Category: News

  • HRS and GetThere conform to strategic distribution collaboration

    HRS, the global leading hotel portal for corporate customers, has entered right into a distribution agreement with GetThere, a world technology company serving corporations and brand of Sabre.

    The 250,000 hotels affiliated to HRS might be available by the top of April to GetThere’s global corporate customers it doesn’t matter what global distribution system they use. HRS offers detailed and superb hotel information in 32 languages in addition to flexible and customer friendly booking conditions.

    “Working with GetThere complements our systematic multi-channel strategy and should mean all GetThere corporate customers can cash in on our wide hotel portfolio instantly. From the hotel’s perspective, the relationship to GetThere, will allow one more global distribution channel with extended coverage particularly within the huge US market, where Sabre is the undisputed market leader within the managed corporate segment. A win-win situation for all parties,” says HRS Chief Executive Officer Tobias Ragge.

    HRS and GetThere believe hoteliers will benefit as their properties will now have even greater exposure via GetThere’s thousands of corporate customers, including a majority of the Fortune 200, in 95 countries. Every month 5 million unique users visit the company travel reservation system to look and book a business journey. In 2012 GetThere managed greater than $9.5 billion in business travel spend.

    “HRS has this kind of vast and unique range of hotels that we all know can be of serious value to our customers,” says Suzanne Neufang, President of GetThere. “We stay up for working with HRS to bring the correct choice of hotels to corporations worldwide.”

  • News: New hotel search engine LagiSatu launches this month

    A present day search engine only for travellers launches this month with a promise to overtake long haul for good.

    LagiSatu.com is a comprehensive meta search engine for hotels that is designed to assist business and leisure travellers to locate the most effective hotel deals available online with only a single click. It compares prices on greater than 250,000 hotels in over 180 countries worldwide, with more hotels and destinations being added daily. Partners include many of the biggest names in global travel: LateRooms.com, Agoda, eBookers, Expedia, Hotelclub and lots of more.

    LagiSatu.com was developed by a Malaysian – Austrian team, headed by Faeez Fadhlillah and Juergen Gallistl. Speaking on the launch of the quest engine, Faeez Fadhlillah said, “LagiSatu.com removes the trouble of sifting through endless hotel websites and in search of the right rooms for the bottom prices, offering travellers around the globe a sense through which to streamline their results and find their perfect destination for less. We envisage our new search engine as a saving grace in the event you are searhing for the least expensive hotel deals. It completely removes the trouble of comparing multiple websites manually and offers inbound and outbound travellers with the ideal hotel rates at a single click.”

    Headquarted in Malaysia, LagiSatu is the 1st meta engine involved in travel to be based within the South East Asian nation. Its launch comes at a thriving time for the rustic, where online travel is expected to blow up within the next twelve months.

    The engine works by querying the databases of selected hotel providers after which compiling a listing of accessible hotels for respective places and dates. It offers the user the choice to find out how their results should appear for the final word in convenience. Sorting by price allows those on the cheap to ascertain the truly cheapest rates, sorting by distance ensures that those making onward travel arrangements shall be just about transport links, and sorting by user ratings will guarantee the hotels ranked the top might be displayed first, offering ultimate flexibility for all those are seeking for accommodation. There’s even a special way to include hotels approved by HalalStars, allowing Muslim travellers to assess the religious amenities which each and every hotel provides.

    LagiSatu users planning a visit may additionally take a look at their destination before they sign in using the engine’s suggested reading. It provides details inclusive of how much of a saving is being made, the space from the hotel to the closest city centre, and a catalogue of local amenities and attractions. References and user ratings imported from TripAdvisor and HolidayCheck.

    LagiSatu.com is currently available in Malay, English, Indonesian and Chinese, and available languages will soon include Thai and Filipino, signalling the beginning of an entire new chapter for South East Asia’s travel industry. The success and expansion within this sector was unprecedented lately, with growth of the net travel market expected to be around 40% in Malaysia alone. The innovative new hotel search hopes to tap into the growing market with its flexible and pioneering site.

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  • Starwood Hotels to open 50 new hotels in Europe in next five years

    Starwood Hotels & Resorts announced plans to open 50 new hotels in Europe over the following five years, increasing its European hotel portfolio by 30%. This year, Starwood will open nine new hotels around the continent, primarily in fast-growing markets, a key focus of Starwood’s long-term development strategy in Europe. Mutually, Starwood and its partners are making significant investments to revive and enhance a number of the company’s most iconic European hotels.

    This year alone, the corporate will open nine new hotels in established in addition to fast-growing markets together with Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Turkey. Highlights include, three new hotels in Turkey, an Aloft and Sheraton in Bursa in addition further new Sheraton hotel within the city of Adana. Further new openings include Sheraton Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport in July and the addition of the prestigious King George Hotel in Athens to Starwood’s Luxury Collection portfolio.

  • News: L. a. Zipsters to get a charge out of driving with new Honda fit EVs

    Zipcar, Inc., the world’s leading car sharing network, with the support of la City Councilmember Eric Garcetti, today announced the introduction of 2013 Honda Fit EV battery electric vehicles (BEV) into the Zipcar L. a. fleet.

