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Property and Chain Web Sites Drive 60% of All Room
Night Revenues Booked via Internet in 2003
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Over 100 Hotels Already Utilizing New TravelCLICK
Interactive Division
To Maximize Business Direct to Hotel Property
Web Sites
CHICAGO (March 19, 2003) - TravelCLICK reported today that in its
2003 forecast for electronic hotel bookings, direct distribution through
individual property or chain Web sites will be 1.5 times the size of the
third party Internet marketplace. While third party Web sites such as Priceline,
Expedia and Orbitz will remain key sources of room nights, many hoteliers
underestimate the importance of direct distribution through their own property
or chain Web site.
�Hotels need to pay more attention to developing their direct online
presence, not only because of the impressive size of this marketplace,
but more importantly, property and chain sites represent the electronic
channels with the lowest distribution cost,� said Richard W. Gray, chairman
and co-CEO of TravelCLICK.
In response to hotels� distribution and revenue management needs, TravelCLICK
has launched a new division: TravelCLICK Interactive (TCI). This division
is now assisting hotels, owners and management companies in online strategies
to increase consumer direct business and accomplish lower distribution
costs.
TravelCLICK Interactive guides hoteliers by pulling their interactive
efforts together, starting with the Web site, booking engine, search engine
optimization, pricing, targeted e-marketing capabilities, local account
sales, and ongoing management services to maximize direct distribution
and achieve higher revenue.
�The name of the game is how all the pieces work together. When these
factors are well-orchestrated, the upswing drives two to five times more
business directly through the property Web site,� said Ray Cohen, president
and co-CEO of TravelCLICK.
In its three months of operation, TravelCLICK Interactive has secured
more than 100 hotel customers in the US and Mexico. Initial case studies
analyzed hotel Web site performance after the completion of TravelCLICK
Interactive-directed initiatives. Results show that TravelCLICK Interactive
clients earn a full return on their on-line investment in under 60 days
after implementing the TCI Web plan.
At the helm of TravelCLICK Interactive is Richard Chambers, former founder
of hospitality-marketing.com, senior marketing alumnus of The Leading Hotels
of the World and Omni Hotels, and co-author of the global marketing textbook
Marketing Leadership in Hospitality.
�Richard Chambers knows the online marketplace, and his approach will
help hotels get more business from their Web sites,� said Gray.
About TravelCLICK
TravelCLICK (www.travelclick.net)
is the leading provider of solutions that help hotels and other travel
industry suppliers maximize net revenue from electronic distribution channels.
TravelCLICK�s competitive benchmarking reports provide hotels with price
and booking performance information unavailable through any other source.
The company�s exclusive electronic marketing networks allow hotels and
other travel related suppliers to target promotional messages to specific
travel agents, consumers, and group meeting planners when they are booking
travel. Established in 1996 and headquartered in the Chicago area, TravelCLICK
operates in more than 140 countries around the world. The company has over
6,000 clients, including national and international companies such as Accor,
Air France, Avis, Best Western International, British Airways, Carlson
Hotels Worldwide, Choice Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons
Hotels & Resorts, Grupo Posadas, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hyatt Hotels
& Resorts, Kempinski Hotels & Resorts, Leading Hotels of the World,
Loews Hotels, Lufthansa, Marriott International, The Peninsula Group, The
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, SAS, The Savoy Group, Shangri-La Hotels, Sol
Melia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Thistle Hotels, USAirways, Virgin
Atlantic and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. |