Group Travel Planet is launching a new technology that facilitates direct connections to hotel rates and inventory.

The new proprietary technology, called GTPDirectConnect, eliminates the need to load group rates and inventory manually into an extranet system, although Group Travel Planet will continue to offer its extranet.
Four companies have signed agreements to use GTPDirectConnect so far.
“Six years ago we knew the limitations that prevented hotels from selling group rooms online so we built technology that would allow hotels to provide and manage their group rates and inventory through our extranet system,” said Scott Harness, CEO of Group Travel Planet.
“Since that time, technology has advanced and group travel has begun to gain the attention of hotel chains and others that were previously focused on individual leisure travel. The timing is ideal for us to launch GTPDirectConnect and build these first-ever connections.”
Group Travel Planet’s new technology comes at a time when hotels are focused on growing their online group travel business and as group travel planners are turning to the Internet for their travel needs.
“2005 was the year that online group travel took off and went mainstream,” said Harness. “Group Travel Planet saw a dramatic increase of 595% in gross bookings due primarily to increased consumer demand and to Group Travel Planet’s vast distribution network of companies like Sidestep and Orbitz.com.”

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