Prince Edward Island’s tourism industry is poised to better serve its clientele in 2005 thanks to the online reservation system which allows visitors to book accommodations on P.E.I. year-round.
The P.E.I. Online Reservation System benefits tourism accommodation operators by making vacancy information available to visitors in real-time. The system was initiated in 2004 as the demand for booking accommodations on P.E.I. online escalated significantly. It provides a cost-efficient and user-friendly reservation system that benefits both visitors and business owners.
“The establishment of a central reservation system was a priority to ‘close the sale’ with customers wishing to plan a trip to Prince Edward Island,” said Philip Brown, Minister of Tourism for Prince Edward Island. “The system is both affordable and simple for operators. In effect, it’s custom made for P.E.I.’s tourism industry and will result in better customer relations and better access to accommodations across the Island.”
The new system provides for year-round, real-time online reservations and will also assist operators in managing their inventory, keeping track of their business, and reporting their occupancy information, now required by law. The system is easy to use, beginning with an initial one-time setup using the operator’s current computer system. Operators are able to access their vacancy information year-round, from any location worldwide that has an internet connection.
“The industry has long recognized that an efficient central reservation system is needed to allow visitors to book their accommodations,” said Judy MacDonald, President of the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island (TIAPEI). “We encourage all licensed accommodations and campgrounds to take advantage of the technology to better serve their customers.”
In order to encourage as many operators as possible to participate in this new initiative, registration into the system was free for 2004 and is again for 2005. An affordable fee for all participating operators will be required in subsequent years, with help line support provided by InternetWorks, the Island company that developed the system.
Training sessions for operators are available with current training held every Monday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. (evening sessions are available by request) and regional training sessions will be held in April 2005. Operators are encouraged to watch for information bulletins from TIAPEI to its members as well as information from regional and sectoral tourism associations.
For more information about the training or other elements of the reservation system, please contact the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island (TIAPEI) at (902) 566-5008.