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	Lauren Volcheff Atlass appointed to lead Wholesale Sales for the Americas
	Regional management team reporting to Atlass also confirmed
	Progress towards complete integration of the three brands: Hotelbeds, Tourico Holidays and GTA continues


Orlando, Florida– July 18th, 2018 - Hotelbeds Group, the world’s leading bedbank and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally, has today provided a further &nbsp;update on the appointment of senior management positions across its Group.

Lauren Volcheff Atlass has been appointed the Regional Director of Wholesale Sales for the whole of the Americas, reporting directly to Sam Turner, the Wholesale Sales &amp; Sourcing Director with global responsibility. In this role, she will be responsible for managing relationships and driving growth with wholesale clients, including tour operators, airlines, points redemption schemes, online travel agents, and re-sellers. Previously, Atlass had been with Tourico Holidays, which joined Hotelbeds Group in the summer of 2017, for over 10 years and was most recently the Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing.

The Group has additionally confirmed the regional management positions that will report into Atlass, combining the best talent from across the three bedbanks, Tourico Holidays, GTA, and Hotelbeds. Deborah Kenton will be the Regional Manager for North America – East, Sevil Arnavutoglu Le will cover North America – West, Emmanuel Labstida has been appointed to Central Latin America, and Alexandre Vanzella for Latin America – South, all as Regional Managers; meanwhile Lev Koutamonov will take the role of Regional Manager of Client Technical Solutions in the Americas.

Sam Turner, Wholesale Sales &amp; Sourcing Director at Hotelbeds Group said, “I am very pleased to see Lauren taking the lead for Wholesale Sales in the Americas, her expertise and close relationships with the leading players in the region will be pivotal to further the development of our Group’s market footprint in the Americas. I am also excited to see such a strong new integrated team representing our Group in the region and look forward to working with them.”

Lauren Volcheff Atlass, Regional Director of Wholesale Sales in the Americas said, “This is a hugely exciting time for our clients, suppliers and industry. We already have positive results from the integration of our three bedbanks to benefit our clients and suppliers. We are proud to say we are now able to connect over 60,000 travel intermediaries with over 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes, 16,000 activities and 16 cruise lines worldwide via our enlarged Group’s technology platform.”

Since the beginning of this year, Hotelbeds Group has been in the process of selecting the best profiles across the three companies, at both senior management and management levels, with the objective to better cater for the needs of the Group’s expanded operations as a result from the integration among Tourico Holidays, GTA, and Hotelbeds.&nbsp; So far around 350 appointments have been made.

Following the decision announced late last year of the selection of the IT platform and architecture for the enlarged organization, recently the Group confirmed that all of its bedbank brands – Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays, and GTA – will all be transitioned onto the same technology platform by the close of this year.

&nbsp;

About Hotelbeds Group

Hotelbeds Group is the world´s leading bedbank.

The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.

Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 185 source markets globally with travel providers in over 200 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes and 16,000 activities.

In September 2016, the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017, Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group.

The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

&nbsp;

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group

And twitter: @HotelbedsGroup

Follow APItude on twitter: @Hotelbeds_API

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contact

Media Relations &amp; Corporate Affairs

Alicia Orta Stanford

alicia.ortastanford@hotelbeds.com

&nbsp;

Pete Bahrenburg

pete@tailwindpr.com


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Hotelbeds Group confirms Americas appointments for Wholesale Sales team


	España, debido a la importancia y tamaño del mercado,&nbsp; se ha divido en tres zonas de la mano de tres directores regionales: Paolo Boiano, Cosme Maíz y Esmeralda Coll
	Junto a los Regional Managers y con el fin de ofrecer a las agencias una mayor atención comercial y más cercana, se han creado tres posiciones: los Strategic Account Managers, Key Account Managers y Sales Executives


&nbsp;

Palma, 12 de julio de 2018. - Bedsonline, el proveedor global líder de acomodación y productos complementarios exclusivo para agencias de viaje, ha anunciado hoy su nueva estructura comercial en España.

Debido a la importancia y tamaño del mercado español, la región se ha divido en tres zonas de la mano de tres directores regionales de perfil senior. Se trata de Paolo Boiano, que ha sido nombrado Regional Manager de España Centro y a su vez gestiona los clientes estratégicos –además de ser responsable del mercado portugués-; Cosme Maíz, Regional Manager de la zona Norte, Sur y Este de España; y finalmente Esmeralda Coll, que se ha unido al equipo de Bedsonline tras varios años como Regional Manager de Hotelbeds para el Centro y Este de Europa, será responsable del equipo de Sales Executives de la región de Iberia.

Los tres Regional Managers cuentan a su vez con un equipo comercial sólido formado por Strategic Account Managers (SAM), Key Account Managers basados localmente y Sales Executives, que se encuentran en la oficina central situada en Palma.

Para gestionar las cuentas estratégicas y grupos de gestión, Bedsonline ha tomado la decisión de promocionar a Javier Galí y a Dídac Camps, anteriores comerciales de la zona de Madrid y Barcelona respectivamente, como nuevos Strategic Account Managers.

Con esta nueva estructura, la empresa persigue acercarse a su amplia cartera de clientes, formada por más de 8.000 agencias de viajes en el territorio español, ofreciendo un asesoramiento íntegro, aumentando las visitas comerciales, y de esta manera ofrecer a las agencias una atención mucho más personalizada.

Carlos Feliu, director de ventas de Bedsonline de Iberia y UK, ha destacado: “Es un placer dar a conocer nuestra nueva estructura en España y querría dar la enhorabuena a Javier y a Dídac pos sus nuevas posiciones como Strategic Account Managers. Ambas promociones se suman al objetivo de Bedsonline de ofrecer la máxima cobertura comercial a clientes estratégicos en España pudiendo así focalizarnos a la labor de consultoría. Gracias a la ampliación de nuestro equipo durante los últimos años, podemos ofrecer un servicio personalizado a cada cliente y proporcionar las soluciones que más se ajusten a sus necesidades.”

