Travelclick and Sabre renew long-term agreement
Travelclick and Sabre announced today the renewal and strengthening of an agreement whereby Travelclick will serve as a reseller of Sabre travel agent media to hoteliers worldwide. This new multi-year agreement is designed to benefit hoteliers, travel agents and travelers by delivering targeted hotel advertising and promotional value at the point of sale, when crucial travel decisions are being researched and made.
Working together since 1999, Travelclick and Sabre have successfully launched and grown key media innovations including point of sale advertising (Sabre PromoSpots) and preferred placement (Sabre Hotel Spotlight) products.
The integration of Sabre’s industry-leading media assets into Travelclick’s Media Network enhances the overall value offered to Travelclick’s 15,000 customers worldwide who rely on the Company’s comprehensive portfolio of marketing, business intelligence and reservations solutions.
With the industry’s largest network of localized sales and service experts, Travelclick will connect hoteliers with Sabre’s 57,000 travel agency locations around the world, providing them with an end-to-end experience.
The agreement will leverage the continued growth in hotel bookings through the global distribution system (GDS) channel. In 2010, hoteliers increased their revenue by 38 percent through GDS bookings. More than $17 billion in hotel revenue was booked by travel agents through GDSs last year, driven in part by a 14 percent increase in room nights sold, which reiterates the buying power and value of travel agencies.
“Sabre is a critical partner,” said Jonathan Cherins, chief marketing officer at Travelclick. “The reach and experience of our proven global sales team will provide hotels with access to Sabre’s industry-leading media portfolio, allowing them to leverage one of the most powerful and fastest growing distribution channels in the hotel industry.”
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Channel Investment Creates Options for Hoteliers
Together, Sabre and Travelclick will focus on the growth of the distribution channel and invest in launching innovative features and products.
“We are excited to collaborate with Travelclick to better serve our mutual customers and develop innovative products that put optimally targeted offers at the fingertips of our agents, so they can provide the highest level of service and value to their travelers,” said Rajiv Rajian, vice president of Point of Sale Product Marketing for Sabre Travel Network. “Our agreement highlights the significant commitment that Sabre and Travelclick have to the success of hoteliers and travel agents worldwide.”
As a part of this agreement, Travelclick will also become an authorized reseller of Sabre Reward Plus, the travel agent program that rewards agents for bookings they make within the Sabre portfolio.