Largest Japanese Hotel Consortium Switches to Sabre Hospitality Solutions as Marketing Provider

SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Following an extensive search for a new marketing provider with proven success in the Japanese market, the Japan Rail (JR) Hotel Group has announced it will migrate its properties to Sabre Hospitality Solutions' SynXis Central Reservation System (CRS). One of the largest hotel consortiums in Japan, JR Hotel Group is comprised of 61 properties all near rail stations in key gateway cities throughout Japan. The group will rely on Sabre Hospitality Solutions for their online merchandising, including reservations made through its own website, http://www.jrhotelgroup.com/eng/index.htm, online travel agents, and all four of the major Global Distribution Systems (GDSs). JR Hotel Group will also take advantage of the Japanese language control center and will be supported through Sabre Hospitality Solutions' Tokyo office.

The JR Hotel Group was looking for a total, seamless solution for all of its online distribution and marketing needs. Additionally, they wanted local support from a global provider to help improve their online merchandising opportunities and more effectively carry out their rate strategy. Part of JR Hotel Group, JR West -- Granvia Hotels, switched successfully to the SynXis CRS last year. Granvia Hotels' smooth transition and improved business operations prompted the JR consortium to turn to Sabre Hospitality Solutions to help improve their operations and revenue generation.

"In the last few years SynXis has clearly established itself as the leader in online marketing for hospitality groups in Asia, and through Granvia we have been able to see why," said Ken Yamaguchi, secretary of JR Hotel Group. "Their proven expertise, local support in the Asia Pacific region, and the fact that their control center and booking engine are available in Japanese, made it a clear-cut choice to switch to them as our distribution partner."

SynXis is a key component of Sabre Hospitality Solutions, recently established to meet hoteliers' need for a comprehensive distribution, marketing, and technology solution. The new hospitality group enables SynXis customers to leverage the expertise and support of all of Sabre's hospitality businesses.

Adds Yamaguchi: "The investment that Sabre continues to make in hospitality was a strong indicator to us that this is a company who is committed to helping its customers grow."

"The Japan Rail Hotel Group is a strong name consistent with quality in Japan, making them an important win for us in the region," said Yasaka Tazawa, country manager for SynXis Japan. "Japan Rail's choice of SynXis as their marketing provider is a testament to the strong foothold that Sabre Hospitality Solutions has been establishing in the growing Asian Pacific market. Our investment in the region has been met with an extremely positive response from hoteliers in Japan."