AgentWare To Incorporate CNG Hotel Inventory Into Distribution Portfolio
AgentWare's Desktop Users Gain Access to More Than 25,000 Hotels Worldwide
ATLANTA - CNG Travel Group plc, the leading travel technology and services provider, today announced it will integrate its extensive private rate hotel inventory with AgentWare's existing travel data solutions as part of a new distribution agreement.
AgentWare's unparalleled technology and data services make it a leading provider of search and booking applications that give travel professionals the ability to reach beyond the fares and rates available via the GDS.
Leveraging its dynamic search and booking portfolio, AgentWare provides real-time, actionable fare and rate data to its customers and delivers the clarity needed to remain competitive in a rapidly changing market. As a result of this strategic partnership, CNG's inventory of more than 25,000 private rate hotels worldwide will be distributed to thousands of AgentWare desktop users under the Trip Console and WebPoint brand names.
By using AgentWare's Trip Console and WebPoint applications, travel professionals gain the ability to incorporate fare searches that are not available in the GDS. Data now available through CNG's inventory will, by mid-summer, add hotel rates to query returns. In addition, AgentWare customers will now be able to complete hotel reservations directly with the respective properties while still maintaining transaction documentation capabilities in their traditional back-office systems.
Travel agencies also will now receive additional opportunities to earn commission when they utilize AgentWare's channels for both airline and hotel bookings.
"The CNG hotel inventory fits seamlessly with the AgentWare model and its current airline inventory," AgentWare President and CEO Ivan Bekkers said. "Both companies strive to lower distribution costs for travel suppliers and will be able to do so through the extensive inventory offerings that have resulted through this agreement."
CNG operates one of the world's largest hotel booking programs – placing it competitively alongside global online operations such as Travelocity, Expedia and Hotels.com. As well as connecting hotels with thousands of agent and affiliate purchase points, CNG's program allows hotels to maintain all-important control over their own rates, giving them more control of their brand identity.
Automated processes and seamless connectivity with reservation systems allow participating hotels to alter room availability and pricing in real-time, maintain their own rates, allocations and closed dates, and receive electronic booking confirmations.
"CNG's focused approach to enlarging both hotel content and distribution is a key factor in our expansion plans for North America," said CNG Travel Group CEO Finbarr Power. "We're continuing to rapidly sign additional hotel inventory, because CNG's model complements what hotels now demand of their distribution partners. We allow hotels to maintain the rate control that increases their business and – as a result – provide our customers with competitive pricing from an impressive and growing range of hotels."
About CNG Travel Group plc
CNG Travel Group plc (AIM: CTV) is a world leader in the design and development of integrated technology solutions for the global travel industry. CNG's proprietary Travel Lodging Connector (TLC) software is revolutionizing the way travel agents make hotel reservations by giving them access to hotel rooms worldwide at discounted rates and enhanced commissions. TLC enables travel agents to book hotel rooms for clients at rates comparable to those offered by major online booking services. TLC's innovative Prompt Pay service ensures agents receive hotel commissions much faster than with the traditional hotel model. CNG's private rate hotel program is expanding rapidly and now comprises over 25,000 hotels worldwide. In addition to travel agencies, CNG's hotel program is used by over 1,200 affiliate partners around the world, such as airlines and travel websites and by CNG's own Tzell Travel agency, one of the largest US corporate travel agencies whose buying power and airline relationships make it a leader in the premium air market. With headquarters in Dublin, CNG was founded in 1999 and floated on AIM in May 2004, raising £22m. It currently employs over 350 staff in Europe and the USA. www.cngtravel.com
About AgentWare
AgentWare is a leading provider of dynamic search and booking technology and data intelligence for the travel industry. The company's comprehensive portfolio of technology applications and data services give travel professionals the critical search functionality and non-GDS data inventory they need to book the best rates for their customers. The company's flagship products, Trip Console and WebPoint, deliver relevant, real-time fare and rate data that complement the limited offerings of traditional systems. AgentWare's data services also allow developers to rapidly integrate non-GDS fares and booking capabilities into their custom travel management applications. A privately-held company with offices in Atlanta and Toronto, AgentWare is led by a principled and experienced team that provides proven consulting and custom-implementation services. www.agentware.net.
Source: CNG Travel Group plc