Sobre Bedsonline

Bedsonline es el proveedor global líder de acomodación y productos complementarios exclusivo para agencias de viaje. A través de su plataforma online distribuye su producto -acomodación, excursiones, tickets y traslados- entre una cartera de clientes compuesta por más de 32.000 agencias repartidos entre 30 países. En España, 8.000 agencias confían en Bedsonline para hacer sus reservas.

La compañía destaca por su extenso portfolio –más de 170.000 hoteles en 200 destinos, 24.000 rutas de traslados en 140 países y 18.000 actividades en 120 países–, por un servicio personalizado local y una herramienta de reserva online intuitiva y fácil de usar. De esta manera, Bedsonline garantiza una alta disponibilidad, precios competitivos y una elevada satisfacción de sus clientes.

La mayorista, líder de la distribución online, ha centrado su estrategia en los últimos años en la expansión por nuevos mercados de Europa, América y Asia, como Alemania, República Checa, México, Estados Unidos, Colombia, China, Japón o Filipinas. Esta visión estratégica ha llevado a la compañía a ocupar una posición de ventaja en la industria.

Bedsonline forma parte de Hotelbeds Group, el proveedor global de servicios para la industria del turismo a nivel mundial, con sede en Palma de Mallorca.


Síguenos en Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bedsonline

Y Twitter: @HotelbedsGroup

&nbsp;

PR, Media &amp; Corporate Affairs

Antonia Aguiló

a.aguilo@hotelbeds.com

Tel.&nbsp; +34 638 874 038&nbsp;


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Bedsonline anuncia su nueva estructura comercial en España

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	Group increases reservation of Russian hotels by 100% compared to same period last year – with some source markets increasing by up to factors of seven
	Spain, Mexico and the UK are the top source markets using the Group´s platform to book Russian accommodation during the FIFA World Cup 2018
	However, domestic bookings from Russian nationals during World Cup period have decreased


&nbsp;

Palma, 26th June 2018. Hotelbeds Group, the world´s leading bedbank, has announced a surge in reservations of over 100% for Russian hotels via its bedbank platform due to the FIFA World Cup tournament from June 14 to July 15.

According to Hotelbeds Group’s latest figures for bookings made via its bedbank brands – Hotelbeds, GTA, and Tourico Holidays – the Mexican and Brazilian source markets have experienced the biggest growth, with both having increased seven-fold the overall number of reservations for Russia[1].

Based on these same figures Spanish nationals are the top market travelling to Russia during this period, followed by Mexicans, Britons, United States nationals, Israelis, Chinese, Indians and Brazilians.

Meanwhile it should be noted that the number of reservations from Russian nationals during this World Cup period has decreased 26% compared to the previous year.

Moscow, which will host twelve of the games, has proved the most popular destination for reservations made via the Group´s platform, almost tripling bookings in this period compared to the same period last year.

Sam Turner, Wholesale Sales &amp; Sourcing Director at Hotelbeds Group commented: “We are very pleased to announce that we have increased by 100% our room night reservations in Russia for this World Cup, exceeding our expectations by some way – particularly for source markets like Brazil and Mexico where we have grown Russian bookings by a factor of seven.

“The Russian government has lived up to expectations by putting into practice very thorough and organised protocols for this event. We have noticed an increase in investment in the main Russian cities, mainly by refurbishing and upgrading the overall standard of properties. It can also be noted that there have been significant investments in construction. Additionally many investments in infrastructure have been made such as highways, airports and points of interests, amongst others.

“Russia has more than 5,000 hotels, a figure that increases as hotel chains inaugurate new establishments every year and we consider it a promising and growing market for both inbound and internal hotel reservations.”




[1] These figures are measured by room nights and are based on bookings made only via Hotelbeds Group’s bedbank platform, which includes the brands Hotelbeds, GTA, and Tourico Holidays.

&nbsp;

About Hotelbeds Group

Hotelbeds Group is the world´s leading bedbank and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally.

The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.

Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 185 source markets globally with travel providers in over 200 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes and 16,000 activities.

In September 2016, the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017, Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group.

The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

&nbsp;

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group

And twitter: @HotelbedsGroup

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contacts

Arenalia Comunicación&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Laia Jardí · ljardi@arenalia.com

Cristina Vilà · cvila@arenalia.com

Tel. +34 660 201 020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contact

PR, Media Relations &amp; Corporate Affairs

Antonia Aguiló · a.aguilo@hotelbeds.com

&nbsp;


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Winning World Cup strategy for Hotelbeds Group in Russia 

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	The company will donate to the charity A21 the 15,400 euros raised from each booking made through its platform on June 12th
	Together Bedsonline and A21 will be able to reach a minimum of around 1,460 children to prevent exploitation in vulnerable South East Asia communities.


&nbsp;

Palma, June 25th, 2018. Bedsonline, the leading global provider of accommodation and complementary products exclusively for travel agencies, has announced today that it has raised a total amount of 15,400 euros during the World Day Against Child Labor, which took place on June 12th.

The money gathered will be donated to A21 &nbsp;&nbsp;– a nonprofit organization that aims to abolish slavery everywhere – to focus on the charity´s Thailand Child Advocacy Center.

The total amount resulting from the one-day campaign – in which the company donated 1 euro for each booking made through its platform to A21– &nbsp;will benefit around 1,460 children to help prevent exploitation in some of the most vulnerable communities in South East Asia.

In particular the money will be deployed to support a primary school program focused on the risks of trafficking and exploitation for children, a street-children food and prevention program, and to develop a prevention picture book to report human trafficking.

