Sabre Travel Network Middle East, a global technology company serving travel suppliers and agencies, has signed an agreement with Dahlan Tours and Travel, allowing it to use Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS) for its bookings.

Sabre GDS connects more than 350,000 travel professionals to more than 400 airlines, 93,000 hotels, 25 car rental brands, 50 rail providers, 13 cruise lines and other global travel suppliers.

More than 300 million people purchase airline tickets annually through this channel.

Sabre has also extended support to Dahlan by sponsoring its stand at the Arabian Travel Market, the Mena region’s biggest travel conference, where the agency is launching its upgraded online booking engine TravelSheikh.com. The event is set to take place from April 30 to May 3.

Powered by Sabre technology, TravelSheikh.com is the first online booking and travel website in the Middle East.

Daniel Naoumovitch, CEO, Sabre said: “With an increasing number of customers in the Mena region turning to the online area for their daily needs, travel too must evolve to meet their requirements. TravelSheikh.com is a product created to meet that specific need. Online travel bookings have seen phenomenal growth in the past five years, and Sabre plans to support this segment with its state-of-the-art, innovative products.”

“Sabre’s advanced technology helps us cost effectively and efficiently run our business,” said Hani Dahlan, general manager, Dahlan. “This exclusive agreement highlights the confidence we have in Sabre’s ability to help us win more business in Jordan and expand our offering to the rest of the region.

“The online booking engine as a technology is still new and infrequently used in the Middle East. By launching a new and improved TravelSheikh.com we hope to better service our customers. Having tested similar products, we came to the conclusion that Sabre’s offerings are years ahead and customised to support our exact needs,” Dahlan concluded. – TradeArabia News Service