Best Western, La Quinta Sign Agreements to Reach Unmanaged Leisure Groups

DENVER � Oct. 14 - Groople, the online marketplace for group travel, announces deals with Best Western International and La Quinta Inns Inc., allowing the non-professional group coordinator direct access to group pricing, group room blocks and special group booking assistance at an additional 4,650 hotel properties worldwide.

“The travel community has been conditioned to focus on booking individual reservations online but Groople allows the travel industry to think outside of the box and book five rooms or many, many more, in one online session,” Groople Chief Executive David Loy said, adding that the site now can provide rates for 57,000 properties. “By focusing on the consumer�s needs surrounding the process of event planning, Groople eliminates many property level headaches, while enhancing the consumer experience.”

Best Western and La Quinta said they jumped at the opportunity to serve consumers and realized the potential of having Groople as a group distribution partner.

“We immediately recognized the many advantages of using Groople for targeting and servicing the group travel market,” said Bob Gilbert, vice president worldwide sales and alliances, Best Western International. “The potential for growth is tremendous and with Groople�s advanced technology, we believe we�re ahead of the curve and that�s what one expects from the world�s largest hotel chain.”

La Quinta Vice President of Sales Feliz Jarvis said “Whether it�s for a family reunion, a bachelor party trip to Las Vegas, a swim meet for a youth organization or a small wedding, Groople provides an easy one-stop shop to find a range of accommodations at great prices. La Quinta thrives on this type of business and it�s another way we can reach consumers who are moving to on-line booking tools. We believe there is great potential in this segment.”

Groople utilizes the most effective channels to target the leisure group market by automating the group booking process while matching the needs of specific groups with appropriate products, prices and support. While facilitating bookings and generating new revenue, Groople allows hotels to retain control of their inventory and rates.

Groople, based in Denver, was created by more than 20 experienced leaders from every area of the travel industry with the goal of becoming the place for leisure group travelers to book the best, hassle-free deals. Groople serves military groups, family reunions, religious organizations and other leisure customers at www.Groople.com and through its offline agents while helping suppliers by giving consumers access to hotel inventory.