The campaign was launched globally in Bedsonline’s main markets in Asia Pacific, EMEA and the Americas and aligned to the company’s commitment to fight against the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the travel &amp; tourism industry.&nbsp; This commitment is the result of the Group’s Child Protection Policy and The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism.

Alistair Rodger, Director of Retail Travel Agents at Hotelbeds Group, commented: “We are very proud to have raised such a large amount of money to support the World Day Against Child Labor as part of our commitment to stop the awful but sadly too common practice of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.

“We would like to thank all the travel agents that everyday book through our platform, and in particular those who made bookings on June 12 aware of the fact that we´d be making a donation to A21 for every booking. In total,15,400 bookings were registered on the Bedsonline platform that day across Asia Pacific, EMEA and the Americas regions, which far exceeded our expectations.

“Asia Pacific is one of our fastest-growing regions and Thailand is our 4th most booked destination globally. Therefore it seemed only natural to focus our efforts on the region and that´s why we chose A21, with its strong commitment to the region through its Child Advocacy Center.”

Follow us on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bedsonline

Twitter: @Hotelbeds_Group

&nbsp;and Facebook: facebook.com/BedsonlineEs/

&nbsp;

Arenalia Comunicación&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Laia Jardí · ljardi@arenalia.com

Cristina Vilà · cvila@arenalia.com

Tel. +34 660 201 020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Media Relations and Corporate Affairs

Anna Monreal

amonreal@hotelbeds.com

Tel.&nbsp; +34 971 624 687

&nbsp;

&nbsp;


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Bedsonline raises 15,400 euros during World Day Against Child Labor


	Juliana Luengo appointed as Country Manager for Brazil.
	Most booked destinations for market include Orlando, Paris, New York, Miami, and Lisboa


Sao Paulo, Brazil - June 14 2018 – Bedsonline, the leading global provider of accommodation and complementary products exclusively for travel agencies, has announced the appointment of Juliana Luengo as the new Country Manager in the Brazilian market.

Juliana has over 15 years of experience in the travel industry, including working in Sales at Bedsonline for 6 years. She has an excellent record of accomplishments, following her previous role as Commercial Manager and her experience at SuperClubs, a large collection of hotels and resorts. With her knowledge, Luengo has proven to be a key individual in the growth and development of the local market.

Leading the report, as the top selling destination for Bedsonline in Brazil, is an all-time favorite, Orlando, Florida. In descending order, Paris, New York, Miami, and Lisboa, were also listed as front-runners. Trending destinations for Bedsonline within the Brazilian market include Sao Paulo, taking the first place, followed by Rio de Janeiro, Gramado, Salvador, and Maceio.

“Luengo’s contribution will be pivotal during these exciting times of change as a result of the merger of Tourico Holidays and GTA into the Hotelbeds Group earlier last year – with her knowledge of the industry and her expertise in retail sales, we are confident in her leadership to further expand the Bedsonline footprint in Brazil,” said Francisco Morla, Retail Travel Agents South America Regional Manager at Hotelbeds Group.

The bedbank has already seen a significant increase in its product portfolio to travel agency subscribers from 120,000 to 170,000 hotels as a result of the integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA into the group that Bedsonline belongs to. The appointment of Luengo is one of the many strategic decisions to consolidate Bedsonline’s presence in the Brazilian market.

&nbsp;“It is a great honor to be chosen for this role and I am looking forward to the challenge of helping Brazilian travel agents increase their sales by offering them the tools and products that convert curious customers into committed travelers.

“Despite approaching the low season in Brazil, we see consistency in the top destinations for the market – these are great times for tourism because of the mild weather and the lesser number of visitors at the tourists sites,” said Juliana Luengo, Country Manager at Bedsonline.

&nbsp;

About Bedsonline

Bedsonline is the leading global provider of accommodation and travel ancillary products that exclusively caters to travel agencies. It distributes through its online platform accommodation, excursions, tickets and transfers to more than 32,000 travel agencies in 30 countries.

The company stands out for its extensive portfolio - over 170,000 hotels in 200 destinations, 22,000 transfer routes in 140 countries, and 16,000 activities in 185 countries -&nbsp; to offer a personalized local service through an intuitive and easy-to-use online booking tool. In this way, Bedsonline guarantees high availability and competitive prices to the great satisfaction of its clients.

The business-to-business online provider has focused its strategy in recent years on the expansion of new markets in Europe, America and Asia, such as Germany, the Czech Republic, Mexico, the United States, Colombia, China, Japan and the Philippines. This strategic vision has led the company to occupy a position of advantage in the industry.

Bedsonline is part of Hotelbeds Group, the business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally, and is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

&nbsp;

Follow us on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bedsonline

and Facebook: facebook.com/BedsonlineEs/

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contacts

CWW Travel&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Marcella Corona

marcella@cww.travel &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Media Relations and Corporate Affairs

Alicia Orta Stanford

alicia.ortastanford@hotelbeds.com &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;


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Bedsonline confirms new Country Manager for Brazil

&nbsp;


	The Guest Experience Desk will allow Hotelbeds Group to enrich its value proposition for the hotel industry and City Expert to strengthen its presence in the sector.
	The project will begin in Spain, but with the aim of being quickly rolled-out internationally.


&nbsp;

Palma, 13 June 2018.- Hotelbeds Group, the world's leading bedbank, and City Expert, specialists in the sale of tourist products through tourist information points, announced today a strategic partnership for the implementation of the Guest Experience Desk.

The new initiative will allow both companies to offer a specialized concierge service within hotels, providing the end consumer with information about a destination, as well as the sale of activities, tickets for events and transfers.

This model for the distribution of tourist products and services comes in addition to those that the Group’s bedbank already offers to the hotel industry: Hotelextras B2B for hotel receptions, along with widgets and white label solutions for hotels in the direct channel. For the Group it also means the opportunity to substantially enrich the value proposition it has traditionally offered to hotels with which it maintains a commercial relationship in the main Spanish cities.

Meanwhile City Expert, through its team of in-destination experts and service-desks located within hotels, will be able to assist the end consumer in purchasing a wide portfolio of activities, transportation, car rental and other services in the main Spanish tourist destinations. These include Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Seville, Benalmádena, Málaga, Cádiz, Córdoba and Jerez among others.

Although this partnership is focused around the main Spanish cities, both companies aim to extend and replicate this collaboration model in other popular and emerging destinations, with Dubai as the next target market.

Javier Arévalo, Director at Ancillary Bank of Hotelbeds Group, comments: "Traditionally, the information points (or tour desks) have been located in holiday destinations. However, now there are many destinations which are undertaking great initiatives to enrich the proposal for independent travellers who seek to live local experiences.

"This alliance is a response to the new dynamics of the market. City Expert is a perfect ally to meet the expectations of both hoteliers and their own guests, not only for its presence in the main Spanish destinations but for the excellence in its customer service. I am convinced this is the beginning of a success story.”

Enrique Ybarra, President of City Expert, said: "The agreement with Hotelbeds Group will allow us to expand even more the City Expert network of information points and the sale of tourist services. We are convinced that we will also provide what is necessary for travelers to enjoy the best in-destination experiences and for hotels to offer personalized attention to their guests. Without a doubt, all parties will benefit from this partnership. "

Roger Moragues, destination lead for Ancillary Bank at Hotelbeds Group, an area specialized in-destination, emphasized the value proposal for the hotel industry: "With the partnership of City Expert, we offer a personalized service to hotel guests that allows them to enjoy a wide portfolio of experiences in destination, assisted by a local team of experts. At the same time we customize our proposal to the hotelier, with the possibility to divert some tasks normally handled by the concierge. "

Isaac Flores, Director of City Expert Spain, added: "City Expert is present in several of the most popular destinations in Spain and with the help of Hotelbeds Group we are going to extend our services to many more, continuing with the values that have brought us to this point: strategic locations, personalized attention and technology.”

The Ancillary Bank business of Hotelbeds Group distributes ancillary products (excursions, event tickets, theme parks, cruises and car rental products) to retail travel agents, wholesalers, tour operators, airlines, online travel agencies, hotel industry partners, activity providers, tourism boards and points of sale. Ancillary Bank provides a global portfolio with the aim of leveraging its customer base to obtain additional income from the cross-selling of ancillary products. The products are also distributed through two sub-brands: Carnect, the car rental distribution specialist that offers more than 500 car rental providers, and Isango! a leading B2C tours and activities website.

&nbsp;

About Hotelbeds Group

Hotelbeds Group is the world´s leading bedbank and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally.

The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.

Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 185 source markets globally with travel providers in over 200 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes and 16,000 activities.

In September 2016, the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017, Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group. The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

&nbsp;

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group

And twitter: @HotelbedsGroup

&nbsp;

About City Expert

City Expert is the leading private tourist information company in Spain. Since its creation in 2012, the firm has been consolidated in several of the main Spanish destinations, managing a wide network of offices and tourist information points in cities such as Seville, Madrid, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Toledo, Santander and Barcelona.

Its network of information points has 48 offices throughout Spain, including visitor centers, kiosks, mobile points, stands at train stations, seaports, airports and shopping centers, as well as the Concierge service of large hotel chains such as Meliá, Barceló or Silken. Its offices are emerging as the ground zero of tourism where the traveler can discover and explore the most prominent places in destination, as well as acquire and book among a wide range of local tourism products.

The international expansion of City Expert has taken the company to cities such as Moscow and Dubai.

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contacts

Arenalia Comunicación&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Laia Jardí · ljardi@arenalia.com

Cristina Vilà · cvila@arenalia.com

Tel. +34 660 201 020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contact

PR, Media Relations &amp; Corporate Affairs

Antonia Aguiló · a.aguilo@hotelbeds.com

&nbsp;

City Expert Media contacts

Communications Department

Antonio M. Ortega · a.ortega@cityexpert.es


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Hotelbeds Group and City Expert join forces to transform the sale of in-destination experiences


	Bedsonline will donate 1 euro to A21 campaign for each booking made through its platform on June 12th.
	A21 is a charity that campaigns to abolish slavery worldwide and will use funds raised by Bedsonline for its Thailand Child Advocacy Center.
	Initiative is aligned with Bedsonline’s parent Group’s commitment to fight commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in tourism.


Palma, June 6th, 2018. Bedsonline, the leading global provider of accommodation and complementary products exclusively for travel agencies, has announced today its support for the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) World Day Against Child Labor on June 12th.

During the one-day campaign, Bedsonline will donate 1 euro for each booking made through its platform to A21 &nbsp;&nbsp;– &nbsp;a nonprofit organization that aims to abolish slavery everywhere – &nbsp;to support its Thailand Child Advocacy Center.

The campaign, which will be launched globally in Bedsonline’s main markets in APAC, EMEA and the Americas, aims to support the more than 168 million children that the US Labor Department estimates are in forced labor worldwide.

This initiative by Bedsonline is aligned to the company’s commitment to protect against the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the travel &amp; tourism industry and forms part of the Group’s Child Protection Policy. As part of this commitment, the company is already implementing best-practice actions and has conducted training for staff worldwide.


Alistair Rodger, Director of Retail Travel Agents at Hotelbeds Group, commented: “We are very proud to join the World Day Against Child Labor as part of our commitment to stop the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.&nbsp;

“We encourage all the travel agents out there that use our platform to make as many bookings as possible on Tuesday 12 June using just our Bedsonline platform only – for every single booking, be it a hotel or a transfer or activity, we’ll give 1 euro to A21 to help them stop the hideous practice of the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

“We recognize that the tourism industry has the legal and moral obligation to ensure that the protection of children and adolescents is included in its development agenda. &nbsp;That is why we wanted to launch a global campaign to both raise money and raise awareness with travel agents about this global problem.

