According to Cynthia Lu, Vagabond�s Internet marketing manager, �the new site launched informally about three weeks ago.  We wanted to operate it quietly for awhile, just to ensure there were no surprises as our customers transitioned to it.  So far, so good � excellent, in fact.  There have been only a couple of bugs that were quickly resolved.  The site is performing as anticipated and receiving traffic from around the world.�

�We spent a lot of time developing the new site�s look and feel, �continued Lu, �but we really emphasized ease of use.  Today�s Web-savvy frequent travelers want to visit a site, do their business quickly, and get a confirmation.  The folks who remain a bit timid about using the Web need more information and assurance before making an online buying decision.  We worked hard to ensure www.vagabondinn.com does a good job of satisfying the needs of both types of customers.�

The Vagabond website previously was operated by WorldRes.com as a �private label� service.  Jim Apostolis, Vagabond�s vice president of information systems, explained the company�s decision to develop its own Internet booking engine.

�Our relationship with WorldRes.com has been terrific.  They enabled our introduction to Internet marketing and the Web quickly became an important source of business for us.  We continue to have a very positive partnership with WorldRes.  As our volume of reservations sourced through the Internet steadily increased, it became clear that we needed both to enhance our Web presence to capture even more business, and to rely less on a fee-for-service model.

The decision to develop our own Internet booking engine evolved out of our early success with the Web and the company�s overall technology strategy.  Our goal is to offer real-time, last-room availability to all of our customers.  The investment in software and technology development is significant for a company of our size, but the ROI in terms of guest service and satisfaction make it worthwhile.  We are very satisfied with the results we�ve achieved so far.�

Vagabond Franchise System, Inc. franchises Vagabond Inn®, Vagabond Inn Executivesm, and Vagabond Plaza Hotelsm limited- and full-service, economy and mid-priced lodging properties that appeal to value conscious business and leisure travelers.  There are presently 41 Vagabond locations in California, Washington and Nevada.