New Amadeus e-Cruise Platform boosts cruise seller’s profitability
Integrated multi-channel solution helps reduce time and cost both online and offline, adding value to the cruise shopping experience
April 10, 2006 Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, today previewed its new cruise-selling technology, the Amadeus e-Cruise Platform. Amadeus e-Cruise Platform is a fully integrated web-based booking solution that enables travel professionals to sell more effectively to their clients, whether they prefer to browse the Internet, book via a call center, or walk-in through their door. The platform will be available in the U.S. starting mid-year, with other global markets to follow, and can be used by any travel agent regardless of their GDS affiliation.
Attendees at the Cruise Line International Associations’s (CLIA) cruise3sixty event this week are getting a sneak peak at the platform, which includes a consumer booking site, an agent desktop application, and a flexible suite of reporting tools. Amadeus e-Cruise Platform includes sophisticated features and the most comprehensive, up-to-date cruise content.
“Amadeus e-Cruise Platform is a one-stop cruise shop designed to serve the current as well as future needs of travel professionals," said Glenn Dean, Director of Travel Services & Leisure for Amadeus North America. "It also will provide a real benefit to cruise-only agents and cruise franchises and consortia looking to increase their revenues, optimize their productivity and improve their customer service.”"
Dean added that Amadeus e-Cruise Platform can also be used by online travel agencies, cruise lines, and even other travel suppliers such as airlines who can take advantage of the new revenue opportunities offered by booking cruises online.
“Amadeus e-Cruise Platform is a fully integrated tool from front end to back end and allows travel professionals to improve their productivity and do everything from one desktop platform: sell, book, price, profile customers, and generate reports," Dean said.
Amadeus e-Cruise Platform users will benefit from:
State-of-the-art technology and functionality, including business management and reporting tools that allow any travel agent to monitor their businesses daily;
Real-time access to the most comprehensive content, including direct access to currently 16 cruise lines representing more than 90 percent of the cruise content available today which continues to grow;
Ease of use for both agents and customers, who can make a booking in as few as three steps;
Increased integration and reporting, which maximize productivity and efficiency; and
Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty via a multichannel platform that enables travel agents to serve customers 24/7.
Cruising continues to grow and online cruise bookings along with it
In 2005 cruiselines carried more than 11 million passengers and strong demand is also forecasted for this year, according to CLIA. With industry forecasts indicating passenger numbers could grow to 20 million by 2010, cruising continues to be one travel's fastest-growing sectors.
“Amadeus e-Cruise Platform is the perfect tool to assure travel agents are covering all the bases and taking advantage of the cruise boom, including serving their customers online," Dean said. "Travel agents realize that the internet means adapting their business to fit into the new multichannel market where consumers have a choice of where and how they book their travel."
A CLIA report revealed that 47 percent of travelers surveyed would consider booking a cruise online. And according to Forrester Research, $1.7 billion of cruises will be booked via the internet by 2009.
“Amadeus e-Cruise Platform assures that travel professionals can meet the preferences of their customers who want to book online," Dean said, "from long-time cruisers who know exactly where and how they want to cruise to first-time cruisers who are savvy web users."
Amadeus eFulfillment brings additional services and value
Additional fulfillment services also are available to Amadeus e-Cruise Platform users in the U.S. Amadeus e-Cruise Platform Call Center and Customer Services will enable travel agents or suppliers to outsource their entire cruise call center and customer services operations, thus automating and streamlining their sales process from lead generation to collection of cruise commission revenue.
Notes to the editors
Amadeus
Amadeus is the chosen technology partner for providers, sellers, and buyers of travel. Amadeus provides distribution, IT and points of sale solutions that 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 and insurance companies, tour operators), travel sellers (travel agencies) and travel buyers (corporations and travelers). Solutions are grouped in four solution categories – Distribution & Content, Sales & e-Commerce, Business Management and Services & Consulting.
Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters & marketing), Nice (development) and Erding (operations including the data processing center) 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 is owned by WAM Acquisition, whose shareholders are BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa. Amadeus employs over 6,500 employees worldwide, representing 95 nationalities. For the six months ended 30 June 2005, Amadeus reported revenues of €1,226.1m and net income of €154.2m.
More information about Amadeus is available at: www.amadeus.com
