Business & Money | Thursday 7 February, 2019 2:17 am |

Following the successful launch of the Amadeus Champions Club in the Gulf last year, Amadeus has expanded the remit of its knowledge-sharing initiative to cover even more activities and members moving forward. The Club connects local travel agents and other travel industry leaders to review new policies, challenge traditional business models, and develop mutually-beneficial market intelligence.

In the year ahead, Amadeus will be offering more advanced topical seminars to Club members. Dedicated members groups including social media forums are also being launched, with members gaining access to the new Amadeus Live Travel Community to engage with global peers. Team-building and other social activities are also being weaved into the Club program for the coming year. 

A special focus will be placed on enhancing member’s access to—and capabilities around—Global Distribution Systems (GDS). According to one IATA report, many of the rigid shopping processes the industry relies upon date back 50 years or more and reflect a very different way in which products were sold. This is especially relevant as the combination of mobile devices, big data and artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize the retail experience. One recent report commissioned by Amadeus and conducted by the London School of Economics notes that the pressure to deliver more, differentiated travel content faster and in a digestible format brings great technical challenges and will require huge processing capacity.

Graham Nichols, Managing Director of Amadeus Gulf, said: “As with any industry, there are specialists and service pioneers right here in the Gulf. The Amadeus Champions Club is a unique program for those who seek to constantly sharpen their skills set and go beyond their daily duties to lead from the front and push the industry forward. We are committed to growing this initiative and continuing to innovate with Club members in the years to come.”

Cristian Sucu, Director Operations, Amadeus Gulf said: “The Amadeus Champions Club is a unique a platform for representatives of the Gulf’s travel sector, enabling them to expand upon their knowledge and create new synergies within the travel market. It is evolving with more initiatives for the members as they gain more skills and expertise”.

Members offered a space within the Amadeus Champions Club are recognized for their exceptional knowledge of and history within the region’s travel industry. The establishment of the Club within the Gulf also reflects a shift in global economic and travel trends that has placed the region at the heart of many of the world’s fastest growing markets.