Wholesalers RezLive.com launched their RezLive mobile application at Arabian Travel Market to get one step closer to travel partners. The application will enable the travel agents to perform critical tasks like managing bookings on the go, cancelling and vouchering of bookings, getting alerts, viewing map for hotel location, emailing the booking information to their clients, activating and deactivating the subagent/subuser in real time basis and round-the-clock support.
HOTEL OPERATIONSFCS, a leading global provider of comprehensive hospitality guest services applications and solution design services, has announced the signing of a valued business partnership with Equinox Arabia, one of the Middle East’s premier providers of data solutions for the hospitality industry. Per the agreement, Equinox will distribute the comprehensive suite of FCS hospitality technology products, including its collection of best-in-class hotel operations management applications and its i-Guest mobile app.FCS’ hotel operations management applications suite comprises e-Connect, e-Housekeeping, e-Recovery, e-Engineering and e-Concierge. The multi-language, web-based applications streamline a multitude of back-of-house and guest-facing hotel operations needs, from real-time maintenance requirements to housekeeping management to guest issue tracking and a comprehensive customer relationship management platform. The applications interface with of the hotel industry’s most popular property management systems and can be implemented à la carte or as a package. The applications feature complementary mobile versions, allowing hotel staff to stay connected from anywhere on property.
RAISING REVENUESDubai-based ResNet World is a fast-growing e-distribution and online marketing company in the region’s hospitality industry. Working with hotels to maximise their e-distribution revenues, the company has seen a significant increase in the demand for its solutions that cater to the Arabic-speaking traveller, including its Arabic internet booking engine, which, since its launch last year, has been deployed by 10 per cent of ResNet World’s hotel partners.Responding to the rising need for online Arabic content in the hospitality industry, the company has developed over 30 Arabic websites for its partner hotels over the past 12 months.Saahil Metha, founder and managing director of ResNet World, says: 'More and more hotel guests in the Arab world are booking online and we help hotels respond to this need by making their hotel information and booking engines available in the language of the region.'
ARABIC INTERFACEWith a year-on-year increase of 7 per cent in GCC visitor numbers to the island country, Tourism Ireland has launched an Arabic website to raise of Ireland’s unique tourism offering. The site is backed by a strategic social media strategy, which includes GCC focused Twitter and Facebook pages that have more than 14,000 followers each, communicating offers and updates in both English and Arabic, as well as stunning imagery and videos of Ireland’s iconic locations.
MOBILE INFILTRATIONOf the regional travellers who generally plan their trips online, 48 per cent had used a smart phone during the previous 12 months to carry out travel-related activities, a figure that rises to 69 per cent if tablets are included. Indeed, 50 per cent and 35 per cent of Saudi and UAE travellers respectively access online services via their smartphones, presenting travel professionals with tremendous marketing opportunities, using mobile channels.However, the Middle East’s online, let alone its mobile travel market, is only scratching the surface. Given the region’s demographics, in particular a growing young population, and the fact according to Cisco, the number of mobile devices in the Middle East and Africa will rise exponentially from the current 133 million to 598 million devices by 2017, the trend is likely to accelerate in the years ahead.