Sabre Corporation announced the development of a new booking solution, Sabre Red Launchpad, designed for new or independent travel consultants. Sabre developed Sabre Red Launchpad, an extension of Sabre Red 360, with launch partner Internova Travel Group, one the world’s largest travel services companies.
Sabre Red Launchpad reduces training time for new-to-industry travel consultants and provides a light-weight way for independent consultants who do not currently use an aggregator or GDS to access the breadth of content and robust capabilities that Sabre provides through its travel marketplace. In the coming weeks, Internova will roll out a co-branded version of the product – Internova SNAP, Powered by Sabre – to its thousands of travel advisors in the U.S. Sabre will rollout Sabre Red Launchpad globally in the coming months.
“Sabre Red Launchpad expands the Sabre Red toolkit,” said Kathy Morgan, Vice President of Product Management, Distribution Experience, Sabre Travel Solutions. “We’re giving travel agencies more choice and flexibility in how they manage their workforces. Some consultants may work purely in Sabre Red Launchpad and others may choose to use the expanded capabilities of Sabre Red 360 over time. We feel fortunate to innovate alongside visionary companies like Internova Travel Group to deliver new technologies that enhance experiences for travel advisors and the travelers we serve.”
Like consumer travel applications, Sabre Red Launchpad provides users with a streamlined graphical user interface (GUI) that helps them shop and book basic air, hotel, and car itineraries with only a few clicks. The product supports NDC offers, low-cost carrier XML content, and traditional ATPCO/EDIFACT options as well as the full breadth of lodging content offered via Sabre’s Content Services for Lodging.
“To recruit talent to our industry, we need modern travel retailing tools that do not require new hires to learn a new language to operate. In addition, we’re pleased that SNAP will help our independent agents to benefit from working with technology platforms like Sabre in a way that works for them. In collaboration with Sabre, we’re proud to introduce a new chapter in the way we shop and book travel,” said Peter Vlitas, Executive Vice President, Partner Relations at Internova Travel Group.
Sabre Red Launchpad co-exists alongside Sabre’s existing agency booking solution, Sabre Red 360. If complex servicing needs arise, Sabre Red Launchpad users can hand-off bookings seamlessly to teammates working in Sabre Red 360. Throughout 2024, Sabre will invite more agencies to join Internova as part of the Sabre Red Launchpad early adopter program.
Internova Travel Group whose travel brands include ALTOUR, Global Travel Collection and Travel Leaders Network, the largest network of professional travel agents in North America, is a long-term and strategic partner with Sabre and utilizes a wide array of Sabre agency offerings including NDC, Sabre Red 360, Agency Retailer and Content Services for Lodging. Internova is also a strategic member of Sabre’s Beyond NDC program, helping to champion NDC for agencies, and has implemented Sabre’s NDC capabilities for several airlines.
“The team at Sabre is solution-oriented and always helps work through our needs on a timely and professional basis,” added Jeremy Van Kuyk, Chief Information Officer at Internova Travel Group. “Our dedicated IT and Revenue Management teams invested thousands of hours and shared their expertise to propel this project forward. We look forward to our continued success on the many endeavors to come.”
