StarCite and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts Are First To Offer Real-Time Booking Data to Meeting Planners
10/31/2005 9:00:13 AM
PHILADELPHIA, Oct 31, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- StarCite, Inc. Industry-First Instant RFP Response Technology Gives Planners Information Fast, Increases Hyatt's RFP Response Efficiency through E-mmediate Response(TM) Meetings
StarCite, Inc., the provider of On Demand Global Meeting Solutions(TM), today announced that Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has selected StarCite to further assist Hyatt in streamlining its online request-for-proposal process on Hyatt.com. StarCite will enable any Hyatt hotel or resort in the U.S., Canada or the Caribbean to respond to meeting planner requests with real-time booking data, including group room availability and rates, on the Hyatt.com website - a first for a corporate hotel website. This combination will ultimately allow Hyatt to react even more rapidly to new business leads and is an enhancement to its overall meeting planning business. Meeting planners will now receive real-time responses for all meeting requests submitted through Hyatt.com. This is possible through the extension of Hyatt's exclusive E-mmediate Response(TM) meetings capability, which includes StarCite's RFP management technology RapidRFP(TM), to the Hyatt website. StarCite has provided Hyatt with Hyatt's E-mmediate Response(TM) capability for two years via the StarCite.com website, and this agreement further expands the long-standing relationship between StarCite and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.
"We are very excited about teaming up with StarCite to offer our customers this first-of-its-kind technology tool to make the RFP process faster, easier and more effective," said Fred Shea, vice president sales, Hyatt Hotels Corporation. "This offering significantly enhances Hyatt.com, allowing us to respond even more quickly to RFPs and provide useful information to our customers as they consider their meetings options."
StarCite's RapidRFP(TM) will enable Hyatt.com's E-mmediate Response(TM) platform to capture meeting planner specifications quickly and efficiently and provide information back to planners instantaneously. In addition, all Hyatt.com users will have the option of using a unique comparison tool that will allow them to compare facilities for Hyatt hotels or resorts in the U.S., Canada or the Caribbean.
"StarCite and Hyatt continue to cultivate a strong partnership as we develop shared initiatives that streamline the meeting planning process and help corporations manage meetings more accurately and proficiently," said Bob Bennett, vice president product marketing of StarCite. "As a result of our past success combining StarCite solutions with Hyatt, it was the natural next step in our relationship to integrate our capabilities into Hyatt.com and take Hyatt's meeting planning solutions to the next level."
The effectiveness of StarCite's enabling technology, RapidRFP(TM), has been demonstrated in the StarCite Marketplace for over three years. It offers a registration-free environment that is proven to generate more leads for hotel suppliers.
About StarCite, Inc.
StarCite, Inc. is the provider of On Demand Global Meeting Solutions(TM). StarCite optimizes global investments in corporate meetings and events delivering visibility, savings and control. StarCite provides process efficiency, enabling technology and proven adoption management support to drive significant cost reduction to buyers and enhanced revenues to suppliers. StarCite is based in Philadelphia. Investors in StarCite include Internet Capital Group (ICGE); Maritz Travel Company; Seaport Capital; and TL Ventures. For more information about StarCite, or its technologies and services, please visit www.starcite.com.
About Hyatt
There are 213 Hyatt hotels and resorts (over 90,000 rooms) in 44 countries around the world, operating under the Hyatt(R), Hyatt Regency(R), Grand Hyatt(R) and Park Hyatt(R) brands. Currently, there are an additional 29 Hyatt hotels and resorts under development, including 10 new hotels in China. Hyatt Corporation (domestic U.S., Canada and Caribbean hotels) and Hyatt International Corporation (international properties) are subsidiaries of Chicago-based Global Hyatt Corporation. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc. (timeshare), Hyatt Equities, L.L.C. (hotel ownership), and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (which franchises Hawthorn Suites, Microtel and America's Best Inns).
In January 2005, Global Hyatt Corporation also added an additional 143 U.S. properties to its growing portfolio with the acquisition of the upscale, limited service AmeriSuites hotel chain. These properties will be renovated and repositioned under the new Hyatt Place select service brand in 2006.
From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234 or logging onto www.hyatt.com. |