“We chose to focus the funds raised on Thailand for two main reasons. On the one hand, A21’s Thailand Child Advocacy Center is 100% dedicated to children in the region; on the other hand, Thailand is our 4th most booked destination globally and therefore our commitment to the country is strong.”

Kayla Henry, A21 Global Supporter Engagement Manager said: “We are grateful for Bedsonline having chosen to support the fight against human trafficking on this significant day. There are more slaves on the earth today than ever before and millions of children are being affected by human trafficking every day. We believe that it is not up to any specific group to combat slavery, but that when we all come together and play our part, we can see change take place – and it is fantastic to see companies such as Bedsonline rising up to that challenge, making a direct contribution that will help protect children in Thailand.”

A21, also known as A21 Campaign, is an Australia-based non-profit organization founded in 2008&nbsp;that works to fight human trafficking, including sexual exploitation&nbsp;&amp; trafficking, forced&nbsp;slave labor, bonded labor, involuntary domestic servitude, and child soldiery. In Thailand A21 has supported over 30 survivors, 65% of whom were under 17 years old.

&nbsp;

About Bedsonline

Bedsonline is the leading global provider of accommodation and travel ancillary products that exclusively caters to travel agencies. It distributes through its online platform accommodation, excursions, tickets and transfers to more than 32,000 travel agencies in 30 countries.

&nbsp;The company stands out for its extensive portfolio - over 170,000 hotels in 200 destinations, 22,000 transfer routes in 140 countries, and 16,000 activities in 185 countries -&nbsp; to offer a personalized local service through an intuitive and easy-to-use online booking tool. In this way Bedsonline guarantees high availability and competitive prices to the great satisfaction of its clients.

The business-to-business online provider has focused its strategy in recent years on the expansion of new markets in Europe, America and Asia, such as Germany, the Czech Republic, Mexico, the United States, Colombia, China, Japan and the Philippines. This strategic vision has led the company to occupy a position of advantage in the industry.

Bedsonline is part of Hotelbeds Group, the business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally that is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Follow us on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bedsonline

Twitter: @Hotelbeds_Group

&nbsp;and Facebook: facebook.com/BedsonlineEs/

&nbsp;

Arenalia Comunicación&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Laia Jardí · ljardi@arenalia.com

Cristina Vilà · cvila@arenalia.com

Tel. +34 660 201 020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Media Relations and Corporate Affairs

Anna Monreal

amonreal@hotelbeds.com

Tel.&nbsp; +34 971 624 687


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Bedsonline supports World Day Against Child Labor


	Leadership team confirmed with Javier Arévalo appointed Director of Ancillary Bank
	Dedicated regional Sales &amp; Sourcing roles will ensure cross-selling to the 60,000 travel intermediaries using the Group’s bedbank platform
	Completion of integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA ancillary units into Group expands number of products available and adds cruise offering


Palma, 24 May 2018.- Hotelbeds Group, the world’s leading bedbank, has today confirmed the structure of its Ancillary Bank business and provided a product update following the integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA into the Group last year.

The leadership team has been confirmed with Javier Arévalo as the Director of Ancillary Bank. Senior leadership positions and the departmental structure have also been confirmed, combining the best talent from Tourico Holidays, GTA and Hotelbeds.

In line with Hotelbeds Group’s ambitious plans for growth, three dedicated regional Sales &amp; Sourcing roles for Ancillary Bank have been introduced to ensure the company is optimising cross-selling opportunities generated through its diverse and global bedbank client base of more than 60,000 travel intermediaries. This will ensure that Ancillary Bank product sourcing efforts are aligned to both the needs of Hotelbeds Group’s clients and markets dynamics.&nbsp;The company is also reshaping its brand HotelExtras, which provides in-destination and in-origin distribution of ancillary products to hospitality industry partners, mainly accommodation suppliers, cruise lines, activity providers, tourism boards and other in-destination points of sale.

Following the completion of the integration of the Tourico Holidays and GTA ancillary product range into the Group’s Ancillary Bank, the Group now offers an expanded offering – now adding cruise products from over 16 different cruise companies. In total over 18,000 activities and 24,000 transfer routes worldwide are now available on the platform, including attractions such as City Pass, Big Bus Hop on Hop off, Broadway shows, Merlin Entertainments, Papillon and Liberty Helicopters (NY City tours); 400 theme and water parks like Disney Parks, Universal Parks &amp; Resorts, SeaWorld Parks &amp; Entertainment®, LEGOLAND® , Port Aventura World and Parques Reunidos; 230 roundtrips and car rentals from the Group’s B2B car rental specialist brand Carnect, which offers 500+ car rental companies.

Carlos Muñoz, Bedbank Managing Director at Hotelbeds Group states, “I would like to congratulate Javier and his senior team for taking on their news roles in our new Ancillary Bank structure. This fast growing area for our Group forms a core part of our strategy for growth via offering the 60,000+ travel intermediaries around the world who use our platform the opportunity to upsell their customers with the full range of travel needs and experiences.”

Javier Arévalo, Director of Ancillary Bank, said “It gives me great pleasure to be chosen to lead the Ancillary Bank area and I am looking forward to working with my senior leadership team, some of whom we welcome from both Tourico Holidays and GTA. Following a significant amount of analysis, preparation and strategic planning behind the scenes, I am pleased to confirm that the integration of the Tourico Holidays and GTA offering into our Ancillary Bank is now complete.”

Ancillary Bank is responsible for the distribution of in-destination and in-origin ancillary products (excursions, attraction tickets, theme parks &amp; resorts, cruises, rent-a-car products) for the independent traveller through online platforms to retail travel agents, wholesalers, tour operators, airlines, OTAs and hospitality industry partners such as tourism boards and other in-destination points of sale. Ancillary Bank provides a global portfolio to travel industry players aiming to leverage their customer base to gain additional revenues from cross-selling ancillary products; it also distributes through two sub-brands: Carnect, the car rental distribution specialist that offers 500+ car rental suppliers, and Isango!, a leading B2C tours and activities website.

&nbsp;

About Hotelbeds Group

Hotelbeds Group is the world´s leading bedbank and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally.

The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.

Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 185 source markets globally with travel providers in over 200 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes and 16,000 activities.

In September 2016, the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017, Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group.

The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

&nbsp;

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group

And twitter: @HotelbedsGroup

Follow APItude on twitter: @Hotelbeds_API

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contact

PR, Media &amp; Corporate Affairs

Antonia Aguiló

a.aguilo@hotelbeds.com


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Hotelbeds Group confirms Ancillary Bank structure 


	United States overtakes Spain as second largest source market for the Group globally in the wholesale channel[1]
	2.3% of the whole market for United States inbound Chinese hotel bookings now generated by Hotelbeds Group[2]
	Denver is the fastest growing destination for the Group within the Mountain States region


&nbsp;

Denver, Colorado – May 18, 2018 - Hotelbeds Group, the world’s leading bedbank and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally, has today confirmed that it is continuing its success story in the United States.

As a source market the United States has now become the group’s second largest market worldwide for hotel bookings in the wholesale channel, up from third place and overtaking Spain in the last year. The Group sells in the wholesale channel to online travel agents, tour operators and airlines via its Hotelbeds, Tourico Holidays, and GTA bedbank brands.

Additionally the Group has continued its success in increasing inbound sales of hotel reservations of the United States as a destination. This has been achieved via leveraging the Group’s leading position as the largest B2B bedbank globally, a position that has been diversified and enhanced further by the recent inclusion of Tourico Holidays and GTA into the Group.

For example, in the 2017 calendar year the Group’s room nights for Chinese travelers into the US market represented 2.3% of all Chinese inbound hotel bookings across the nation.

This year’s IPW event will be held in Denver, Colorado and the Group’s booking data has positioned the city as the fastest growing destination within the region’s Mountain States for room nights, with a 19% increase in the 2018 financial year, compared to the same period last year.

This encouraging growth for the Group in inbound bookings to Denver can partly be attributed to the incorporation of the GTA and Tourico Holidays bedbanks into the Group last year. The Group’s Great Britain, South America, and the Middle East source markets have increased bookings to Denver by 25%, 40%, and 40%, respectively during the current financial calendar year; and &nbsp;Asia-Pacific is a fast-growing source market for Denver, with China having a 130% increase in bookings YoY.

Lauren Volcheff, Head of Wholesale Sales in the Americas at Hotelbeds Group said, “We are really thrilled to confirm that the US source market has now become the number two for our Group globally in the wholesale channel, overtaking Spain – with Orlando, New York, Paris, Rome and London occupying the top slots, in descending order. This comes from strong sales growth generated by the addition of new clients, in particular, in the airline and point redemption space.”

Commenting on the China-US corridor Matias Elisavetsky, Head of Sourcing in the Americas at Hotelbeds Group said, “By matching our extensive network of travel intermediary clients based in China with our exclusively sourced inventory of Chinese-friendly hotel accommodation, I am proud to confirm that last year we captured 2.3% of all incoming Chinese reservation for hotel rooms in the United States – and this year we are hoping to increase that percentage further still.”

Following the integration of the Tourico Holidays and GTA bedbanks into the Group the product portfolio has now expanded to over 170,000 hotels and over 60,000 travel-selling clients now use the platform.

Earlier this year, the Group also identified the best profiles across the three companies and confirmed the appointment of the top 350 positions at both senior management and management levels to support Hotelbeds Group’s commitment to provide its partners and clients with the most innovative and competitive solutions available. Most recently, the Group announced the appointment of Chris Branagan as its Director of Technology and Executive Committee member to further improve the bedbank’s technology offering.

Hotelbeds Group will be exhibiting its extensive line of travel offerings during IPW in Denver from May 19–23. The three wholesale brands, Tourico Holidays, GTA, and Hotelbeds will be participating together in one stand. To speak with a Hotelbeds Group representative at IPW Denver, visit Booth 558-564.

&nbsp;

About Hotelbeds Group

Hotelbeds Group is the world´s leading bedbank.

The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.

Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 185 source markets globally with travel providers in over 200 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes and 16,000 activities.

In September 2016, the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017, Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group.

The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

&nbsp;

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group

And twitter: @HotelbedsGroup

Follow APItude on twitter: @Hotelbeds_API

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contact

Media Relations &amp; Corporate Affairs

Alicia Orta Stanford

alicia.ortastanford@hotelbeds.com

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;


[1] This ranking and the Denver booking figures refer to bookings measured by room nights from the current fiscal year (starting 1 October, 2017) made via Hotelbeds Group´s bedbank platform, which includes the brands Hotelbeds, GTA, and Tourico Holidays.

&nbsp;



[2] This is an estimation based upon figures provided by Brand USA for the total number of all room nights in the United States booked by all Chinese travelers visiting the country in 2017.




