CHICAGO, IL | TravelCLICK Inc., the leading provider of ecommerce solutions for the global hotel industry, has placed 35th in Crain’s 2009 Fast Fifty list, published in Crain’s Chicago Business. This is the third consecutive year Crain’s has ranked TravelCLICK on its list, which highlights the Chicago region’s best and most innovative public and private companies.

Crain’s notes that “amid losses in the hospitality industry, TravelCLICK's revenue grew 15.7% in 2008 by helping clients outperform rivals by as much as 5%.” Specifically, in the first quarter of 2009, TravelCLICK iHotelier® Reservation Solutions customers collectively outperformed the market in revenue growth 78% of the time. While working with the industry’s large chains, TravelCLICK also caters to independent hotels, helping them build award-winning websites, optimize search marketing results, and advertise to travel agents. With annual revenue in excess of $175 million, TravelCLICK has been profitable from operations since 2003, with a steady growth in operating profit (EBITDA).

“We are pleased to again be recognized on the Fast Fifty,” said Robert Post, president and chief executive officer of TravelCLICK. “With the global hospitality industry challenged this past year by a general downturn in travel, our top priority has been maintaining high visibility for our hotel customers.” Post explains, “When times get tough, the temptation for many hotels frozen by fear is to withdraw. Nothing could be more damaging. Slashing rates, dumping inventory to third parties to buy occupancy, or cutting back on your marketing spend—these actions can destroy your pricing power, devalue your property in the eyes of consumers, and create downward pressure on your profits.”

TravelCLICK advises its clients to combine strategies instead of cutting back. The more proven marketing tactics that are used together, the greater the ROI. TravelCLICK’s study of over 300 PPC clients in 2008 shows as much as a 180% lift from a layered approach of pay-per-click advertising (PPC), search engine optimization, and an interactive booking engine when compared to using PPC alone.

“Hotels should invest in strategies that have long-term value, are measurable, and help drive direct demand. Now is the time to focus on tactics that deliver higher ROI and are flexible in a fluctuating marketplace,” adds Post.

Today, TravelCLICK serves over 14,000 hotel customers worldwide. Its comprehensive hotel ecommerce and revenue management solution, featuring distribution, intelligence, and a digital marketing agency—backed by industry insight and personalized service—enables hotels to drive consumer demand through the most effective channels, with focus on direct demand through their own websites. With TravelCLICK’s award-winning iHotelier online reservations solution, guests book directly to the hotel through an easy-to-use, award-winning interactive booking screen, iStay®, that improves the online booking experience, brings higher online conversion rates, and creates incremental revenue opportunities for hoteliers. TravelCLICK is a global company, with international headquarters in Barcelona and over 45% of revenue generated outside the Americas.

About TravelCLICK Inc () | TravelCLICK, the leader in hotel ecommerce solutions, provides a continuous flow of high-value online bookings to hotels worldwide. A uniquely comprehensive one-stop solution, TravelCLICK offers market intelligence, distribution, electronic marketing, and media solutions delivered with personal attention and local market expertise. With revenue optimization experts in every global market, we help our clients make better business decisions, generate greater demand from the right mix of channels, convert more shoppers to high-value guests, and increase revenue and profitability. Serving the hospitality industry since 1999, TravelCLICK has more than 14,000 customers in 140 countries with offices in Barcelona, Chicago, Dubai, Houston, Phoenix, Melbourne, Shanghai, and Tokyo.

Katrina Pruit-Andrews
1 410 257 9154

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