Galileo International to Acquire Travel Technology and Services Company, Highwire, Inc.

 Galileo Expands its Portfolio of Corporate Travel Management Solutions

Galileo International, Inc. (NYSE: GLC), a leading provider of electronic global distribution services for the travel industry, today announced it will acquire Highwire, Inc., a leading developer of corporate Internet travel tools and technology. The acquisition solidifies Galileo’s leadership position in the corporate travel management sector, adding Highwire’s impressive customer base, innovative technology and experienced management team. The announcement was made at the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) 33rd Annual Convention and Trade Show.

Since Highwire’s founding in 1999, Galileo has been a strategic partner and investor based on its confidence in Highwire’s technology, business strategy and management team, according to Babetta Gray, Galileo’s executive vice president of Subscriber Sales and Service. “We’re pleased to welcome Highwire to the Galileo family. We believe this combination gives Galileo a strong advantage in the highly competitive arena of corporate travel management,” Gray continued. “By adding Highwire’s talented management team and its innovative technology to our own, Galileo is well positioned to meet the diverse needs of the corporate travel management sector by offering customers another choice in online booking products.”

Galileo’s acquisition of Highwire expands its industry-leading portfolio of corporate travel management solutions to include Highwire’s Travelport™. The companies believe this move gives customers freedom of choice when selecting a corporate online booking tool. The acquisition also allows the companies to leverage their technology synergies.

Travelport is a suite of Web-based travel products and services that provides a platform for self-service reservations, which empowers the traveler, maximizes the benefits of corporate policy compliance, and provides a delivery mechanism for value-added content to a target audience in real time. Key product features include:

Flexible User Interface – Comprehensive travel planning and booking with a unique graphical interface for ease of use. Trip templates and agency communication tools support the travel planning/booking, based on a “self-service when you want it, full-service when you need it™” model.

Designed for Integration – Integrates into existing travel agency systems and corporate environments. Works against currently deployed Galileo operating systems, external profile corporate or travel agency data sources, and for large accounts, offers seamless access from corporate internets (single sign-on). Minimizes changes to existing business process, improves the often ‘uncaptured’ costs associated with deploying online reservation tools.

Robust Administrative Tools – Gives corporations and travel agencies ultimate control. Offers robust administrative tools allowing travel agencies to post content and easily deploy multiple Web sites, and sets most finishing requirements to agency specifications.

Galileo’s portfolio of corporate travel management solutions also includes Corporate Travelpoint 2.0. In a related announcement, Galileo named its launch customers for the product. Together, Travelport and Corporate Travelpoint 2.0 effectively serve customers across a variety of market segments, each with specific features and functions that give Galileo clients the most comprehensive set of online booking solutions from which to choose.

"Highwire is pleased to become a member of the Galileo family and welcomes the opportunity to contribute to its long-term vision and market leadership strategy,” said Marka Jenkins, Highwire CEO. “This acquisition clearly validates Highwire’s technology solutions and proven service track record, and represents an important milestone in the continued evolution of our brands.”

Recently, Highwire announced that Microsoft Corporation deployed its Travelport product as its preferred online booking solution, serving more than 25,000 Microsoft employees, and has already reached an adoption level of more than 70 percent. Microsoft expects its use of Travelport will result in an overall savings of 20 percent on domestic airline ticket prices due to users staying within policy guidelines. In addition, Highwire boasts Nordstrom, Onyx Software and Travel and Transport as customers, among others.

“We believe Highwire’s Travelport is an innovative and highly desirable corporate online travel solution,” according to John Hach, vice president of Corporate and Consumer Sales and Marketing for Galileo. “Based on customer feedback and research, we know that the corporate travel market demands flexibility and choice. Adding Highwire to Galileo’s portfolio of corporate solutions delivers that choice and flexibility, helps improve compliance with travel policy generating savings in the corporate travel budget, and provides conveniences demanded by the corporate road warrior. We believe that together, Galileo and Highwire will lead the industry by offering the most comprehensive solutions.”

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.