WorldRes.com Offers Internet Distribtion to Optims Otedis' hotels

"The partnership with WorldRes is strategic for Otedis", commented the Optims subsidiary's Managing Director, Pierre Matuchet. "New distribution channels will be available to our hotel customers, bringing more visibility and therefore more reservations".

The WorldRes distribution network includes over 2,000 Web sites, leading Global Distribution Systems that reach over 450,000 travel agents and some of the most important online brands including PlacesToStay, Travelprice.com, AOL, Yahoo, Lycos, Freeserve (Wanadoo) and most recently Opodo - the new mega travel site created by nine European airlines.

In December 2001, Optims S.A. acquired HotelSwitch, an Internet start-up specialising in online hotel reservations. HotelSwitch was re-named Otedis (Optims Technology for Distribution) Today; Otedis has over 500 properties with real-time online reservation capabilities including one of the leading independent hotel companies, Châteaux & Hôtels de France. This number continues to grow and with the addition of Agil Hotels (more than 500 properties), Otedis will shortly double its inventory to over 1,000 properties.

Richard Lewis, COO Europe for WorldRes.com commented : "WorldRes.com aims to provide consumers with the largest selection of independent hotels only available through our network. Optims has been extremely successful at introducing real-time reservations to this market and their unique supply of European independent and group properties will complement our offering in key markets".

"Through the Internet, consumers are more and more willing to book properties in real-time, adds Antoine Medawar, CEO of Optims. Optims, as a provider of IT solutions for the Hospitality for more than twenty years, very well knows the needs of this industry. That's why we developed efficient and easy to use reservation and distribution tools".

With a single tool, the hotels using the Optims solution can offer their customers real-time bookings on their own web site as well as distribute their offer of rooms through worldwide distribution network, composed of many partners, including WorldRes.com.

WorldRes.com is a leading online hotel reservation network with more than 30,000 properties. The network includes over 2,000 Web distribution partners, travel agents and global distribution systems. WorldRes.com also owns and operates the consumer Web sites, PlacesToStay.com (www.placestostay.com) and BedandBreakfast.com (www.bedandbreakfast.com). Founded in 1995, WorldRes.com is headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., with global offices in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. WorldRes.com was recently been selected in partnership with Andbook.com to provide an online and call centre reservation solution to airline partnership travel portal Opodo ().

Operating in the hospitality and tourism industries, Optims (www.optims.com) has been developing for ten years three complementary technologies : PMS (Property Management System) ; RMS (Revenue Management System or Yield Management), and CRS (Central Reservation System). Optims is now the leading European developer of IT solutions for the Hospitality market. The Company has over 3,900 customers in more than 55 countries. Among Optims' prestigious clientele are Accor, Le Meridien, FRAM, Thistle, Boscolo, Nouvelles Frontieres, Radisson and Savoy Group. Optims issued its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Nouveau Marché in the Paris Stock Exchange in June 2000 (SICOVAM code: 7652).

New name for the ex-company HotelSwitch, Otedis () became 100% a subsidiary of Optims in December 2001. Initially created as an online catalogue for hotels in France, Italy and Spain (more than 30,000 hotels listed), the company signed a distribution contract with over 4,000 establishments in these three countries. Since the takeover by Optims and the appointment of a new management team, Otedis pursues its "on-request" reservations service via a web call-centre (requests by email and not by phone), but its strategic focus is the development of real time reservations technology.

Thanks to recent contracts with Châteaux & Hôtels de France, Agil Hôtels, Sofibra, Jardins de Paris or New Hotel, Otedis will have achieved its objective to offer over 1,000 establishments available in real time. Otedis continues to develop its distribution network.