Google Cloud has joined forces with Sabre Corporation as it seeks to digitally transform the traveller experience.

Sabre, which launched in 1960, revolutionised the travel market with the launch of the first semi-automated flight reservation system.

Since then, the company has evolved into a broad technology platform that manages more than $260 billion worth of global travel spend annually.

The ten-year-strategic partnership with Google will enable the travel provider to improve operational agility while developing new services and creating a new marketplace for its airline, hospitality and travel agency customers.

“This is a really exciting time for Sabre, our customers, employees and other key stakeholders.

“For decades, Sabre has made travel easier for people on the go and within the industries that serve them,” said Sabre chief executive, Sean Menke.

“Today, we embark on a new transformational journey with Google.

“As our preferred cloud provider and broader strategic partner, Google Cloud will help to accelerate our digital transformation and ability to create a new marketplace and critical products and systems focused on our customer needs for decades to come.”

As part of the agreement, engineers and business leaders at both companies will work side-by-side on three main initiatives:

• Improving Sabre’s technology capability: Sabre will begin the process of migrating its IT infrastructure to Google Cloud’s highly available and secure services. The partnership provides Sabre advanced support and greater flexibility to meet its technology objectives.
• Using Google Cloud tools to enhance and optimise travel: Google Cloud’s data analytics tools will enable Sabre to enhance the capabilities of current and future products. They will provide Sabre with insights to help them improve operational efficiency and create and optimise travel options, improving both loyalty and revenues for its customers.
• Driving a broader innovation framework:The two companies have aligned upon a framework that leverages talent and assets of both companies to imagine, develop and deploy future capabilities that will advance the travel ecosystem, benefiting all market participants.

“At Google we build tools to help others, so a big part of our mission is helping other companies realise theirs.

“We’re so glad that Sabre has chosen to work with us to further their mission of building the future of travel,” said Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google and Alphabet.

“Travellers seek convenience, choice and value.

“Our capabilities in AI and cloud computing will help Sabre deliver more of what consumers want.”