Tourico Holidays® Now Directly Connected to Choice Hotels

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla., Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A new direct connect between Tourico Holidays® and Choice Hotels allows for more than 6,000 Choice Hotels properties to be distributed through the global wholesale travel provider. Adding these properties to the 18,000-plus that Tourico Holidays already offers brings the company's total merchant hotel agreements to more than 23,000.

This XML connectivity benefits Tourico Holidays' customers by providing access to real-time pricing and inventory. "Tourico Holidays has long been known for its cutting-edge technology, and it has again allowed us to deliver this benefit to our customers," said Asi Ginio, executive vice president of product development, Tourico Holidays. "We've invested $40 million into our technology over the past several years, and it shows when we're able to get started on a new relationship like this very quickly. It opens up a new set of customers for Choice Hotels and gives our wholesale customers access to a full suite of great hotels in real time."

Choice Hotels' portfolio includes the Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands.

About Tourico Holidays

Tourico Holidays (www.TouricoHolidays.com) is a subsidiary of Travel Holdings, Inc., a worldwide travel distribution company. Tourico Holidays is a global wholesale travel provider with over 150 international distribution websites and more than 23,000 merchant hotel agreements, operating in 23 languages in over 100 countries. As a supplier to over 4,300 tour operators and travel agents, Tourico Holidays operates and maintains global websites and online interfaces that serve a large diversity of travel sellers.

About Travel Holdings®

Travel Holdings, Inc.® (www.travelholdings.com), one of the most distinctive and expansive travel distribution companies in the world, was created in early 2004 through the merger of Tourico Holidays®, LastMinuteTravel.com® and Travel Global Systems (TGS). Travel Holdings® uses proprietary technology to supply travel inventory at competitive pricing, integrating with all segments of the online travel industry including retail, wholesale, group, travel agents, corporate and affiliates. The company is a truly global organization with headquarters in Orlando and additional local offices across the United States, South America, Europe and Asia.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,000 hotels, representing more than 485,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 35 other countries and territories. As of March 31, 2010, more than 600 hotels are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 52,000 rooms, and more than 100 hotels, representing approximately 8,200 rooms, are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in more than 20 other countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend Collection membership program, travelers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic, boutique and unique hotels.

Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. Web site, which may be accessed at www.choicehotels.com.

Cambria Suites, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International, Inc.

SOURCE Tourico Holidays