September 09, 2009

 

For Immediate Release

Pasadena, CA, September 9, 2009. LeisureLink, Inc., the leading distribution and revenue management platform for specialty lodging suppliers, today announced that ABetterStay.com™ dramatically exceeded expectations for the summer season. “Contrary to industry fears, consumers still took vacations in spite of the economy” said Steve Reich, Senior Vice President of LeisureLink. “ABetterStay.com experienced explosive growth because we offer consumers an easy way to search for specialty lodging and our suppliers deliver real value.” said Reich.

 

“Our revenues were more than 2x last year's and much of that growth is attributable to ABetterStay.com,” Reich continued. “Many of our suppliers received more than one third of their bookings from ABetterStay.com, putting the site on par with our major distribution partners,” he said. “The key to our success is delivering high quality lodging at a low per-person cost and specialty lodging is exactly the right product for the times. Specialty lodging, including vacation rentals, timeshare resorts, and boutique hotels, offers larger accommodations than a typical chain hotel, often at a comparable price point. As an example, one of our suppliers offers a beach-front condo with a full kitchen in Destin, FL that accommodates 8 people for $141/night, while a similar-quality hotel in the same area charges $100-120 for a single hotel room. The consumer value proposition is simply overwhelming,” he concluded.

 

ABetterStay.com is the central hub for a broad network of distribution points, dramatically increasing its reach and power over that of a single site. ABetterStay.com also syndicates content to over 200 affiliates and the same technology powers booking engines at dozens of properties. “Our affiliate network has been critical in marketing specialty lodging to a whole new consumer segment”, said Chad Rutt, Director of Online Marketing at LeisureLink.

 

“ABetterStay.com has come to define a new standard for a high quality consumer experience in specialty lodging”, said Reich. “Our goal is to make booking a vacation rental or boutique hotel as easy as booking a typical hotel room and we are actively sharing results with our major distribution partners to increase the visibility of this class of lodging across all channels”, he added. “By turning this into a great consumer experience we continue to increase both the visibility and market share of specialty lodging”, he said.

 

LeisureLink's next major initiative is preparing ABetterStay.com for the upcoming ski season. “We are focusing on upgrading our online content, with higher quality photos and more market-specific information,” said Reich. “Many of our suppliers are involved in the effort, sending us new photos and information about special events in their market to assist consumers in booking the right property”, he said. “Our suppliers are concerned about the economy's impact on the upcoming ski season, and we are working intensely with them to ensure strong bookings in this critical period”, Reich concluded.

LeisureLink™ powers global distribution and demand for the specialty lodging industry. Our distribution platform and proprietary Demand Management System™ enable property managers to increase bookings and optimize revenue across thousands of distribution channels. For more information visit www.LeisureLink.com and to view properties go to www.ABetterStay.com.