HOTUSA
ACQUIRES 75% OF IGM WEB'S CAPITAL
HOTUSA acquires majority interest in IGM
Web, a software company dedicated to developing electronic
commerce solutions for the tourism sector, whose headquarters
are located in Girona.
Barcelona, July 25, 2006 - The Hotusa
Group has acquired 75% of the capital of IGM Web, an IT company
founded in 2000. The hotel and tourism company formalized
its bid to buy into the Girona-based company which within
a short time has become one of the leaders in the application
of new technologies to the tourism and leisure industry.
The merger of these two firms arose from the
idea of working together in the development of technological
platforms that would contribute to improving competitiveness
and promote the internationalization of businesses within
the sector. In the words of the president of Hotusa, Amancio
López, “ hotels, travel agencies and other
types of tourism and leisure industry organizations will be
able to benefit within a short time of the synergies resulting
from this operation, which responds to the Group's desire
to diversify its lines of business “.
IGM becomes another company of the Hotusa Group,
while keeping its headquarters in Girona in order to profit
from the synergies established with the R & D community
at the University of Girona. Carles Arnal, who is the current
managing director, will remain as head of IGM so that in addition
to the support provided by having access the Hotusa Group's
varied resources, the company will be able to maintain its
activity independent.
The banner of innovation
IGM currently supplies two great service platforms : IORS
Hotel and IORS Ticket. IORS Hotel - whose
current version implements OTA (Open Travel Alliance) protocol,
which was born of the need to unify the protocols of tourism
transactions, in native mode - allows its customers to receive
and make hotel bookings, flight reservations, car rentals
or process loyalty program transactions among other operations,
automatically and remotely without manual intervention.
In 2002 IGM launched the IORS Ticket platform, a multi-sector
solution for the management and sale of tickets, season passes
and ticket packs for events of all sorts. The system allows
for the definition of venues, areas, sections and events,
as well as the sale, payment and delivery of the passes or
tickets, including self-printing by the customers. The system's
first sales were too the principal ACB (Spanish basketball
clubs association) clubs.
The company currently has over 700 hotels among its customers
and through its sales force is beginning to expand into international
markets. In addition, IGM also helps develop internet communication
and design skills as well as offer support and promotion
services with the goal of enabling the electronic commerce
solutions that our customers need for the advancement of their
businesses so they can benefit, simply and easily, of the
competitive edge and opportunities that the new technologies
allow.
The Hotusa Group, a thriving organization
Established in 1977, the Hotusa Group is now
a thriving organization formed by a large number of companies
in various fields within the tourism industry. In addition
to the Hotusa chain of independent hotels, the Keytel hotel
representation company, the Tour Operator Restel, the Hotelius.com
online management and reservation website, the Eurostars Hotels
chain, which brings together a total of 31 establishments,
as well as another 27 hotels under direct operation. The Group
registered total turnover of 456 million Euro in 2005, an
18% increase over the preceding year.
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