Expedia.com Coast Casinos Direct Connects to Expedia via Hotel Information Systems epitome Interface to Save Time and Money
BELLEVUE, Wash. – December 14, 2004 – Coast Casinos became the first hotel chain to install Expedia®’s direct connect interface into its Hotel Information Systems epitome for iSeries property management system (PMS). The technology streamlines the reservations process for more than 30,000 bookings made annually on Expedia across all four Coast Casinos properties in Las Vegas.
Hotel Information Systems was the first third-party PMS vendor to develop and roll-out Expedia’s direct connect interface, which reduces booking transaction costs by providing a more efficient method to process reservations. Since August, all four Coast Casinos properties – The Orleans, the Gold Coast, the Suncoast, and the Barbary Coast – have benefited from automated notification for reservations booked through Expedia.com®. In the coming months, Coast Casinos will also add a notification system for Hotels.com™ bookings.
“The benefits of direct connect have been tremendous – not only have we seen immediate financial returns, but Expedia provides the technology at no cost and delivered a quick and seamless integration with our existing property management system,” said Kim Kane, corporate reservation manager at Coast Casinos. “The time savings alone are equivalent to one full-time employee, so we have been able to reallocate the much needed resources across the company. As our relationship with Expedia expands, we’re seeing increased value and reduced costs every step along the way.”
In January, Hotel Information Systems announced it would link all three of its epitome PMS systems to Expedia’s direct connect technology, which streamlines the reservations process and automates the management of available rates and inventory. Hotels and resorts using epitome for Windows, Unix, or iSeries were offered access to Expedia’s direct connect technology through this existing arrangement.
“Our property management system coupled with Expedia’s direct connect technology ensures prompt delivery of reservations for hotel operators through greater automation,” said Alan Young, chief marketing officer for Hotel Information Systems. “We are pleased that, with Expedia, we can provide our hotel customers with additional resources and tools to dramatically increase efficiency while also enabling greater flexibility.”
“Our overarching goal with our direct connectivity is to deepen the value we provide to hotel partners by reducing their distribution costs and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction, which we’ve achieved in this case by working closely with Coast Casinos and Hotel Information Systems,” said Michael Reichartz, vice president of lodging of Expedia and Hotels.com. “Coast Casinos and other chains and independent properties are reaping the benefits of our direct connect technology to operate in a more cost-effective environment.”
Earlier this year Expedia and Hotels.com began the first phase of deploying direct connect technology with participating hotels, which automated the delivery of bookings, thereby reducing labor costs. The second phase of the deployment, now underway, will give hotel partners the ability to automatically push real-time availability, rates, and inventory information to Expedia, thus enabling two-way communications between the different systems. This phase will also save hotels significant time and money by eliminating the need for loading rates manually into an extranet system. Expedia’s direct connect technology was designed from the ground up to serve the unique needs of the hotel industry.
About Hotel Information Systems
Hotel Information Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of MAI Systems Corporation (OTCBB: MAIY.OB). Hotel Information Systems provides total enterprise management solutions, improving critical operations and profitability for global hotel organizations. For a complete demonstration or additional information about epitome Enterprise Solutions, please contact an Hotel Information Systems Client Solutions Representative at 1-800-497-0532 or visit the Hotel Information Systems Web site at www.hotelinfosys.com.
About Coast Casinos
Based in Las Vegas, Coast Casinos, Inc. owns and operates four Las Vegas hotel-casinos: The Orleans, the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, the Suncoast Hotel and Casino and the Barbary Coast Hotel and Casino. Coast Casinos is currently developing a fifth property, the South Coast Hotel and Casino, on the south end of the Las Vegas strip, which is currently expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2005. For more information on Coast Casinos, please visit the Company’s website at: www.coastcasinos.com.
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the world’s leading online travel service and the fourth largest travel agency in the U.S. Expedia’s award-winning Expert Searching and Pricing (ESP) technology delivers the most comprehensive flight options available online. ESP also allows customers to dynamically build complete trips that combine flights, Expedia® Special Rate hotels and other lodging, ground transportation, and destination services and activities. Expedia’s quality and leadership have been recognized in awards such as PC Magazine’s “Editors’ Choice” and Forbes’ “Favorite General Travel Site.” Expedia is an operating company of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI). CST: 2029030-
About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering reservation services through its own websites (including http://www.hotels.com and others), its interactive affiliate network (http://www.IAN.com), and its toll-free call centers (1-800-2-HOTELS). Hotels.com gives travelers the widest selection of lodging accommodations from traditional hotels to vacation rentals at nearly 15,000 properties in more than 400 cities in North America, Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. The company is a one-stop shopping source for hotel pricing, amenities and availability, and also specializes in providing travelers with accommodations during sold-out periods. Hotels.com is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (Nasdaq: IACI). CST: 2059975-40.
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