Consumers now can make online reservations faster and easier at any of the 6,599 Super 8(R), Days Inn(R), Ramada(R), Travelodge(R), Howard Johnson(R), Knights Inn(R), Villager, Wingate Inn(R) and AmeriHost Inn(R) hotels worldwide, thanks to the redesign of those brands` Web sites.

In addition to a complete creative redesign, the reservation process has been reduced to the following four steps: 1) find hotel locations, 2) get rate information, 3) complete guest information and 4) confirm a reservation. Other enhancements to the booking process include searching by rate category, a booking progress indicator and thumbnail photos of hotels.

Through its partnership with Cendant
affiliate Trip.com
, the hotel group has incorporated functionality in the brand Web sites that allows Internet users to check the status of airline flights, determine the weather at their destination and obtain driving directions, street and airport maps. Online consumers also can access Fodor`s(R) travel tips, news, travel-related stories and destination guides that feature information about attractions, restaurants and local culture.

 

“Customers will find that booking a room on any of our re-energized sites is now as easy as 1-2-3-4,” said Peter Strebel, senior vice president, sales & marketing for Cendant`s hotel group. “With so many customers using the Internet to make travel arrangements, our Web sites must be easy to navigate, easy to use and, above all, be customer-friendly. Our enhancements make the booking process faster and easier than ever.”

Cendant`s new best available rate guarantee promises to provide customers with the lowest rates anywhere on the Internet when booking through its Web sites. Under the guarantee, customers who find lower published rates through any other online travel site for the same hotel will receive the lower rate plus an additional 10 percent discount.

The hotel group of Cendant Corporation (CD), based in Parsippany, N.J., is the world`s largest lodging franchisor with 6,599 open hotels representing 547,706 rooms on five continents under the Super 8, Days Inn, Ramada, Travelodge, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Villager, Wingate Inn and AmeriHost Inn brands. All hotels are individually owned and operated under franchise agreements with Cendant subsidiaries.

Created in 1996, Trip.com was acquired by Cendant Corporation in October 2001 as part of the company`s acquisition of Galileo International. A new Trip.com Web site was relaunched in April and currently is operated by Trip Network Inc., an independent affiliate of Cendant. Cendant`s hotel Web sites are part of the Trip Network.

Related stories on ITN:

(29/09/2002) Trip.com Portal to be Relaunched by Cendant

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