Sabre and Conferma will expand their joint Travel Settlement Services automated payment product for hotel billing to Latin America,

the companies announced. Brazil in the first quarter of 2014 will be the first country in the region to have the capability, Conferma co-founder and CEO Simon Barker told BTN. A Sabre spokesperson said other "key countries" of focus include Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. "Big U.S. companies find it difficult to manage payments down there," Barker said. With the solution, travel management companies can generate virtual cards for hotel billing, invoicing and reconciliation. Sabre plans to extend that capability to "all travel sectors including air, car and rail." The companies previously launched the solution in the United Kingdom and the United States and through partnerships with seven international banks. Barker also said Conferma is looking to expand the partnership model with Amadeus in Europe and Abacus in Asia.