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Hotelbeds Group continues growth success story in the United States

China is now the 4th source market in the wholesale channel for Hotelbeds Group, up from 5th place only last year [1]2.3% of the whole market for United States inbound Chinese hotel bookings now come from Group’s China-US corridor [2]Growth driven by strategy of sourcing Chinese-friendly accommodation globally&nbsp;Shanghai, China 17 May 2018. Hotelbeds Group, the world’s leading bedbank, has today confirmed the continuation of its successful growth in the Chinese source market.China remains the number one source market in the wholesale channel for Hotelbeds Group in Asia-Pacific and is now the 4th biggest for the Group globally, up from 5th place only last year. The Group sells in the wholesale channel to online travel agents, tour operators and airlines via its Hotelbeds, Tourico Holidays, and GTA bedbank brands.This growth can in part be attributed to the Group’s success in growing its China-US corridor, which in 2017 accounted for 2.3% of all inbound Chinese hotel bookings into the United States market.Locally sourcing Chinese-friendly hotel inventory in top destinations around the world forms a key part of Hotelbeds Group’s offering to Chinese travel intermediaries. Earlier this year the Group announced plans to increase its sourcing teams globally by 200 people in order to increase by 10,000 the number of exclusively contracted hotels over the coming three years.Sam Turner, Wholesale Sales &amp; Sourcing Director of Hotelbeds Group commented, “Only as recently as 2012 China was not even in our top 20 source markets globally, but we believed in the growth potential of the market. That’s why we invested considerable time and resources into sourcing Chinese-friendly hotels and also developing the right technology offering, looking at the whole travel cycle including payment, check-in, visa processes, social media platforms, and so on.“It is amazing to be able to confirm that so quickly it has now become our 4th most important market globally, but we believe that the best is yet to come. The world's largest population with a fast growing economy of people all looking for travel experiences? That is a very exciting prospect and we remain more committed than ever before.”Hui-Wan Chua, Head of Sales Asia-Pacific, commented, “By offering our large network of travel intermediary sellers in China our exclusively sourced inventory of China ready hotel accommodation in the American market, it gives me great pleasure to confirm that last year 2.3% of all incoming Chinese reservations for hotel rooms in the United States were booked via our platform. This is a strategy that we have also been replicating for many of the other top destinations that are popular with Chinese travelers, such as Thailand and Hong Kong.”&nbsp;Following the integration of the Tourico Holidays and GTA bedbanks into the Group last year the product portfolio has now expanded to over 170,000 hotels and over 60,000 travel-selling clients now use the platform.&nbsp;About Hotelbeds GroupHotelbeds Group is the world´s leading bedbank.The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 185 source markets globally with travel providers in over 200 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes and 16,000 activities.In September 2016 the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017 Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group.The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.&nbsp;Follow us on LinkedIn: HotelbedsAnd twitter: @HotelbedsGroupFollow APItude on twitter: @Hotelbeds_API&nbsp;Hotelbeds Group Media contactMedia Relations &amp; Corporate AffairsRoman Townsendrtownsend@hotelbeds.com[1] This ranking refer to bookings measured by room nights from the current fiscal year (starting 1 October, 2017) made via Hotelbeds Group's bedbank platform, which includes the brands Hotelbeds, GTA, and Tourico Holidays.[2] This is an estimation based upon figures provided by Brand USA for the total number of all room nights in the United States booked by all Chinese travelers visiting the country in 2017.&nbsp;

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Hotelbeds Group continues China success story  


	New Chinese language website is WeChat enabled and contains content for retail travel agents to increase sales
	Bedsonline has registered 98% growth in China in the year to date[1]
	Since entering China in 2013 it has become the tenth biggest market for Bedsonline globally


Shanghai, 9th May 2018 – Bedsonline, the leading global provider of accommodation and complementary products exclusively for travel agencies, has announced today – ahead of ITB Shanghai on 16-18 May –&nbsp; the launch of an enhanced Chinese language website as part of the company’s strategy to continue outperforming in this key market.

This new Chinese language website forms the cornerstone of Bedsonline’s new client acquisition program and contains relevant and attractive content for travel agencies such as articles focused on tips and tools for travel agents and eBooks. The new website is fully integrated with WeChat through an automated client acquisition program created especially for this key market; and a new home page has been designed following expert advice from local China- digital marketing consultants.

China is already a key strategic market for Bedsonline despite entering the market in only 2013, growing to become the 10th biggest source market for Bedsonline globally and growing sales by 98% in the current year to date.

Currently Bedsonline has an extended sales force team of 15 sales managers who cover the whole Greater China region, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.

Following the integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA – both with strong presence in Asia-Pacific – into the same group to which Bedsonline forms a part of, there is now a portfolio of over 170,000 hotels available to travel intermediaries globally via Bedsonline’s proprietary B2B technology platform.

Stuart Dale, Regional Director Retail Travel Agents Asia commented: “Firstly I would like to congratulate the whole marketing team who have worked really hard to launch a new Chinese language website for Bedsonline in a relatively short time. This ambitious project has come about after months of hard work, hand in hand with our local sales team.

“China is a strategic market for Bedsonline and we would like to take advantage of the integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA into the group which Bedsonline belongs, to provide a wider, more competitive range of products to the Chinese travel retailers – now totalling over 170,000 hotels. The time is now. With this unbeatable offering it’s the moment to commit to the market and leverage our collective global practice with local knowledge and a complete professional sales force which will continue to serve this fast-growing travel market.”

Vincent Zha, Regional Manager Greater China added: “We are excited about our new website launch and the important role it will play in our future go-to-market strategy. By offering our travel agency subscribers attractive content such as eBooks, we can help them to increase sales.

“Bedsonline has big plans for the Chinese market, where in 2017 there were 127 million Chinese outbound travellers and already China is the largest outbound travel market in the world.&nbsp; Outbound tourism in China is booming as a result of the growing middle class. Whilst the major urban centres of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen account for most of the outbound travel demand among Chinese nationals, there’s also a gradual increase in international travellers from smaller cities and towns – and we’re targeting travel agents in that niche too.

“According to the China National Tourism Administration, almost 5 billion domestic trips were made in China in 2017. Therefore, we are also working hard to expand our local accommodation portfolio to respond to the demands of travellers.”




