rakuten

eRevMax has completed its integration with Rakuten Travel to offer XML connectivity to its growing base of hotel customers. Accommodation providers selling inventories on Rakuten Travel will now be able to make real-time availability, rates and inventory (ARI) updates and receive bookings generated on the channel through eRevMax solutions, directly into their property management system.

Following a two-way XML interface certification with eRevMax to leverage its RateTiger and Connect enterprise distribution services, Rakuten Travel becomes the first Japanese online travel agent to join the growing list of certified distributors, part of the eRevMax Channel Ecosystem.

Rakuten Travel is currently connected with more than 80,000 hotels worldwide, including approximately 30,000 hotels in Japan, and the company will be able to gain access to broader products and more availability, improve booking conversion and increase revenues as part of its growth plans across South East Asia, the US and Latin America.

Founded in 2002, Rakuten Travel is one of Japan’s largest online hotel reservation website with more than 3.7 million room nights booked a month.

Rakuten Travel president Takanobu Yamamoto said: "Discerning Japanese travelers today look for competitive rates, exhaustive choices, room availability and last minute deals. With eRevMax embracing new technology and offering seamless connectivity for Rakuten Travel, we’re confident of bringing unparalleled convenience to our hotel partners to access Rakuten Travel’s customer base. By embracing this innovative technology we will empower our market managers around the globe to provide world famous Japanese customer service to our hotel partners and users."

eRevMax chief operating officer Greg Berman said: "Japan’s online leisure / unmanaged business travel market is by far Asia Pacific’s largest and is expected to sustain double digit growth in 2014. Our integration with Rakuten Travel will improve our portfolio by offering a diverse range of distributors through the eRevMax Channel Ecosystem. Given that we cater to properties ranging from independent properties to enterprise hotel groups, it is important for us to offer quality certified connections through which both the channel and the hotel can benefit."

The new functionality is now available to all existing eRevMax hotel customers looking to leverage distribution through Rakuten Travel. eRevMax is developing its connectivity solutions to offer sophisticated, real-time revenue management functionality to the hospitality industry.

This includes solutions for the independent market, the mid-market and scaling-up through the large, global hotel groups. eRevMax’s Channel Ecosystem facilitates quality, certified connectivity and relationship management services to support complex revenue generation strategies.