Just as TTN is celebrating its 40th anniversary, Amadeus has recently celebrated a milestone of its own. For over 30 years now, the company has seen the travel industry develop by leaps and bounds. There has been the rise and fall of supersonic travel, the growth of mass tourism as air travel became more accessible and convenient, the creation of stronger international alliances and content platforms…and Amadeus has been through it all.
Amadeus was first established in 1987 as a joint venture between Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa, and SAS. From the very beginning, the company had a vision of being an independent and neutral global distribution system (GDS). The first prototype of Amadeus Pro was introduced in 1989; it was a revolutionary interface that could save travel agents 50-80% of time and effort when making flight, car, or hotel reservations. The following year, after just four years of operations, Amadeus had grown immensely – signing more airlines with 550 employees from 38 countries. In its early days, the company offered its customers worldwide access to schedule displays, extensive flight solutions, and unbiased rankings, which it would continue to expand upon over the years. By 1994, Amadeus had signed its 100th customer and was recognised as the world’s number one for international travel reservations – working with over 102,000 travel agencies and airline sales office terminals. Even then, the growth continued. In 1998, amadeus.net was launched, and the company processed 1 million bookings in a single day to become the world’s largest GDS. The company launched Amadeus Pro Web in 1999, and in 2002 became the first GDS that enabled 7,000 Chinese agencies to book hotels and car rentals. By 2004 it was a record-breaking year for Amadeus. The company signed its first Amadeus Altéa Inventory customer, Qantas. It launched Amadeus Master Pricer, another ground-breaking value-based pricing system for airline distribution. For the first time, its annual revenues surpassed €2 billion ($2.22 billion). Amadeus’ expansion into the Middle East began around 2008. The company signed the Arab Air Carriers Organization deal with 12 carriers, and an additional six carriers joining the agreement. Amadeus chose the UAE as the location for its regional headquarters. A major tourist hub with a thriving aviation and hospitality sector, it was a natural choice. A pioneer in the industry, today Amadeus’ purpose is to shape the future of travel. This is being done in part through advanced data analytics and personalization, anytime merchandising strategies, expanding New Distribution Capability (NDC) in the Middle East, and much more. It is a company passionate in its pursuit of better technology that connects the entire travel ecosystem. This passion comes from a belief that travel ultimately broadens horizons, creates connections and builds economies. Travel powers progress. And Amadeus powers travel.