Sabre is a key player in digital transformation and the continuous improvement of the travel experience.

As part of the celebration of Sabre’s 20th anniversary in Uruguay and at Zonamerica, we spoke with Guillermo Prosper, General Manager of Sabre Uruguay, and explored how one of the leading technology companies in the global travel industry has evolved since its arrival in Uruguay. From the challenges following September 11 to the current technological transformation, Sabre has played a crucial role in positioning Uruguay as a technology hub of excellence.

Since setting up operations in Zonamerica, Sabre has taken advantage not only of the strategic location and the free trade zone regime, but also of the highly skilled local workforce. Prosper notes that the adoption of artificial intelligence is redefining productivity in the sector, emphasizing the importance of staying at the forefront of technology to compete globally.

Sabre is a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry. Could you briefly tell us about Sabre’s history and how it has evolved into the technology giant it is today?

Sabre began operations in Uruguay in May 2004, so we have now surpassed the milestone of 20 years of continuous operations here. The catalyst that set this process in motion was an unusual event: the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, which triggered a severe crisis in the travel industry. At that time, travel came to a halt for security reasons, causing a short-lived crisis, especially when compared to the pandemic. Nevertheless, at the time, it was a very deep and relatively unprecedented crisis for the industry.

This situation led the company to rethink its operations and seek opportunities to relocate and expand globally. At that time, Sabre was based almost entirely at its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

“These days, the concept of hyperproductivity is all the rage, leveraging tools that utilize artificial intelligence in an increasingly seamless way.”

In the early 2000s, outsourcing was in full swing, particularly to India…

Exactly. The outsourcing trend and the events of September 11 converged in the search for alternatives, prompting an evaluation of the possibility of moving in that direction. Although I wasn’t involved at the time, I understand that certain steps were taken to establish operations in India until Uruguay entered the picture. A delegation visited Uruguay, explored the possibility, and ultimately decided it was better to have an in-house operation based in Uruguay rather than an outsourced one in India.

Uruguay was chosen for several key reasons: its geographic location was much more advantageous for Sabre’s key markets at the time, which were the United States, Canada, and Latin America. We were well-positioned in terms of time zones, and the availability of languages—especially Spanish and English—was a plus. The company even conducted a study on how North American consumers perceived different English accents, and it was concluded that they were more receptive to the Latin American English accent than to other options.

We discovered something unexpected: the availability of many more languages than we had initially anticipated. Although the initial goal of the operation was to serve the Americas, in Uruguay we found people who spoke Italian, German, French, and Portuguese, which broadened our scope of operations. Furthermore, the population turned out to be better educated than the company had anticipated. This educational trend allowed us to quickly expand the number and types of roles, rather than focusing solely on technical support. As the operation progressed, we discovered far more professional talent than we had anticipated.

How did the free trade zone regime influence the company's decision to establish operations in Uruguay? 

The free trade zone regime provided clarity regarding the legal framework for tax exemptions and facilitated smooth business operations, both for entry and potential exit, which was crucial given that this was a pilot project whose success was uncertain. The legal framework allowing for the repatriation of dividends or capital if necessary was also important.

These factors made it possible to carry out the pilot program, which, fortunately, was very successful.

In April 2023, they will inaugurate the renovation of their regional headquarters in Zonamerica, with government officials in attendance. What do you consider to be Zonamerica’s unique selling point compared to other free trade zones in Uruguay? Why have you been based there for so long?

At Zonamerica, we’ve found a reception team that’s open to our ideas, always eager to understand what we need and how they can help us. That attitude has been a major differentiator throughout this entire process. Furthermore, the campus is world-class. As a citizen of Montevideo, Zonamerica confirms to me that in Uruguay, things can be done at the highest level and in the best possible way. It is an example that shows that, in Uruguay, when the conditions are right and we work with a strategic vision, world-class projects can be carried out.

Does the renovation of Sabre's offices affect your overall view of the business? Is it related to the changes that are taking place?

Yes, we’re aiming to achieve several things with this renovation. We learned during the pandemic that many activities can be done virtually, but we also discovered that certain interactions and collaborations are more effective in person. This includes aspects such as brainstorming, connecting with the team, and sharing knowledge among colleagues. The office was designed with a hybrid approach in mind, recognizing that there will always be someone participating via video call. Additionally, we incorporated spaces of various sizes that allow for private conversations, acknowledging the value many people placed on privacy while working remotely.

Another crucial aspect was ensuring environmental and hygiene safety. We made significant investments to ensure that everything—from the air systems to the indoor air quality—meets the highest standards. For example, we installed UV filters in the air ducts to effectively sanitize the air, as verified by laboratory tests.

These changes reflect our long-term commitment to providing our employees with the best possible conditions so they can perform at their best. At Sabre, we not only strive to attract the best professionals in the industry, but also to create an environment where they can be their best selves and do their work to the highest standard.

In 2004, when we started, most flight bookings were made by a travel agent. Today, in 2024, approximately 75% of flight bookings are made by robots, not people. Our clients’ technology integrates with our systems, and it is the client’s robot that performs the search, creates the itinerary, and issues the ticket.

This transformation has clearly influenced the types of tasks we perform. Today, we provide support to our clients’ developers on how to integrate systems, define workflows, and configure searches. Our system has also changed dramatically in terms of where it operates. Years ago, it ran in our own data centers; now, more than 90% of our workloads run in the cloud, specifically on Google Cloud.

How is the growing popularity of AI having an impact?

Today, the concept of superproductivity is all the rage, driven by tools that leverage artificial intelligence in increasingly seamless ways. Rather than large teams, there will be a growing need for highly skilled professionals who can harness these tools to achieve superproductivity.

This is good news for Uruguay because, even though we are a small country on the global stage, our high productivity allows us to compete. If the name of the game is “few, but very good,” then Uruguay competes well. The challenge ahead of us is to become truly excellent. We Uruguayans must maintain world-class standards of education and professionalism. The pandemic taught us that any job can be done from anywhere in the world. Therefore, we no longer compete only with those nearby, but with any engineer in the world willing to do so.

This is a great opportunity for Uruguay, but also a challenge, because it’s not enough to be merely competent; we must continue to raise our level of professionalism. It’s a process of continuous development: there will always be more to learn, there will always be something new to understand, and we will always be updating our knowledge and acquiring new insights. I believe it’s essential to never assume that we’ve already arrived or that we’ve learned everything we need to know. We must always keep moving forward.

What does the future hold for Sabre, and what are their current flagship projects?

I’ll break it down into two parts: Sabre globally, and then Sabre in Uruguay. Globally, the industry has shown incredible resilience in the wake of the pandemic, gradually adapting and demonstrating a recovery that varies by region. People are eager to travel and are willing to adjust their budgets to make it happen.

The way travel services are consumed is changing and will continue to evolve. Sabre is focusing its investments on developing products that enable more personalized, passenger-centric shopping experiences. We recently launched Sabre Mosaic, a platform that integrates artificial intelligence to deliver highly personalized travel offers, specifically designed from the perspective of airlines and travel agencies.

At Sabre Uruguay, we are aligned with this global vision and have several key areas of focus. First, we are focused on improving productivity by integrating advanced tools into our processes to maximize efficiency. Second, we leverage our in-depth understanding of our customers to provide valuable insights and guide product development in a way that directly addresses their needs and expectations.

Finally, we aim to increase our contribution to revenue generation by evolving from a department initially focused on cost control into one that also directly impacts revenue generation through innovative and strategic services. We are committed to remaining a key player in digital transformation and the continuous improvement of the travel experience.