SOUTHLAKE, Texas and LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 18,
2004–Travelocity’s (NYSE:TSG) European business today launched its
French consumer travel Web site. Called Odysia (www.odysia.fr), a
variation on the French word for “Odyssey,” the site gives Travelocity
Europe its first consumer-direct online presence in France.
The site features highly advanced, fully integrated ‘dynamic
packaging,’ enabling travelers to design and package an entire trip
from beginning to end in about five minutes. Destination, airline,
choice of hotel, its location and the type of room, car rental and a
wide range of travel amenities can be reviewed and booked on the site,
which uses the slogan ‘everything proposed, nothing imposed.’
“We are very excited to launch our entry into the French online
consumer direct market,” said Damon Tassone, incoming President of
Travelocity Europe. “Online travel buying in France is growing
substantially, and we think we are entering the marketplace at a great
time.”
This is the second step in Travelocity Europe’s multi-channel
growth strategy in France. In March this year it acquired VFinance,
owner of Boomerang Voyages, a French tour operator selling a wide
range of package holidays through travel agencies. The acquisition
also included 10 offline travel agencies located in major French
metropolitan areas.
Travelocity Europe now operates consumer travel Web sites in
France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. It also
operates four sites in Germany in partnership with the Otto Group
business Otto Freizeit und Touristik GmbH (OFT).
Travelocity France is based in Paris and run by managing director
Jan Oetjen, who reports to Tassone.
About Travelocity
Travelocity’s industry-leading technology and straight-talking,
honest information help travelers take more rewarding and affordable
trips. With 44 million registered users and booking $4 billion of
travel in 2003, Travelocity negotiates thousands of low-priced deals
with the world’s most reputable travel providers – top airlines,
hotels, car rental companies, cruise lines, and other destination
attractions and services. Additionally, Travelocity offers
deeply-discounted rates for weekend getaways and dynamic packages
through its Last Minute Deals and TotalTrip(SM) shopping engines, and
provides customer service support over the phone 24 hours a day. Based
in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also operates Travelocity Business
for corporate customers, powers international travel Web sites in
eight languages, and has been recognized for its consumer advocacy and
global leadership in online travel. More information about Travelocity
is available at www.travelocity.com. Travelocity is owned by Sabre
Holdings Corporation (NYSE:TSG), a world leader in travel commerce.
More information about Sabre Holdings is available at
www.sabre-holdings.com.
CONTACT: Travelocity, Southlake
Judy Haveson, 212/554-7425
judy@vollmerpr.com
or
Mary Kate Smither, 972/488-4790
marykate@vollmerpr.com
VOLLMER
or
EUROPE CONTACT
Peter Heath, 44 (0) 1844-350-099
peter@textwrite.org
SOURCE: Travelocity