New Caribbean booking engine

Travel agents and small-size hotels in the Caribbean will receive “tremendous benefits” from a new booking engine, predicted Arley Sobers, director of research & information management, Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). The booking engine is powered by UK-based Escape2Travel, Ltd., a hotel and apartment accommodations booking system for travel agents. It was developed in partnership with DOT Media, the UK web designers, programmers and copywriters. The booking engine offers higher commissions to travel agents, and it gives tour operators and large businesses the ability to purchase a large inventory of rooms. Close to 400 hotels have already signed up for it, according to the CTO. The trip planner, generated by www.doitcaribbean.com, also contains personalized listings for Caribbean specialist travel agents, along with contact details for hotels and other service providers. It comes in two forms: a full-sized version and a wallet-sized edition. Report by David Wilkening