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Hotel Clients Soar More than 1000% in last year
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Average Number of Image Views Increase Three-fold
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Growing Distribution Network tops 5,000 with Yahoo!, Travelocity, Orbitz,
Priceline, CheapTickets.com and first GDS Worldspan
TORONTO, CANADA, September 26, 2005 � VFM Interactive, the leader in online
media management, production and distribution for the travel industry,
today announced its continued expansion and innovation have spurred significant
growth that places the company on an upward trajectory to make 2005 a banner
year for the five year-old-firm. The across-the-board growth in services,
clients, and distribution partners squarely positions VFM as the unrivaled
leader in the market for the range of services, number of active hotel
clients and breadth of distribution reaching the most consumer touch points.
VFM helps travel and hospitality companies connect with highly sophisticated
online travelers through the power of rich media and the company�s growing
travel distribution network. As consumer demand for online travel
services and bookings have grown so has demand from global travel companies
for VFM�s services, which combines rich media production � videos, virtual
tours, 360° images, and flash ads � with the fastest growing and broadest
online media distribution networks in the travel industry.
In the last year alone, VFM hospitality clients have grown more than
1,000 percent from 800 hotel properties to more than 8,000, which is expected
to top 10,000 by the end of the year. At the same time, VFM has expanded
its distribution network to more than 5,000 points, representing the most
expansive network available to hoteliers today, including major travel
sites, portals and search engines, and GDSs. This network includes
some of the notable names in search and travel: AOL, Travelocity, Orbitz
and recent additions Yahoo!, Priceline, CheapTickets.com and its first
GDS, Worldspan. These third-party distributors are able to easily
link to VFM�s feed of still images and rich media for thousands of hotel
properties at no cost. The increase in VFM�s distribution network
has fueled an increase in average monthly hotel image views by more than
300 percent, helping hotels reach more consumers with compelling rich media
images and marketing pieces.
�We are extremely pleased with our progress, but even more excited about
the opportunities in the future as broadband penetration climbs and travel
companies continue to look at more creative and interactive ways to engage
consumers and convert sales,� said Paolo Boni, president and chief executive
officer of VFM. �VFM offers our hotel clients and distribution partners
the convenience of working with one company to satisfy all image and rich
media needs that helps all of our partners in the supply chain increase
consumer online views and sales.�
A key driver of the company�s growth is Vscape®, VFM�s proprietary
management and distribution platform, which recently added free still image
distribution to its portfolio making VFM the only company that offers media
production, management and distribution services for both still images
and rich media. Through Vscape, hotel clients can now distribute up to
20 still images simultaneously across VFM�s network of travel sites and
portals. Using a new online management tool, Vscape also allows hotel representatives
to manage their photographs in real time while providing unparalleled control
in selecting where and when their images will appear. Le Meridien
and Best Western were early adopters of the still image distribution, and
VFM expects to make the free service available to more hotels this month.
VFM intends to augment its recent North American growth by broadening
its presence and network in key international markets, particularly in
Europe and Asia to take advantage of the continued shift to online travel
sales.
�We see incredible opportunity for our existing and new hotel clients
and distribution partners in rich media emergence in key markets around
the world,� adds Boni. �I expect we�ll see more travel brands embrace the
power of rich media to efficiently market products and services to reach
the growing universe of sophisticated travel consumers who expect better
information and material online.�
About VFM Interactive
VFM
Interactive is the leading distributor and producer of rich media content
for the lodging and travel industry. Operating the largest and fastest-growing
distribution network, VFM enables hotels to maximize their presence online
using the power of rich media on more than 5,000 travel-related distribution
points where consumers are researching and purchasing travel products.
In addition to sites such as Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline and TripAdvisor,
VFM�s distribution network also includes major search engines like Yahoo!
and GDSs, including Worldspan. VFM also produces a variety of media
marketing content including still images, rich media videos, 360° virtual
tours and Flash productions. VFM�s clients include more than 8,000 hotels
and resorts from brands and management companies such as Best Western,
Choice, Crowne Plaza, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Interstate, Le Meridien, Marriott,
MGM, Outrigger, Radisson, Regent, Sheraton, W, Westin, and Wyndham.
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