Independent hotel chain Hostotel is the latest company to target growth from
China through 4oceans
web-based distribution channel

Travel distribution specialist 4oceans has signed an agreement with Hostotel
International to feature its complete inventory on the 4oceans platform.  At
the onset, Hostotel’s French inventory will be loaded with the remainder to
be added over the coming months.

Under the terms of the deal, Hostotel’s inventory will be made available for
the first time to over 3000 Chinese bookers via 4oceans’ multi-lingual,
web-based platform alongside all of 4oceans’ Western distribution channels.

The deal will also allow European and US based agents connected to the
4oceans platform access to Hostotel’s entire portfolio. This will ultimately
include over four hundred hotels across France and Canada.

4oceans’ subscribers will have at-a-glance room availability, guaranteed
reservations and instant booking confirmations in a real time, on-line
environment directly from Hostotel’s Central Reservations office in Paris.

In addition, agents around the world will be able to access all properties
on 4oceans platform through the company’s latest agent solution, the agent
portal.  The web portal allows agents to sign up to the 4oceans platform for
just £99 a year and in return receive full commission for each booking that
is made.  A free 30-day trial is available.

Eric J Aouizerats, founder of Hostotel, said: “The new agreement with
4oceans will allow Hostotel to move into new and important distribution
channels previously untouched by our hotels.

“By featuring our properties directly on the 4oceans platform we are able to
take advantage of the latest online booking technology, while also accessing
new markets.  This opportunity is a key step in the development of Hostotel,
allowing our independent hotels to stay ahead of the competition and
attracting new sources of revenue from emerging markets.”

4oceans is the largest electronic distribution channel in China, featuring
over 1,300 properties around the country in addition to agreements with over
3,000 agents.  Outbound travel by Chinese residents reached over 12.1
million in 2001, nearly seven million of which were private visits.

Juliette Newth, Hotel Relations Manager of 4oceans, added: “The tourism
industry around the world is increasingly recognising the huge growth
potential of emerging markets.  The challenge for hoteliers is to manoeuvre
their business into a position where they are able to access these markets
with real-time availability and strategic pricing.

“As China’s GDS 4oceans has developed advanced, online distribution channels
to handle all bookings and administration in real time, providing Chinese
agents with a fast, efficient solution, and presenting hoteliers around the
world with online access to a growth market and new revenue stream.”
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