PARIS & SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 1, 2006–Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) signed a reseller agreement with GetThere to offer clients worldwide enhanced flexibility in their choice of online booking systems, the travel management company announced today. The GetThere online corporate travel reservation system is available to CWT clients in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and is offered in eight languages. The GetThere system complements CWT’s proprietary online booking tool CWT Horizon, which is available in the United States and Canada.
Leading the online booking trend and driving process optimization worldwide are not only strategic priorities for CWT, but essential levers for effective travel management, according to Hubert Joly, CWT’s president and chief executive officer. He said, “Online booking allows companies to reduce their total travel costs by roughly 10 percent. Realizing savings depends on the ability to quickly drive online adoption around the world. This requires know-how from the moment a company considers implementing an online booking system to the time it takes to reach desired online adoption levels. So in addition to offering clients our proprietary, cutting-edge technology, CWT is committed to being the most effective travel management consulting company and leading-edge systems integrator for a range of technology solutions. This is one of the ways we help clients achieve great results from their travel program.”
CWT’s global reseller agreement solidifies a longstanding relationship established in 1998, when a CWT client first integrated the GetThere system into its managed travel program. The GetThere online reservation system offers several functionalities, including multi-GDS (Global Distribution System) compatibility, multilingual capabilities and international currencies. CWT clients will enjoy added benefits that include preferential pricing; seamless integration with other CWT proprietary technologies, such as CWT Portrait, the company’s profiling tool; and faster rollout for GetThere implementation, thanks to a reusable, CWT-specific framework. GetThere also provides local support staff in those markets around the world where its system is available.
“CWT is committed to providing its clients best-in-class technology options, proprietary and third-party, to ensure their travel program meets the business goals of the organization and its culture,” said Jack O’Neill, chief operating officer CWT North America. “CWT Horizon and GetThere are industry-leading solutions our clients look to in order to achieve both savings and traveler satisfaction.”
“We’ve been successfully providing online booking tools to CWT clients for several years now,” added Beverly Heinritz, GetThere general manager. “So we’re excited about formalizing our relationship with CWT and are committed to working closely with them to deliver optimum supplier content and streamlined reservation processes that drive value for clients worldwide.”
About Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Carlson Wagonlit Travel is a world leader in business travel management, partnering with large corporations, small and medium-sized companies, and government institutions. CWT designs and implements superior travel management programs for clients based upon its recognized consulting expertise, strong purchasing power, technological strength, and consistent delivery of high-quality service. CWT has operations in 150 countries and services 60 of the world’s 100 largest companies. Annual sales of $22 billion are generated under the Carlson Wagonlit Travel brand. For more information, visit www.carlsonwagonlit.com.
About GetThere
GetThere, a Sabre Holdings brand, is the world’s leading online corporate travel reservation technology, surpassing $6.3 billion in gross travel bookings in 2005. An established innovator in the global travel arena, GetThere enables global corporations and government agencies to provide a convenient way for employees to book travel and plan meetings online 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 a majority of 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: Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Media Contacts
Laurie Alexander, 763-212-2079
lalexander@carlsonwagonlit.com
or
Kim Derderian, +33-1-41-33-60-44
kderderian@carlsonwagonlit.com
or
GetThere
Michael Brophy, 682-605-2565
michael.brophy@GetThere.com
SOURCE: GetThere
