Big move into the world of digital meetings by Sabre Travel Network with the unveiling today of a project to allow businesses to book video conferencing rooms.
Sabre Virtual Meetings will allow users to locate, reserve and connect public and private video conferencing facilities around the world, in the same way corporations are able to book flights and hotels.
The deal has come about by way of a partnership with global telepresence, voice and video communication company Polycom, which is providing the technology through its network of video conference-enabled facilities, a mixture of both public and privately owned locations.
The booking tools will be tapped into the Sabre GDS as well as made available directly via the web.
Information provided through the distribution channel for facilities will include real-time availability, costs and features of each location.
Sabre says companies with existing video conferencing facilities will be able to use the tool to manage their own schedules and availability, making them available to internally, customers and the wider public through the public access part of the tool.
The system is expected to be launched in the first half of 2012. Mobile video conferencing is also on the horizon, Sabre Travel Network president Gregg Webb says, with tablet devices being enabled for HD video-enabled meetings on-the-move.
Here is a clip of the press conference from Monday, using the technology in various locations around the world: