Bangkok--Oct 4--Galaxy Travel Distribution System
Galaxy Travel Distribution System Ltd., specialising in on-line global travel distribution systems for ground services, will introduce Galaxy TBRS? at World Travel Market 2004, scheduled 8-11 November 2004 at Excel, London UK.
Galaxy TBRS? is an innovative Tourist Board Reservation System specially designed to assist national tourist organisations (NTOs) in capitalising on their own reservation potential, thus generating more income for tourism promotion for their respective regions.
Developed by Galaxy and marketed worldwide by Tourism in Action BV, Ltd, The Netherlands, Galaxy TBRS? offers NTOs multi-product reservation capabilities for accommodations, packages, excursions, transfers and other products on a 'pay per view basis'. This enables the NTO to sell products for its members in its own call and information centres AND to thrive on the internet, using one system, without the necessity of making any upfront investment in this usually expensive technology. Tourist organisations which employ Galaxy TBRS? pay only a modest service fee when reservations actually materialise.
Galaxy will also utilise the World Travel Market 2004 platform to announce and promote three other important industry developments:
-Galaxy’s agreement with Alliance Reservations Network (ARN), USA, which was made for the purpose of enhancing the host-to-host interfacing capabilities of Galaxy’s own global travel distribution system (TDS) with Suppliers and Distributors, with the 30,000 properties that are already connecting and trading through ARN’s switch solution.
-Galaxy's agreement with Connect Worldwide, USA, which was made
for the purpose of enhancing the reach and scope of Galaxy's NMC network in over 40 territories worldwide for the contracting and provision of direct, wholesale price inventory to Galaxy's own global travel distribution system (TDS)
-Galaxy’s significant enhancements made to improve its groundbreaking Galaxy Billing and Settlement Program (Galaxy BSP), the travel industry’s first, in-house billing and settlement program offered exclusively for ground services, including Galaxy’s fully integrated seamless, credit card gateway which no longer relies on a third-party payment system and the capability of accepting 17 local currencies.
At this year’s World Travel Market 2004, Galaxy will participate in Booth # TT5050 in the event’s Technology Pavilion. Members of the travel trade media are invited to visit the Galaxy booth for interviews with key Galaxy executives and representatives.
Issued by Galaxy Distribution System Ltd. For more information, please contact:
Mr G.E. “Coke” Mead
Director — Public Relations
Incentive Dynamics (S) Pte. Ltd.
PR Counsel to Galaxy Distribution System Ltd.
Tel/Fax: 66-2 — 691 — 7193
Mobile: 66-1 — 850 — 7979
Email: [email protected]
For more information regarding Galaxy regional initiatives and developments please contact:
Mr Norbert Salcher
Regional Director of Sales
Galaxy Distribution System Ltd. — Europe
M?nzenbergstr. 5, D-63303
Dreieich, Germany
Tel: (49-61) 03 852 63
Fax: (49-61) 03 987999
E-mail:[email protected]
Note to Editors:
Galaxy Distribution System Ltd. (www.galaxy-system.com) is an on-line global travel distribution system for ground services, which enables travel agents worldwide to immediately access, book, confirm and settle payments on-line and at the best possible prices. Galaxy provides travel agents with a direct link to a global supply of wholesale-priced and specially priced travel products from a variety of direct suppliers. Settlement is via Galaxy Billing and Settlement Plan (Galaxy BSP).
At present, Galaxy's software solutions address primarily the leisure travel market, which is the fastest growing segment of the travel industry. Additionally, however, rapid inroads are being made by Galaxy to support the growing needs of corporate travel, where increased emphasis is placed on cost management. Worldwide expenditures for all categories of travel have been estimated by the World Travel and Tourism Council at $1.5 trillion, with 2004 expected to register a 6% increase, followed by an average annual increase of 4.5% over the next 10 years.
Galaxy’s unique GroundServices? is a multi-language system that automates the sales, procurement, delivery and invoicing functions, currently handled predominantly manually, around-the-clock in a user-friendly, vendor-neutral, secure and confidential environment. Rolled out during the first half of 2002 and currently being marketed to Receptive Inbound Operators globally by Galaxy’s NMC partners, GroundServices? is a virtual private network ("VPN") made available by Galaxy to users on a rental basis in return for a minimal percentage fee for each transaction put through the system.
Galaxy’s Travel Distribution System (Galaxy TDS) is specifically designed to give retail travel agents easy, direct booking access to competitively priced hotel rooms and other ground services. Launched in 2003, Galaxy’s TDS filters best rates and availability from among numerous ground services suppliers in each destination, giving travel agents access to the most competitive rates in the market. Rates come direct from the principal source of wholesale-priced ground services, the Receptive Inbound Operators, and from a wide range of suppliers who provide their inventories directly to Galaxy without the need for third-party content aggregators. These industry suppliers have deep-discounted arrangements with hotels and other ground services providers, but generally do not trade directly with travel agents for credit reasons.
Incorporated in Hong Kong in 1993, the company has its marketing and training operations in Bangkok, Thailand, - where it is registered under BOI status received from the Thai Board of Investment - with its product development centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where it also has MSC Status within the Malaysian Multimedia Super Corridor.
Notes to Editors:
Tourism in Action BV Ltd (www.tourisminaction.com) was founded in mid-2000 to fill the void that existed among reservation systems for Tourist Boards in Europe. Overall, the company can be characterized as a synergy at work. Tourism in Action is intended to offer industry wide reservation and information solutions, enabling its customers to capitalise on their own natural resources without heavy investments. The company owners have many years of experience, ranging from the congress industry and international tourist boards to IBM Europe, Middle East & Africa, major international hotel chains, airlines and car rental companies as well as incoming agents.
For more information regarding Galaxy TBRS?, please contact:
Mr Tim Diets
Managing Partner
Tourism in Action B.V.
Anna Blamanlaan 33
2104 SC Heernstede, The Netherlands
Tel: +31-23-5478163
Fax: +31-23-5471618
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.tourisminaction.com
Note to Editors:
Alliance Reservations Network (ARN), established in 1995, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, provides technology, products and services connecting and empowering travel Distributors with the ability to electronically transact seamless business with travel Suppliers worldwide and on a real-time basis.
For more information regarding Alliance Reservation Network, please contact:
For more information regarding ARN, please contact:
Mr Todd Eden
Vice President Business Development
Alliance Reservations Network (ARN)
14435 North 7th Street, Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Direct: 602.889.5507
Facsimile: 602.224.9896
www.allresnet.com
www.abbienetwork.com End.
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