Industry leaders to collaborate for enhanced integrated inventory management across property management and reservations systems
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, and Neuss, Germany 22 April - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, and MICROS Systems, Inc., a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, announced today the signing of a partnership between SynXis and MICROS that will enhance their already integrated solution to drive even more value for their joint customers.

SynXis and MICROS will work together to continuously improve value and efficiencies of the integration between the SynXis Central Reservation System (CRS) and the MICROS Property Management System (PMS). One example of the collaboration is the addition of reservation synchronization capabilities providing hotel revenue managers with a true single-image of inventory in both the SynXis and MICROS systems.

"This agreement is a significant step in addressing the very real need for the hotel industry to leverage the advantages of integrating its disparate operations," said Scott Alvis, President and General Manager of SynXis. "MICROS and SynXis are committed to working together to provide the leadership to move the industry forward in areas that can have a significant impact to customer service."

"We understand the varying needs of our customers and are committed to delivering on both fully integrated and best-of-breed solutions to the industry," stated Dr. Peter Agel, Vice President, Distribution Logistics, MICROS EAME. "Our strategic partnership with SynXis will provide the industry with more options for implementing an advanced inventory solution."

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SynXis vice president publishes revenue management textbook to help educate future generations of hoteliers
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 17 April - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today the publication of a revenue management textbook co-authored by Trevor Stuart-Hill, the Vice President of Accounts and Revenue Management, "An Introduction to Revenue Management: Principles and Practices for the Real World." Trevor's twenty years in hospitality, fourteen dedicated to revenue management, have fueled the growth of SynXis' revenue management consulting services where customers, on average, experience 6 - 20 percent growth in revenue after implementing the programs.

After identifying a need for a practical revenue management and pricing resource, Kimberly Tranter, Assistant Professor and Lead Faculty Lodging for The Hospitality College at Johnson & Wales University, tapped Stuart-Hill's expertise to help structure an emerging course in hospitality management. The book outlines the basic elements of the revenue management process and the keys to effective revenue management planning. Using the Rev MAP model as a guiding framework, it shows how to develop, implement, and evaluate a strategic management process. Professional profiles highlight key issues and career paths, while application chapters relate material to each segment of the hospitality industry. One chapter looks at trends and even attempts to forecasts the future evolution of this important new field.

Stuart-Hill brings his knowledge and skill-set to SynXis and its customers by offering different levels of revenue management consulting to complement the distribution technology and online marketing services being used by SynXis hotel customers.

"The lines between the disciplines of Internet marketing, distribution, revenue management and customer relationship management are beginning to blur," said Stuart-Hill, who also serves as chair of HSMAI's Travel Internet Marketing Special Interest Group. "Smart organizations will take a holistic approach to defining a strategy that will encompass these disciplines. They will also cultivate in-house expertise through the encouragement of education amongst those who are charged with responsibility in these key areas."

The SynXis CRS, RedX, offers many basic and advanced revenue management features including: Best Available Rate, Hurdle Rates, Promotional Pricing and a Property Connect interface between RedX and several automated Revenue Management Systems. However, SynXis understands that many properties, especially those not ready for full automation, do not have the resources needed to be diligent about revenue management disciplines and are unable to utilize the RedX tools to gain the maximum benefit. The SynXis Revenue Management Consulting services take into consideration all channels of distribution and incorporate the holistic approach that Stuart-Hill believes is necessary to compete in today's marketplace. SynXis services range from a one-time consultation to a full-time Revenue Management Professional.

"I need to wear many hats to get my job done, but with the SynXis Revenue Management services I can relax and trust that all of my online rates are in parity," said Cathy Balestriere, General Manager, Cranes Beach House in DelRay, Florida. "SynXis has given us a means to information and strategy that we would not be able to afford on our own and we have seen our revenue increase by 6% since working with SynXis."

Stuart-Hill's textbook, published by Prentice Hall, Stuart-Hill's textbook, published by Prentice Hall, is being used at Colleges and Universities around the globe and is available for purchase http://www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=0131885898.

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Nikki Beach expands into the boutique hotel and resort business with its first property in Turks & Caicos and using RedX as single distribution source
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 26 March - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today that Nikki Beach, one of the world's most recognizable lifestyle and entertainment brands, has selected SynXis to help its expansion into the luxury boutique hotel and resort business. Opening April 5, 2008, Nikki Beach Resort Turks & Caicos is the first of fifteen new hotels and resorts located in 12 countries around the world. The property is using the RedX Distribution Management System as its single distribution platform to connect Nikki Beach Resort to all distribution channels, including Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and the leading online travel sites.

