Sabre has partnered with Internova Travel Group to launching a booking solution designed for new travel advisors and independent contractors (ICs) who don't use a GDS.
The product is called Sabre Red Launchpad and is designed to be easier to use than Sabre Red 360, enabling agencies to quickly onboard advisors.
Within Launchpad, a graphical user interface will enable advisors to shop and book basic air, hotel and car itineraries.
Brad Johnson, Sabre's senior director of product management, said more complex itineraries can be booked and serviced via Sabre Red 360.
"The goal with this is to streamline a lot of that very, very basic profile, shopping, booking experience, and then if those [more complex] needs arise, then be able to hand if off [to 360]," he said.
For example, an advisor would have to use 360 for an involuntary exchange with a schedule change, said Kathy Morgan, Sabre's vice president of product management and distribution experience. She does expect Launchpad to evolve over time, but Sabre's goal is to keep it simple to use.
Peter Vlitas, Internova's executive vice president of partner relations, said Internova used CEO J.D. O'Hara as its "litmus test" for Launchpad's simplicity.
"We didn't tell him anything," Vlitas said. "We just said, 'Here's your sign-on. Make a reservation.' And, he made a reservation. ... That is the beauty of this product, it can instantly make an agent productive."
According to Vlitas, Internova's goal in working with Sabre on Launchpad was to create a product that appeals to non-GDS users, as well as a product that would give advisors the ability to book NDC content. "We want to be leaders in the consumption of NDC content," he said.
Internova was very involved in Launchpad's creation. Chief information officer Jeremy Van Kuyk said the company has been beta-testing the product with a group of 30 advisors who have been giving feedback.
Sabre Red Launchpad will be made available to non-Internova agencies this year but the initial rollout is exclusively with Internova. It is being co-branded as Internova SNAP. Vlitas said the company is initially targeting advisors who are part of Travel Leaders Network.
Internova SNAP, Van Kuyk said, will not come at a cost to member agencies.