[1] All figures and data quoted in this press release refer to Total Transaction Value (TTV) from the current fiscal year (starting 1 October, 2017) made via the Bedsonline platform.

&nbsp;

About Bedsonline

Bedsonline is the leading global provider of accommodation and travel ancillary products that exclusively caters to travel agencies. It distributes through its online platform accommodation, excursions, tickets and transfers to more than 32,000 travel agencies in 30 countries.

The company stands out for its extensive portfolio - over 170,000 hotels in 185 destinations, 22,000 transfer routes in 140 countries, and 16,000 activities in 185 countries -&nbsp; to offer a personalized local service through an intuitive and easy-to-use online booking tool. In this way Bedsonline guarantees high availability and competitive prices to the great satisfaction of its clients.

The business-to-business online provider has focused its strategy in recent years on the expansion of new markets in Europe, America and Asia, such as Germany, the Czech Republic, Mexico, the United States, Colombia, China, Japan and the Philippines. This strategic vision has led the company to occupy a position of advantage in the industry.

Bedsonline is part of Hotelbeds Group, the business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally. The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and has 8,300 employees working across 210 offices globally.

&nbsp;

Follow us on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bedsonline

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contacts

&nbsp;

Arenalia Comunicación&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cristina Vilà · cvila@arenalia.com

Elisenda Barreda · ebarreda@arenalia.com

Tel. +34 660 201 020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hotelbeds Group Media contact

PR, Media and Corporate Affairs

Antonia Aguiló · a.aguilo@hotelbeds.com

Tel.&nbsp; +34 638 874 038



&nbsp;



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Bedsonline continues Chinese expansion with enhanced website launch


	Chris Branagan appointed Director of Technology and Executive Committee member
	Senior leadership team for technology department also confirmed
	Technology platform for all the Group’s brands will be fully integrated by end of year
	News forms part of the ongoing integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA into Group


&nbsp;

Palma, 3 May 2018. Hotelbeds Group, the world’s leading bedbank, has today provided an update on its technology strategy following the integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA into the Group last year.

Further to the announcements made in January confirming the line-up of the company’s top leadership team and new departmental structure, Chris Branagan, previously the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of GTA, has now been appointed as Director of Technology for the whole Group. Chris will become a member of the company’s Executive Committee and will be responsible for the development and implementation of technology across the Group´s platforms, systems, and tools to further enhance the bedbank’s technology offering.

As part of the completion of the appointment of the top 350 managers in its newly revised structure announced in late March, the technology department has now additionally confirmed its senior leadership positions and departmental structure, combining the best talent from Tourico Holidays, GTA and Hotelbeds.

Following the decision announced late last year of the selection of the IT platform and architecture for the enlarged organisation, additionally today the Group can confirm that all of its bedbank brands – Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays, and GTA – will all be transitioned onto the same technology platform by the close of this year.

Carlos Muñoz, Bedbank Managing Director at Hotelbeds Group states, “Firstly I would like to congratulate Chris for taking on this role and look forward to working closely with him on the company’s Executive Committee; additionally I would like to congratulate his technology leadership team for the new roles they’ll also be taking on and thank them in advance for their hard work and innovation.

“This best-of-the-best team is already hard at work innovating the hotel and ancillaries distribution chain. I´m certain that our best-in-class B2B technology platform will help our commercial partners everywhere increase revenues and reduce costs, connecting over 170,000 hotels worldwide to over 60,000 travel intermediaries around the globe.”

Chris Branagan, Director of Technology, said “It gives me great pleasure to be chosen to lead the technology function at such an important stage in the integration of GTA and Tourico Holidays into the Group; I would also like to congratulate all of those who will be part of my technology leadership team.

“Following a significant amount of analysis, preparation and strategic planning behind the scenes, I now feel&nbsp;confident to announce that the integration will be completed at a technology level before the end of the year, with all of our bedbank brands using the same technology platform. We will be updating our partners in due course to explain how they will benefit from these changes. ”

The news follows significant growth in the size of Hotelbeds Group’s business in 2017 through the acquisitions of Tourico Holidays and GTA, two leading bedbanks with a strong presence in North America and Asia-Pacific respectively. Following their integration there is now a portfolio of over 170,000 hotels selling to over 60,000 travel intermediaries globally via the Group´s proprietary B2B technology platform.

In late March two important announcement were made in relation to the integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA into the Group. Firstly, that following an objective and comprehensive process to select the very best profiles from a strong talent pool, around 350 positions drawn from all three businesses, at both senior management and management levels, had been confirmed in all areas with the exception of the IT department. Based on organisational design principals created with the support of expert external consultants, the appointments were designed to respond to the new reality of Hotelbeds Group’s expanded operations following the integration of Tourico Holidays and GTA.

Secondly, the sale of the Group’s Destination Management division to TUI, the world´s leading tourism group, as a continuation of Hotelbeds Group’s strategic focus on its bedbank core. TUI will acquire for an enterprise value of €110 million all of the assets of Hotelbeds Group´s Destination Management division, which represents the Group’s incoming services offering and is made up of three main global brands: Destination Services, Intercruises Shoreside &amp; Port Services, and Pacific World. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory and anti-trust approvals.

About Hotelbeds Group

Hotelbeds Group is a business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry globally and the leading bedbank worldwide.

The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.

Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 185 source markets globally with travel providers in over 200 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 22,000 transfer routes and 16,000 activities.

In September 2016 the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017 Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group.

The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group

And Twitter: @hotelbedsgroup

Follow APItude on Twitter: @Hotelbeds_API

Follow us on Facebook: @HotelbedsGroup

&nbsp;

Media Relations &amp; Corporate Affairs

Roman Townsend

rtownsend@hotelbeds.com

Tel.&nbsp; +34 619 988 580

&nbsp;

&nbsp;


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