Hotel Online  Special Report

 
 Lexington Services Goes Mobile - Expands Its Distribution
Network to Growing Wireless Reservation Bookers
HITEC Booth #1302
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IRVING, Texas�June 23, 2003--Lexington Services (http://www.lexres.com), the proven innovator in reservation services, electronic distribution and channel management, today announced an agreement with OpenGrid, the first and most advanced mobile commerce solution for the lodging industry. Travelers will be able to access and reserve subscribing Lexington member hotels via OpenGrid�s FastBook�, the first wireless reservations product exclusively designed for hotel companies and their mobile customers. This unprecedented union expands Lexington hotel members presence and distribution capabilities to the growing wireless community and provides them with an additional source of reservations.

Travelers can search Lexington hotels, make reservations and retrieve and modify existing bookings in real-time, directly from handheld devices, including Palm, Pocket PC, web-enabled cell phones and BlackBerry. Additionally, users can retrieve property features and driving directions�anywhere, anytime.
Lexington�s electronic integration with FastBook is supported by an OTA-compliant XML interface and OpenGrid�s mobile device recognition software, which integrates seamlessly into Lexington�s CRS, providing hotel guests with a highly practical, easy-to-use reservations and property information application.
�Mobile device reservation volume is increasing rapidly and is quickly becoming a valued source of bookings for hotels, similar to the early days of the Internet reservations channel,� commented Shawn Heaton, president of Lexington Services. �FastBook offers Lexington hotel members a new and cost-effective reservation channel that lowers distribution costs, supports their direct distribution strategy, increases their exposure to the growing wireless reservation demand pool.�

Adrian van Haaften, President & CEO of OpenGrid, adds: �FastBook is a perfect fit for an innovative organization like Lexington Services, with its commitment to optimizing revenues and distribution channels for its member hotels. Mobile commerce is an important component of a well-crafted product distribution strategy and is poised to become the next significant lodging distribution channel. With FastBook, Lexington member hotels will now be able to reach high-value customers where other channels - and Lexington competitors - can�t, with considerable impact on customer loyalty.�

With over 23 million mobile data device subscribers in North America today, growing to an estimated 500 million worldwide by 2005, mobile commerce has arrived as the newest, potentially most powerful, marketing channel for the travel industry.

About Open Grid
Founded in 1999, OpenGrid is a pioneer in mobile commerce, offering the lodging industry and its customers the first turnkey mobile transaction application for anytime/anywhere reservations, property information and loyalty plan access. Integrating seamlessly with existing CRS, GDS and E-commerce systems, OpenGrid�s proprietary FastBook� application is accessible from any mobile data device and presents hotel room inventory, search and information, driving directions and guest loyalty data in a uniquely functional, easy-to-use and device-specific format. OpenGrid offers the lodging industry and its distribution partners the next cost-effective electronic distribution and marketing channel. For more information on OpenGrid, contact Adrian van Haaften at [email protected], or visit http://www.opengrid.com/.

About Lexington Services
Lexington Services is a proven leader in reservation services, electronic distribution and channel management to hotels worldwide.  Since 1991, Lexington Services has provided independent hotels, resorts, chains and management companies the ability to realize their optimal revenue potential through effective reservation services and product distribution. Lexington capitalizes on the power of the travel agent global distribution systems (GDS), Internet Distribution Systems (IDS), Call Center Services, Booking Engine technology and marketing alliance strengths to generate, manage and process hotel reservations electronically. Lexington Services provides electronic distribution solutions using the latest and most advanced central reservations technology available in the marketplace. Along with effective technology solutions, Lexington has distinguished itself as the leader in providing continual consulting services to its members and advising them on the ever-changing distribution landscape that is critical to their hotel positioning and representation. Lexington works with over 3800 hotels encompassing 28 brands in 81 countries, and is headquartered in Dallas/Irving Texas with worldwide offices or representatives in Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Italy and Spain. More information about Lexington is available at www.lexres.com.

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Contact:
Amy Gilliam Jones
Lexington Services
1+214-350-4597
[email protected]
www.lexres.com

Also See Lexington Services Unveils LexBook -- Next Generation Hotel Internet Booking Engine / June 2003
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PGA National Resort & Spa Selects Lexington Services for Global Reservations / Oct 2001
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Lexington Services Completes First Simulated Migration toSpiritTM  Hotel Reservation System, Powered by CSC Services / Company successfully executes first of three tests for new reservation system / July 2001
Lexington Services' New SPIRIT System, Powered by CSC Services, to Debut at HITEC / June 2001 
Lexington Services and CSC Align to Provide Framework for State-of-the-art Hotel Central Reservation System - SPIRIT / May 2001 
Candlewood Hotel Company, Inc., Selects Lexington® Services For Global Reservations / Feb 1999 


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