Whiteboard Labs Enters into Joint Venture
Becomes Part of Sceptre Hospitality Resources
DENVER/HOUSTON, 28 February 2012 ? Sceptre Hospitality Resources, along with Richfield Hospitality today announced that its parent company, Hong Kong-based investment holding company City e-Solutions Limited (CES), entered into a joint venture with Whiteboard Labs LLC., a leading international travel industry CRS (Central Reservation System) and application development firm that specializes in improving top-line revenues for hotels.
Under the joint venture agreement, all of Whiteboard?s assets and products, research and development and patents, as well as its facilities and staff in Shanghai, China, and Houston and Austin, Texas will become part of Sceptre Hospitality Resources, LLC.? Earlier in the year, Sceptre, announced that its 620 hotels will utilize Whiteboard Labs? Windsurfer CRS platform and now with this transaction, Sceptre becomes a direct provider of those CRS resources.
?We have admired Whiteboard?s state-of-the-art technology for a number of years and recently migrated our 620 hotels over to their Windsurfer CRS system after a comprehensive review of the current technology,? said Bill Linehan, Sceptre?s chief operating officer.? ?With this acquisition, Sceptre now is a direct provider of those CRS resources.?
?Windsurfer gives our clients significant competitive advantages because it is the only technology that bridges the growing gap between what hoteliers need to enhance booking revenue and what customers have come to expect from technology.? We intend to aggressively expand our outreach to the hotel industry, not only for Windsurfer, but also for their other state-of-the-art products, including MotionNotes, a video messaging platform, and SpaLinx, a spa management and appointment booking application.? Under this new structure, Sceptre has the expertise to introduce these products on a global basis,? he said.
?This is a perfect fit for Whiteboard because it gives us the strength and backing of a major international company, as well as the marketing expertise to expand our market share,? said Rodrigo Jimenez, who will remain as the company?s chief technology officer, as well as joint-venture partner.? ?We believe this new relationship will give us significant synergies and allow us to devote more time to research and development while supporting our existing client hotels.?
?Rod Jimenez and the Whiteboard team have been creators of leading-edge connectivity research and development for more than 15 years,? Linehan said. ??This acquisition marries that technology expertise with our operations and marketing expertise as well as the stability of a global hospitality enterprise, which will allow us to create and deploy leading technology services that support critical business needs within our industry.?
?As one company, we now provide a full range of CRS and marketing support for individual hotels, portfolios or brands to improve top-line revenues.? We now are the only company to offer a full array of services that connect capture and convert business via distribution services, revenue management, business intelligence and internet marketing services.? With Whiteboard?s expertise, we customize existing technology and build proprietary systems that meet our client?s needs.??
About Sceptre Hospitality Resources
Sceptre Hospitality Resources maximizes revenues for hotels and resorts.? With the addition of Whiteboard Labs, the company now serves more than 4,000 properties on its reservation platform.? In addition to Windsurfer, a state-of-the-art central reservation system (CRS), Sceptre?s other software include MotionNotes, a video messaging platform, SpaLinx, a spa management and appointment booking application, HotelIQ business intelligence, custom internet marketing services and revenue management services.
Sceptre specializes in electronic distribution, reservations connectivity, channel management, site and search engine optimization, revenue management strategies, reservation call centers and direct booking engines.? Sceptre also provides interactive marketing programs, including website design, online advertising campaigns, social media solutions and other guest communication systems.? Additional information about Sceptre and hospitality industry marketing trends and tools may be found at the company?s website: sceptrehospitality.com