Travelport has implemented MASSIVEGOOD® in the Apollo™, Galileo™ and Worldspan™ global distribution systems (GDS) by adding a simple, built-in contribution mechanism. During the usual travel-booking process, you can easily add your customers’ donations.

Click on the appropriate link for easy steps in processing contributions through your GDS:

ApolloGalileoWorldspan

Click on the following questions for answers
about MASSIVEGOOD® and your travel agency

  • MASSIVEGOOD® is a new worldwide movement that allows travellers to build a healthier
    world each time they buy a plane ticket, reserve a hotel room or rent a car. This new global
    citizen solidarity movement is aimed at saving lives by treating and fighting life-threatening diseases amongst the world's most vulnerable populations.
  • Thanks to a wide coalition of corporate partners in the travel industry, MASSIVEGOOD®
    will be available via travel agencies beginning in the first quarter of 2010.
  • The MASSIVEGOOD® movement is based on voluntary micro-contributions each time
    travellers book a trip ($2, £2 or €2 – or as much as the traveller would like to give) – which
    travel agents can add on top of reservations for customers who are interested in supporting MASSIVEGOOD®.
  • MASSIVEGOOD® is due to launch in early 2010 in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Spain. The Millennium Foundation is in the process of identifying other countries that wish to join the movement.
  • For more information, see: http://news.massivegood.org
  • Created in 2008 as a Swiss not-for-profit organisation, the full name of the organisation is the Millennium Foundation for Innovative Finance for Health. MASSIVEGOOD® is the
    Foundation’s flagship fundraising project. Through MASSIVEGOOD®, the Foundation has
    created an innovative fundraising solution to expand the sources of funding available to
    help save lives by fighting life-threatening diseases amongst the world’s most vulnerable populations, including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis – which will also reduce
    childhood mortality and improve maternal health.
  • Populations in low-income countries face a severe health crisis, fueled in particular by
    pandemics mentioned above, which, according to World Health Organization estimates,
    claim 3.7 million lives a year. These diseases are treatable; yet available resources to treat
    them are insufficient. The gap in funding has been made worse by the recent global
    economic downturn. The Millennium Foundation is committed to helping to bridge this gap
    by providing an additional and sustainable source of funding.
  • For more information, see: http://www.millennium-foundation.org
  • MASSIVEGOOD® donations will go to UNITAID, which leverages its international drug
    purchase facility to maximise market impact and support the needs of established partners,
    which currently include: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the Stop
    TB Partnership; the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the World Health
    Organization (WHO), the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI); and the
    Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND).
  • For more information, see: http://www.unitaid.eu
  • Travelport is joining other GDS providers and representatives of the travel and tourism
    industry to support this global initiative because we believe in corporate social responsibility
    and the powerful force of mass travel to drive cultural awareness and understanding.
  • The worthiness of the cause speaks for itself and we are delighted to work with our travel
    agency partners for real and meaningful change. With the combined strength of all GDSs,
    the potential impact our organisations can make together is truly enormous.
  • Travel agencies play the most important role in this global movement to make the world a
    better place. For this reason, Travelport is implementing MASSIVEGOOD® in our global
    distribution systems (GDS) via a contribution mechanism you can activate during the
    travel-booking process. Please click How It Works to see the simple steps for handling a
    contribution on behalf of your customers.
  • When creating a booking, you can simply ask your customer: “Would you like to support
    the MASSIVEGOOD® movement by giving a micro-contribution of $2, £2 or €2 or more
    to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in developing countries?” Please see the
    Questions and Answers for Travellers document if you would like to provide your
    customers with additional information.
  • Not at all. The process is a truly innovative solution, making it easy for you to ask customers
    if they would like to make a $2, €2 or £2 micro-contribution, or more, when they book a trip.
    The contribution is processed as part of the travel booking transaction in your GDS. Your
    customers have a safe and convenient way to give back in a big way, and it’s fast and easy
    for you, too, as a seamless part of the travel booking process.
  • By participating in the program, you can position your agency as a socially aware and
    involved business that gives clients an easy, positive opportunity to donate to a worthwhile
    cause, making them feel good about their choice to travel. This can increase loyalty and
    generate return business.
  • The Millennium Foundation has received an overwhelmingly positive response regarding
    participation in its fundraising activity from the top travel industry GDSs and technology
    providers. The Millennium Foundation is also joined by the Mondial Assistance Group, the
    international leader in Assistance, Travel Insurance and Personal Services; The World
    Travel and Tourism Council; American Express; Carlson Wagonlit Travel; and Accor Hotels
    and Services.
  • The Millennium Foundation established the launch countries and is planning consumer
    marketing campaigns within these markets to build traveller awareness. After successful implementation in the USA and Spain, the Millennium Foundation will identify other markets
    that wish to join the movement. However, once contribution mechanisms are implemented
    in Travelport’s GDSs, the ability to process contributions is available to all travel agencies,
    regardless of your location. This means any agency can process contributions on behalf of
    your customers through your GDS. However, it is important to note that in 2010, the Millennium Foundation will not conduct supporting consumer awareness marketing campaigns outside of
    the launch countries.
It is very likely that your customers will already know about MASSIVEGOOD® from the news, campaign publicity and celebrity involvement; however, please feel free to use this Questions and Answers for Travellers document for customers who would like more information.