Hotwire Hotel Growth 310% Despite Challenging Environment
Hotels continue to be the site`s fastest-growing product, with expanded
cities, features and the hotel industry`s most aggressive low-price
guarantee

In the midst of the hospitality
industry`s most challenging year in decades, discount travel site Hotwire

today announced hotel sales growth of 310% in the past year, contributing
more than $50 million in incremental revenue to Hotwire`s hotel partners.

Additionally, Hotwire released the following hotel growth statistics for the
last 12 months:

- Hotwire saved its customers approximately $45 million over
published rates

- Hotwire grew its number of hotel cities from 37 in August
2001 to more than 270 this week

Hotel growth can be attributed to expanded reach, aggressive pricing and
newly added features, such as “customer favorites” designations and expanded
listings of property-specific amenities.  Hotwire Hot-RatesSM are guaranteed
to be the lowest available, backed by Hotwire`s “Double the Difference”
hotel low price guarantee - the most aggressive guarantee in the industry.

Additionally, Hotwire recently launched its “customer favorites” feature on
the hotel search pages to highlight particular hotels that receive numerous
customer letters of praise.  When a customer searches for a Hotwire hotel,
many of the available options now include “customer favorite” designations,
with testimonials from Hotwire customers describing their experiences at a
particular hotel.  The “customer favorites” feature draws from a bank of
several thousand Hotwire customer hotel reviews, helping travelers to select
the best possible hotel for their needs.

Along with the “customer favorites” feature, Hotwire is the only opaque site
to provide property-specific hotel amenities, such as whether a specific
hotel includes an airport shuttle, complimentary breakfast, spa services, or
whether golf and tennis are nearby.  This amenities feature, along with
eight different star ratings categories, gives Hotwire customers more
choices and allows them to better evaluate deals to fit their needs.

“The past year has certainly been one of the most difficult in history for
the hotel industry,” said Spencer Rascoff
, Hotwire vice president of hotels.
“The fact that our sales have quadrupled in the face of such a tough travel
environment is a testament to the value we offer both our hotel partners and
our consumers.” 

Related stories on ITN:

(11/03/2002) Hotels Offer Discounted Rates through Hotwire

(27/02/2002) Hotwire Hotel Sales Triple

(06/12/2001) Hotwire Doubles hotel Markets.

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