Nikki Beach Resort will merchandise its property online (www.nikkibeachhotels.com) using SynXis Guest Connect, the newest generation booking engine on the market, designed to increase conversion rates with its simple customization. Nikki Beach Resort will use Guest Connect to generate revenue from its website by selling the Nikki Beach experience. Nikki Beach Resort will use SynXis' private label call center services and the RedX Voice Agent channel to provide a true single-image of inventory via all channels.

"SynXis provided us the complete package when we were looking for a distribution partner to launch our brand," said Gary Sims, President for Nikki Beach Resorts. "Their powerful technology and integration capabilities will help us gain visibility and streamline our operations so we can focus on the guests' experience. SynXis has the experience and expertise with independent properties and small chains that will be invaluable as we grow."

Nikki Beach Resort will benefit from RedX's advanced integration product, Property ConnectSM which integrates data seamlessly between RedX and Nikki Beach Resort's Property Management System. The two-way interface improves hotel efficiencies with automated reservation delivery, as well as inventory, rates, and restriction (stay controls) uploads.

Nikki Beach is known for its glamorous star-studded parties and an incomparable dining experience; Nikki Beach's flagship resort in the Turks & Caicos offers guests a unique vacation concept combining five-star service, luxury accommodations, signature Nikki design and ambiance with out of this world unparalleled entertainment in an international, jet-set resort environment. The Turks & Caicos' pristine beaches and turquoise waters make for a spectacular backdrop for the $100 million, gated complex on the exclusive northeast tip of the island.

"Nikki Beach Resorts is an exciting new brand that recognizes the power of a strong, integrated distribution solution to help build revenues online and offline through multiple channels," said Scott Alvis, President and General Manager for SynXis. "We have seen a growing trend of hotels using our full suite of products and services for greater control over their revenue strategy and based on the results, we expect to see that continue."

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German-based reseller offers integrated distribution and Revenue Management Services alongside the RedX® Distribution Management System
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 12 March - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today that it has signed a new three year agreement during ITB, with its Berlin based re-seller, Yeeld Solutions. Yeeld Solutions employs the RedX® Distribution Management System, to develop single source distribution solutions for small to mid-size hotel groups throughout Europe, combined with integrated revenue management and business development consultancy. RedX connects hotels to all channels including Global Distribution Systems (GDS), online travel agencies (OTA's), reservation call centers and also provides a state of the art booking engine for a property or chain's website.

David Turnbull, Director and Founder of Yeeld Solutions commented, "Over the last two years, we have been extremely impressed with the flexibility of RedX and SynXis' focus on channel integration. As consumers shift their buying patterns to include new channels, SynXis has proven to be a key partner in allowing Yeeld Solutions to create tailor-made distribution solutions with a high focus on consumer-direct distribution."

SynXis integration products form the backbone of Yeeld Solutions 'customized' distribution proposal; the competitive advantages include:

• Channel Connect which links Yeeld Solutions' customers, via RedX®, directly to third party travel sites such as Booking.com, LastMinute.com, LondonTown.com, Expedia and Travelocity allowing hotels to better differentiate their products by providing information such as detailed stay policies and promotional pricing directly to retail points of sales.
• Channel Connect XML Booking Engine Interface enables Yeeld Solutions to create custom-built website booking engines for its customers, enabling total integration within the customer's site, segmented booking paths and alternative payment methods.

"Yeeld Solutions has truly found its niche with its consulting services and adds a real value to our distribution products," said Scott Alvis, President and General Manager for SynXis. "SynXis has experienced a tremendous growth in the European market over the past few years and saw a 35 per cent increase in business last year alone. We are thrilled to extend our relationship with Yeeld Solutions and we look forward to continuing that growth together through our partnership."

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Conference addresses important issues on the minds of hoteliers today including rate parity and the use of Social Media
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 27 February - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, held its third annual Customer Forum in Fort Worth, Texas, down the road from its North American headquarters the first week in February. Customers representing over 2,500 properties around the world gathered to hear SynXis executives share their strategy and vision for the upcoming year as well as to learn about the latest trends in distribution including Revenue Management, Integration, Direct Connects and Online Marketing. The breakout sessions addressed the important issues on the minds of those attending including: rate parity across distribution channels, Internet bookings and controlling user-driven content with the explosion of Social Media.

