Website aims to improve bookings

10:30am Thursday 1st May 2008

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AN ONLINE hotel booking service is offering Cumbrian guesthouses the chance to attract record numbers this summer.

Eviivo Frontdesk is an automated booking system that enables bed and breakfasts and small hotels to sell their rooms via their own website and more than 50 other leading travel and leisure sites including lastminute.com and Expedia.com Eviivo predict that 62% of guests will book their accommodation directly over the internet in 2008.

Spokesperson from Eviivo, Rebecca Yirrel, said: "Many thousands of domestic and overseas visitors can book online any time of the day or night, even when owners are on holiday themselves.

"At the height of the season when the pressure is on, this means accommodation providers spend less time as receptionists and more time as hosts!"

Liam Salisbury, of the Angel Inn in Bowness on Windemere, said the the site had already attracted more business for the hotel.

"It gives people an opportunity to book outside of normal hours, and to book instantly without waiting for an email reply or telephone call. It can even take bookings when we are on holiday or closed!" he said.

"The frustrations of allocating rooms, losing money from lack of sales and no show visitors, and coping with double bookings are all dim and distant memories. And with commissions only paid for guaranteed bookings, if there is no room sold, there is no fee to pay; no wasted time or wasted money," said Ms Yirrel.

For more information on the service, visit www.eviio.com