Shanghai, 23 July 2013 - Since introducing its new online strategy last year, Worldhotels has achieved a strong increase in its direct online bookings. Comparing January to April 2013 to the same months in 2012, the group is reporting an increase in reservations via worldhotels.com by 64 per cent and in revenue by 60 per cent. The performance increase kicked in immediately after the launch of the new website in July 2012 - room nights have overall increased by 40 per cent since then.

 

"We are very pleased with how the site has been performing since the revamp", states Roland Jegge, Worldhotels' Executive Vice President Asia Pacific. "We are making great progress in strengthening direct booking channels and building a loyal customer base for our hotels especially amongst the Asia Pacific hotels."

 

Paulo Salvador, Global Vice President Marketing & Sales further explains the new website's relevance, "New technologies create new opportunities and we need to take advantage of them. Our new website is part of our strategy to capitalise on the changing market and is crucial to achieving the right balance between direct and third party bookings." 

 

The range of website enhancements designed to maximise business for Worldhotels and its affiliate hotels includes a full design and layout makeover as well as extended functionalities for consumers, travel agents and corporate clients. To accommodate the increasing number of guests who plan their travel on the go, Worldhotels also optimised the site for mobile use and created its own mobile app. The new website structure is highly user friendly: Guest reviews, hotel details, images and rates are all found on one page, minimising the time guests have to spend researching a hotel.

 

The website's booking engine Resmaster was also updated last year with a variety of new functionalities in its latest version, Resmaster V3. The booking engine is easily customisable for hotel's individual websites and available exclusively for Worldhotels affiliates.

 

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About Worldhotels:

 

• Worldhotels is a global brand that brings together some of the world's most unique independent hotels. With the tagline "Where Discovery Starts" it targets savvy travellers that seek an authentic and local experience when choosing a hotel. Worldhotels now offers 500 hotels in 250 destinations and 65 countries worldwide.
• With over 40 years of excellence in the industry, the company's mission is to provide access to luxury and upper upscale hotels of character and distinction. Each hotel in the Worldhotels portfolio has been carefully selected to ensure it meets the group's strict quality standards. Each hotel is measured against over 1,000 quality criteria every year.  
• Guests can also earn miles for each stay thanks to an extensive list of airline partnerships including 25 frequent flyer programmes by the world's premier international carriers such as Singapore Airlines, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Lufthansa, and United Airlines, which are just some of the partners that make earning miles with Worldhotels easy.
• Through a comprehensive range of services that includes global marketing, sales, training, e-commerce and state-of-the-art distribution and technology, Worldhotels backs independent hotels with the power of a global brand while allowing them to retain their individual character and identity. In addition to its classic "affiliation model", the group offers independent hotels a "full licence" branding solution which is the perfect alternative to standard franchise contracts.   

 

ASIA PACIFIC Reservation Numbers:

Australia Toll free: 1-800-55 35 49 For groups:  61-2-8399 2210

China (North) Toll free: 10-800-650-8221 For groups: 10-800-6 50 00 87

China (South) Toll free: 10-800-2 65 82 21 For groups: 10-800-2 65 00 87

Hong Kong Toll free: 800-96 85 63 For groups: 800-90 85 95

India Toll free: 000-800-6 50 11 60 For groups: 65- 62 27 55 35

Indonesia Toll free: 001-803 657 325 For groups:  65- 62 27 55 35

Japan Toll free: 0120-55 75 37 For groups: +81 3 67 21 81 41

Malaysia Toll free: 1-800-80 11 84 For groups: 1-800-80 15 86

New Zealand Toll free: 0-800-44 75 55 For groups: 61-2-9006 1088

Philippines Toll free: 1-800-16 51 01 67 For groups: 65 62 27 55 35

Singapore Toll free: 1-800-2 27 66 26 For groups: 65- 62 27 55 35

South Korea Toll free: 080-747-10 00 For groups: 82-2-756 90 00

Taiwan Toll free: 00801-65 10 95 For Groups: 00801 651 423

Thailand Toll free: 001-800-65 66 04 For groups: 65 62 27 55 35

 

For the most up-to-date news follow Worldhotels on Facebook and Twitter.

www.worldhotels.com/facebook

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Issued on behalf of Worldhotels by Grebstad Hicks Communications.

 

For further information or hi-res images, please contact:

 

Grebstad Hicks Communications (Shanghai)

Ms. Esther Molina

Tel: 86 21 5213 3030

E-mail: esther.molina@ghcasia.com

 

Grebstad Hicks Communications (Singapore)

Ms. Shanthi Regupathy

Tel: 65 6438 4024

Email: shanthi.regupathy@ghcasia.com

Worldhotels

Mr. Roland Jegge

Tel: 65 6227 5535

E-mail: rjegge@worldhotels.com