Travelers can now wait for travel companies to come to them.

Online trip planning service Zicasso matches travelers to personalized itinerary bids from multiple tour operators and travel agencies, the company announced March 10. Travelers refine the bids and then chose the one that best suits them.

The site aims to combine online convenience with Web 2.0's demand for personalized service. ‘This unique approach of hassle-free trip planning delivers what busy, discerning travelers ultimately want: authentic, quality travel experiences at the best value without spending lots of time on planning,’ explained Brian Tan, founder and CEO of Zicasso.

The company hopes to provide free, relevant leads to its tour operator and agency partners while helping its network gain a better understanding of travelers' preferences.

Travelport sailed through the fourth quarter of 2007 with $645 million in revenue, an 11-percent jump from the same period in 2006.

The GDS' full-year revenue also improved. The net revenue for 2007 was $1.9 billion, a 4-percent increase from 2006, according to a March 6 release.

Last year was transformational for the GDS. Travelport executed a re-engineering program that ‘delivered $122 million in savings,’ said Travelport CEO and president Jeff Clarke. The program gave the GDS a competitive advantage by transforming it into a low-cost provider, he added.

Travelport also boasted its growth in emerging markets. The company ‘grew segments by 9 percent in the Asia-Pacific region,’ noted Mike Rescoe, EVP and CFO for the GDS.

Travelport's reported earnings excluded its newest partner, Worldspan GDS, and subsidiary Orbitz Worldwide.

Sabre Travel Network wants to help agents spend less time on the phone and more time booking cruises.

The GDS has enhanced its cruise-booking platform to include lead-in pricing, increased passenger options during booking, and customer relationship management using TRAMS' ClientBase, Sabre announced March 7.

With the added features, ‘agents using Sabre Cruises will be spending less time on the phone with multiple cruise lines and more time focusing on customer service using immediate information on cruise choices,’ said Dan Westbrook, VP of merchandising for Sabre Travel Network.

These enhancements came after Sabre Cruise users provided the GDS with feedback about the platform.