At the exciting evening event held at the Texas Motor Speedway, SynXis recognized their customers for outstanding performance with the SynXis Winner's Circle Awards. Awards were given to those hotels or hotel groups that showed significant growth, success or innovation through one or multiple distribution channels utilizing the SynXis RedX Distribution Management System. Winners included:

• Best Implementation of a Custom Booking Engine - Orient Express Hotels
• Voice Services, Best in Class - Coastal Hotel Group
• Technology Partnership of the Year - Global Reservation Agent AG
• Partnership for Growth - Crestline Hotels & Resorts
• Partnership for Growth (New Customer) - ResortQuest Hawaii
• Best Integrated Internet Marketing Strategy (Individual Property) - Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
• Best Integrated Internet Marketing Strategy (Group) - Destination Hotels & Resorts

The Vendor Showcase was a popular part of the event where customers had the opportunity to meet with over 20 companies, which work in partnership with SynXis to help drive distribution for their properties. Included in the showcase were travel sites like Travelocity, Expedia and Booking.com along with members of the SynXis Technology Partner Program such as IDeaS, SoftBrands and GuestWare.

Other conference highlights include:

• Keynote speaker, Tom Asacker, a branding guru who has written many books on the subject of "de-mystifying the brand." His high-energy, entertaining presentation gave everyone in the audience great insight into why people make the buying decisions they do and how a brand should be represented to the customer.
• A panel discussion moderated by Daniel Connolly, PhD, University of Denver, School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management included several industry consultants who held a lively debate about who in the hotel owns the customer and what place revenue management has in a hotel's hierarchy.

"SynXis's Customer Forum provides an excellent arena for its customers to learn about what's new at the company and in the industry in general; it is a great use of my time," said Mike Pratt, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Magnolia Hotels, a longtime SynXis customer. "The keynote speaker, Tom Asacker, was one of the best presenters I have seen in years and had the group engaged the entire time. Kudos to SynXis for putting on such a nice event each year."

"It's wonderful to see so many of our customers from around the world attend our annual conference," said Scott Alvis, President and General Manager for SynXis." We will continue to invest in leading technology and services based on our customers' needs and our Customer Forum is just one of the many vehicles we use to gather that insight. It's very energizing for our team, customers, and technology partners when we're able to spend dedicated time together and discuss how we all improve our businesses. We're committed to being the world's best hotel technology partner and working hard every day to prove that."

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SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 19 February - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today that the RedX Distribution Management System that connects thousands of hotels to online distribution channels has been certified by Visa as meeting the PCI (Payment Card Industry) Data Security Standards. SynXis is the first Central Reservation System (CRS) provider to achieve this critical status, reinforcing its position as the leader in innovative distribution technology solutions. SynXis hotel customers can be assured that their guests' data is being handled at the highest level of data security.

The PCI Data Security Standards were created by the major credit card companies (including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover) in order to safeguard customer information that could be compromised due to the enormous volume of credit card transactions that are taking place online. These standards mandate that service providers meet stringent standards of security when they store, process and transmit cardholder data (including: network security, data management, application security, personnel and management policies and procedures).

"As the number of online bookings continues to grow, hoteliers should be increasingly concerned about providing a safe channel through which their guests can book," said industry consultant, John Burns, President of Hospitality Technology Consulting. "Getting the 'PCI Compliance' stamp is not a simple endeavor and shows a real commitment from the vendors that achieve it."

"We believe industry leadership is more than just developing the best technology. It's about paying close attention to developments in the marketplace and the concerns that our customers worry about and then delivering the solutions before they become issues," said Scott Alvis, President and General Manager of SynXis. "We continue to make considerable investments where it will make the most impact for our customers. The certification of RedX as being PCI compliant is a significant validation and accomplishment for our team, our hotel customers and even more importantly, for their customers' confidence."

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After adding seven new chain codes in 2007, SynXis now manages the most chain codes of any hotel CRS provider
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 30 January - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, experienced a second straight year of record sales by signing numerous multi-property and chain deals, bringing the total number of private label chain codes to 37. The new properties will all use the RedX Distribution Management System already used by thousands of hotels around the world to distribute rates and availability to all channels including Global Distribution Systems, online travel sites, call centers and a hotel's own website.

