“Priceline and its group of companies, booked 61 million room nights in 2009, providing a growing and significant marketing opportunity for our Utell member hotels,” said Ric Leutwyler, president of Utell. “Booking volume through alternative distributions systems like online travel agencies has continued to climb over 2009. The Pegasus View reported increases of more than 13 percent year-on-year for online shopping in the first quarter compared to around five percent for the global distribution systems. For this reason, we`ve enhanced our important relationship with priceline.com to ensure Utell`s member hotels can achieve and maintain the right, and most profitable, distribution mix from Utell`s proven revenue-generating programs.”

The priceline.com agreement allows Utell hotels to distribute rates in Priceline`s disclosed hotel program at net rate discounts and increase visibility on Priceline`s site through merchandised promotional offerings. Member hotels can also fill distressed inventory and capture last-minute demand without diluting retail rates by participating in Priceline`s Name Your Own Price® opaque program, which offers Utell members guaranteed pre-paid and non-refundable business.

"Utell is the world`s largest and most experienced third-party hotel marketing, sales and representation organization offering the largest collection of independent hotels in the industry. Utell`s thousands of properties will be sought after by Priceline customers, who are buying in more than 90 countries and 32 languages,” added Leutwyler.

“Through our agreement with Utell, Priceline can effectively partner with an expanding network of independent hotels across the globe through a trusted and proven relationship,” said Tim Gordon, Senior Vice President of Priceline Hotels.

Pegasus Solutions` UltraDirect houses the largest collection of electronically bookable hotels in the world with approximately 90,000 properties around the globe.