Press Release: Worldspan
September 27, 2000
LAS VEGAS, NV -- Worldspan and ByeByeNOW.com, a leading source for leisure travel and broadband content, yesterday
announced that, by year-end, the companies will jointly offer Worldspan travel agencies on-demand access to ByeByeNOW.com's
multimedia leisure travel database via Worldspan Go!®. As part of the companies' ongoing partnership, Worldspan
subscribers will be provided with a media-rich, instantaneously searchable product selection, with offerings from
the world's leading cruise and tour operators. Later this year, Worldspan agents will gain access to ByeByeNOW.com's
multimedia library of streaming videos and 360-degree virtual tours of resorts, cruise lines, properties and destinations
worldwide, right from their desktops.
In February 2000, Worldspan and ByeByeNOW.com announced a strategic partnership designed to provide Worldspan subscribers
with a more robust leisure product offering. Today's announcement reaffirms the companies' commitment to begin
delivering these solutions by the end of 2000.
As previously announced, Worldspan has also taken an equity interest in ByeByeNOW.com and Paul J. Blackney, president
and chief executive officer for Worldspan, serves on the ByeByeNOW.com board of directors.
``Through our aggressive joint development initiative, Worldspan and ByeByeNOW.com are preparing the technology
that truly will revolutionize the sale of leisure travel,'' Blackney commented. ``On-demand access to multimedia
leisure content will enable Worldspan travel agents to literally preview tours, cruises and other destination information
right at the desktop with their clients, allowing agents to close more vacation sales and generate greater revenue.''
``Along with Worldspan, ByeByeNOW.com is dedicated to providing an array of Web-based tools that will benefit both
travel agents and their customers,'' said Guy Pepper, CEO of ByeByeNOW.com. ``Our multimedia content and leisure
travel database will not only transform the way agents sell leisure products, it will also help them sell more
leisure packages than ever.''
ByeByeNOW.com maintains the largest and most up-to-date library of leisure travel multimedia content on the Internet,
featuring more than 750 videos and 2,500 virtual tours of cruises, hotel properties and destinations. More than
50 new videos and virtual tours are produced and posted on the company's site every week.
The ByeByeNOW.com database features multimedia content from the most popular vacation destinations, including the
Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii, Las Vegas and Mexico, as well as videos and virtual tours of cruise ships from most
major cruise lines. Upcoming destinations will include all major U.S. tourist and select European vacation areas.
In addition to the companies' technology development alliance, Worldspan serves as ByeByeNOW.com's exclusive global
distribution system, supplying connectivity to the Worldspan reservations system and a diverse selection of travel
automation solutions to ByeByeNOW.com's franchise travel agencies.
About ByeByeNOW.com
Founded in 1999, ByeByeNOW.com is a leading ``clicks-to-bricks'' provider of vacation travel. Through its innovative
use of multimedia and technology, the company is redefining how travel agents sell and consumers purchase vacations.
ByeByeNOW.com delivers the ultimate in customer service and personalization through its Web site, a network of
franchised ByeByeNOW.com Travel Stores, and its 24-hour customer care call center (1-877-BYENOW7). ByeByeNOW.com
is an independent venture owned by its management partners, investors and employees. ByeByeNOW.com can be found
on the Web at www.byebyenow.com .
About Worldspan
Worldspan provides global electronic distribution of travel information, Internet products and connectivity, and
electronic commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel service providers and corporations worldwide. The
company's three lines of business are travel supplier services, e-commerce, and global distribution systems for
the worldwide travel industry. The Worldspan reservations system provides nearly 21,000 travel agencies and other
users worldwide with travel data and booking capabilities for hundreds of the world's leading travel supplier services.
Worldspan is the market leader in e-commerce for the travel industry, processing more than 50 percent of all online
travel bookings. The company maintains world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Worldspan is owned by affiliates
of Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines and Trans World Airlines. Additional information is available at www.worldspan.com
.
SOURCE: Worldspan