The impressive list of new customers includes: Orient Express, ResortQuest Hawaii, Harrah's (the addition of Caesars Palace and Bally's hotels), Lodgeworks (Sierra Suites), Kor Hotel Group, Sandman Hotels, Historic Hotels of America and Shell Vacation Club.

As a result of SynXis's growth in Europe and its expansion into Asia Pacific, the number of new customers based outside the US exceeded new US-based customers for the first time in SynXis's history. Contributing to that number are marquee customers such as the Swiss-based Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts and Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, based in Hong Kong. SynXis also renewed a large number of contracts in 2007, a key indicator of its customers' satisfaction with the SynXis products and services.

Scott Corey-Dunbar, vice president revenue and distribution, Sonesta Collection - Hotels · Resorts · Cruises., a SynXis customer since 2003, said that as a member of the SynXis User Council, he can see firsthand the focus SynXis puts on product marketing and ensuring they meet the needs of their customers and the marketplace. "Sonesta was an early adopter of the SynXis technology and each year we are impressed with their innovation and addition of new products and services aimed at increasing revenue for our properties," Scott said.

While more and more hoteliers are choosing SynXis as its distribution partner - an average of 165 new properties are added to RedX each month - in 2007 the company continued to invest millions of dollars in technology for current and future customer needs. SynXis also successfully consolidated all customers onto a single platform, RedX, in 2007. As expected, volume has soared on RedX and its performance levels have exceeded all targets. In 2007 RedX processed more than three billion shopping requests while maintaining over 99.9% uptime and a response time of less than 0.07 seconds.

Other 2007 highlights include:

• The introduction of a new booking engine, Guest Connect.
• The addition of several key direct connects via SynXis Channel Connect including Travelocity and Expedia.
• The expansion of a global call center offering into Europe and Asia.
• An unmatched Internet marketing offering with the integration of E-site Marketing into the SynXis portfolio.
• The launch of the Technology Partner Program, ensuring the highest level of cooperation and integration between vendors

"We continue to focus on delivering innovative technology solutions that ensure our products and services address the needs of both individual properties and the chains," said Scott Alvis, president and general manager of SynXis. "The record number of large multi-property deals signed in 2007 validates our direction and our position as the industry's distribution experts. We are looking forward to building on our momentum in 2008, and more importantly, enriching our partnerships with hoteliers worldwide to streamline their distribution and increase their properties' visibility to travel buyers."

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Crystal Inns Selects Synxis To Increase Online Distribution Independent Hotel Chain using the RedX Distribution Management System as its single source of distribution
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 24 January - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today that Crystal Inns, an independent chain based in Salt Lake City, has selected SynXis as their distribution marketing partner and is using the RedX® Distribution Management System as its single distribution platform. RedX connects Crystal Inns' properties to all channels including Global Distribution Systems (GDS), third party travel sites, the hotels' reservation centers and also provides a state of the art booking engine for Crystal Inns' own website (www.crystalinns.com). Crystal Inns selected SynXis because of its reputation and strength in the hospitality industry and for its track record of gaining more visibility and exposure for properties via online channels.

Crystal Inns also benefits from the RedX Property ConnectSM which provides a 2-way interface to the Room Master Property Management System, used at Crystal Inns' properties. This interface improves efficiencies and helps the properties achieve their distribution and revenue strategies with automated reservation delivery, as well as inventory, rates, and restriction (stay controls) uploads.

"Crystal Inns has an aggressive plan to market its properties via online channels including popular travel sites and our own corporate website. Our team loves the RedX functionality and enjoys working directly with the technology provider. We are also impressed by Sabre's (SynXis's parent company) commitment to investing in the SynXis technology, which gives us the confidence that they are in this for the long run," said Natalie Morgan corporate director of sales for Crystal Inns. "I also believe that the experience of the SynXis team can help us become more visible and productive on the internet and we look forward to a successful partnership."

"After conducting a thorough review of the marketplace, we are excited that Crystal Inns selected SynXis as its full-service distribution provider," said Scott Alvis, president and general manager for SynXis. "Our technology and online marketing expertise will support their goals and help Crystal Inns continue to grow."

