Travel Agent - November 12, 2007 - (Page 76)

BUSINESS OPER ATIONS TECHNOLOGY EXCLUSIVE Sabre Takes UpSell to the Skies New air component will present upgrade options to agents during the booking process BY JENNIFER MERRITT SABRE WILL INTRODUCE AN AIRFARE VERSION OF UPSELL LATER THIS MONTH, Travel Agent has learned exclusively. UpSell, which allows agents to offer a higher-value product at the point of sale, is currently a feature of Sabre Hotels. The new air version is being integrated into MySabre, the company’s primary travel agent interface, and Australia’s Qantas Airways (www.qantas.com.au) will be the launch partner. The Unbundling Trend As airlines have continued to unbundle fares, Sabre (www.sabretravelnetwork.com) felt the UpSell capability was increasingly important so agents could suggest ticket upgrades where appropriate. Kyle Moore, vice president of product marketing for Sabre, estimates that several dozen airlines are taking part in this unbundling trend, which consists of airlines abandoning pricing strictly by cabin class and instead charging customers for premiums like seat selection, more legroom and ticket refundability. “Every airline in the world is at least thinking about this as a strategy,” Moore says, though it remains to be seen whether the majority will adopt it. UpSell’s air component allows agents UpSell’s air component allows agents to view and compare various fare families while shopping for fares online, which helps them suggest appropriate ticket upgrades to their clients “ 76 | TravelAgent November 12, 2007 “Every airline in the world is at least thinking about this as a strategy. ” to view various fare families during the booking process. “Once agents select an itinerary, we message back to the agent right in the workflow suggesting to upgrade the ticket to get certain benefits,” Moore explains. “Sometimes an upgrade won’t make sense, because travel plans are firm or lounge access doesn’t matter to the client, but either way it’s a win-win-win situation: The traveler is given information that they would value, the airline enjoys higher yields, and the agent is providing a service that —KYLE MOORE is valued by the traveler.” For Sabre, the key concern was integrating the capability into the agent’s workflow. “It is absolutely critical that it happens in the way the agent shops in their traditional workflow, because if it doesn’t, the likelihood of being able to see all the options will be diminished,” Moore says. The unbundling concept will likely be confusing to consumers, but Moore believes that such a structure can only benefit travel agents. “Travelers will have to deal with more decisions and they’ll need someone to help sift through the noise,” he says. “Complexity is a friend of the travel industry channel, because consumers are going to have a harder time sifting through all the gray areas. It’s an empowerment to the travel agency.” I CONNECTING YOU For more ideas on how technology can help your business, visit www.travelagentcentral.com/tech http://www.qantas.com.au http://www.sabretravelnetwork.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/tech

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - November 12, 2007

Travel Agent - November 12, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: Berlin Has a Vibrant Arts Scene Central & South America: Iberostar Grand Amazon: Adventure, but with Upscale Cruise Comforts Culinary Tours in Argentina and Peru Belize Eco-Lodge Packages Pacific/Asia: Bali Awaits Discovery by U.S. Tourists Las Vegas: Three Days in Vegas for Baby Boomers Caribbean & Bahamas: CTO’s Chairman Sees Growth in the Market Dominica’s New Tourism Director Discusses Challenges and Opportunities for His Island St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Where Less is More St. Maarten as a Destination for Foodies Tours: Sunshine and Disney are Just Two of Florida’s Options Cruises: Theme Cruises Generate Demand and Revenue Oceania’s Sales and Fleet are Growing Cruise Deals Cover Story: The New Wave Supplier Profile: Viking River Cruises Launches Land-Only Tour Operation Air Lift: Sabre Takes UpSell to the Skies A Tough Season Ahead: Rising Rates and Demand Give Hotels Edge in Price Negotiating Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Caribbean Tourism Conference Cruise and Hotel News Trends In U.S. Travel to France Disneyland Upgrade Travel Week In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - November 12, 2007

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