Amadeus outlines growth and expansion plans in Syria.

Summary: Launches local operations in partnership with Syrian Arab Airlines 

Amadeus, the global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, today announced the launch of its operations in Syria in partnership with Syrian Arab Airlines.

The new partnership will allow Amadeus to extend its reach among local travel agents in Syria. The travel agency community will benefit from Amadeus' vast portfolio of global distribution solutions (GDS) and have an easy access to preferred airline content.

Amadeus has been present in Syria through partners for the last 5 years. In January, Amadeus Syria achieved 73 percent market share in travel agency reservation distribution, a 25 point increase year on year, making Amadeus the uncontested leader in travel agent distribution in Syria.

Commenting on Amadeus' growth plans in Syria, Mazen Kokash, General Manager of Amadeus Syria said, "With the best available technology on offer our aim is to continue delivering a cost-effective value structure to travel agents in Syria. We have substantially grown our market share and we continue to maintain the momentum. This achievement positions us as the market leader and as the preferred technology partner in Syria. We are here to stay to further support the evolving needs of our customer base."

Last year, Amadeus signed a 10-year exclusive distribution agreement with 13 leading airlines from the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO), which includes the Syrian Arab Airlines, the national carrier of Syria. These 13 airlines account for 68 per cent of reservations made by travel agencies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The agreement which took effect on January 1, 2009 offers the most relevant airline content and preferred functionalities to travel agencies to increase their competitive advantage in the market.

Fernando Cuesta, Executive Director, Amadeus MEA, said "The Middle East is a strategic market for Amadeus due to the growing profile of the regional travel industry and the new challenges and opportunities that it offers. Amadeus has heavily invested in the Middle East and is today the only GDS provider with presence in every market in the region supported by a solid team of local professionals with extensive market knowledge. In Syria, our focus is to further bolster our service curve and provide the travel sector with the highest standard of service and support, inclusive of a high investment in technology for both airline and travel agents. The travel industry in Syria is ready for an incredible growth in the coming future and Amadeus is committed to be a part of their success story." concluded Cuesta.

2009 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)

2009 Al Bawaba (Albawaba.com)

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