Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, announces that as part of its extensive global partnership with FCm Travel Solutions, winner of Europe’s Leading Travel Management Company at World Travel Awards and parent company Flight Centre, it has successfully migrated the travel group’s operations in Dubai to the Galileo global distribution system (GDS).

FCm Travel Solutions is the corporate travel subsidiary of Flight Centre, Australasia’s best known travel agency with more than 2,000 outlets around the world.  FCm extended its reach into Dubai in 2007, when it established an office to serve the growing travel needs of local and international businesses based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Taking place over a 15-day period, the seamless conversion was a team effort that involved transferring the group’s reservation and ticketing systems from a previous GDS to the Galileo platform. Each of FCm Dubai’s reservation agents received hands-on training in preparation for the new system, enabling a smooth transition post-migration.

As a result of Flight Centre’s world-wide marketing agreement with Travelport, FCm Dubai will gain access to a broader range of products and support services offered globally by the company, with the aim of implementing strategic solutions that can significantly improve agent productivity and streamline mid and back office processes.

“We are confident that Travelport can deliver the next generation of travel technology, matched by unparalleled customer service at both a local and global level,” said Andrew Boxall, general manager, FCm Dubai. “Our mutual aim is to introduce cutting-edge products into our operations that can meet FCm Dubai’s future needs and bring our success to the next level.” 

“FCM Dubai’s migration to Travelport marks the start of a close working relationship and builds on a great partnership of innovation with Flight Centre globally,” said Ghulam Al Balooshi, country manager, Lower GCC, Travelport.  “We look forward to supporting the group’s rapidly-expanding business in the UAE with best-of-breed technology and services.”

The migration reaffirms the long standing partnership between Travelport and Flight Centre, which has been in place since Flight Centre began operations in Australia in the early 1980s. Travelport is now the preferred GDS provider of Flight Centre in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, South Africa and the UAE.