Bookassist enhances its corporate web presence with new Spanish language site

Bookassist, the leading provider of booking technology and online marketing expertise to the accommodation sector, has today launched a new comprehensive corporate website in Spanish (bookassist.es). This latest roll-out by the company highlights the fast pace of growth that Bookassist is experiencing with its hotel booking engine, its Site Builder web development product and its Traffic Builder search engine marketing service in Spain.

Founded on delivering world class solutions in a fast changing market place, Bookassist's cutting-edge technology is supported by unrivalled account management and online marketing support helping hotels to unlock the power of their websites and build direct online sales. The new Spanish language website is specifically tailored to the markets serviced by Bookassist's Madrid office.



Bookassist is an Irish Internet Association NetVisionary Award winner for online trade and has twice been a Top 10 company in Deloitte's Fast 50 fastest growing companies. Bookassist has its headquarters in Ireland with offices in Spain, Scotland, France, Italy, Czech Republic and Poland.

Bookassist is exhibiting at the World Travel Market WTM 2008 in London November, area Global Village N° TT 7085. Representatives from all of Bookassist's international offices will be on hand.

Bookassist seminar highlights importance of Travel 2.0 to the hotel industry's bottom line

At a wide-ranging seminar event for the hospitality industry on Wednesday April 9th, Bookassist, the leading hospitality booking engine provider and online marketing partner provided over 70 hotel owners and managers with a snapshot of where their industry is going in the coming years and just how rapidly it is getting there. The warning was clear that the hospitality industry must stay on top of research and innovation in the online arena if they are to fully benefit from the medium.

The move towards direct business on the hotel's own website, reducing reliance on online third parties, is now well underway in the industry, driven by the online customer's desire to obtain the best rates from source. The customer is increasingly savvy online and is prepared to shop around, and this has been highlighted recently by industry research showing that the top travel websites worldwide are no longer travel booking sites, but travel blogs and online travel discussion sites where people trade ideas and opinions before they go to source to book. Bookassist has been promoting this direct business model as the industry's future for a number of years now, with its Booking Engine software and Traffic Builder online marketing services, and has seen its own clients' direct business increase rapidly in recent years. "A recent survey of our main hotel clients in Ireland has shown that on average over 55% of their entire revenue is now generated online", said Roshan McPartland, Operations Manager for Bookassist in Ireland. "Bookassist technology is helping to deliver up to 70% of that online revenue to our hotel partners in many cases. We stay on top of research into developing trends and can innovate rapidly, as we have consistently done to date, to ensure our clients get the best possible advantage online".

The seminar event, part of series to be held in Bookassist's major markets in the coming 12 months, was held at the Radisson Royal Hotel in Dublin City Centre and was opened by a perspective on the next 25 years in internet distribution by Co-founder and Managing Director at Bookassist, Dr Des O'Mahony. Guest speakers included Colin Lewis of Aer Arann discussing online marketing strategies and Mark Rodgers of Cipherion, a Bookassist partner company, who presented on the necessities of a multilingual approach to the online global market. Bookassist Senior Search Engine Specialist Foncho Ramírez Corzo discussed the Web 2.0 phenomenon of customer generated media and its impact on the industry, while Senior Search Engine Marketer Ciaran Rowe (pictured above) covered a broad range of topics in online marketing techniques. "Getting more market intelligence into the hands of our clients, allowing them to see clear data on their online business that allows them to properly plan their online strategies is a key part of what we are trying to do at Bookassist", said Roshan McPartland, who finished the seminar day with a preview of the advanced new reporting features coming in the next upgrade of the market leading Bookassist Booking Engine.

The seminar event was also attended by staff from Bookassist offices abroad giving an international perspective on an increasingly global market.


Roshan Mc Partland & Dr Des O'Mahony - Bookassist, Lloyd Harnett - Absolute Hotel.com, Colin Lewis - Aer Arann


Terry McCoy - RedBank House, Dr Des O'Mahony - Bookassist, Emma Allen - Mespil Hotel, Paul Gallagher - Buswells Hotel


Siobhan Byrne - Leixlip House Hotel, Josephine Hutton - Talbot Hotel Carlow, Catherine Redmond - Stillorgan Park Hotel, Louise Marini - Talbot Hotel Wexford


Marie Sharpe - Bookassist, Jacinta Naughton & Amanda O'Sullivan - Portlaoise Heritage Hotel, Sandra Jackson - Fitzpatricks Castle Hotel

Bookassist appoints Operations Manager for the Spanish Office

Cristina Arano joins Bookassist Spain office as Head of Operations in Spain

Bookassist has announced that Cristina Arano has joined the company as Operations Manager for Spain. Cristina Arano has over 12 years experience in the travel industry, working in the UK and Spain, occupying various positions in intermediary companies such as hotel Contracting Manager for international markets and Director of Sales. She will have direct responsibility for the 10 staff currently in Madrid and will oversee expansion.

Cristina Arano is based in Bookassist's office in Madrid and oversees the development and growth of the company in Spain

Bookassist appoints Sales Manager in Spain

Ismael García-Ortega Camino has been appointed to head the sales division in Spain and Portugal markets to grow business and introduce the Bookassist Bookingengine and Trafficbuilder services, as the perfect technological partner to mainly drive bookings directly into the hotel's website and reduce distribution costs.

Ismael García-Ortega Camino brings significant experience in the world of tourism, particularly in hotels. Since he graduated in Business and Tourism Activities at the UNED over the past ten years his career has led him to play different positions in chains such as Rafael Hoteles and Hoteles Porcel and also on the side of the Tour Operation in companies such as Bancotel.