Amadeus announced Wednesday that it has successfully integrated U.K. rail booking tool Evolvi deeper into its E-Travel Management corporate booking tool, enabling travel managers for the first time to view combined data for both the air and rail elements of the same trip.
Amadeus also revealed that it has abandoned efforts to create its own U.K. rail booking system and is in discussions about forming a partnership with Evolvi's main competitor, Thetrainline. Thetrainline already has partnerships with most other self-booking tool providers but has not yet formed one with Amadeus because the Amadeus model requires it to undertake more development work.
"Based on customer demand and feedback, Amadeus has taken the decision to offer our corporate and travel retailer customers the opportunity to work with the leading rail booking specialists in the U.K. rather than focus on our own solution," said Tim Russell, U.K. managing director for Amadeus.
However, Amadeus said it is continuing with its long-heralded but as yet unfruitful project to build a pan-European rail distribution platform. Its corporate booking tool offers rail reservations in six European countries, but, in common with other booking tools and agency reservation systems, is unable to offer content from rail providers outside their home markets.
Evolvi trade relations director Jon Reeve told EuroBTN. that the deepened integration between Amadeus and improved management information would help buyers monitor policy more closely and, in particular, chase sustainability targets for switching from air to train. "This gives slicker access to MI," said Reeve. "Buyers won't have to go to multiple sources because it improves the mechanism that puts data into back-office systems. Instead of having a separate rail feed, you can now combine multi-modal, i.e., air and rail, elements all in one passenger name record."
Reeve added that the improved integration will improve the look and feel of rail booking for E-Travel Management users. "They don't have to log into Evolvi from E-Travel Management anymore," he said.