GDSs 'Get Serious' About XML

<B>GDSs 'Get Serious' About XML</B>

Sabre late last month announced a new Extensible Markup Language package to make more efficient the development of travel agency and other Web sites that access the Sabre GDS. The offering, similar to Galileo's XML Select product (BTN, May 1), is part of Sabre's do-it-yourself portfolio under the eVoya suite designed to help agencies take advantage of the Internet.

Meanwhile, the Open Travel Alliance, which is developing standards for the use of XML in travel, finalized its agreement with the American Hotel & Motel Association to cooperate on standards for the hospitality and travel industry. AHMA will make its GDS and golf tee time standards available for inclusion in OTA's XML specifications (BTN, July 10).

Among other things, the XML language is designed to offer a single format for such functions as building, storing and exchanging traveler profiles. Amercian Airlines' Steven Fohl, chairman of OTA's interoperability committee and its air work group, said, "I don't think any airlines have gotten serious about it yet, and I commend Galileo and Sabre for doing that."

Though Worldspan has not packaged an XML offering in the same way Galileo and Sabre have, "We're looking at implementing XML for all of our products to communicate with our customers on the Internet," said director of e-commerce development Kevin Heineman. "It's the best thing out there we're using to exchange data.