The first Crystal Inn opened in downtown Salt Lake City in 1994 and has since grown to 10 properties in 5 states. Crystal Inn enjoys a great reputation with both business and leisure travelers as evidenced by its success and growth. Crystal Inns' founder and owner Crystal Maggelet champions the staff and leadership in her hotels for their dedication to "delight every guest, everyday, one at a time."

SynXis products and services connect hotels with their guest through all channels including travel agents, online travel sites, reservation call centers and hotels' proprietary websites. RedX, at the solution's core, is a web-based distribution management system that enables property managers to distribute their inventory across all channels easily and efficiently. It provides connectivity to the GDSs, third party travel site and directly to guest via the website booking engine. SynXis will be releasing a new booking engine, Guest ConnectSM, which has been developed after extensive market research, customer feedback and usability testing and is designed to increase conversion rates. SynXis also provides services such as Revenue Management consulting, GDS and Travel Agent Marketing and award-winning Internet Marketing programs to complement a hotel's existing distribution and marketing strategy.

SynXis is a key part of Sabre Holdings' portfolio of services in the hotel space. Together, SynXis and Sabre enable hoteliers to sell more rooms, provide better customer service and increase revenues.

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Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group will use RedX as its distribution solution
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, 16 January - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today that Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has chosen SynXis as its long-term distribution partner. Shangri-La is Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group; its 54 properties include 24 leading hotels in mainland China. Shangri-La's rapid expansion plans include properties throughout Europe and North America.

Shangri-La properties will use the RedX Distribution Management System to distribute inventory to the global distribution systems (GDS) where they will be marketed to hundreds of thousands of travel agents and online travel sites, enabling millions of online consumers to book their properties. Shangri-La will use SynXis to manage and promote its private label chain code, SG, and cited SynXis' experience and success in this area as key to their decision to switch to SynXis. SynXis manages 34 private-label chain codes - more than any other distribution provider in the marketplace.

Properties that have switched to RedX consistently see immediate year-over-year ("same-store-sales") increases in booking volumes of between 11 percent and 23 percent during the first six months after the switch.

SynXis will support Shangri-La from its regional support centres in Singapore and Hong Kong, providing properties with the expertise necessary in the local markets. Moreover, Shangri-La will benefit from the Chinese and Japanese versions of the RedX Control Center.

RedX Channel Connect will link Shangri-La's properties, via RedX, directly to online travel sites such as Travelocity, lastminute.com and ZUJI, and enable the hotels to better differentiate their products by providing information such as detailed stay policies and child pricing directly to retail points of sales. Shangri-La will collaborate with SynXis to develop new Channel Connects to the leading online travel agents throughout the Asia Pacific region.

"Shangri-La has outstanding properties and offers its guests the highest level of service, so we were not surprised that they had very demanding requirements for a distribution solution," said Scott Alvis, president and general manager of SynXis. "This win is especially rewarding for SynXis as our whole global team came together and put forth a customized solution to meet Shangri-La's specific needs. We are looking forward to adding them to our growing and prestigious list of customers in Asia Pacific and throughout the world."

SynXis is a key part of Sabre Holdings' portfolio of services in the hotel space. Together, SynXis and Sabre enable hoteliers to sell more rooms, provide better customer service and increase revenues.

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E-site Marketing's websites continue to generate a high ROI for its customers
BETHESDA, Maryland 09 January - E-site Marketing, the Sabre Holdings premier Internet marketing company specializing in online business solutions exclusively for the hospitality industry has been awarded five Golden Click Awards in the 51st HSMAI Adrian Awards Competition. The awards showcase industry achievers and results that have demonstrated strong return on investment (ROI) across all sectors of the hospitality industry.

Being selected as the winner in five categories demonstrates E-site Marketing's diverse range of capabilities in designing for hotels as well as destinations and restaurants. E-site Marketing focuses on creative design and marketing programs aimed at creating a profitable online channel, and has consistently achieved this goal for its customers.

E-site Marketing was awarded The Golden Click Awards for the following sites:

• Wild Dunes Resort www.wilddunes.com (Individual Property Category)
• Gilt New York www.giltnewyork.com (Restaurant Category)
• CitizenM www.citizenm.com (Hotel Chain Category)
• Puerto Rico Tourism Company www.gotopuertorico.com (CVB, Destination Category)
• Hay Adams Hotel www.hayadams.com (Individual Property Category)

One of the winning efforts, The Hay-Adams, a historic Washington, DC landmark, located across from the White House, is a long time customer of E-site Marketing. A recent redesign of their website resulted in increased revenues generated by the site by 25 percent year-over-year.

