SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Jan 26, 2004 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Jurni Network, the unique
offline leisure travel agency consortium operated by Sabre Travel Network,
today announced its first list of preferred suppliers from the cruise, tour,
car and hotel segments. Thirty-three suppliers, including Royal Caribbean
International, The Mark Travel Corporation, Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A
Car have agreed to provide travel products in specific markets to Jurni
Network agency members.
The initial list of preferred suppliers includes:
- Cruise Lines: Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania
Cruises, Orient Lines, Royal Caribbean, The Delta Queen Steamboat
Company, and Viking River Cruises - Tour Operators: Adventure Tours, AeroMexico Vacations, ATA Vacations,
Blue Sky Tours, Club Med, Cosmos, Creative Leisure International,
Funjet Vacations, Globus, Las Vegas and More, Midwest Airlines
Vacations, MGM MIRAGE Vacations, Mountain Vacations, Pleasant
Holidays, Showtime Tours, Southwest Airlines Vacations, Sports
Empire, TransGlobal Vacations, Travel Charter, Travel Impressions,
United Vacations and US Airways Vacations - Car Rentals: Auto Europe, Avis and Budget
- Hotels: Sabre Exclusives merchant hotel program, which includes over
1600 properties, representing 101 brands in 220 cities.
“We are excited to participate in this new consortium model, backed by the
strength of Sabre Travel Network, that allows us to benefit from this highly
targeted distribution channel. The Jurni Network concept will evolve to be a
critical distribution channel for us,” said Bill LaMacchia Jr., of The Mark
Travel Corporation. “We are confident in the potential for increased sales,
brand awareness and yield, as well as the value and efficiencies we will gain
by being a Jurni Network charter supplier.”
“We have strategically selected these suppliers to partner with Jurni
Network in specific target markets,” said Chris Kroeger, general manager of
Jurni Network. “Jurni Network enhances the effectiveness of the agency
channel by enabling agencies to turn more shoppers into buyers, through the
integration of detailed marketing intelligence directly into the selling
process. Suppliers can create targeted messages and offerings to increase the
sales of their products via this channel. Enhanced revenue opportunities are
generated for both suppliers and member agencies.
“This is the peak season for cruise and tour bookings, as a result today’s
announcement of suppliers reflects our focus on these key leisure travel
products. We are currently in negotiations with other suppliers across the
spectrum of travel products that will complement and enhance this inaugural
list,” continued Kroeger.
Jurni Network has received over 210 travel agency applications and is
currently finalizing contracts with those agencies that, along with Nexion,
will become charter agency members of the Jurni Network. Agents choosing the
host agency model will also have access to Jurni Network’s preferred
suppliers, direct marketing programs and the market intelligence capabilities.
About Jurni Network
Jurni Network is a leisure travel agency consortium, operated by Sabre
Travel Network, that enables offline agencies to sell more products from
preferred travel suppliers by using sophisticated market intelligence. This
highly targeted distribution channel creates a whole new value proposition for
suppliers and optimizes earnings for both suppliers and agencies. Additional
information about Jurni Network is available at www.jurni.com .
About Sabre Travel Network
Sabre Travel Network, a Sabre Holdings company, provides access to the
world’s leading global distribution system (GDS) and products and services
enabling agents at more than 53,000 agency locations worldwide to be travel
experts. Originally developed in 1960, the Sabre GDS was the first system to
connect the buyers and sellers of travel. Today the system includes more than
400 airlines, approximately 60,000 hotels, 53 car rental companies, nine
cruise lines, 36 railroads and 232 tour operators.
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 .
Statements in this press release which are not purely historical facts,
including statements about potential for increased sales or gain in value or
efficiencies or other statements about anticipations, beliefs, expectations,
hopes, intentions, or strategies for the future, may be forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon
information available to the Company on the date this press release was
released. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise. Any forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially
from the events or results described in the forward-looking statements,
including risks or uncertainties related to the Company’s revenues being
highly dependent on the travel and transportation industries. The Company may
not succeed in addressing these and other risks. Further information
regarding factors that could affect our financial and other results can be
found in the risk factors section of the Company’s most recent filing on Form
10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Sabre Travel Network
Dawn Dorman of Sabre Travel Network, cellular
817-312-7680,
or dawn.dorman@sabre-holdings.com
http://www.jurni.com