VFM Interactive's Vscape(R) Selected by La Quinta
To Distribute Hotel Company's Photograph Images
TORONTO, Canada, February 1, 2006. VFM Interactive, the leader in online media production, management, and distribution for the travel industry, has been selected by La Quinta Corporation to distribute still photographic images for the company's affiliated brands, which include La Quinta Inn(R), La Quinta Inn & Suites(R) and Baymont Inn & Suites(R) brands. La Quinta currently accounts for nearly 600 properties in North America.
Using Vscape(R), VFM's proprietary management and distribution platform, La Quinta is able to build its portfolio of images and distribute them to the industry's largest media distribution network, which consists of more than 10,000 distribution points of third-party travel Web sites, Internet portals and global distribution systems. VFM's vast distribution network provides La Quinta direct access to consumers through some of the most recognized names in travel and search, including Orbitz, Travelocity, Yahoo!, Lodging.com and Worldspan.
.
Vscape also includes a Web-based Online Media Manager that enables hotels to easily upload, store, modify, manage, categorize, distribute and track the usage of all digital assets and rich media through a single access point. Through Vscape's online management tool, La Quinta brand representatives will be able to manage their still and rich media content from any desktop and exert unparalleled control in selecting where and when their images will appear.
"We are very excited to work with VFM to help us increase our brands' profile among travel Web sites and other major Internet portals to reach more consumers," said Sandy Heilman, vice president of electronic distribution and marketing for La Quinta. "By providing the ability to fulfill all of our management and distribution needs in one relationship, VFM will help La Quinta properties save significant time and money in managing image content and distribution."
"We are eager to help La Quinta increase their brand and property exposure on the Web and other channels to help increase sales," said Paolo Boni, president and CEO of VFM Interactive. "Vscape's still image distribution complements VFM's robust rich media portfolio and services and provides unique management and control features that are not available anywhere else through one source."