LONDON, 24 January 2018: Outperforming its GDS competitors, Sabre delivers the lowest fares to its travel agency audience with a larger selection of flight options, claims a competitive global distribution system (GDS) study conducted across 18 countries.
According to research by Dr Fried & Partner that was commissioned by Sabre, the GDS surpasses its competitors in all regions, sourcing the lowest fare on average 10% more often than Amadeus and 7% more often Travelport.
In addition, the study finds that 75% of bookable air content in Sabre offers a branded fare, or ancillary option, versus 59% in Amadeus and 55% in Travelport.
The study reveals for both leisure and business travellers that while price continues to be important, there is also a growing demand for a higher quality of service as travellers want more out of their travel experience.
Depending on the traveller profile and the type of journey they are undertaking, the study indicates that travellers are willing to pay up to 25% more for added value. Business and leisure travellers have different expectations on price and ancillary content
While the lowest price remains top of mind across all customer segments, the research suggests that there are pronounced differences between leisure and business travellers. The survey found:
- Leisure travellers have certain considerations when shopping for a trip:
- Flexibility when it comes to travel dates or destination
- Price
- Baggage included
- Refundability or factors like shorter travel durations are less important
- Business travellers are also price-conscious, but their needs are more diverse than those of leisure travellers. Alongside price, other deciding factors include:
- Short travel duration
- Airline brand
- Amenities like more legroom, priority boarding and lounge access
- Fares that deliver convenience and flexibility within the confines of their corporate travel policies
Business travellers are also price-conscious, but their needs are more diverse than those of leisure travellers. Alongside price, other deciding factors include such as
Airline brand and amenities like more legroom, priority boarding and lounge access.
“We are seeing a shift in the market as awareness of rich content is slowly increasing,” said Fried & Partner co-founder, Dr Markus Heller. “As airlines continue to unbundle their offers and provide a wider range of branded fares and ancillaries, travellers appreciate individual services and amenities more than when they were included. Our research suggests that, as rich content gets more and more into travellers’ focus, it will present a significant opportunity for differentiation to travel agents.”
Sabre’s travel marketplace reaches more than 475,000 travel agents and thousands of corporations.
The Low Fare Study was commissioned by Sabre and conducted by Dr Fried & Partner, a leading marketing and consulting company. For the study, Dr. Fried & Partner conducted a competitive analysis and comparison of the best fare search capabilities of Sabre, Amadeus and Travelport.
More information can be found at www.sabre.com/sayyes .
