Galileo International
, the leading provider
of electronic global distribution services for the travel industry, has
signed a global agreement with SAP AG, the leading provider of e-business
software solutions, that will provide SAP customers quick and real-time
access to information from more than 500 airlines, more than 30 car-hire
companies and 51,000 hotel properties, as well as 431 tour operators and all
major cruise line companies, via the Galileo(r) computer reservations
system. 

(Caption: Jonathan Siddons, vice president, Product, Marketing and Development, for
Galileo`s EMEA region)
Under the agreement, Galileo will apply the leading Applications Programming
Interface (API) solution, XML Select(tm), to the next version of the SAP?’
corporate self-booking tool of the Travel Planning functionality within the
mySAP?” Financials Travel Management solution.  XML Select utilizes
structured data, which ensures customers` applications are inherently more
stable than those based upon older screen-scraping APIs, and result in more
time-and cost-efficiency in the travel-booking process. 

Jonathan Siddons, vice president, Product, Marketing and Development, for
Galileo`s EMEA region, highlighted the fact that corporate purchasing
departments are exploring and seizing the opportunities for e-procurement
due to potential cost savings and more efficient management of travel.

“The agreement with SAP clearly demonstrates Galileo understands and has
responded to the challenges facing its corporate customers and their clients
in the travel arena.  By allowing corporations to utilize the core SAP R/3?’
Enterprise software solution to book travel via the Galileo system, Galileo
will be releasing a market-leading solution based on the latest technology,”
said Jonathan Siddons.  “The interface with SAP will be added to Galileo`s
portfolio of corporate self-booking tools as an additional option for
corporations looking to better manage their travel.”

Under terms of the global agreement between Galileo and SAP AG, the
companies will jointly develop the interface to the SAP corporate
self-booking tool.  This is designed to be available with SAP R/3 Enterprise
Extension 2.0, which, according to SAP, is scheduled to be released in the
second quarter of 2003.

Related stories on ITN:

(14/08/2002) AAA First to Deploy Galileo International Web Services

(26/07/2002) Galileo to Enhance Agency PrivateFares Product

(17/07/2002) Galileo Acquires Controlling Interest in Leading Travel Software Solutions Provider

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