GenaRes Worldwide Reservation Services announced today that Americas Best Value Inn (ABVI) has switched to GenaRes’ central reservations system (CRS), and is now using GenaResÊ for all of its GDS, Internet and voice reservations.Ê With 475 properties, Americas Best Value Inn has been recognized as the fastest growing hotel chain in the U.S. lodging industry over the last two years.

GenaRes was launched last year by hotel industry veterans Michael G. Wilkins, Ricky A. Wilkins and Eugene Harris, who were founders of the Dallas-based hotel representation and reservations company Lexington Services Corp., which was purchased by VIP International in 2003 and became Vantis International. After successfully creating one of the hotel industry’s first and largest global third party hotel representation and reservations companies - Lexington - the trio is now ready to strike again with their formation of GenaRes.

Commenting on the decision to move to GenaRes, Americas Best Value Inn Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer Roger Bloss said, “We did a buy-versus-bid analysis and interviewed 10 different CRS companies. Changing reservation providers is a huge step for a company our size, but we’re confident we made the best decision for our members and our future.Ê We’re always looking to bring more value to our members and this is a perfect example.”

As a result of the Brand’s transition from its previous CRS provider to GenaRes, Americas Best Value Inn’s GDS code has changed from “UZ” to its own private label chain code of “BV,” making it easier for travel agents to find and book the Brand’s properties on the four major GDSs - Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan.Ê Along with the change in GDS booking code, Americas Best Value Inn’s change in representation service has been transparent to travel agents and consumers because of GenaRes’ connection to the Pegasus Solutions Distribution Switch, which provides connectivity to all of the GDSs and thousands of Internet sites.Ê

All of Americas Best Value Inn’s member properties are now using GenaRes’ GenaRaterSM CRS for managing their room inventories across all distribution channels.Ê The Brand’s member properties’ hotel managers and reservations staff easily and securely access the GenaRater CRS via any PC with Internet access.Ê GenaRater’s state-of-the-art Web-based user interface allows Americas Best Value Inn’s members to login and easily upload new rate plans, change availability, modify property descr iptions,  upload property pictures and more.

GenaRes’ GenaRater CRS is the one of the few CRSs to be developed since 1999.Ê Built from the ground up by experienced industry veterans, the system uses the latest technology and incorporates functionality that is most vital for hoteliers of today, including next generation seamless connectivity (Seamless 2), true sales distribution channel management, advanced yield management capabilities, and customized reporting.Ê For hotels or hotel companies that do not need their own chain code, GenaRes provides its chain code of GZ.

Under the agreement, GenaRes is powering the Internet reservations on Americas Best Value Inn’s proprietary branded Web site (www.AmericasBestValueInn.com), as well as for the member properties that have their own Web sites.ÊÊ GenaRes is also providing private-label voice reservations services for ABVI out of GenaRes’ new call center that is located in Grapevine, Texas, which is a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth.Ê The ABVI brand’s average daily rate in 2004 was $62.64.

In addition to originally founding Lexington Services, the GenaRes founders together have more than 30 years experience running a hotel company: Lexington Hotel Suites and Inns, which at one point had 50 hotels in its portfolio. “GenaRes is probably the only third party representation service that was truly created by hoteliers for hoteliers,” said GenaRes President Eugene Harris.Ê “As former hoteliers, we understand the day-to-day challenges that hotel operators face.Ê We created GenaRes to be a hotel-friendly alternative to the larger technology providers, which are reportedly becoming less responsive to individual hoteliers as a result of all of the recent mergers and acquisitions in our industry.”Ê For example, within the last year or so, Pegasus Solutions (NASDAQ: PEGS) bought Unirez, SynXis acquired HubX, Sabre (NYSE: TSG) acquired SynXis, Vantis International Corp., formerly VIP International, purchased Lexington Services, and just this month, Web Reservations International bought WorldRes.
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