In a move further extending the reach of its consumer-friendly pricing and supplier-friendly relationships, Travelocity today announces that its specially negotiated rates at more than 13,000 partner hotels throughout North America and Europe will now be offered through Travelocity Europe. Travelocity Europe includes leisure Web sites in the U.K., France, Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.The program is being introduced in the United Kingdom first and will extend to other European countries, significantly leveraging the Sabre Global Distribution System’s powerful connectivity capabilities and allowing travelers to see the most current displays of available rooms and rates at the hotel of their choice.

Travelocity displays the rates and availability of more than 60,000 hotels around the world, and more than 13,000 of these participate in the company’s net rate hotel program. In addition to this wide selection of net rate content already available, Travelocity’s European-based team is already working with a variety of European properties, including the world-famous Savoy in London, Hotel Bauza in Madrid, Andel’s in Prague, Hotel Aleph in Rome, Hotel Jazz in Barcelona, Hotel Cayre in Paris and a number of other European brands such as Le Meridien, Sol Melia, Boscolo and Jolly Hotels.

“By providing access to more than 13,000 net rate deals for European consumers, Travelocity once again sets the standard for advocating for customers through great pricing deals,” said Tedd Evers, director Europe Partner Marketing for Travelocity. “As we continue to add even more net rate content to Travelocity’s European Web sites through additional partnerships, consumers around the globe will be offered even greater choices.”

Already participating hotel companies include InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International, Best Western International, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Choice Hotels International, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and Cendant Corporation. Several thousand independent hotel properties are also included and Travelocity’s Evers said this figure is expected to grow rapidly as the initiative is rolled out across the continent.

“We are providing hotels with a real alternative to the inflexible block booking negotiation that is the current industry norm in Europe,” Evers said. “Hotels can now benefit from the unparalleled sales clout of an online agency with 44 million members around the world, while maintaining the flexibility to adjust rates and inventory as required.”

Some of the benefits of Travelocity’s supplier-friendly net rate hotel program—groundbreaking in Europe—include:

—With its powerful connectivity using the Sabre GDS, Travelocity uses technology that enables two-way communication between it and a hotel’s internal reservations system.

—This technology allows Travelocity to obtain rate and availability information earlier in the booking process. This avoids the frustrating experience for customers of completing a hotel booking on the site, only then to be told that a room isn’t available.

—It eliminates labor-intensive manual allocations and faxed reservations by integrating seamlessly with suppliers’ established inventory and revenue management systems to save money.

—It gives hotels the choice of making rooms available via the Sabre GDS or Travelocity’s Web-based extranet.

—Travelocity provides the option for hoteliers to manage rates by local point of sale, allowing properties to adjust rates based on local market conditions.

—Travelocity pays its net rate hotel suppliers by credit card, putting cash into the hands of hoteliers faster than its competitors.
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