TravelHero has recently announced the introduction of its featured hotel program, Elite Partner, currently offered by over 300 hotels in 165 cities worldwide.
        Elite Partner is TravelHero.com’s featured hotel program that allows properties preferred placement on their respective city pages in exchange for a special discounted rate offered exclusively to TravelHero customers.  The program does not operate on a net rate model, but rather on a standard 10% commission schedule, according to company officials.

        Each TravelHero Elite Partner property receives a number of added benefits when it chooses to participate in the program, including priority placement at the top of the TravelHero city page, an eye-catching icon identifying the property as offering special rates, no special inventory to maintain, and inclusion in TravelHero’s Internet distribution programs.  Each partner also receives six free photos of the property, an individual listing featuring detailed property description, map and photos, and worldwide exposure to over 2.5 million TravelHero users per month.

        “We are big fans of Travelhero,” said Eric Barber, Director of Franchise Operations for Days Inn Canada. “This program gives our hotels first-class exposure.  From a hotel perspective, it is the perfect compromise to a non-merchant scenario.”

        According to TravelHero CEO G. Matthew Johnson, “Our Elite Partner hotel program provides value to our online consumers and drives more bookings to the featured hotels. In one chain test, bookings were up 22% over last year.  We are in contract negotiations with selected chains that will increase the number of our Elite Partners to 1,000 by the first quarter of 2004 and we plan on expanding the selection in the near future.”

   
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