| PHOENIX, AZ - July 2, 1998--Forte Hotels has signed a new
contract with Utell International,
the world's leading hotel reservations and marketing company, a division
of REZsolutions Inc., for the representation of 91 properties worldwide
on Utell's voice reservations system. This includes 25 additional properties
which were not previously bookable through Utell.
Forte, (which includes international brand, Le Meridien), has rationalized and expanded the portfolio previously represented by Utell, concentrating on those properties which give the hotel chain the best yield. This includes 18 hotels in London, as well as properties across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and the Far East. The arrangement also means that Forte is taking advantage of the combined
product offering of REZsolutions Inc., the company formed last December
as a result of the merger between Utell Voice reservations can be made for the international Forte portfolio through over 50 Utell International Voice Reservations Offices worldwide. In the U.S. call 800/44-UTELL. Forte manages its own representation through the Global Distribution System (GDS) using a central reservations system outsourced from Anasazi Inc. "In signing the new contract, we took the opportunity to evaluate exactly how best to maximize our relationship with Utell International. Utell represents those of our properties which are frequented by the business traveler sector, and consequently business hubs - cities such as London, Manchester, and airport hotels - feature heavily in the portfolio," said Tony Cousens, senior vice president, international sales marketing, Forte Hotels. "By concentrating on those properties which deliver us the highest yield,
we are able to maximize the potential of our property base by enabling
Utell to deliver a solid additional customer channel." "The defining exercise
that Forte has undertaken with regard to the hotels Utell represents for
them makes enormous sense. About 70 percent of Utell's business is from
the business travel sector, so the demand for city and airport hotels in
commercial centers is high," said Heather Blaseby, managing director -
Europe, Utell
"The relationship between Utell International and Forte consequently works extremely well for both parties. We are also delighted that through their existing relationship with Anasazi, we are providing Forte with a comprehensive representation service through REZsolutions." REZsolutions Inc. is the leading provider of technology-based systems,
distribution networks, private label services and international marketing
programs for the hospitality industry worldwide. Offering a fully integrated
portfolio of products and services, along with global access, REZsolutions
Inc.'s vision is to become the only comprehensive one-stop-shop for the
hospitality industry. REZsolutions maintains a worldwide network of over
50 offices with more than 2,000 employees, and represents 7,700 properties
globally. The company offers full-service support for independent hotels,
management companies, hotel owners and developers in over 180 countries.
In addition to its corporate headquarters in Phoenix, REZsolutions operates
regional business
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International
and Anasazi Inc., the leading supplier of information technology-based
solutions to the hospitality industry.