Galileo Malaysia wins Overseas Express as latest subscriber

Galileo International today announced that it has converted the Malaysian travel agency chain Overseas Express to the Galileo system. Overseas Express is headquartered in Johor Baru, and has branch offices in Johor Baru, Segamat, Kluang, Muar and Batu Pahat - as well as two subsidiaries trading as Southern Area Travel & Tours in Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur. Galileo Malaysia has delivered an end-to-end automation solution that includes a third-party mid/back office system.

"We are delighted to welcome this high profile travel agency - one of the largest and most successful travel agencies in the southern part of Malaysia - as our latest Galileo subscriber," said Janie Kaung, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Galileo's Asia Pacific region. "This is an important business win from the incumbent GDS that underlines our ability to deliver the high level of value and customer service that travel agents throughout Malaysia are seeking."

Overseas Express was founded in 1977 and has grown from its initial role as an inbound/outbound tour operator into a group of companies with 80 executives and travel consultants servicing the hospitality, retail and corporate sectors. It is also the authorized agent of more than 40 major airlines.

Alex Kuan, General Manager of Overseas Express, added: "Galileo demonstrated the highest level of commitment and resourcefulness in winning our business. Their overall solution was based on a full understanding of our business, delivering a technology and service solution that is tailor-made for our operations and anticipates our future needs as we plan to expand into Penang and Kuantan. I look forward to building our relationship and I would certainly recommend other travel agents in Malaysia to look carefully at what Galileo can offer."

Overseas Express will use Galileo's corporate solutions to improve customer service delivery and standardise quality of service across multiple branches. Key innovations include Custom Check™ - a database of rules that ensures an agent's reservations comply with in-house procedures - as well as ticketing enhancements. Galileo is also installing its world-first point-and-click reservations system that provides an integral ability to e-mail itineraries to customers across multiple markets and languages. Overseas Express will also use Galileo's Agency Private Fares - one of the leading fares products in the industry - to distribute specially negotiated air fares to all their agency offices in Malaysia.

"We have provided an end-to-end automation solution for Overseas Express that will increase their productivity and efficiency," said Serene Chee, Galileo's General Manager, Singapore and Malaysia. "The adoption of our groundbreaking Agency Private Fares solution launched in mid-2003 is especially significant as it will give Overseas Express the ability to load fares faster and more accurately - with full validation of a huge variety of rule conditions. This means their travel consultants can sell fares with the peace of mind that rule conditions have been fully validated by Galileo. The ability to handle more complex private fares will give Overseas Express a valuable new competitive edge."