New Car Hire Technology Steps Up a Gear

Travel industry technology firm Amadeus has unveiled a new online booking system for cheap car hire.

The new system, which utilises the company's Cars Plus XML technology, makes it easier for web-based travel agents to offer car hire customers features such as matrix view, map displays and point of reference searches. Amadeus has launched the new car hire technology with the partnership of international cheap hotels provider Transhotel – the company is the first to utilise it on its own websites.

Transhotel contracting and product director Javier Sancho said: "With Amadeus Car Plus technology, we were able to easily customise the booking flow so that it fits transparently with our own look and feel. After testing the new product in the Spanish market, the application will be available for all the travel agents that work with Transhotel worldwide."

Amadeus Cars Plus is already accessible by traditional travel agents that use the Amadeus Selling Platform, but is now available for the growing online travel sector. With more people booking cheap flights, cheap hotels and cheap car hire online than ever before, the new technology looks to be a boon for this sector.

Meanwhile, Manchester-based online travel agency On The Beach (OTB) has announced a new partnership with the Affordable Car Hire firm. Under the terms of the tie-up, Affordable will provide car hire services exclusively to OTB – replacing a prior arrangement it had with carhire3000.

OTB commercial director Johnny Pollard commented: "We are very happy to be working with Affordable Car Hire, it was an obvious choice for us as they provide quality and affordable product."