"We have put our website in the very capable hands of the team at E-site Marketing and the results have been like gaining an additional sales person," said Hans Bruland, General Manager and Vice President of the Hay-Adams Hotel. "Their consultative approach ensures we are kept informed and taking advantage of the latest trends in Internet marketing and technology. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership."

Another award-winner, Wild Dunes, a beach and golf resort outside of Charleston, SC, also has seen dramatic results from the work that E-site Marketing has done for them over the past year. "Looks" (those visiting the website) at the booking engine increased by 26 percent while bookings made on the website increased 47 percent. These increases resulted in a 41 percent increase in the overall revenue generated from their website.

"The team at E-site understands that a 'one-size-fits-all' approach will not work when it comes to websites and Internet marketing. They really worked with us to determine our goals and develop a program that would yield the highest results for our resort," said Andressa Chapman, Marketing Communications Manager at Wild Dunes. "Congratulations to E-site Marketing for winning these awards. They continue to prove their expertise in the field of Website development and Internet marketing and we continue to see impressive results."

To measure performance, websites are benchmarked against their pre-redesign statistics on several metrics such as Website Traffic Growth, Visitor-to-Look and Look-to-Book Ratio, Revenue-Per-Visitor and Return on Investment. E-site Marketing's proprietary tracking tool RezTrack® was a key component in making these pre/post measurements possible.

"We remain focused on achieving the highest ROI for our customers so we are thrilled that these awards take our results into consideration," said Felix Laboy, President of E-site Marketing. "It is also fantastic that we have been able to apply the same successful strategies to other sectors of the hospitality industry including destinations and restaurants and produce similar results - and the awards in these categories just add the icing."

HSMAI will pay tribute to E-site Marketing during the 18th annual HSMAI Adrian Awards Show - a gala black-tie dinner to be held on Jan. 28, 2008 at the New York Marriott Marquis, with an expected attendance by 1,000 hospitality, travel and tourism industry and marketing executives. These awards are handed out as part of the 2007 HSMAI Adrian Awards Competition, the largest and most prestigious travel event of its kind in the world, now in its 51st year. This year's contest attracted nearly 1,300 entries from around the world, with entries judged by teams of experts from all sectors of the industry.

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Harrah's Operating Company, Inc. renews longtime SynXis relationship while consolidating 30 properties onto the RedX Distribution Management System
SOUTHLAKE, Texas - November 28 - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today it has expanded its leading marketplace share of the worldwide gaming industry with the addition of 10 world-renown casinos including Caesars Palace, Bally's and Paris Las Vegas, all part of the Harrah's Operating Company, Inc.'s ("Harrah's") network properties. The consolidation of a large majority of Harrah's properties with a room offering onto one platform brings its total number to 30 casinos that distribute and manage their rates and inventory using the RedX® Distribution Management System under the HR chain code..

Throughout its long partnership with Harrah's, SynXis has been an integral part of its online growth, with many properties routinely experiencing increased efficiencies with bookings growth on global distribution systems (GDS) and Internet distribution systems (IDS).

In addition to the sustained growth Harrah's has experienced since signing on with SynXis in 2002, RedX Property Connect, SynXis' robust integration product that connects RedX to Harrah's Property Management Systems, was a contributing factor in its decision to extend the longtime relationship with SynXis.

"Harrah's helped put SynXis on the map in Las Vegas and throughout the gaming community early in our company's life cycle, and we responded by using their valuable feedback to develop a world-class system from which all hotel segments can benefit," said Scott Alvis, president and general manager for SynXis. "SynXis also embraces the best-of-breed technology philosophy where property managers have the freedom to select the systems that best fit their needs and can have the confidence that SynXis will work with all vendors to ensure interoperability. This approach has proven to be very important to our customers like Harrah's."

SynXis is a key part of Sabre Holdings' portfolio of services in the hotel space. Together, SynXis and Sabre enable hoteliers to sell more rooms, provide better customer service and increase revenues.

