Sidestep has
today announced a partnership with Best Western International. Through this partnership, SideStep will drive
consumers to the brand’s Web site, www.bestwestern.com/
, to book
their travel.

More than two million consumers turn to SideStep(R) each month to find
flight, hotel and rental car values, offering Best Western an ideal way to
reach large numbers of avid travelers. By promoting direct interaction
between these active travelers and the Best Western site, SideStep will
both boost sales and help the hotel leader to build valuable long-term
relationships with frequent travel buyers.

“Marketing through SideStep allows us to communicate directly with
consumers—an important distinction vs. selling through online
agencies,” said Ric Leutwyler, Senior Vice President, Brand Quality and
Member Service. “With SideStep, we drive travelers to our most successful
online selling environment: http://www.bestwestern.com/. There, we have
the opportunity not only to close sales, but also to strike up an ongoing
dialogue with prospective repeat customers.”

“Best Western offers SideStep users a familiar hotel brand in countries
throughout the world, and we are excited to help Best Western
International to extend its reach among our sizeable base of travel
enthusiasts,” said Don Smith, SideStep’s Vice President, Hotels. “SideStep
takes a unique approach to online travel,” Smith continued. “We help
hoteliers to tell their stories, to communicate what is distinctive about
their offerings. Driving consumers to our partners’ sites gives hoteliers
a chance to connect with travelers, forging direct relationships between
brands and buyers.”

SideStep was named Silicon Valley’s third fastest growing private company
in October, 2003, by PricewaterhouseCoopers and The Silicon Valley/San
Jose Business Journal.
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