Saber's Indian Chiefs look for talent, technological changes and what travelers want now

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Saber's Indian Chiefs look for talent, technological changes and what travelers want now

Travel technology company Saber is increasing focus on India, and the leadership push is Samual Machado, who returned to Saber last year to lead its Indian and South Asia operations.

The company's investment plans include recruiting from India's top business schools such as the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), strengthening customer support 24/7, and building long-term talent channels.

Machado, which has not attracted experienced professionals from rival companies, said Saber is taking a different route. “I don’t want to hire only from competitors,” he said. “We are building a team for the future, which means recruiting new talent, not just experienced hands.”

Saber attributes its global technology roadmap to its Global Capacity Center (GCC) in Bangalore by “increasingly shaping” the company. Starting from the Backstage Delivery Center, it has developed into the core pillar of Saber's global technology strategy.

India's tourism industry is changing rapidly. Now, the field of walk-in travel agencies is now dominated by online platforms and applications.

In all of these aspects, global distribution companies like Saber are helping travel sellers and buyers browse a rapidly changing, technology-heavy world. “Gen Z wants to plan everything on its own,” Machado said. “Five years ago, brick-and-mortar agencies handled most bookings in India. Today, online travel agencies dominate.”

Switches are not only passed down from generation to generation. Travelers now expect more options, faster booking, and flexibility in late decision making. While corporate travel remains structured and almost always pre-planned, leisure travel is becoming increasingly spontaneous. With better deals, many Indian vacationers are content to wait for the last minute of booking.

Samual Machado, Managing Director, India and South Asia, Saber.

Covid-19 not only suspended travel, but also changed the way Indians traveled. “The pandemic has made people value organized travel,” Machado said. “During Covid, I remember how to book accommodation in Taj or Oberoi for 5000 INR ($58).

Machado noted that they are now willing to pay more now because they see the value of an advanced experience. This is a sign of a mature market and aspirations rising. “Indian travelers are graduating and they spend their own expenses.”

The five-star hotels in these rooms were earlier filled mainly by foreign tourists.

Improved road infrastructure and growth in domestic air travel have also played a role. Traveling has become easier as more cities build connections, and leisure and business travel soars. Machado said visa delays for international travel have also prompted more people to explore within India, further driving this domestic growth.

Although the company travel has been hit during the pandemic, it is coming back despite some changes. “People are aware of the value of face-to-face meetings again,” Machado said. “Especially in India, many destinations are short distances, people come in and out on the same day, so you don’t even need to book a hotel.”

Cities such as Hyderabad and Bangalore are seeing more international business traffic. As India becomes a global hub for backend operations, corporate travel is expected to increase.

Air connectivity is rapidly expanding with plans to plan 60 new airports and 1,500 aircraft in the coming years. “No other South Asian country has invested in aviation on this scale,” Machado said.

Saber's next big bet is NDC (new distribution capability). NDC allows for more rich content in flight bookings such as seat selection, luggage details and dynamic pricing. Air India was one of the first people in the country to adopt it through Saber. By the end of 2025, Saber hopes to support NDC among almost all full-service operators around the world.

“Sabre has the most airlines on our NDC, and we currently have 35. By the end of this year, we are expected to hit 50, and then by the end of next year, we should have almost all the full service that is willing to enter NDC on our platform.”

Low-cost carriers (LCCs) like Indigo in India often prefer to sell tickets directly to customers. But as they want to grow internationally and offer premium seats, including business class, they need the coverage and company links brought by the Global Distribution System (GDS).

Saber believes this is a win-win situation. “It is directly filling the economic seat, but when it comes to business class or international routes, the LCC needs GD to attract corporate customers and global travelers.”

In addition, the cost of running a large-scale direct system comes at a cost. “The cloud bills for these airlines are huge,” Machado said. “By letting the GDS platform handle traffic, it is crucial that airlines can cut costs and maintain control.”

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