Amadeus is there, but he cannot be seen. It is the engine that connects the desires of millions of travelers with their destinations. The technology giant founded in 1987 by four European airlines (Iberia among them), with more than 19,000 employees, achieved sales in the first nine months of 2024 of 4.6 billion euros, 12% more than the previous year. With headquarters in Madrid and development centers across half the continent, one of its best years is about to end. But it cannot, or should not, let its guard down, thinks Christian Boutin, its general director for Spain and Portugal. “Our role is to ensure that the experience for the traveler and the industry is the best possible,” summarizes the executive. Each year its systems help complete some 450 million reservations in 190 countries. In July they managed to exceed the volumes they had before the pandemic and are optimistic about the future. “We see many opportunities for growth due to digitalization. The investments we are making in technology will help our customers improve the travel experience.” In round figures, each year they spend 20% of their turnover on researching and developing new products. Artificial intelligence (AI) does not take long to appear in the conversation. Boutin projects what is going to happen thanks to her. “Today, when you prepare a trip you usually use a search engine to find flights, an accommodation page… but all that is going to change, the search will start from a conversation. We will say: “I want to go away for a weekend with my partner, we like art, food and not being cold. “We have x money.” And with these criteria, AI will allow you to efficiently generate packages with all the information behind them.” Travel agencies, he believes, will be able to respond thanks to their technology in less time and with proposals that are more tailored to what each person is looking for. But the contribution of AI will not end there. “We have created a digital advisor who will be able, during the trip, to recommend where to do a dive if you like diving; where to go to eat according to your preferences; It will remind you when you have to pack your bags…” Companies that use these applications will be able to bill travelers more money, for example, taking a commission for each new service they add to the package. “If your flight is delayed, [la IA] «They can offer you a transfer to take you to the hotel when you arrive, and notify the accommodation that your flight is delayed.» Is this the beginning of the end of freedom of choice or being able to compare prices? «On the contrary. It will suggest things to you not based on advertising, but on your traveler profile. When we make a proposal for a trip, we always offer different alternatives. It gives you added possibilities, you can continue choosing,” defends the Amadeus manager.
Less procedures
Technology also promises less cumbersome procedures. Amadeus this year acquired a Portuguese company called Vision-Box for biometric solutions for border controls. “It will allow us to accelerate growth at airports,” he predicts. Six years ago it paid more than 1.5 billion for TravelClick, a North American hotel management provider, and has created its own subsidiary, Outpayce, for virtual payment methods. “The Bank of Spain has given us accreditation as issuers of virtual cards to operate without depending on third parties. With all this we have a sufficient business base to continue diversifying.” That is precisely what Amadeus proposed a quarter of a century ago and what they should most apply to. Because the company continues to depend largely on everything that surrounds airlines: 84% of its income comes from ticket distribution and technological solutions for the airline industry. “Our ambition from the beginning is to be the leading technology company for the travel sector,” says Boutin. Although they connect offers for more than a million accommodations, they believe that the growth potential in this way is enormous. It could also be the case in means of transport, since they work with more than 400 airlines but only with 25 railway operators. Regarding the forecasts for demand, he is optimistic: “It is still strong despite the geopolitical conflicts.” Destinations change, and if now is not a good time to land in Jerusalem, travelers will opt for another city rather than staying home. “The desire is still there,” believes the manager. What is not so clear is whether the purchasing power is there. “The traveler is adjusting to their possibilities, to shorter trips.” And more sustainable? Depends. Its technology allows tourists to receive information about the impact of polluting emissions from their trips. “The traveler is the one who makes the decision that is most in line with his or her awareness of sustainability.” Half of the staff at Amadeus, around 10,000 people, have a Copilot license, Microsoft's AI assistant, to work more efficiently. “Internally we use it to develop our solutions. “We have created an AI office to ensure that it is used in an ethical, responsible way.” That is one of the threats that technology entails, surveillance over its use. The other two are the increase in investment in cybersecurity and the reduction of staff. Amadeus says it has no shortage of talent and boasts of knowing how to retain employees with attractive career plans, geographic mobility, work flexibility – one month a year teleworking can be done from anywhere in the world – and adequate remuneration. Regarding cyber assaults, its teams constantly train employees with mandatory training programs, periodic threat drills, and a report that is received directly by the CEO. With these goals, Boutin believes that in 2025 they will continue to improve profitability. “Our general management is doing very well. But we are not complacent, we have to continue moving forward.” The journey continues.