DerbySoft connects IHG to China's OTA giant

All 4600 InterContinental Hotels Group properties worldwide are being added to China’s online travel retailer, Ctrip.com International Ltd, via a central reservation system (CRS) designed and implemented by technology provider DerbySoft Inc.

With 160 operating properties and 30% of its global pipeline in China, IHG is said to have recognised the need to directly connect its CRS to China’s largest travel portal, Ctrip.com, which includes more than 250,000 hotels worldwide and services more than 60 million registered users.

As a result of the DerbySoft connection users can view real time availability and receive an instant booking confirmation.

IHG vice president of distribution and intermediary sales Andrew Rubinacci said: “Having worked with DerbySoft since 2007 on a variety of technology projects, we were extremely confident in their ability to help us with this complex direct connection.

DerbySoft was the first technology provider to connect a global hotel company's CRS to Booking.com, the Amsterdam-based division of Priceline.com Inc. (PCLN), when it connected IHG to Booking.com in 2008. 

Ctrip's senior vice president and head of hotel business division Maria Maohua Sun added: “We are happy to have a successful connection with IHG through DerbySoft, and Chinese customers can easily reserve more global hotels through Ctrip".

Online travel bookings in China overall are expected to reach nearly $14.4 billion this year, according to market research company PhocusWright.