Bangkok--Oct 15--Galaxy Distribution
Galaxy Distribution System Ltd., specialising in on-line global travel distribution systems for ground services, officially announced today two important promotions within the Galaxy organisation.
Mr Iwan Spillebeen has been appointed Senior Vice President Operations/ Chief Operating Officer of Galaxy Distribution System Ltd.
In his new capacity, Spillebeen will be responsible for the IT Department, which oversees product research, development, deployment and management of Galaxy’s suite of products; and coordination and management of design and user specifications for newly-developed products.
Spillebeen will also continue to be responsible for Galaxy’s Help Desk and worldwide training and education programmes; coordination with Galaxy’s National Marketing Companies and its four regional sales and training offices; management and development of customer operating procedures and information.
Meanwhile, Mr Paul Blahuta has been appointed Galaxy’s Vice President - Global Supply Alliances.
Reporting to Galaxy’s Senior Vice President — Sales & Marketing, Blahuta will be responsible for accelerating the addition of content to Galaxy’s TDS and providing access to relevant and available global inventory through a wide range of supply alliances in line with market needs, corporate goals, and system developments. Blahuta will work closely with Galaxy’s Regional Sales Directors and other appointed inventory-gathering partners to improve the level and breadth of ground services products available to Galaxy RTA’s.
In his new position, Blahuta will also develop and manage an inventory analysis and assessment system and will establish priorities in the implementation of supply alliances and interfaces. He will also provide competitive pricing reports, as well as establish both corporate sales contracts and connectivity contracts.
Until a suitable replacement is in place, Blahuta will continue to manage and coordinate current sales activities for those NMCs which are part of the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and CIS regions. It is anticipated that this transition period will take approximately three months.
The new Galaxy appointments are seen as yet another step forward for Galaxy in asserting itself as the first true Global Distribution System for ground services.
Issued by Galaxy Distribution System Ltd. For more information, please contact Galaxy’s website at www.galaxy-system.com or 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 Paul Blahuta
Vice President - Global Supply Alliances
Galaxy Distribution System Ltd.
Sydney, Australia
Mobile No: (61) (0) 400 307 207
Email: [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 US$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. End.
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