| (1888PressRelease) The online hotel reservation | | | | types of search options viz. Simple Search and |
| system of Kerala Tourism, being availed of by | | | | Advanced Search enable visitors to find out the most |
| thousands of travelers, set in for a major expansion. | | | | suitable choice in a matter of seconds. |
| The online hotel reservation system of Kerala Tourism | | | | "Initiatives like the online reservation system aims at |
| is set in for a major expansion with the preparation of | | | | providing travelers a complete holiday experience with |
| a strong database of around 4,500 trade partners. | | | | least hassles and formalities,'' says Dr Venu V., |
| Launched in mid-2009, the system currently has | | | | Secretary, Kerala Tourism. Over the years, Kerala |
| around 200 service providers and more trade partners | | | | Tourism has become an active facilitator to the |
| would join the initiative with the expansion put in place. | | | | industry, rather than staying as an onlooker, he said. |
| The system has already proved to be a success with | | | | M. Sivasankar, Director, Kerala Tourism attributes the |
| thousands of travelers availing of the facility within a | | | | success of the online reservation facility to the |
| short span of time. | | | | whole-hearted support of trade partners. "The spirit of |
| The online accommodation reservation system offers | | | | the travel and tour industry in the State to avail of |
| travelers a wide range of choices from five-star hotels | | | | modern technologies has always helped Destination |
| to homestays in remote corners of the State. Around | | | | Kerala to move ahead of times," he said. |
| twenty-five thousand rooms in Destination Kerala at | | | | More about |
| various destinations, including Alappuzha, Kumarakom, | | | | Ever since its launch in 1998, has played a decisive role |
| Munnar, Periyar, Wayanad, Kochi and Kozhikode are | | | | in the branding of Destination Kerala across the globe. |
| available for reservation through the system. | | | | Over the years, the website has become the |
| With this facility, rooms can be booked online any time | | | | one-stop reference for travelers to the destination. |
| by visiting The booking can be done by using major | | | | The website has won several prestigious awards and |
| credit cards, debit cards; through net banking and other | | | | honours, including the national award instituted by the |
| facilities like Pay Pal. The specialty of the online | | | | Union Ministry of Tourism on four occasions. |
| reservation platform is that the payment made for | | | | The website is available in English, French, German, |
| reservation goes directly to the account of the | | | | Italian, Spanish and Chinese and in Indian languages viz. |
| property owner. | | | | Hindi and Malayalam. On an average, the site gets |
| Search facility | | | | 1,25,000 visitors a month and each visitor, on an |
| The search facility in the reservation system enables | | | | average spends around seven minutes on the |
| visitors to make quick choices in simple steps. The two | | | | website. |