    The addition of the recent electric vehicles in La comes as a result program announced by Honda and Zipcar in April 2012, in which Honda became a Zipcar preferred vehicle manufacturer with a focal point on hybrid and electric vehicles. The agreement between Honda and Zipcar gives Zipcar members increased access to Honda’s most technologically advanced, lowest emission vehicles, making an already transformational service much more sustainable. In the course of the program, Zipcar is planning to feature additional Honda EVs into the company’s fleet over the process this year.

    “We are thrilled in an effort to offer Honda Fit EVs to our members inside the L. a. area through Zipcar’s program with Honda,” said Jeff Shields, general manager, Zipcar La. “The new EVs will enhance the sustainable transportation options our Zipcar members have available to them and make allowance La residents and visitors to further reduce their carbon footprint, all while driving probably the most technologically-advanced and fun cars at the road.”

    The new Honda Fit EVs can be found to all Zipcar members ages 21+ for hourly reservations, ranging from $8.75 per hour.

    “Zipcar’s operation in Hollywood is easing parking congestion, reducing pollution and putting people to work,” said Eric Garcetti, who represents Hollywood as a City Councilmember and who supported Zipcar’s opening and expanding locally. “These cleaner, quieter vehicles are an awesome addition to the neighborhood.”

    The first of the brand new Honda Fit EVs can be found at 6464 and 6565 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, in commercial buildings managed by Paramount Contractors & Developers, Inc (PCD). The vehicles can be found in Zipcar branded parking spots with charging stations.

    Owner of Paramount Contractors & Developers, Brian Folb stated, “Paramount Contractor & Developers has long been on the forefront of creating ecofriendly buildings, and was some of the first developers in Hollywood to include solar panels and electric chargers into their properties. Naturally we’re thrilled that now, with the addition of the Honda Fit EVs, we are able to be the primary LA area buildings to provide electric vehicles from Zipcar.”

    To help introduce the brand new Honda Fit EVs to La Zipsters, Zipcar will hold events on Friday, March 29 from 12noon- 4pm inside the lobbies of both 6464 and 6565 Sunset Boulevard. La residents and PCD tenants are invited to forestall by to take a look at the brand new Honda Fit EV vehicles, and Zipcar members can take them for a test spin. The development also will include refreshments and technology demonstrations of ways the EVs work.

    Honda’s 2013 Fit EV, according to its popular five-passenger Fit, earns a combined adjusted Environmental Protection Agency mile-per-gallon-equivalency rating of 118 MPGe, and an unprecedented low consumption rating of just 29 kilowatt hours per 100 miles. The 100-percent electric Honda Fit EV incorporates a 20-kilowatt-hour Lithium-Ion battery and a compact 92-kilowatt AC synchronous electric motor that generates 189 ft-lb of torque. When connected to a 240-volt circuit, the Honda Fit EV battery can also be recharged in below three hours from a low charge indicator illumination point.

    Zipcar is a longstanding pioneer in using advanced vehicle technologies.  It was the primary car sharing company inside the U . s . to introduce electric vehicles, starting in Boston in 2002, and the primary to give hybrid vehicles through a partnership with Honda in Seattle in 2003. Zipcar member surveys show a sturdy interest within the use of advanced technology and alternate fuel vehicles within the program.

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  • News: Manston (Kent) goes global with new KLM link

    Special guests and passengers are today celebrating the launch of KLM’s latest regional route – from Manston Airport in Kent to Amsterdam Schiphol, the fourth largest air hub on the earth. The hot service, the sole scheduled passenger flight from the Kent airport, will allow local travellers access to over 190 destinations worldwide via Schiphol with KLM.

    KLM is a part of the AIR FRANCE KLM Group. It currently offers flights from over 17 regional airports, of which Manston is barely the newest. The hot service from Manston will mean that passengers from Kent can now avoid having to travel across London or during the congestion that results in Heathrow or Gatwick.

    The new route will run to and from Manston twice an afternoon, day-to-day of the week. Passengers could be carried in a Fokker 70 aircraft, which seats as much as 80 travellers. To purchase tickets, customers can go browsing to KLM.com where flights come in for as low as £79 return (including tax).
    To mark the launch, KLM and Manston Airport played host to local media and invited guests, including representatives of the local travel trade, local chambers of commerce and from Thanet and Kent Local Authorities. In conjunction with passengers they were ready to witness the ancient aircraft ‘baptism’ performed by the Airport Fire and Rescue Service, who sprayed water over the aircraft, after landing from Amsterdam at 9:15am.
    Henri Hourcade, General Manager AIR FRANCE KLM, UK & Ireland, said on the launch “The new route from Manston offers passengers in Kent and the South East of britain twice daily flights to a key business location, in addition a major connection to a bunch of world destinations. Here’s an exhilarating new chapter in KLM’s long history with the united kingdom and we’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from the area people. Forward bookings look good and we anticipate this service going from strength-to-strength as we become established in Kent.”

    Charles Buchanan, Chief Executive at Manston Airport, said: “The start of the KLM service marks the subsequent exciting chapter within the airport’s history. For the primary time it connects Kent residents and businesses with the realm through a world hub way to a countrywide flag carrier airline. Passengers can leave home without the troubles of road congestion, arrive at Manston, park adjacent to the terminal and revel in a simple check-in. Importantly, being outside London air space means flights aren’t delayed on take-off or landing, this means that a bother-free experience that makes air travel a pleasure. And on arrival back at Manston it’s a quick and straightforward exit from the airport, and a brief drive home.”

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