Travelport focused on Mideast growth

Travelport is one of the world's largest networks of travel brands and content and a leading provider of travel technologies, solutions and services. The firm operates through two global distribution systems (GDS) – Worldspan and Galileo – which are used in travel agency offices around the world. Despite the global decline in air travel, Travelport recently ramped up operations in the region – and in this exclusive interview with Emirates Business Rabih Saab, Vice-President, Middle East, explains why. Travelport has made a huge investment in the Middle East. With a general drop in traffic and the resultant decline in yield, when do you expect to see a return on your investment? As a leading GDS provider with almost two decades of leadership in the Middle East, the fundamentals of our business are strong and we continue to provide value in our offering. Last year we announced further investment in the region and confirmed our long-term commitment because we still believe in the region's growth potential despite the recent economic downturn. The investment has been used to build up our resources and technology and we are confident it will help lay the foundation for success, and as a result we will be ready and able to reap the benefits when market conditions improve. Unless people stop flying completely we will remain profitable because there is consistent demand from both the airlines and travel agents for our products and services. In February 2009 alone there were nearly 5.4 million air travel segments booked through GDS systems in the Middle East, which was only a slight decline over the figures we saw in 2008. You have relaunched the Galileo computer reservations system in the Middle East. What are the new features of this platform? The Galileo platform still offers many of the user-friendly features that travel agents have become familiar with. However, we are continually enhancing its performance and functionality with new content and tools aimed at making booking and managing travel easier. One of these new features is Viewtrip, a product that allows any traveller who booked through Galileo to view their itinerary online. Another is e-tracker, a web-based solution that enables agents to record and check all electronic tickets issued on the Galileo system. We are also offering products such as Galileo Fee Manager, an important solution for agents operating in a zero-commission environment. However, perhaps the most noticeable change for Galileo users in the Middle East is the way in which it is delivered. We have significantly boosted our local services for travel agents through our new direct operation, which opened for business at the beginning of the year and now offers comprehensive technology training, including a 24-hour global help desk and virtual training to all of our Galileo-connected customers. What about the Worldspan system – are there any new features on this platform? Travelport offers travel agents in the UAE the Worldspan system through a separate agreement with a local distributor called Stargate Cyber Active. Worldspan is a leader in the e-commerce space and offers products such as Go! – a new platform that uses browser-based technology. Worldspan also offers industry-first technologies such as XML Pro, which leverages the internet to connect with third-party applications, and e-Pricing, a low-fare search technology that is also being rolled out to Galileo users. How important is the Middle East in your growth strategy? There is no doubt the Middle East is one of Travelport's most important regions and is playing a key role in our global growth strategy. The fact that we have made such a significant investment is a clear demonstration of how committed we are to this fast-growing region. In less than a year we have opened five new offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, recruited more than 100 new employees to our regional team and signed new distributor agreements in Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Galileo has been the leading GDS provider in the Middle East for nearly two decades and some of our most loyal and long-standing customers are based here. This is why we have stepped up our activities and are developing our capabilities to better serve their needs. Where do you see Travelport being in five years' time? As a global organisation we have a strategy in place to both grow our core business, focusing on profitable regions such as the Middle East, as well as looking at new business opportunities and ground-breaking new products to offer our customers. Ultimately we want to stay at the forefront of the GDS industry and help our customers grow their businesses. We are constantly looking ahead to see the bigger picture and where the industry is heading as we want to remain relevant and reflect the changing marketplace. Do you see any new trends emerging in the industry, particularly in travel spend and management? While there has been a global