hotels.com Offers Easy Online Access and Specialized Group Travel
Associates; Group Travel Heats Up in Fall
DALLAS, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Planning a getaway for a
crowd? hotels.com(R), the expert in booking hotels online and via the
phone, is making the process easier and faster for people to plan a variety
of group trips.
The new "Groups" tab on the hotels.com home page offers users a clear
and easy path for starting the planning process. Unlike other sites, which
require multiple clicks to access group travel services, visitors to
hotels.com are just one click away from beginning the planning process.
Streamlined access is important to the process, as it helps alleviate
some of the burden from those tasked with planning group travel. "Trying to
find the right property that will meet the various needs of travelers
within a group can be a stressful process, particularly if you are not a
frequent traveler and trying to research in your spare time," said Jack
Richards, senior vice president of product marketing for hotels.com. "With
hotels.com, customers work directly with hotel specialists whose sole focus
is group travel. These seasoned experts consider specific customer
requirements to find and book the best property for the group at the right
price."
Richards adds that the fall season is often prime time for planning
group travel. He cites the following groups, all of which have special
requirements for their trips:
* Athletes, coaches, fans and families -- The fall season puts many
people on the road for a variety of collegiate, children's, amateur and
professional sports. This is prime time for college alumni trips,
homecoming weekends, tournaments and other events.
* Brides and grooms -- Brides and grooms are firming up plans for the
upcoming spring/summer wedding season. Whether the wedding is close to
home or in a dream destination, couples often need to locate and block
hotel rooms for guests. They may also be planning special weekends for
the bridal party (such as a spa weekend for the bridesmaids and a golf
getaway for the groomsmen).
* Families -- The end-of-year holidays are approaching quickly.
Increasingly, people are choosing to book hotels rather than impose on
relatives in already crowded households. Many families also choose to
get away for the holidays, gladly giving up the chores of cooking and
cleaning at home to the hotel staff.
* Friends and couples -- Fall is low season for many popular vacation
spots. Friends and couples often take advantage of good deals and
fewer crowds by planning group trips once schools are back in session.
Fall foliage trips to New England and Colorado are very popular
choices.
How the Process Works
Here is the process for booking group travel on hotels.com:
* Travelers interested in reserving nine or more hotel rooms can complete
a brief online form on hotels.com, which requests details on the
destination, preferred hotel brands, travel dates and number of rooms
required. They may also speak with a group travel specialist at any
time by calling 866-476-8771. Travelers may review a wide range of
hotel descriptions and customer evaluations on hotels.com.
* Once the form has been submitted, a hotels.com group travel specialist
will research the request and contact individual hotel properties.
* Within 24 hours, the group travel specialist will research room
availability, negotiate rates, and contact the customer by e-mail or
phone to make property recommendations and confirm the reservation.
Each group travel reservation booked on hotels.com is backed by the
hotels.com Low Price Guarantee. If there is a lower rate available for the
same travel dates and property, hotels.com will either refund the
difference or cancel the reservation without penalty.
To learn more about the group travel service, visit hotels.com or
contact a group travel specialist directly by calling 866-476-8771.
About hotels.com
hotels.com(R) is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering
reservation services through its own web sites (including hotels.com and
others), its interactive affiliate network (https://www.IAN.com ) and its
toll-free call centers (1-800-2-HOTELS). hotels.com gives travelers one of
the widest selections of lodging accommodations from traditional hotels to
vacation rentals at more than 70,000 properties worldwide. hotels.com is an
operating company of Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).
hotels.com, the hotels.com logo and the Benny the Bellman logo are
either registered trademarks or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other
countries of hotels.com, LP, a subsidiary of hotels.com. Other logos or
products and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their
respective owners.
SOURCE hotels.com
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Related links:
http://www.hotels.com
Photo Notes:
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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
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CONTACT:
Maureen Carrig of hotels.com, +1-425-679-7511
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