Abacus to launch e-ticketing system

[PK777]

Abacus to launch e-ticketing system

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI (September 28 2005): The Singapore-based Abacus International will be working with Pakistan International Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates Airlines and other major airlines of the region to launch 'e-ticketing' in time for Billing Settlement Plan (BSP).

The BSP handles the processing of airline tickets, payments, and distribution of commission to travel agencies, and is clearing the way for automated 'e-ticketing' functionalities in line with International Air Transport Association's (IATA's) goal of converting all member airlines to 'e-ticketing' by 2007.

The World Travel and Tourism Council expects that travel and tourism demand in Pakistan would grow 6.9 percent between 2004 and 2014.

This was announced by Kenneth Low, Vice-President, South Asia, of Abacus International at a press briefing at a hotel here on Tuesday.

He said that bookings on the Abacus system for Pakistan for 2005 were set to more than triple those recorded in 2004. Abacus International is Asia Pacific's leading travel facilitator with around 11,000 travel agency locations in 22 markets.

In the first half of 2005, Pakistan's free and independent travellers (FIT) bookings on the Abacus system increased by 299 percent over the same period in 2004. "This is a very exciting time for Pakistan's travel industry," he said, adding that "the combination of rising consumer incomes, travel liberalisation gathering pace and leisure travel becoming increasingly affordable means that Pakistan is a market with incredible potential."

Abacus is the exclusive distributor for pia in Pakistan. The company was established in Pakistan in 1997 and has offices in Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi, Kharian, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Sialkot.

In the past 12 months, additional 500 travel agents in Pakistan have been added on to the Abacus network. Through the partnership with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), partner carriers and south-west Asia and Middle Eastern carriers, the global distribution system (GDS) bookable segments have more than doubled for free and independent travellers (FITs) and have added a new dimension in domestic bookings for Pakistan, Low said.

"Abacus's transition into Pakistan has proved successful with our market share now at 43.7 percent, up from 11 percent in 2004", Low said, adding that much of this success had been due to the smooth migration of PIA into the Abacus system as well as Abacus's robust, all round approach to ensuring complete support to the airline, vendors and travel agents.

He said that through its local multinational office, Abacus Distribution Systems Pakistan (Pvt) Limited, it also plans to help more travel agents transition to Internet Protocol (IP)-based solutions and provide the necessary training to assist them to more easily offer the range of travel choices Pakistani travellers now demand.

As the market expands, the role of Global Distribution Services, such as Abacus, in connecting travel agencies, customers and suppliers will become all the more critical. "Abacus has been in Asia for over 17 years and knows Asia better than any other travel facilitator. With an established presence in all key markets, we are in a unique position to ensure that the entire travel supply chain has the information and technology to achieve a regional and global reach", Low said.

"Teamed with our local knowledge, we are stepping up our efforts to develop solutions that would allow travel agencies and suppliers to stay ahead of the curve, enabling them to better manage information, lower operating costs, develop new revenue streams and consistently deliver high standards of service and choice to their travellers", he added.

"Pakistanis are getting wealthier and demand a range of travel content to be delivered quickly, profpessionally and cost effectively", said Shazina Masud, Deputy General Manager, Abacus Distribution System Pakistan. "By making our content even better and equipping travel agents with the best IP tools and solutions, we can help them add value to their customers and exploit new and lucrative sources of income".


Copyright Business Recorder, 2005

[Falcon598]

Nice to see they are using the same system as Emirates and Cathay.