China's First 'Green' Hotel Selects TravelCLICK

URBN Hotels Shanghai Selects TravelCLICK's iHotelier Platform

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. October 14, 2008

CHICAGO, IL, June 10, 2008. URBN Hotels & Resorts, specialized boutique hotel and resort company based in Shanghai China, has selected TravelCLICK the leader in hotel ecommerce solutions, to provide an integrated hotel distribution and marketing solution for its flagship hotel property-the earth-conscious URBN Hotels Shanghai. The stylish, 26-room property, China's first hotel to 'go green,' is scheduled to open this spring and is the first of a planned dozen or so carbon-neutral hotels from URBN Hotels & Resorts. The Shanghai property will use TravelCLICK's iHotelier central reservation system (CRS) to distribute inventory to, and manage reservations for, hundreds of thousands of travel agents on the Global Distribution System (GDS), along with third-party travel websites that are shopped by millions of consumers throughout the world every day.

"TravelCLICK has developed a proven method of marketing boutique hotels in destinations worldwide," said Scott Barrack, who along with Jules Kwan developed the Shanghai property. "We selected iHotelier for its ability to position us prominently throughout the Internet and GDS-and maximize our ability to capture and convert bookings online."

"URBN Hotel Shanghai will also cater to a discerning clientele, so we wanted a way to provide them with a distinct online shopping experience," said Kwan. "iHotelier's award-winning booking engine, iStay, creates a dynamic shopping environment for our prospective guests, who are savvy international travelers-business and leisure alike. Room rates and availability are displayed on a single screen, along with compelling photography and descriptions that enable us to showcase our uniqueness."

A large part of the hotel's uniqueness is its aim to operate in a completely 'green' way. The total amount of energy the hotel consumes, from staff commutes to food and beverage delivery to the energy used by each guest, will be tracked to calculate its carbon footprint. URBN will then purchase credits to neutralize its footprint by investing in green energy development and emission reduction projects in China. Hotel guests can also choose to purchase carbon credits from the program to offset their flights.

"Along with being eco-friendly, our goal is to help our guests immerse themselves in the Shanghai experience," Kwan said. "Eventually, we'll be adding services like tai chi, yoga, Chinese cooking classes, and basic lessons in Mandarin Chinese-as well as in-room beauty and health treatments and bike and walking tours. With iStay, prospective guests can create their own stay experience, based on their unique preferences. At the same time, the hotel can capture incremental revenue through merchandizing packages and add-ons."

"URBN Hotels Shanghai is setting the 'green' standard for hotels in China, and TravelCLICK is pleased to be a part of the evolution," said Jan Tissera, President of TravelCLICK International. "As the company takes this progressive concept to other Chinese cities in the years ahead, we are confident that our solutions will enable continued growth-in revenue, in brand awareness, and in earth-friendly operations."