Pegasus Solutions has launched MetaSearch Services, a solution that allows hotels to capture direct bookings from metasearch results. The product recently completed beta testing with several major hotel chains during which they achieved a return on investment of up to 5:1 for every US dollar spent.

The program is now available to Pegasus’ 90,000 hotel customers worldwide.

With MetaSearch Services, Pegasus increases the revenue opportunity for hotels seeking business through online search by displaying and linking directly to hotel information, rate and availability in metasearch results. The product allows metasearch engines to shop hotels and travel suppliers through Pegasus, but sends the booking directly to the hotel chain or hotel web site.

“Hotels need to be able to reach consumers wherever they choose to shop, whether they prefer to book through an online travel agency or directly with the hotel,” said David Sjolander, vice president of product management, distribution services for Pegasus Solutions. “Our MSS enables hotels to provide consumers with this choice when they elect to conduct price comparisons using metasearch.”

Pegasus, the world’s single largest processor of electronic hotel transactions, currently connects tens of thousands of hotels to the global distribution systems (GDS) and alternative distribution systems (ADS), or online channels, through the UltraDirect® interface. UltraDirect, which has also been dubbed the distribution workhorse, connects metasearch engines to the central reservation systems (CRSs) of most worldwide hotel chains.

MetaSearch Services leverages UltraDirect’s real-time access to updated rates and inventory, offering hotels the option to direct the actual booking directly to the hotel or chain site.

“The hotel industry is in the midst of a major transition in terms of the way travel is being distributed, shopped and sold,” added Sjolander. “We’re seeing the market evolve. Hotels require fresh solution.