Sabre to Sell Business-Travel Tool GetThere

Sabre is planning to sell its business-travel booking tool, GetThere, for $12 million. Serko, a corporate travel management company based in New Zealand, said Monday that it plans to buy it in early 2025 as part of an effort to expand business in North America.

Serko executives said the deal would make it the second largest booking tool provider in North America by volume. 

During a call with analysts Monday evening, executives said they have an “aspiration” to reach $250 million in total income by 2030, and that GetThere would be one of the key drivers. But a Citigroup analyst was skeptical: Serko’s total income for the first half of 2024 was $42.7 million.

Darrin Grafton, CEO of Serko, said the company will cover the roadmap for that goal during its investor day on December 10. 

Sabre and Serko Sales Partnership

As part of the deal, the two companies are planning a five-year partnership to strengthen the business. The sales team at Sabre will focus on selling the product, while Serko supports sales efforts from behind the scenes, Grafton said.

Sabre is eligible for a bonus of up to $12.75 million for new revenue it brings in through the co-selling effort. 

Serko will also use the partnership between Sabre and Google to develop tech advancements for corporate travel, including integrating AI. Serko plans to spend $23.8 million (NZD 40 million) over the next four years on product and tech advancements. 

The GetThere brand will remain.

About 75 team members will join Serko in the U.S., Australia, UK, and India, according to the earnings call. Employees based in other countries are not coming on board. 

Skift reported in September that Sabre is looking to sell its hotel tech unit.