BookIt to power i-Sites around New Zealand

Media Release

Tuesday 25 February 2014

BookIt to power i-Sites around New Zealand

Tourism New Zealand’s official visitor information network i-SITE New Zealand has chosen Kiwi booking engine BookIt to enable instant confirmation accommodation bookings as an enhancement to their IBIS reservation systems.

The integration kicks off after Easter with the Wellington i-SITE the first to get the new service. It will see the BookIt engine integrated with IBIS, which is used by most i-SITEs to make bookings for tourists and travellers. i-SITE consultants will be able to access real-time room availability at over 2500 properties throughout New Zealand and make instant bookings.

i-SITE New Zealand chairman Chris Roberts said the integration was set to be a win-win. “This BookIt integration will provide visitors with more options on where to stay and i-SITE consultants will be able to complete the entire enquiry, booking and vouchering process much quicker. We’re expecting it to deliver a significant improvement in customer experience.”

Daniel Bridges, head of travel at Trade Me, said BookIt was rapt to be selected for the initiative. “The combination of i-SITE’s trusted brand and BookIt’s accommodation network will dial down the hassle for international and domestic visitors as they travel around New Zealand.”

“Customer service will be faster and instead of having to make ten phone calls to find a room for a traveller standing in front of them, the i-SITE team will be able to find and book rooms for any types of accommodation quickly,” says Bridges.

Back office systems will also be streamlined as the Bookit reservation process will feed information directly into IBIS, saving considerable time and effort around financial reconciliation and payments.

Director of IBIS Technology Erik Bradshaw says that integrating online bookings between IBIS software and Bookit will enable i-SITEs to make better use of online technology to improve efficiency. “i-SITE users will be able to launch the Bookit search engine directly from their IBIS system, browse availability online, complete a booking in real time and record this back in to their IBIS software in a fully automated process, eliminating the need for duplicate data entries and phone calls.”

The i-SITE network handles an estimated 7.8 million in-person visitors and process 630,000 bookings annually, turning over $77 million in travel, accommodation and activities bookings, retail sales and other income.

ENDS

© Scoop Media