Major GDS deal will see Sabre grow in Asia Pacific.
Sabre Corporation has just announced a “definitive agreement” for the acquisition of Abacus International, the owner of Sabre Pacific.
Sabre already holds 35% of the company alongside a consortium of 11 Asian airlines, and will take 100% control of Abacus for a net cash consideration of US$411 million.
Sabre ceo president Tom Klein said the Asia-Pacific travel market is the largest and fastest-growing in the world.
“Acquiring Abacus immediately combines the global capabilities of Sabre with the deep local market expertise of the leading Asia-Pacific GDS,” he said.
Klein said the deal would allow Sabre to accelerate its global growth “and to gain regional synergies in all three of our businesses serving travel agents, airlines and hospitality companies”.
The acquisition also includes new long-term distribution agreements between Sabre and the 11 airline owners of Abacus which include All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, EVA Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Dragonair, Philippine Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Burnei Airlines, SilkAir and Singapore Airlines.
“We look forward to continuing our long-term business relationships with our former partners in Abacus, and our new agreements will provide benefits and confidence to travel agents throughout the Asia-Pacific region for many years to come,” said Sabre Travel Network president Greg Webb.
Abacus will operate as a region of Sabre Travel Network, the company said.
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Travel Daily.