ABACUS International has unveiled a slew of new products to help travel consultants overcome content fragmentation and distribution challenges online as well as service customers on mobile.
Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily, Martin Symes, chief marketing officer, Abacus, highlighted key breakthrough product Abacus WorkSpace as the “point of sale system of the future”.
“This open-source platform brings a multitude of content distribution opportunities which will help streamline workflow and optimise operational efficiency, content aggregation and automation – all on a single desktop,” he said.
Built on the Sabre Red workspace product, the new platform will also give travel consultants access to the new web-based booking system Abacus ContentPlus.
Consultants therefore no longer have to log on to multiple systems given that all content sources are now accessible within a single point-of-sale – with super-PNR integration between Abacus ContentPlus and the Abacus GDS.
Other products and solutions announced during the biennial Abacus International Conference include travel itinerary app TripCase, Abacus Travel Plus aimed at wholesalers, and Abacus Mobile Connect, a tool that allows travel agencies to launch their own apps.
Asked what differentiates Abacus in the competitive GDS environment, Symes referred to the company’s regional strength in Asia-Pacific paired with Sabre’s global reach.
Steven Ler, senior vice president and head of supplier relations, UOB Travel Planners Singapore, said: “These (new products) are all good stuff but the question for travel agencies is will they know what is good for them…what travel consultants want may be different from what they truly need.
Ler suggested that Abacus offer advisory services to help agencies understand the requirements of their own businesses and situations.
Anthony Baby John, CEO of India-based Trinity Air Travel & Tours, whose company adopt some of the new Abacus products, said: “There are definitely major changes that we need to make, but we have to do it to keep up with the changing times.”
