to capture travellers’ attention early in the search process and engage them into a booking, thereby growing share of the leisure market.
Marcus Casey, Head of e-Commerce & Mobile of Lufthansa Passenger Airlines, which has piloted the solution, said: “Amadeus Affinity Shopper gives our customers further options to use our Web site as a traveller playground where users can explore and determine their trip based on what they would like to do during their travel. Our customers are able to conduct a search for a ‘beach vacation in Europe based on a budget range’, or even a completely open search for ‘a vacation for less than, for example, $700 per person.’ The ability to inspire the traveller to search easily and quickly through quality data gives us a considerable competitive edge.”
“Current searching is not in line with the way people think,” Lacroix pointed out. “Travellers often do not know what they really want, and even if they do, they will still want to compare options and offers. Research conducted for our leisure travel technology business revealed that 70 percent of people planning to take a vacation do not have a firm idea of where they want to go when they start looking . This new search technology will map onto the way consumers want to purchase travel.”
A new report by Amadeus, The Amateur-Expert Traveller, emphasises further the need for technological innovation to engage and effectively serve the needs of the new generation of travellers. According to the report, the average consumer has more knowledge and decisive power than ever before, through the internet. In parallel, niche travel and services represent a significant opportunity for the travel industry. A third finding points to an explosion of innovation that will deliver a journey that is more responsive to the needs of this current consumer. Amadeus´ Affinity Shopper is a tangible example of such innovation.
“By helping travellers navigate the overwhelming amount of information on the internet we can help the industry to increase customer satisfaction and retention rates. We can help travel sellers such as airlines or travel agencies, promote destinations and upsell ancillary products,” said Lacroix.
The underlying concept of Amadeus Extreme Search
Innovation, inspiration, interaction, transparency, data quality and unique speed are the hallmarks of Amadeus´ new concept of Extreme Search. The underlying technology is capable of processing billions of offers in about 30 milliseconds. Search functions are available on a single page and include calendar display, price and destination, as well as travel themes (beach, adventure, cultural) and map displays.
Amadeus Extreme Search will continue to evolve, leveraging the Amadeus Massive Computational Platform the company has recently developed.
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Notes to the editors
1) A summary of the benefits Amadeus Affinity Shopper brings:
For airlines:
• increased loyalty of online customers and growth in Web site traffic by offering user-friendly search functionality and a secure tool to find the best fare.
• Increased online sales as a result of a better look-to-book ratio because of the improved user experience and quality of advice available
• The shared technological platform on which Affinity Shopper is based reduces the cost to maintain and develop the infrastructure
For travellers:
• Increased satisfaction with the online shopping experience through fast location of the best offers that fully correspond to their expectations.
• Inspiration and choice of competitive destinations – all through an intuitive, graphical interface.
2) Evolution of online travel search tools at Amadeus
Amadeus has a strong track record in the provision of e-commerce systems for the travel industry. Some of the search and shopping milestone solutions are:
2002: Through Amadeus Value Pricer, a query returned the dozen cheapest recommendations for air travel between two points - for a requested service class (business, economy etc).
2003: Amadeus Master Pricer returned some two hundred cheapest recommendations for air travel for the requested service class.
2004: Amadeus Flex Pricer brought more advanced functionalities of low-fare search - calendar displays and fare families. This empowered consumers to search for the lowest fare in a calendar display, for a specific range of dates, or if they chose, to pay a bit more for more privileges or services – within their requested service class.
2009: Amadeus Extreme Search has now delivered the first in a family of solutions that will allow consumers to carry out highly intuitive and personalized travel searches online. Amadeus Affinity Shopper has now brought this new concept of extreme search to airline Web sites.
2010: Enhanced Extreme Search tools for online and leisure travel agencies will be rolled out.
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).
In just a few years, Amadeus has become a leading airline IT provider offering a fast growing portfolio of unique new generation solutions shared by a community of over 200 airlines. The portfolio includes the Amadeus Altea Suite (new generation customer management solution), the Amadeus e-Commerce Suite and other added value solutions like Amadeus Revenue Integrity.
Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters & marketing), Nice (development) and Erding (Operations – data processing centre) and regional offices in Miami, Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Dubai. At market level, Amadeus maintains customer operations through 71 local Amadeus Commercial Organisations covering 219 markets.
The company is majority owned by WAM Acquisition, whose shareholders are BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa. Amadeus employs over 8,900 employees worldwide, representing 105 nationalities.
More information about Amadeus is available at: http://www.amadeus.com
Contact details
Amadeus
Debbie Iannaci
Director, Public Relations
Amadeus North America
Tel: 305-499-6448
Email: diannaci@amadeus.com
Christian Munson
Account Supervisor
CRT/tanaka for Amadeus North America
Tel: 804-675-8151
Email: cmunson@crt-tanaka.com
