SOUTHLAKE, Texas -- In a major repositioning of its brands, Sabre
is taking its online corporate booking service, GetThere, and
folding it into Travelocity Business, the online giant's suite of
products for corporate accounts.
Sabre said it intends to "leverage" GetThere to provide the
technology necessary for Travelocity Business to serve the travel
needs of large corporations.
Furthermore, Sabre said it intends to "centralize" online
technology development into Travelocity, indicating that GetThere,
which has operated independently since Sabre bought it, might be
losing much of its autonomy.
Sabre launched Travelocity Business last month as an online
agency for small and midsize companies seeking a lightly managed
travel program, leaving GetThere to provide self-booking technology
to large corporations.
Sabre now has decided to market the Travelocity brand more
aggressively, stating it is "accelerating [Travelocity Business']
ability to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end travel solutions to
companies of any size."
Sabre's competitors are pursuing similar strategies. Expedia
Corporate Travel already has landed some large accounts. Cendant,
parent of Galileo, announced last month that it will be offering a
full-service solution to large corporations.
So what will happen to the GetThere brand? A Sabre spokesman
said he expects the brand will remain relevant in the Sabre Travel
Network business -- meaning GetThere will be the brand corporations
are meant to choose when they want to use a self-booking tool in
conjunction with the services of a traditional travel agency. Sabre
said GetThere will continue to support connections to other
GDSs.
The majority of GetThere bookings are fulfilled by agencies, but
GetThere, in partnership with TQ3 Travel Solutions, does provide a
full-service offering, called Fulfillment Service Option, to a
handful of clients.
The spokesman said the company doesn't plan to migrate
GetThere's full-service clients to Travelocity Business.
Sabre acquired GetThere in 2000, a time when GetThere was
reporting no profits. Sabre said it will determine whether to write
off goodwill associated with the acquisition.
To contact reporter Jerry Limone, send e-mail to [email protected].