TravelCLICK, the leading provider of digital media and data solutions for the travel industry, reports that the growth in electronic hotel bookings is continuing to outperform overall hotel bookings. This means that for almost every individual hotel property, e-commerce is becoming more important and represents a higher proportion of the overall distribution of room nights.

To date, these e-commerce bookings have largely been made by individual (transient) travelers through travel agents or travel Web sites. To extend the benefits of e-commerce to the group segment, TravelCLICK is recommending hotels implement technology such as Passkey HotelDirect(TM) as a key strategy.

Passkey HotelDirect(TM) automates manual processes such as entering reservations, acknowledgements and the continuous modifications that occur throughout the meeting and event process. The tool was developed specifically for hotels to streamline operations and counteract revenue loss in the management of on-site group functions. Industry analysts estimate - annual revenue losses of over $1 billion due to attrition caused by slow communication, last-minute cancellations and errors in the traditional manual processing of group housing .

“Large convention and resort properties of 500+ rooms have the most potential to gain from the Passkey HotelDirect(TM) solution,” said Ray Cohen, president and co-CEO of TravelCLICK. “However, virtually any size property that handles group business can benefit from automating simple functions.” The groups and conventions market segment comprises an average of 30-42% of the total occupancy for the average North American hotel of 200-400 rooms

“Passkey HotelDirect(TM) simplifies many of the traditional group functions through automation. Each event now has a customized Web site group attendees can go to for information on the event, plus the ability to book and change their own reservations online,” said Christopher G. Kenney, director of marketing for Tempe Mission Palms Hotel in Arizona. “With all the data being available 24/7, we have the ability to monitor and manage inventory even after cut-off. This allows our staff to focus their attention on our guests.”

“This tool is revolutionizing the industry,“said Mark Farrer, director of reservations sales, Marriott Hotels and Resorts - Calgary. “Traditionally, group business has been high-cost and labor-intensive for a hotel to manage. Empty beds result from overextended room blocks and duplications. Rather than printing numerous rooming lists and providing many revisions, our convention services manager and the meeting planner get to share the same information online 24/7, no lag time, no confusion and always up to date The implementation of Passkey HotelDirect(TM) continues to improve the communications from our sales department to the meeting planner and ultimately - to the guest. This makes it an awesome tool in managing our group business.”

“Automation of the group housing process is the next logical progression for hotels,” said Tim Durant, Executive VP, Global Sales & Marketing, Passkey. “We are developing the technology tools that will make hotels more efficient when handling meetings and conventions - and ultimately be the shared industry standard in group reservations management worldwide.”

About TravelCLICK

TravelCLICK (www.travelclick.net

) is the world`s leading provider of digital media and data solutions to the worldwide travel industry. The company`s products help hotels and other travel industry suppliers improve profits through electronic distribution channels. TravelCLICK`s exclusive electronic marketing networks allow hotels and other travel and entertainment related suppliers to target promotional messages to specific travel agents and consumers when they are booking itineraries. The company`s competitive benchmarking reports provide hotels with price and booking performance information unavailable through any other source. Established in 1996 and headquartered in the Chicago area, TravelCLICK operates in more than 140 countries around the world. TravelCLICK has over 5,000 clients, including national and international companies such as Accor, Air France, Avis, British Airways, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Kempinski Hotels & Resorts, Leading Hotels of the World, Lufthansa, Marriott Hotels, Resorts and Suites, The Peninsula Group, Radisson, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, SAS, The Savoy Group, Shangri-La Hotels, Sol Melia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Thistle Hotels, USAirways, Virgin Atlantic, and Wyndham Hotels.

About Passkey

Headquartered in Quincy, MA, Passkey.com, Inc. is the leading processor of integrated Web-based group housing and travel solutions for the $ 96.4 billion meetings and convention industry. As a meetings industry metamediary, Passkey provides Web-based applications for use by all key channels within the meetings and conventions industry, including: convention and visitors bureaus, global distribution systems (GDS), hotels, travel agencies, associations, corporations, meetings RFP engines and registration vendors. Travel providers that are Passkey-enabled(SM) can leverage Passkey technology to manage group housing for both city-wide and single property meetings.
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