Leveraging AI that can help its airline and travel agency communities, Sabre will complete migrating and moving all of its GDS business to Google Cloud this year.
“Google has the best ability to advance our capabilities in the travel space….and so we’ve been working collaboratively…to figure out how do we leverage our own data and assets, and adapt AI and machine learning for our partners,” said Brett Thorstad, vice president, Sabre Travel Solutions, agency sales, APAC.
Sabre Space Asian roadshow heads to the Philippines as the company resumes its in-market engagements post-lockdown
Speaking at the Sabre Space Asian roadshow in the Philippines, Thorstad said that in the first years following its 2020 partnership with Google, Sabre launched airline pricing products so carriers can use AI to dynamically price their fares and ancillaries.
He noted that both traditional travel agencies and OTAs, which value automation, could also benefit from AI use.
Hence, Sabre launched this month the Lodging AI that offers up to 20 alternatives when a hotel is sold out or a search criteria is not met. Additionally, the Schedule Change Predictor of flight cancellations and disruptions can be used to create and offer travel itineraries. Both products are available on the Sabre Red 360 platform.
While the GDS is traditionally known for air content, today the most addressable types of content is air followed by hotel, car rental, cruise and tours.
“We’re looking at ways to add more content into the GDS,” said Thorstad.
“Bringing (more content) into the GDS, into a single shopping request, and having it all bookable into the same portal will be hugely beneficial for our (agency) community,” he said.
“We do see a potential for the future where anything can be sold through our platform,” he added.
Further, Thorstad also shared insights into the industry. He said airline seat capacity is recovering and almost back to normal, but travel agency GDS bookings are not growing as quickly; most bookings come from the corporate travel side.
Thorstad pointed out that the work-from-home environment has complicated the corporate travel market. Corporates are booking less frequently as they reduce day trips and become more intentional about travel. On the bright side, business travellers are taking longer trips.
As a percentage of corporate travel bookings, business class and premium economy seats are selling better now than in 2019, he said.
Leveraging AI that can help its airline and travel agency communities, Sabre will complete migrating and moving all of its GDS business to Google Cloud this year.
“Google has the best ability to advance our capabilities in the travel space….and so we’ve been working collaboratively…to figure out how do we leverage our own data and assets, and adapt AI and machine learning for our partners,” said Brett Thorstad, vice president, Sabre Travel Solutions, agency sales, APAC.
Speaking at the Sabre Space Asian roadshow in the Philippines, Thorstad said that in the first years following its 2020 partnership with Google, Sabre launched airline pricing products so carriers can use AI to dynamically price their fares and ancillaries.
He noted that both traditional travel agencies and OTAs, which value automation, could also benefit from AI use.
Hence, Sabre launched this month the Lodging AI that offers up to 20 alternatives when a hotel is sold out or a search criteria is not met. Additionally, the Schedule Change Predictor of flight cancellations and disruptions can be used to create and offer travel itineraries. Both products are available on the Sabre Red 360 platform.
While the GDS is traditionally known for air content, today the most addressable types of content is air followed by hotel, car rental, cruise and tours.
“We’re looking at ways to add more content into the GDS,” said Thorstad.
“Bringing (more content) into the GDS, into a single shopping request, and having it all bookable into the same portal will be hugely beneficial for our (agency) community,” he said.
“We do see a potential for the future where anything can be sold through our platform,” he added.
Further, Thorstad also shared insights into the industry. He said airline seat capacity is recovering and almost back to normal, but travel agency GDS bookings are not growing as quickly; most bookings come from the corporate travel side.
Thorstad pointed out that the work-from-home environment has complicated the corporate travel market. Corporates are booking less frequently as they reduce day trips and become more intentional about travel. On the bright side, business travellers are taking longer trips.
As a percentage of corporate travel bookings, business class and premium economy seats are selling better now than in 2019, he said.