Survey Reveals Courting Agents Pays Off for Amadeus

Sabre Travel Network has maintained its market share lead among ASTA agents who use a GDS, but Amadeus has made significant gains in recent years, according to ASTA’s new Global Distribution Report.
 
From 1999 to 2009, Sabre’s market share among ASTA agents increased 12.6%. But in the last five years, its share decreased 4.5%, and it now stands at 31.5%, according to the survey.

From 2004 to 2009, Travelport’s Apollo market share dropped 9.9%, to 22.6%, while its Worldspan share dropped 9.4%, to 19.1%.

Amadeus, meanwhile, has been on a steady upward trend among ASTA agencies in recent years, and respondents to the ASTA survey indicated a 26.8% market share. Overall, its North American market share is about 10%, including online travel agencies. But its share among traditional travel agencies, particularly those that focus on leisure travel, is thought to be somewhat higher.

Amadeus joined the Society in 1987 and has targeted its members. In recent years, it has garnered the highest number of systems switchers, who cited lower costs and higher financial incentives as the primary reasons for their decisions. (See related story.)

For example, most agencies said they did not receive any incentives for signing their existing GDS contract, but Amadeus users receive the largest percentage of signing incentives.

It should be noted that the survey data was collected through the 2009 ASTA Research Family, comprised of a representative sample of ASTA member travel agency owners and managers that reflects ASTA members in key agency demographics. The group’s size varies from survey to survey due to non-response, agency closings, mergers and changes in membership status. (In 2009, the group had 525 members; 400 completed the survey.)

References to agencies in this report pertain to ASTA member agencies only. The numbers don’t necessarily apply to the larger agency community, although they may suggest general trends.

For example, Amadeus is the dominant GDS in Europe, while Sabre remains dominant in the U.S.