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Leading tourism publisher launches 'reservation revolution' with pioneering new software

Thursday 22 August 2013, 1:15PM

By Southern Public Relations

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i-SITE Queenstown General Manager Matt Wong with iTAG Regional Manager Steve Hanrahan.
i-SITE Queenstown General Manager Matt Wong with iTAG Regional Manager Steve Hanrahan. Credit: Southern Public Relations
 iTAG's new iRES booking system will revolutionise the reservation process.
iTAG's new iRES booking system will revolutionise the reservation process. Credit: Southern Public Relations

QUEENSTOWN

Leading tourism publisher iTAG today (August 22 2013) launches New Zealand’s first free cloud-based booking engine to streamline booking processes for front-line staff and ensure a better guest experience.

The iRES software, which works on real time availability, 24/7, is the first of its kind in New Zealand and has been over 14 years in the making and two years in trial status.

The revolutionary booking system is initially being pioneered in Queenstown with the help of Matt Wong, General Manager of the town’s largest information provider i-SITE Queenstown.

iRES is an independent booking platform that helps Queenstown accommodation, tour and activity operators easily allocate inventory and communicate product information to local booking agents in Queenstown and around New Zealand.

Until now a fully-integrated programme that offers real time availability for all accommodation, tours and activities for tourism businesses hasn’t been available.

Any tourism business can list their product for free on iRES with additional paid options for advanced services available.

iTAG managing director Jim Turner said the company’s focus had always been on providing accurate information to booking agents so they could “easily book local products and help their guests have a better experience in Queenstown”.

“The development of technology over the years has meant we can now offer our popular frontline trade manual online,” said Mr Turner.

“We had the idea for the real-time booking software back in 1999 but it’s only now that technology has caught up so we can move forward with the idea.

“Agents can now book accommodation, activities and tours immediately online, saving hours of time normally spent calling operators and confirming availability and bookings.

“It’s all about keeping people informed and improving the experience in Queenstown.”

i-SITE Queenstown General Manager Matt Wong has been instrumental in development and testing of the system.

“Frontline staff have been asking for a system like this for a long time, a place where all hotels, motels, lodges and activities are available in one place with real time availability,” said Mr Wong.

“iTAG came and asked the industry what we needed and we told him. Jim listened to those on the coal face and now we have iRES.

“It’s free, independent and accessible to all businesses small and large, which was very important to us.

“It makes booking easier and ensures our customers are more satisfied. We then have time to focus on informing them about our area, rather than calling round operators,” Mr Wong said.

The cloud-based software links the printed iTAG Guides with the iRES online booking system, making bookings easier and many times faster than before.

Accommodation providers and activity operators load inventory to the system whenever they desire and at whatever price point they choose, opening up opportunities to offer distressed inventory at the last minute and in some cases to select booking agents only.

iTAG regional sales manager Steve Hanrahan is a stalwart in the local tourism industry and has worked on the frontline for many years including as Les Clefs d’Or Chief Concierge at The Rees and Matakauri Lodge.

Based in Queenstown, Steve is now charged with educating businesses about iRES and encouraging them to load inventory to the system.

“With over 1400 products from 220 separate businesses available to be sold in Queenstown, there’s a lot of opportunity and choice for people,” said Mr Hanrahan.

“iTAG is the only company that has all the correct information about these businesses and now we have all that information online in one place.

“Finally we’ve managed to pull together all the things everyone wants to create a ‘one-stop-shop’ which benefits the guest, frontline staff, and business owner.”

Although not designed as a distressed inventory programme or “last minute deals” system, the immediate nature of iRES allows businesses to react immediately to market demands.

“If you had two spaces on your next boat trip leaving in 20 minutes and wanted to sell it at a last minute distressed rate, you can easily update the pricing in iRES and using the real time chat tell the frontline staff immediately this becomes available.”

Jim Turner said agents would be able to select and confirm product availability without the need for a phone call, saving time and costs to manage call-centre logistics after hours.

“Smaller business operators will be able to run their businesses from a smart-phone and soon we’ll be able to connect with other cloud-based systems like Xero,” he said.

As well as i-SITE Queenstown a number of other motels, hotels and lodges have adopted the software including Crowne Plaza Queenstown and two major information centres in Auckland and Christchurch.

“This is very much stage one and further updates of the system are planned for this summer,” said Mr Turner.

“It really is an exciting prospect to finally be able to offer a solution that solves everyone’s problems.

“It’s certainly been a long time coming.”

About iTAG

The iTAG Local Information Network started 12 years ago, when two friends in Queenstown were asking questions about how much it cost to 'River-surf' the Kawarau River, and if you needed to take swimming togs on the 'Funyak Tour'. These two simple questions led to the light 'bulb moment', justifying the challenge to put together a directory that contained information about what activities cost, how long they took, when they departed, and most importantly, what other people thought was remarkable about that activity. Since that very humble start in December 1999, iTAG was born and has grown to be the first choice local information resource for visitors. Originally named the 'Independent Travellers Activity Guide' (iTAG for short), it was apparent that not only friends found this directory handy, but international visitors and the travel industry were utilising the structured information.

Twelve years on iTAG has printed more than 7.2 million Activity Guides, Menu Guides, and Local Maps, and still remains true to that early idea; 'to be the best source of local activity information for both the local and the visiting public'. Fast-forward to today, and with considerable investment into on-line solutions for the end-user and the travel trade, iTAG is ready to launch the next stable of information solutions embracing the new digital age.