Sabre Travel Network is launching MyRewards, a long-term loyalty programme designed exclusively for travel agents.  MyRewards is designed to stimulate UK travel agents into increasing the number of travel bookings made through the Sabre reservation system.

MyRewards enables agents to earn points for every hotel and car booking made, which can be redeemed against a wide range of gifts including i-Pods and digital cameras. Its existing hotel and car booking incentive schemes, Sabre HotelRewards and Sabre AutoRewards, will be brought under the new MyRewards brand.

To help emphasise the online aspect of the programme, travel agents will be able to earn points by completing Sabre’s Internet-based training and learning tutorials.

Using technology from Loyaltynet, the loyalty system specialist, Sabre Travel Network is able to administer MyRewards through Sabre eServices, the website it uses to service its travel agency customers.

Phil Thomson, Loyaltynet’s managing director, said: “The Loyaltynet system allows companies to run their loyalty programmes as an extension of their portal or website which can dramatically increase use of the portal. By blending e-learning into the loyalty scheme travel agents are motivated to learn more about Sabre’s products and services.”

Richard Adams, Sabre Travel Network’s senior vice president in EMEA, said: “A large proportion of our customer services, such as help desk, training, reporting and troubleshooting, are done electronically to save our travel agency customers time.  It makes good business sense to incorporate MyRewards because the more knowledgeable agents become about Sabre’s reservation system the more bookings they will make.  While being launched initially in the UK, we intend to roll this programme out to Europe later in 2006.”

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