Hospitality industry firm develops free marketing application for iPhone

Paris-based FastBooking, a leading provider of advanced internet booking systems and e-marketing services for the hospitality industry, has developed a an iPhoneR) application that can be downloaded immediately, at no charge, from the iTunes online store.

''It's a quick, free download,'' says Jean Robberecht, vice president marketing, strategic accounts. ''No matter where iPhone users travels, they'll have the best hotels at the best prices, right in their hands.''

FastBooking say its iPhone app gives users access to the more than 4,000 hotels in its portfolio, independent hotels around the world which rely on the FastBooking Engine to manage their online bookings. Through the FastBooking app, iPhone users can reserve their rooms and other hotel amenities in real-time based on the most current information on each hotel's rates and availability.

Additional unique features are also built into the FastBooking iPhone application:

• Sophisticated GPS functions help users locate all nearby hotels.
• Google Maps is integrated into the application so there's no need to leave the booking process to see a street or satellite map.
• Potential guests can see photos of the hotel's rooms, restaurant, lobby, spa, pool and other amenities.
• Forms are automatically filled in using information from the iPhone address book.
• Secured links handle payment information.
• Once a reservation is confirmed, an automatic route plan shows the guest how to get to the hotel.

The FastBooking iPhone app is a native application developed specifically for the iPhone to make the most of the technological and ergonomic advantages the platform offers: the intuitive interface, swiping and tapping features, and performance speed. The company will roll out its mobile strategy during 2010 with hotel booking applications for the most popular mobile platforms.

Since 2000, FastBooking has been driving more visitors to hotel websites and converting these visitors to direct bookings. Its products and services optimise a hotel's business by maximising highly profitable direct website bookings, then rationalise inventory and pricing across all online sales channels. The company even optimises business through legacy GDS / IDS with a cost effective service.

Headquartered in Paris with subsidiaries in Italy, USA, Asia and India, the company has E. de Rothschild as its anchor investor.