SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 23, 2005–Corporate travel
agencies today got expanded firepower for offering state-of-the-art
online solutions to their clients. As Authorized Resellers in the new
GetThere(R) Partner Program, agencies gain an even more powerful
online tool that allows them to create agency-branded online booking
sites for their corporate clients’ travelers. Agencies are also
offered wholesale pricing and gain the enhancements without any
additional cost.
Today, many of the world’s leading travel agencies resell
GetThere’s online technology in order to offer their clients
leading-edge online booking, in addition to offering their live agent
services and wide range of travel management services. Agencies are
able to resell the GetThere DirectCorporate product for large
companies and the GetThere DirectMidMarket solution for small and
medium-sized companies. With the launch of the GetThere Partner
Program, agencies acquire an enhanced GetThere DirectMidMarket online
solution for their clients. Some of the new capabilities benefiting
GetThere DirectMidMarket users include:
-- Greater site customization
-- Unlimited travel policy
-- Automated flight upgrades
-- User-selectable languages
-- Super-Site capabilities
“There is certainly buzz about online agencies in the marketplace,
but with GetThere we’re offering companies proven online technology,
combined with our expertise and broad range of travel management
services,” said Peter Klebanow of Ultramar Travel Management, a
reseller of the DirectMidMarket tool.
“We are already helping businesses like Calvin Klein and Tommy
Hilfiger save significantly on travel costs by using online booking,
and this program further expands our ability to deliver the most
powerful online options.”
The GetThere Partner Program includes support for agencies during
the sales process, and marketing tools such as datasheets and
presentations that partners can repackage. And, GetThere helps partner
agencies manage their customers’ sites to help maximize savings for
the customer and the agency.
“We have moved from the position of offering online as an option,
to embracing technology as a differentiator,” said John Smith and
President of Tower Travel Management, a reseller of GetThere online
technology. “Working with GetThere, we are getting even more
aggressive in using technology to minimize our own costs, and
therefore customer costs. In addition, GetThere technology like Online
Ticket Exchange provides a new opportunity to differentiate our
offering, while delivering new value to corporations and their
travelers.”
According to Bev Heinritz, general manager of GetThere, “Many
travel management companies are proving to be resilient in the face of
online agencies, and this new program is designed to make them even
more potent in delivering online capabilities. Not only are we
offering enhanced product capabilities, but we have packaged our
experience from working with thousands of companies into programs that
help our partners and their customers achieve the greatest success.”
In addition to the new capabilities announced today, GetThere
recently completed deployment of a fully automated Online Ticket
Exchange tool that allows travelers to change travel plans and
exchange their ticket online with complete information on associated
costs. It allows agencies to offer corporate travelers a convenient
option that helps the agency lower its own costs and customer costs.
About GetThere
GetThere is the world’s leading online corporate travel
reservation technology, and is one of the key solutions offered to the
corporate marketplace by Sabre Holdings Corporation. GetThere enables
global corporations and government agencies to provide a convenient
way for employees to book travel and plan meetings while significantly
reducing costs. GetThere’s advanced technology works with all major
global distribution systems (GDS) and all travel management companies.
More than 3,000 corporations, including 60 percent of the Fortune 200
companies that have online booking sites, use GetThere. More
information is available at www.getthere.com.
Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE:TSG) is a world leader in travel
commerce, retailing travel products and providing distribution and
technology solutions for the travel industry. More information about
Sabre Holdings is available at http://www.sabre-holdings.com.
CONTACT: Vollmer Public Relations
Mary Kate Smither, 972-488-4790
marykate@vollmerpr.com
or
Kristi Manning, 972-488-4790
kristi@vollmerpr.com
SOURCE: GetThere