hetras, the technology provider for new generation hotels, and Travel24, an established German online travel agency, have announced a long-term partnership to support the launch of Travel24’s new hotel brand.
The first property, a 170-room hotel in a reconstructed historic Leipzig building, is set to open in 2015. Travel24 plans to open 24 additional hotels over the next five to seven years. Like most new generation hotels, the Travel24 properties will offer eye-catching style, convenient locations and quality amenities at attractive prices. But Travel24 will add its own twists. Guests receive a 2D bar code with their reservation. This bar code, with which guests are already familiar through air and train travel, serve as an identification upon check-in and check-out and can be used to operate the hotel kiosks as well. hetras is largely responsible for the design, development and integration of the technology.
The real novelty of the concept, however, is the fact that Travel24 is already well known as an online travel agency. The combination of an OTA with a hotel chain creates unprecedented possibilities.
“As an online travel agency, it is imperative that we maintain a neutral position towards all of our hotel partners, including our own,” explained Armin Schauer, CEO of Travel24. “The difference is not on the OTA side but on the hotel side. Our hotels do not need to differentiate between the direct and indirect channel. After all, each channel is essentially commission-free.”
“Travel24 is indeed stretching the definition of new generation, yet this is nothing new for us,” added Tanja Baier, senior account manager at hetras. “Virtually all of our customers have pioneered new technologies and we are always excited to be at the forefront of change.”
“Our choice for hetras was simple,” continued Schauer, a former executive at Accor. “We looked for vendors with positive references and experience in, among other areas, kiosks, OTA integration and digital signature technology. Only hetras could check off all the boxes. It’s no surprise that hetras is the standard for new generation chains.”
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