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Canadian Hotel Group to market their 35 properties to all channels via RedX
SOUTHLAKE, Texas - November 13 - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today that Sandman Hotels, Canada's fastest-growing, privately-owned hospitality company with over 35 properties, has selected SynXis as its distribution marketing partner and is using the RedX® Distribution Management System as its single distribution platform. Sandman Hotels now connects to all distribution channels using RedX including Global Distribution Systems (GDS), third party travel sites. Sandman Hotels will also use the RedX Booking Engine with multiple property search features to power its own website (www.sandmanhotels.com). Sandman Hotels will continue to be represented on the GDSs under the PS chain code and selected SynXis, in part because of their success switching and managing medium-sized chains. The SynXis team has implemented and now manages over 30 private label chain codes and recent switches have experienced increases in booking volumes between 11% and 23% in the first six months after the switch to RedX.

Sandman Hotels also cites the RedX technology and the ease with which it will enable the property managers to implement revenue management strategies and ultimately increase profitability, as contributing to its decision to switch to SynXis. RedX's many revenue management features give managers the flexibility to apply their own set of principles to their distribution strategies including: full channel management, best available rate, rate tiers, hurdle rates, rate calendars and even dynamic pricing.

Sandman has just launched a new upscale brand of hotels, Sandman Signature Hotels and Resorts, which will also use RedX. "In addition to being impressed with the SynXis technology and how our properties can benefit from its use, we were also looking for a partner that could help us gain the exposure we needed while launching our new premier brand," said Salim Kassam, vice president of marketing for Sandman Hotels. "SynXis has a great track record especially when it comes to the 4 to 5 star chains and we are looking forward to a successful partnership."

"Sandman Hotels is an important win for SynXis. They represent a growing trend of hotel companies that are using distribution technology, like RedX, to support their revenue management goals. This approach makes a lot of sense since a CRS can take into account all channels," said David Meltzer, vice president of sales for SynXis. "Our technology combined with our expertise in maximizing revenue through all channels puts SynXis in an excellent position to improve our customers' bottom line."

SynXis products and services connect hotels with their guest through all channels including travel agents, online travel sites, reservation call centers and hotels' proprietary websites. RedX, at the solution's core, is a web-based distribution management system that enables property managers to distribute their inventory across all channels easily and efficiently. It provides connectivity to the GDSs, third party travel site and directly to a hotel guest via the website booking engine. This fall SynXis will release a new booking engine, Guest ConnectSM, which has been developed after extensive market research, customer feedback and usability testing. SynXis also provides services such as Revenue Management consulting, GDS and Travel Agent Marketing and award-winning Internet Marketing programs to complement a hotel's existing distribution and marketing strategy.

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Award-winning E-site Marketing partners with Dutch hotel group and creates an innovative Internet Marketing campaign yielding a high ROI
BETHESDA, Maryland - November 7 - E-site Marketing, the Sabre Holdings premier internet marketing company specializing in online business solutions exclusively for the hospitality industry, recently helped launch an innovative new hotel brand in Europe by applying the latest in Web 2.0 technology and marketing. citizenM (www.citizenm.com), a Dutch hotel group, takes its name from the idea of the mobile citizen and promises "affordable luxury" for travelers on the go so it seemed only appropriate that they would take advantage of the latest trends in online marketing to launch their brand. E-site Marketing's expertise in applying Web 2.0 best practices to the hospitality industry proved to be a perfect fit and the success of the initial campaign could immediately be measured: within days of the launch both websites (E-site Marketing launched both a brand website and a hotel website for citizenM's first property in Amsterdam) were ranked on the first pages of the search engines for not only the brand terms but also for more specific destination search terms; and after just two weeks the websites received over 20,000 visitor sessions. This was all achieved without spending any money for paid online media.

Felix Laboy, President and CEO of E-site Marketing explained, "The information architecture of these sites, including many new Web 2.0 technologies and tools, allowed citizenM to realize search engine rankings in the first week that would normally have taken months with more traditional information architecture. A lot has been written lately about Web 2.0, but the success of this practical application provides some actual proof of its high ROI."

In addition to the simultaneous launch of the brand and property websites, online marketing activities included an online viral campaign leveraging multiple travel blogs, social networks and photo and video sharing sites like Flickr™ and YouTube. The citizenM sites are built around dynamic consumer generated content in the form of a "community" where "citizens" can share their recommendations, travel tips and discoveries as they travel the globe. Other features of the websites include: customizable maps and directions leveraging MSN, the ability to create personal RSS feeds and a profile for citizens to manage their travel preferences.

