GenaRes Worldwide Reservation ServicesSM Ltd., the hotel industry’s international…
GenaRes Worldwide Reservation ServicesSM Ltd., the hotel industry’s international representation and reservations company, announced that it has chosen Cyprus-based SLY Marketing Services Ltd. to be the exclusive provider of GenaRes’ hotel reservations services in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Switzerland. Hotels in these regions will now have a local source with which they can contract to access GenaRes’ state-of-the-art Internet-based central reservations system (CRS) for reservations processing and for distribution of their hotel room inventory to the global distribution systems (GDSs) and thousands of consumer-focused travel Web sites around the world.
Since signing on with GenaRes in late October, 2005, SLY has been actively marketing the GenaRes hotel distribution technology services throughout the region. SLY’s first customer is Mediterranean Traditional Mansions (MTM), a collection of more than 80 independently owned properties located primarily in Greece. GenaRes and SLY will be loading the MTM properties into the GenaRes reservations database over the next six months. As a result, for the first time ever, many of these castles, manors, abbeys and mansions will be available for booking by travel agents via the GDSs: Sabre, Amadeus, Galileo, Worldspan, as well as by consumers worldwide via thousands of travel-booking Internet sites.
In early 2006, GenaRes will also complete the automation of the MTM Web site, switching its current email reservations functionality to full online booking capabilities, enabling the site to take online bookings for the first time.
“In order for a property to join Mediterranean Traditional Mansions, the property must be well known for its high quality and timeless historical presence, but most importantly it must have a reputation of impeccable guest service,”said MTM President Triantafillou Vassilis.
“Likewise, we expect any technology providers for our consortia to also be known for impeccable service. And that’s why we chose GenaRes and SLY. For the last five years we have been searching for a company that can provide the sales/marketing and distribution tools that will bring us and our hotel members into a new era, and we’re pleased to announce that we’ve now found the perfect solution: GenaRes and SLY,” MTM’s Vassilis said.
The industry experience of SLY’s three founding partners contributed to GenaRes’ decision to choose SLY to exclusively represent its services in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Switzerland. Founding partner Lefteris Karatarakis originally became familiar with GenaRes as a client: he is the owner of a hotel in Greece that moved its central reservations system processing to the GenaRes platform nearly one year ago. SLY founding partner Yannis Dimitriadis has many years experience as the managing director of a large travel agency with a network throughout Greece, Cyprus and Switzerland, and founding partner Said Nefil is a 14-year hospitality and travel industry veteran, with extensive experience working with hotel chains as well as independent properties in the areas of reservations and revenue management, electronic distribution, account management, call center operations and e-marketing.
“The Greek hotel market is highly influenced by its local tour operators. SLY’s founders have many years experience working in this market and have a good reputation with both the local hoteliers and tour operators,” said GenaRes President Eugene Harris. “SLY will help bring GenaRes’ services to a market that has typically been difficult to penetrate.”
“My partners and I have realized for quite some time the need for a solid reservations provider in Greece and the surrounding region,” said Lefteris Karatarakis, managing director, SLY. “We chose to represent GenaRes because we are closely familiar with their technology, and believe it’s the best in the world. GenaRes is one of the few CRS providers that has both GDS and Internet distribution, and has quickly established a reputation of excellent customer service. GenaRes is also unique in that most of its staff are former hoteliers, and therefore they really understand the challenges and needs of their customers. With GenaRes’ easy-to-use technology, we believe we will be able bring great benefits to hotels throughout Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Switzerland.”
GenaRes services that SLY Marketing Services is exclusively representing to hotels throughout Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland and Turkey include:
- Full use of the GenaRes Web-based CRS with inventory management across all distribution channels. Online booking engine for proprietary branded Web sites
- Next-generation seamless connectivity to all GDSs. Rate and availability channel management
- Representation on the GDSs via the chain code “GZ”. Revenue management
- Online distribution to thousands of travel Web sites. Ongoing customization as needed
- Online training. XML interface for two-way interface connections
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
