FEATURES AND ADVICE
prnewswire | April 13, 2023
Sabre Corporation a leading software and technology provider to the global travel industry, and United Airlines, today announced the availability of United's NDC offers through Sabre's global distribution system (GDS).
Sabre-connected travel buyers, agencies and developer partners will be able to shop, book, and service United's NDC content through Sabre's Offer and Order APIs, the agency point-of-sale tool, Sabre Red 360, and the online booking tool, GetThere.
"We are so pleased to launch United Airlines' NDC content this week, marking the 10th airline with whom we have completed integration and made content available through NDC to agencies around the world," said Kathy Morgan, vice president, NDC and airline supply, Sabre Travel Solutions. "In delivering a suite of NDC solutions and enabling air content in our NDC channels, we are helping airlines go from where they are today to a new modern approach to travel retailing – a key step in the evolution of retailing and distribution in the travel industry."
Travel buyers connected to the Sabre GDS will be able to choose enhanced offers from United such as United's continuous pricing content with the lowest fares available in these channels. They will also have access to more descriptive information on United's flight offers as well as seat selection enabled in the booking path. NDC offers from United are currently available in over 70 countries, with more coming soon.
Sabre Offer and Order APIs are the foundation of a modern retailing marketplace that allows airlines to dynamically create and distribute tailored offers across any channel, while being seamlessly fulfilled and delivered as orders. Sabre Red 360 unlocks a full spectrum of bookable content and insightful information to efficiently create tailored trip experiences that travel buyers can sell and service.
About Sabre Corporation
Sabre Corporation is a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, serving a wide range of travel companies including airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies and other suppliers. The company provides retailing, distribution and fulfilment solutions that help its customers operate more efficiently, drive revenue and offer personalized traveler experiences. Through its leading travel marketplace, Sabre connects travel suppliers with buyers from around the globe. Sabre's technology platform manages more than $260B worth of global travel spend annually. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.
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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY, DESTINATION AND TOURISM, COMMERCIAL TRAVEL
TCS World Travel | April 28, 2023
TCS World Travel, the world’s leading operator of private jet expeditions, today unveiled eight new customizable itineraries for travelers seeking a personalized getaway with private jet, plane or first class commercial travel options. From a deep dive into some of the most remote destinations in southern Africa, to an island-hopping journey around the Mediterranean, travelers can choose from a diverse menu of all-encompassing trips that combine exclusive access and one-of-a-kind experiences with luxury accommodations in desirable destinations around the world.
TCS World Travel’s Private Custom Travel arm offers guests an exclusive, private and stress-free way to travel, leveraging TCS’ wealth of knowledge, global network of connections, and on-the-ground expertise from the company’s 30 years of experience creating unforgettable Group Jet Expeditions. Guests will enjoy TCS World Travel’s exceptional service, dedication and attention to detail, and benefit from their exclusive access and insights, as their knowledgeable travel consultants plan every step of the journey. TCS can also include an experienced trip leader to travel with the group and sort out all the on-the-ground details throughout the journey.
Travelers will begin with a complimentary trip consultation with TCS’ travel consultants, who will help them personalize their itinerary by choosing the perfect destinations and activities. All itineraries are completely customizable for travelers looking to build their own personalized vacations to their own unique tastes and specifications. While these itineraries are designed to spark ideas, TCS can create trips that are as over-the-top as guests wish to go.
“Whether guests are planning a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list trip, multi-generational family getaway, or romantic trip with their partner, TCS World Travel has the planning and operational expertise to make the complex simple,” said Shelley Cline, President of TCS World Travel. “The unparalleled expertise of our travel consultants makes the process seamless and enjoyable from start to finish, as guests work with our team to create the trip of their dreams.”
TCS’ all-encompassing curated journeys include luxury accommodations, savvy local guides, exceptional dining experiences, transfers, gratuities and end-to-end service. The trip pricing includes all accommodations and activities in the proposed itinerary, with the ability to add on a private jet or first-class commercial travel to the itinerary starting points. Select itineraries (as indicated below) include private jet travel between destinations, but TCS can arrange anything from commercial or private flights to private car service, yachts or even train travel. Choosing Private Custom Travel gives guests the freedom to travel however they desire.
About TCS World Travel
TCS World Travel leads the industry in private jet journeys with the experience and knowledge built from developing hundreds of trips for over 30 years. The company excels at providing unparalleled local access and exclusive activities tailored to any travel style. Circle the globe or take a dive deep into a region on a luxury private jet expedition or embark on a luxury custom journey by private charter plane created especially for you to any destination in the world.
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HOSPITALITY TRENDS
prnewswire | June 01, 2023
GetYourGuide, the leading global platform for discovering and booking travel experiences, announced today the closing of $194 million in equity and credit financing. The round represents a valuation increase for the company and solidifies its leadership position in the industry. The strategic investment will be deployed to expand GetYourGuide's marketplace in key geographies such as North America and accelerate product innovation for both travelers and experience creators globally.
Blue Pool Capital led the $85 million Series F funding round, with participation from KKR and Temasek. UniCredit led the Revolving Credit Facility (RCF) of $109 million, with participation from BNP Paribas, Citi and KfW.
"In the current market, we view this as a vote of confidence from our investors who believe passionately in unlocking unforgettable experiences for travelers around the globe," said Johannes Reck, CEO and co-founder of GetYourGuide. "We are still early in the transformation of our category and the larger $300 billion category and the even larger $1.5 trillion experiences market. And our technology is poised to help drive innovation and growth for our partners and customers alike," Reck added.
Consumers are continuing to spend on experiences over traditional retail goods. GetYourGuide's data confirms this trend: booking volumes in the first quarter of 2023 are four times higher than the first quarter of 2019. The travel experiences category is quickly growing, benefiting from a generational shift in consumer spending habits. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, American consumer spending on experiences grew twice as fast as spending on goods between 2000 and 2019.
"There is immense opportunity in the digitization of the experiences industry, and we believe GetYourGuide's global leadership and market-leading customer-centricity in the category stems from its deep expertise in this complex space," said Oliver Weisberg, CEO of Blue Pool Capital. "We believe GetYourGuide is uniquely positioned to be the global leader in the category; we are pleased to lead the equity financing given the strength of the business," added Weisberg.
The investment will help increase the pace of innovation for travelers and supply partners, leveraging the rapidly progressing capabilities of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). The acceleration of product investment will not only help travelers make the most of their travels, but also empower supply partners to manage and grow their businesses on the platform with intuitive tools.
The funding comes in time to kick off peak travel season, where record-breaking engagement is expected on GetYourGuide's platform. Part of driving this increased engagement are Originals by GetYourGuide, the company's signature co-created tours with exclusive activities and access, such as NYC: MoMA Before Hours Tour with Art Expert; London: Coronation Tour; Milan Cathedral & Terraces Exclusive After-Hours Tour; and Turning the Lights on at the Vatican Museums.
J.P. Morgan acted as exclusive financial advisor to GetYourGuide on the transaction. For more information about GetYourGuide, please visit getyourguide.press.
About GetYourGuide
Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, GetYourGuide, a travel booking platform, specializes in online travel, tours, attractions and local activities, tourism, e-commerce, technology, the hospitality industry, engineering, sales management, account management, marketing, and travel experiences. It has been transforming travel experiences for explorers since 2009. It accelerates growth for experience creators through access to data-driven insights, technology and a market expert. It focuses on simplifying the digital travel reality. It provides meaningful moments of discovery for travelers. It has leading venture capital investors for funding and support and various local offices worldwide.
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