"citizenM is not your ordinary hotel chain and we wanted to make sure that message was communicated right from the start. We knew we needed to find a hotel marketing company with the expertise in non-traditional marketing methods and E-site Marketing has proven to be the ideal partner," said Michael Levie, CEO of the citizenM hotel group. "The Web 2.0 strategy that E-site implemented not only supports our brand concept for this hotel chain but allowed us to reach thousands of our targeted customers right away through our primary distribution channel. We are thrilled with the early results of E-site's efforts and the return on investment that they are providing."

"We have been impressed with the team at citizenM and their clear marketing direction. They understand their audience and have been open to new ways to effectively communicate their message," added Laboy. "The approach the E-site Marketing team has taken is extremely cost effective and enables citizenM to deliver on its promise of 'affordable luxury for the people.' We look forward to continued success with citizenM as they grow."

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Lemon Tree Hotels to use the RedX Distribution Management System to Fuel Expansion Plans
SOUTHLAKE, Texas - October 31 - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today it has signed an agreement with Lemon Tree Hotels, India's first and finest chain of upscale, full service, moderately priced hotels. Lemon Tree Hotels will merchandise its properties online using SynXis's new booking engine, Guest Connect, and will be switching its properties' GDS/IDS representation to SynXis throughout the year starting with the new property at the East Delhi Mall. Lemon Tree Hotels will use the RedX Distribution Management System to manage rates and inventory across all channels and ensure guests are getting the best value while still maximizing Lemon Tree's profitability. SynXis's growing team in Asia Pacific, which includes offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, will support Lemon Tree's expansion plans with distribution and marketing opportunities aimed at boosting their visibility throughout India.

"We had the benefit of seeing the SynXis team in action this summer at HITEC and we were particularly impressed with their energy and enthusiasm," said Rahul Pandit, Vice President-Operations for Lemon Tree Hotels. "We spoke to many SynXis customers and were happy to hear how passionate they are about working with SynXis. This was a good indicator of how SynXis truly partners with their customers to ensure a successful relationship."

"Our chain stands for uncompromising quality of our products and services and we were looking for a partner that has the same high standards," said Heiko Siebert, vice president distribution for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. "Throughout our search we were continuously impressed with the technology behind RedX^® and its ease of use and most importantly with the SynXis team. The expanded call center services and the willingness to offer best-of-breed technology solutions proved to us that SynXis will continue to evolve its products and services to stay ahead of the ever-changing distribution landscape. We are looking forward to a long and successful partnership."

The executive team at Lemon Tree Hotels conducted an exhaustive search for a distribution provider and cited SynXis's "best-of-breed" philosophy as a big factor in their decision to switch to SynXis. Lemon Tree Hotels has the confidence that SynXis will work closely with other vendors to ensure interoperability across the hotels' multiple property systems. RedX Property Connect^SM will integrate data seamlessly between RedX and other systems critical to the Lemon Tree Hotels operations and marketing efforts including property management systems (PMS) and revenue management systems (RMS). Lemon Tree Hotels will benefit from Property Connect with increased efficiencies and reduced costs.

"While looking at new technology solutions it was clear that a 'one-size-fits-all' approach would not work for us; we wanted the freedom to select the best in each class," added Pandit. "The SynXis integration products make it easy for us to choose the solutions that best fit our needs. The SynXis Technology Partner Program proves that they are serious about getting other vendors to work together for the benefit of the customer; this is certainly a refreshing approach."

"Lemon Tree Hotels has a reputation of being leaders in the marketplace so we are thrilled that they selected SynXis to be their partner for such a critical piece of their growth strategy," said Patrick Andrès, Managing Director of SynXis Asia Pacific. "This win is a true nod to our global team and their experience and we look forward to a successful partnership."

SynXis is a key part of Sabre Holdings' portfolio of services in the hotel space. Together, SynXis and Sabre enable hoteliers to sell more rooms, provide better customer service and increase revenues. Close article

International chain will use SynXis Worldwide Call Centers for Private Label Reservation Services
SOUTHLAKE, Texas - October 3 - SynXis, the Sabre Holdings business that provides hotel distribution and Internet marketing services globally, announced today that Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has chosen SynXis as the single source of distribution to market and sell its 62 properties throughout Europe, the Middle East, Afr